HeartLight
Zephaniah 1:12 “And it shall come to pass at that time That I will search Jerusalem with lamps, And punish the men Who are settled in complacency, Who say in their heart, ‘The Lord will not do good, Nor will He do evil.’
I am finishing up a semester in school of studying the prophets of the Old Testament. Time after time they warn Israel and other nations of the coming judgement of God. Some nations heed the warning and repent; in their pride other nations stand, only to crumble in God’s wrath. Many of these prophecies have two fold meanings; the immediate historical intent of the nations receiving the word of God from the prophet, and the future intent of the time to come at The Day of the Lord when God passes judgement on the sin of the earth. That day is coming when we all must stand and account for our lives before Him in a holy court. We must answer what we did with the knowledge of Christ; of what we put before becoming disciples of His. How will you answer?
The more time I spend in these prophecies, the more I became concerned for those God has placed in my life. People close to me; co-workers, friends, even family. Do I be bold and share with them not only the Good News; but the wrath of eternal damnation in their apostate views of it? Zephaniah is speaking of how God will search out all that is hidden in that day of judgement on Judah; of the complacency of those resting in religion. Judah had slipped farther and farther away from God and they believed God would never punish His own people. Zephaniah 1:4 “I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal and the name of the idolatrous priests along with the priests, 5 those who bow down on the roofs to the host of the heavens, those who bow down and swear to the LORD and yet swear by Milcom, 6 those who have turned back from following the LORD, who do not seek the LORD or inquire of him.” God will always punish un-repented sin.
Remember that test we took as a kids when the first line was to read all the directions before beginning? Most of us began the seemingly endless tasks to be completed in the alloted time. Some of us just sat back and smiled while the others worked feverishly; yet they wondered what we knew. The last line on the test was to put your paper down and to disregard all the previous directions. God is showing you what He has planned for the world throughout the Bible. He has shown you why you struggle; why He gave you Christ to free you from that struggle; what will happen if you deny Him, and the eternal blessings in store if you humble yourself before Him. Do not pass through life thinking God will not search your heart with His Light upon judgement day. Zephaniah 1:14 The great day of the Lord is near; It is near and hastens quickly. The noise of the day of the Lord is bitter; There the mighty men shall cry out.
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