A) THE DAY OF JUDGMENT - God’s punishment was coming to Judah due to their having forsaken the Lord. Though they should have known better, they preceded to worship idols instead of the one true God. For example, they worshipped Baal, Molech and the stars in the heavens. It had gotten so bad that even the priests were mixing pagan practices with their faith in God. No sin goes unpunished.
The remedy is simple, listen to God with a discerning ear and accept any correction he may lay before you. You must trust him and seek his guidance regularly. Accepting him and doing his will enables you to avoid his judgment.
B) MAN’S INDIFFERENCE TOWARD GOD - There had been several attempts at reform before, but Judah showed no sorrow ... no remorse for their sin. They were prosperous, and no longer made God their focus. In fact they paid him no mind. God’s demand for holy, righteous living became totally irrelevant to the inhabitants of Judah. Their seeming security, combined with their opulence made them complacent.
Material comfort can become an obstacle to our commitment to the Lord. Prosperity can lead to arrogant self-sufficiency. We need to come to the place where we can admit that money will never save us ... only God can.
C) DAY OF CHEER - In the end, after the punishment has been meted out, when their sin had been purged from them, they realized a great sense of relief and subsequent hope. Their antagonists WILL absolutely be punished, however, God’s people will be purified and completely restored which will give them hope for the future.
No matter how difficult a situation you may currently be in, we can always look forward to the day when God completely restores us in heaven.
Up next is the book of Haggai. Until then, walk with the King and be a blessing.
In his name & for his glory,
Richard Keller
Bread of Life Ministries
Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.
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