Gather – Praying Pint

49.o. Wilderness – 13.u. “Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things”

Deu 4:9  “Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children— how on the day that you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, the LORD said to me, ‘Gather the people to me, that I may let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children so.’ And you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, while the mountain burned with fire to the heart of heaven, wrapped in darkness, cloud, and gloom. Then the LORD spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of words, but saw no form; there was only a voice. And he declared to you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, that is, the Ten Commandments, and he wrote them on two tablets of stone. And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and rules, that you might do them in the land that you are going over to possess.

Proverbs 3:1    My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments,

Proverbs 3:3   Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.

Proverbs 7:1   My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you;

Proverbs 4:20-23  My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.  Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart.  For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.  Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

Hebrews 2:3    how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard,

Psalms 119:11    I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Their only danger was, lest they should grow careless and unmindful of all the wonderful things that God had done for them and thereby not teach them to their children. The possession of the oracles of God by Israel was a benefit to them only as these were kept in mind and reverently obeyed. Therefore they were to take heed and diligently beware of forgetting the circumstances under which the Law had been received at Horeb. God had then commanded the people to be gathered together, so that they stood before the Lord, were in his manifested presence, and were made to hear his voice speaking to them from amidst the fire and the clouds that covered the mount. They had thus actual evidence and guarantee that the Law they had received was Divine; and this they were to keep in mind as long as they lived, and to communicate to their children in all coming time, that so they might fear the Lord; for on this rested that covenant which God had made with Israel, and which they were to keep as the condition of their continuing to enjoy privilege and life. (Unkown)

When we are passive towards God’s Word and the things of God we will become complacent and neglectful. The quiet whispers of the Holy Spirit’s leading will be drowned out by the busyness of whatever we have turned to or allowed to consume our desire to honor and glorify Jesus Christ. The Bible was inspired and authored by and through the Holy Spirit. His Word was given to us so that we might know God and His plans, purposes, and promises. How many days go by when we are just going through the motions of being a faithful servant? How many times do we leave our house and give no thought to how we might continually honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all of our thoughts, words, and actions? How many trials and problems do we seek to rely on self-reliance rather than reliance on God our heavenly Father?

God is ever-present and worthy of all praise, honor, glory, and worship. Becoming careless and unmindful of God’s purpose for each of us is to believe, trust, follow, obey, and rely upon Him, and grow in our understanding of His great power, might, grace, mercy, and love, and be in a continual desire to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all of our thoughts, words, and actions, we drift away, think unholy things, speak worldly thoughts, and seek the pleasure of fleshly and worldly desires.

How is it possible to know what honors and glorifies Jesus Christ if the Word of God is neglected?

How is it possible to grow in our understanding of God’s grace, mercy, and love if there is no desire to do so?

How is it possible to determine what is holy and what is worldly when all that fills your mind is what comes from that which is worldly?

How is it possible to be a light shining in the darkness when the light of God’s Word is dim in your life?

How is it possible to know God’s will when there is no desire to know it?

How many years have we been walking in the wilderness because we allow worldly values and culture to consume us and we walk on paths away from God?

When there is no heart, mind, and soul desire to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all of our thoughts, words, and actions – all of the time – then there will be no fueled desire to read His Word and know God.

See what David said; Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting

46.r. “Wilderness” – 10.x. “So that you may not bear it yourself alone”

Num 11:16 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone.

Moses was not to pick men whom he thought might become elders; he was to pick men who were already known as elders because of their wisdom, conduct, and ministry to others. Elders are made by God but recognized by men. The elders must have the same heart, the same vision, and same Spirit that was on Moses. If not, there would be no agreement among the leadership of the nation and disaster could come to Israel. (Guzik)

We do not have to look very deep into our memories to find a time when we were overburdened by something or someone. The thoughts that come to mind during these times are varied but one thing is for sure, they are felt, they hurt, and they may feel justified. It may seem as if there is no way to get on the other side of this burden. It looks so big and overwhelming that it blocks out all hope of life becoming better. I don’t know how to describe it any better but surely you can relate to it. In these overwhelming burdens, there is no rest except for what is found in trust and reliance on Jesus Christ. Resting in Him is the only rest that can satisfy your soul. He is the all-powerful, ever-present, and all-knowing creator of all there is. Nothing is hidden from Him. He knows all of your burdens and says, “Cast your burdens upon Me” and I will give you rest for your soul.

39.o. “Assemble and listen”

Genesis 49:1 Then Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you what shall happen to you in days to come. “Assemble and listen, O sons of Jacob, listen to Israel your father.

Jacob summoned his sons together, that he might inform them of what should befall them in the latter days.” We cannot tell our children what shall befall them or their families in this world; but we can tell them, from the word of God, what shall befall them in the last day of all, according as they conduct themselves in this world. (Benson)

We are not to consider this address as the expression of private feelings of affection, resentment, or partiality; but as the language of the Holy Ghost, declaring the purpose of God respecting the character, circumstances, and situation of the tribes which descended from the sons of Jacob, and which may be traced in their histories. (Henry)

Jacob called his sons together for them together to receive their individual blessings and to hear the blessings of their brothers. Jacob, filled with the hope and promises of God to Abraham and Isaac, then to himself, and filled with the Holy Spirit, blessed each son and prophesied their legacy.

We leave Trusts and Wills for our children when we die, but wouldn’t it be Holy and awesome if we were filled with the Spirit of God all the days of our lives and we poured out the Word of God into their lives as an eternal lasting blessing for them rather than give much thought about our worldly possessions and the division of these assets upon our death.

39.a. “Why do you look at one another?”

Genesis 42:1 When Jacob learned that there was grain for sale in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?” And he said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain for sale in Egypt. Go down and buy grain for us there, that we may live and not die.” So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with his brothers, for he feared that harm might happen to him. Thus the sons of Israel came to buy among the others who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

Genesis 41:54 and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. There was famine

Joshua 7:10 The LORD said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face?

Jeremiah 8:14 Why do we sit still? Gather together; let us go into the fortified cities and perish there, for the LORD our God has doomed us to perish and has given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.

How easy is it to become arrogant and complacent in times of plenty and prosperity? How easy is it to sit back and rest giving little thought to the opposite? How easy is it to forget God in times of prosperity?

If this famine occurred right now there would be shouts of global warming, climate change. and the need for man’s wisdom to put things back into order. Don’t get me wrong on this. We certainly need to be good stewards of God’s resources and mindful of waste and pollution but weather patterns, both short and long-term are in the Creator’s hands.

I am intrigued by Jacob’s question to his sons; “Why do you look at one another?” They have heard just like Jacob that there is grain for sale in Egypt. Their lack of making a decision to go and buy grain to survive baffled Jacob. He could see the answer to their immediate need but his sons were standing around looking at each other without any kind of action or plan of action. The famine had them stupefied. If you had a cow that no longer was giving milk and you needed milk, and your neighbor had more than enough milking cows to produce a surplus of milk, wouldn’t it seem like an easy enough decision to go buy some from them? Coming off 7 years of prosperity seems to have taken the creative thinking and problem-resolving ability from their brains concerning their current situation.

There are times in our lives that require action and there are times that require waiting. How can a person discerns when to apply constraints and wait, or take action and move on? For those who are believers, this can still be a time of indecision. Do I wait or do I move on? When we look to God in Faith the answer will come. In fact, it might be totally the opposite for two believers. God can move one to stay and another to move on. The key is by faith, reliance, and trust in and on God to speak to your heart and mind through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Faith is built on hope, trust, and reliance in and on God. Taking action while others are waiting or waiting while others are taking action is very hard to understand, but to those who have their hearts and minds reliant on God and ever-seeking to hear His quiet whispers leading them in their decisions will find a peace that passes all understanding in these times.

Too often times of prosperity result in neglect and complacency to things of God so that when times of famine, trials, and troubles arrive at your doorstep you are void of the ability to rely and trust in and on God. It is so sad this is the way of many who proclaim to be believers. If your life’s purpose is void of honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ in all you think, say, and do in times of prosperity it surely will be void in times of famine, trials, and troubles.

Now is the time to change the way you live. No longer live for self, but rather by the renewing of your mind and intentionally choosing to live in such a way that all you think, say, and do honors and glorifies Jesus Christ. Now is the time for in this purpose we find our faith, hope, trust, and reliance will grow and mature into that which honors and glorifies Jesus Christ.

37.s. “I will vomit you out of My mouth.”

Malachi 1:6 “A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the Lord of hosts To you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’

Revelations 3:15-16: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”

We can come up with all kinds of reasons why we are consumed by the busyness of life and have little to no time for God and things of God. Young families find themselves going from work to baseball, soccer, volleyball, football, track, tennis, matches, practice, out-of-town events, and other school activities. They get stuck in being busy and end up having no time for God or things of God. They are consumed by life. Their quiet time for God is listening to a gospel song on the way to work, or when time permits a trip to church. Prayer is reserved for those awful times in life where trials and troubles overwhelm them. Such is life when God and things of God are put “Second” on the priority list.

It is very easy to discern.

Neglecting God’s Word.
Complacency
Things of God are not given any thought
There is no thought of having everything you say, think, and do for the honor and glory of Jesus
There is no meditation on His Word
Joy, love, peace, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, generosity, self-control, and patience are missing
Fear, confusion, anger, division, and worry find places in your mind
There is no fruit for the kingdom of God
Giving of time or money is weak at best
More time is spent on social media than on God’s Word
More time is spent watching TV than in God’s Word
More thought is given to sports and watching and attending them
World and local news is more important than God’s Word
Life seems to be more of a burden than a joy to experience
You no longer hear the quiet whispers of the Holy Spirit
You are no longer aware of sin and the need for repentance
You are tolerant of things that are not godly
Worldly wisdom seems to make sense
You are never satisfied or content
There is a void in your heart and mind but you can’t put your finger on what is missing
God’s coming wrath and judgment and the return of Jesus Christ is given no thought
The great price Jesus paid for your sin is given no thought
There is no discernment between Godly and worldly

There should be no room for neglect or complacency toward Jesus Christ and the things of God in our lives. We should be very growing in our understanding and knowledge of God and His love, grace, and mercy. We should be ever growing in our desire to, more and more each day, learn to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in how we think, what we speak, and what we do.

When we allow ourselves room to be neglectful and complacent it does not end well. Nor will we find satisfaction and purpose for our souls.

28.z. “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small”

Colossians 1:11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Isaiah 45:24   “Only in the LORD, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength; to him shall come and be ashamed all who were incensed against him.

Ephesians 3:16    that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

Philippians 4:13     I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

2 Corinthians 4:7  But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

Proverbs 24:10     If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.

2 Corinthians 6:4-6   but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities  beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger;  by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love;

Hebrews 12:1-2   Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

His strength is there to help us meet all of life’s challenges and to endure and overcome problems with circumstances (patience) and people (long-suffering) with joy. We find it easy to be patient and long-suffering when everything in our lives is free from trials and troubles. In other words, we think we will be patient and long-suffering when they invade our lives. We think we will be strong, steadfast, face it with courage, and will honor and glorify Jesus Christ through it, and then, Bam!! life happens and just the opposite happens. Our greatest failure is trying to or thinking that we are facing the trial or trouble alone and in our own strength. When we do, subconsciously we may know it is beyond our ability, but still, we plod on trying to overcome it in our self-reliant way. We may even consciously concede to the fact that is beyond our ability, but we still try to rely on ourselves. Why is that? Sometimes it is because of our spiritual growth or lack thereof, living in sin, not having a desire to surrender it into God’s hands, shallow faith in God’s power, thinking that we are not worthy of God’s help, or a host of other reasons. It is hard to yield to God’s power, strength, purpose, and plans. It is hard to wait on the Lord. Should it be? All throughout our lives, we must continually grow in faith, hope, trust, reliance, understanding, knowledge, and wisdom. Learning to do this takes continual practice, surrender, and yielding. It is with an intentional choice and desire to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all we say, think, and do that we find learning applicable. God’s Word becomes more than food for our souls. It satisfies, fills, empowers, and we learn to discern the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives. How do we begin to apply this in our lives? Commit and Discipline yourselves to be in His Word and then practice surrender, yielding, seeking, and waiting on the Lord. Will we fail at times? Yes. However with continual practice, we will become more and more steadfast and resolute in our daily lives, and when trials and troubles fall upon us our natural reaction will be to place it in God’s control, power, purpose, and plans.

24.u. “In the twinkling of an eye”

1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.

1 Thessalonians 4:14-17    For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.  For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.  For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

2 Peter 3:10    But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

Matthew 24:31    And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

In the Biblical sense, a mystery is simply a thing to be understood by spiritual, rather than by merely human perception. Paul will tell the Corinthian Christians something they could not have known by reason or research. They could not have known this unless God revealed it to them.

In a single moment, Jesus will gather His people (both dead and on the earth) to Himself, for resurrection. There will come a day when in God’s eternal plan, He gives those dead in the Lord their resurrection bodies, and then in an instant He gathers all His people to meet Jesus in the air. All the redeemed on the earth at that time will rise up to meet the Lord in the clouds, and will receive their resurrection bodies. Ironside says that the last trumpet was a figure of speech that came from the Roman military, when they broke camp. The first trumpet meant, “strike the tents and prepare to leave”; the second trumpet meant, “fall into line”; the third and last trumpet meant “march away.”

Are you anticipating the last trumpet? Are you ready to hear it? Are you ready to face death and enter eternity? Surrender your entire life to humbly serve, honor, follow, obey, trust, and rely in Jesus Christ. There is no other way to enter eternity in heaven.

18.d. “The word that I have spoken will judge Him”

John 12:42 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved human praise more than praise from God. Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”

“The word that I have spoken will judge Him” – there are inescapable consequences for rejecting Jesus. Think about the consequences for either relying on Him or rejecting Him.

Eternal life or Eternal damnation and torment

Living in light or living in darkness

Forgiven or condemned

Power in Him or weakness in self

Love or hate and anger

Joy or misery

Peace or conflict and anxiousness

Kind or mean

Gentle or brutal

Patience or impatience

Refuge or fear

Humility or pride

Giving or greedy

Victory or defeated

Hope or despair

God honoring or self-honoring

Holy Spirit living within or Satan always tempting

Heavenly desires or worldly lusts

Living for God or living for self

Surrender to the Holy Spirit leading or Satan, world/culture, and self-leading

Belief, trust, and reliance in Jesus Christ or rejection and denial

Jesus came to rescue and save us by paying the price of our sin. He came because God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. Jesus gave His life so we might live. This life we live is to be lived in the LIGHT of this so that all that we do, all that we think, and all that we say is honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ. He did not come to this world to condemn man but to save man from their sins. Yet, in rejecting His redemption, sacrifice, and salvation all mankind is condemned. There is no other means of salvation, but by and through Jesus Christ. Belief in Him is more than words on our lips. It is heart, mind, and soul-deep. It is knowing and owning up to our sin and sinful nature and separation from God because of it, and reliance on, clinging to and trusting in Jesus for our redemption from this condemnation. When we surrender our self-reliance to Jesus only reliance there ought to be some change (new birth). Old things pass away and all things are new. We are promised the indwelling Holy Spirit when we believe and surrender and trust and rely (faith) upon/in Jesus Christ alone. The indwelling Holy Spirit will lead us on paths in our lives that honor and glorify Jesus Christ. Listen for the quiet whispers of the Holy Spirit speaking into your life through God’s Word. It is there if we but spend the time in His Word and turn our ear towards Him. This new life in Him is not our own to live as we please. Our lives have been redeemed and ought to reflect the light of the price He paid to save us from hell and the promise of eternal life.

16.w. “For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”

John 10:7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

Psalms 23:1   The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Isaiah 40:11     He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.

Ezekiel 34:12    As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.

Ezekiel 37:24   My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd. They shall walk in my rules and be careful to obey my statutes.

Micah 5:4    And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.

Hebrews 13:20    Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant

1 Peter 2:25   For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

1 Peter 5:4    And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

The true Shepherd knows the sheep of His flock. He keeps watch over His sheep. He laid down His life for His Sheep. There is one “Shepherd” and one “Flock”. I am sure we can all agree that the “Shepherd” is Jesus Christ. I think many get confused about who makes up the flock. The flock is made up of those who live and pursue to honor and glorify Jesus Christ, ALL OF THE TIME. There is a false belief that one can live for Jesus on Sundays and the rest of the week live for themself. On Sundays they get all these religious feelings and they think, “I am a Christian and I am pleasing God.” But then Monday comes around and they are interested in other things. They are replacing “Living for God” by pursuing other interests, goals, and worldly important, )not eternally important), stuff. “If you’re going to grow in living a life that is pleasing to God, you must come to the point when you decide, ‘If I don’t accomplish anything else, I am determined that I will live my life for an audience of one. I am going to please God. This is the one thing I am going to do.’” Being a follower of Jesus Christ is not a game that is played on Sunday. It is the essence of eternal life. Why would Jesus use words like, the Word of God is “Living”, “Living Water”, and the “Bread of Life”?

So you have to ask “how does a person please God and what pleases God? Essential to pleasing God is repenting and turning away from sin, seeking forgiveness of Jesus Christ for the sinful life that had been lived, following, trusting in, relying on, and clinging to Jesus Christ, taking care of the widows, orphans, and the poor, giving generously, and surrendering your will to the will of God. All of these “God Pleasing” actions are things you do every living moment of every day to honor and glorify Jesus Christ. To think we can give a head nod toward Jesus on Sundays and think we are pleasing to God is nothing more than a deception and living a lie.

Recount all of the activities of your last week. Were you doing that which is pleasing to God or self? Were you doing it as unto the Lord or self? Did it honor and glorify Jesus Christ or was it done to honor and glorify self? Were you seeking and desiring to do all you could every single moment of every day to please Him? If “Pleasing Him” is not first most in your heart and mind, then something else has taken its place.

Wake up each morning with the Living Word and drink full of the living water and eat of the bread of life seeking to do that which honors and glorifies Jesus Christ throughout the day. This is pleasing to God. At the end of the day think about all of the things God allowed you to experience to honor and glorify Jesus and then give thanks to God for that day. This is pleasing to God. Living to be pleasing to God will not allow one’s self to be neglectful or complacent in studying His Word or for doing that which pleases Him. Jesus Christ is truly worthy of honor and glory every minute of every day.

13.u. “Behold, a day is coming for the Lord”

Zechariah 13:7 “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who stands next to me,” declares the Lord of hosts. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones. In the whole land, declares the Lord, two thirds shall be cut off and perish, and one third shall be left alive. And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people’;and they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’”

Zechariah 14:1 Behold, a day is coming for the Lord, when the spoil taken from you will be divided in your midst. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women raped. Half of the city shall go out into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward.

Zechariah 14:9 And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day the Lord will be one and his name one.

In this prophecy from Zechariah we see a clear picture of Jesus Christ, the Shepherd was struck (crucified) and the scattering of the sheep took place when persecution fell on those in Jerusalem. Act 8:1 And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. We also see those who will be alive at His return to earth for the millennial reign, and the death of those who were striving to destroy Israel and His followers who came to an understanding of and trusted in salvation and redemption through Him during the tribulation period and were alive at His coming. “His feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives.” Those that come against Him will surely perish. Those that trust in Him will surely live and they will reign with Him on earth for 1000 years.

There is more definition to the timing and what will occur in Revelation about the tribulation period when the wrath of God is poured out on all mankind for their rejection of Jesus Christ and His grace, mercy, and love. We know that man has both physical and spiritual makeup. The physical dies but the spirit is eternal. Those who have rejected Jesus Christ will die physically but spiritually they will live in torment, Hell, totally separated from Jesus Christ. This is not something to be taken lightly. I recently had a conversation with a relative who said when he dies he knows he is going to hell and he said that he will only take up a small portion there. I told him he is still alive and while he still has breath there is time to change that outcome. How is it that people can take Hell so lightly? It is because they make the sacrifice, redemption, and salvation of Jesus Christ his offer of grace, mercy, and love lightly. I don’t know how it works, but Jesus Christ can soften hearts and harden hearts with the same offer of redemption, and salvation. Look at Paul the leader of and the one who carried out great persecution on the early church yet his heart was softened. Look at Pharaoh who in the light of all of the wonders displayed hardened his heart like stone. Look at your own life and how self-centered, self-absorbed, and self-satisfied you were and somehow the Word of God softened your heart to the Good News of Jesus Christ. Obviously it was not a work of your own thinking but the work of the Holy Spirit of God opening up your mind to understand the need and offer of redemption. Only God knows how this works. He is all-knowing, Holy, and just. Somewhere in all of this is a free will choice that is made deep within the heart and soul of every person. All I can say is that if the Holy Spirit of God is revealing the need and offer of redemption and salvation, do not reject it. Your eternal destiny is based on this choice.