1:7 Be silent before the Lord GOD! For the day of the LORD is at hand; the LORD has
prepared a sacrifice, he has consecrated his guests.
1:12 At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the
people who rest complacently on their dregs, those who say in their hearts, "The LORD
will not do good, nor will he do harm."
1:13 Their wealth shall be plundered, and their houses laid waste. Though they
build houses, they shall not inhabit them; though they plant vineyards, they shall not
drink wine from them.
1:14 The great day of the LORD is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of
the day of the LORD is bitter, the warrior cries aloud there.
1:15 That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of
ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness,
1:16 a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against the fortified cities and
against the lofty battlements.
1:17 I will bring such distress upon people that they shall walk like the
blind; because they have sinned against the LORD, their blood shall be poured out like
dust, and their flesh like dung.
1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day
of the Lord's wrath; in the fire of his passion the whole earth shall be consumed; for a
full, a terrible end he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth.
I am using this passage as part of a series on prayer titled "ACTS of Prayer"
in which the letters of ACTS stand for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and
Supplication. Confession is this week's theme. I stress the concept that God WANTS us to
turn from sin and accept the forgiveness He offers. This passage talks about what happens
to the nations who do not follow the Lord. I follow this with verses 17 and 20 from
Chapter 3...showing the wonder and celebration of God's victory. Rev Janet in NY
I'm not sure that people as a nation follow the Lord. This text comes from a time when
the nation in question was more like a tribe or family. Today, it seems as if those in
power in the nations often get their own ideas of what is right, rather than following the
Lord. Imagine the acts of terrorism perpetrated in the name of the Lord.
I believe there are just reasons for armed defense of the victims of injustice, but
often the reasons that nations go to war are based on unjust economic fears rather than
justice for the people.
We as people in the nations still follow the Lord, and hopefully can inspire multitudes
to walk with us.
Michelle
These passages are hard for me. They seem diametrically opposed to everything I try to
tell peopleabout the love and faithfulness of Jesus. I think, though, that Pastor Janet
makes a good beginning. This is a single prophecy, and as such must be taken as a whole,
not in little pieces.
The danger and darkness and threats against the nations (those who oppose God and
worship falsely) must be set against the promise and hope which end this little book.
Complacency, silver and gold unable to save.
Interesting how God's anger in the OT is usually reserved for those who oppress the
poor and those who worship false gods
