Do not be sidetracked . . .

 

2 Chronicles 34; Malachi 2; John 19; Revelation 20

Josiah, a young king. rose to the throne and “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord” yet was without the written Word of the Lord. As he destroyed idols and places of idol worship, he began repairs to the temple. In the process, the “Book of the Law” was discovered. Josiah read it and realized the nation had incurred the wrath of God. He sent his leaders to Huldah, a prophetess, to find out what he should do. She told them:

Because they have forsaken me and have made offerings to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands, therefore my wrath will be poured out on this place and will not be quenched. But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, thus shall you say to him, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Regarding the words that you have heard, because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants, and you have humbled yourself before me and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the Lord. Behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place and its inhabitants.’ ” And they brought back word to the king. (2 Chronicles 34:25–28)

This could be said of people on my prayer list who have not yet become part of God’s family. They are not obedient to Him and some seem oblivious to the importance of abandoning all idolatry to love and serve the Lord. If they do not believe in my lifetime or in theirs, will I go to my grave in peace and not see the disaster God will bring to them? Perhaps this should be a welcome thought, but instead it makes me sad. I do not want anyone to perish.

God’s words to Malachi also bring sad thoughts. He rebukes His priests, those who are supposed to bring His truths to others. He compares them to faithful priests and says:

But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts, and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but show partiality in your instruction.” (Malachi 2:8–9)

He rebukes these who failed their duties and chastens them for being unfaithful, not only to Him but to their wives and for not guarding their own spiritual lives. In these words, I’m reminded of all my failures, not only as a Christian but in my role as a priest and in my sins as a woman of God.

However, God’s Word takes me to the cross. John 19 begins with Jesus being flogged even though Pilate insists, “I find no guilt in him” and I am immediately thinking how He died for my guilt, not His own for He never sinned.

Satan tried. He even used Scripture to tempt Jesus. He also uses it to accuse me of sins already forgiven, their price paid. My name is written in the book of life, but not so for my accuser. God tells the fate of this deceiver:

And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Revelation 20:7–10)

APPLY: In the end, the grace and power of God overrules all evil forces, but it also covers the sin of all who have humbled themselves to receive His offer of forgiveness and have answered His call to repentance and faith. I cannot control what happens to others except to tell the truth from God and pray that He will use it to transform their lives. Again, God tells me to keep praying.