Sunday, December 5, 2010

Populus Zion: A Devotional Commentary


Malachi 4:1-6 “For, behold, the day comes, it burns as a furnace; and all the proud, and all who work wickedness, will be stubble; and the day that comes will burn them up,” says Yahweh of Armies, “that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But to you who fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings. You will go out, and leap like calves of the stall. You shall tread down the wicked; for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I make,” says Yahweh of Armies. “Remember the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded to him in Horeb for all Israel, even statutes and ordinances. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”

Romans 15:4-13 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through patience and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Now the God of patience and of encouragement grant you to be of the same mind one with another according to Christ Jesus, that with one accord you may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore accept one another, even as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God. Now I say that Christ has been made a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given to the fathers, and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore will I give praise to you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.” Again he says, “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.” Again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Let all the peoples praise him.” Again, Isaiah says, “There will be the root of Jesse, he who arises to rule over the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles will hope.” Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Luke 21:25-36 There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and on the earth anxiety of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the waves; men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world: for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these things begin to happen, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near.” He told them a parable. “See the fig tree, and all the trees. When they are already budding, you see it and know by your own selves that the summer is already near. Even so you also, when you see these things happening, know that the Reign of God is near. Most certainly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things are accomplished. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away. So be careful, or your hearts will be loaded down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day will come on you suddenly. For it will come like a snare on all those who dwell on the surface of all the earth. Therefore be watchful all the time, praying that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Your King comes to you! The Reign of God is near! There are many who by their plans or through their dreams hope to set the world ablaze or set the world on fire. Why someone would want to do this is beyond my understanding. Melting flesh doesn't sound like a good time to me. But when Christ returns He will set the earth ablaze in judgment!

Remember the law of Moses! If Christ returns and you have not kept the law of Moses you will be found worthy of being set ablaze and burning eternally in the unquenchable fire! Close doesn't cut it and you aren't even close. You can't go an hour without breaking God's law by some ungodly thought. You ought to be trembling in fear at the thought of the coming of Jesus.

But you have been washed in the blood of Jesus. Jesus has kept Moses' law for you. Do not put your hope in good investments or in hopes that the world will get better or in your own moral improvement. Do not put your hope in the religion of "Christian" movies where resurrection occurs without death. Faith in Christ does not give you an automatic ticket to riches and success and might even give you a one way ticket to disaster. In the Scriptures and throughout history faith in Christ has caused marriages to fall apart, lose their jobs, and be killed. Do not put your hope in Christianizing the United States. The United States will fall to pieces along with the rest of the universe. But when you see these things happening, lift up your head because your King comes to you! Jesus clothes you with His own righteousness and you will escape the judgment of the last day.

1 comment:

Andy Wrasman said...

Nice Scriptural response to "being on fire" for the Lord. How true it is. Fire is reserved for God's judgment in Scripture.