2 Chronicles 31; Zechariah 13:2–9; John 16; Revelation 17
We watched two Christmas movies yesterday. One was about a loving family and a young girl who, through them found her birth mother and deep joy. The other was about a nasty family always fighting, but in the end, all realized the folly of their behavior and their messy lives were restored. They too found joy. Both stories spoke to me about the grace of God. No matter what is going on in our lives, His goodness and love can change anything.
Today I read about the Passover, God’s reminder of how He saved His people from the angel of death, not because they earned or deserved it but because the blood of a lamb was on the doorways of their dwellings. In the day of Hezekiah when he reestablished the ceremony in a cleansed and restored temple, the people responded with great joy. Then they destroyed all their idols. As they continued to sacrifice and deal with their sin, they gave thanks and offered praise, “giving themselves to the law of the Lord.” Their generosity flowed, both in tithes and freewill offerings to created “heaps” of dedicated contributions representing the abundance of God’s blessing on their obedience. They were “faithful in keeping themselves holy” and Hezekiah “did what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God . . . with all his heart and prospered.” (2 Chronicles 31)
Zechariah 13 is a prophetic passage that compares the false prophets with their deceptive ways to the true Prophet or true Shepherd. The former will try hide their wounds from self-infliction related to idol worship while the true One to come will be wounded. This passage predicts that His sheep will scatter and be decimated yet those who survive will be refined and call upon His name, and He will answer them and say, “They are my people and they shall say, ‘The Lord is my God.’”
All four are examples of God’s amazing love and power. In John 16, Jesus tells the disciples about it, about how the Holy Spirit will come and teach the world what they need to know and the disciples what they need to know. He tells them their sorrow will turn into joy, their prayers will be answered, they will scatter when He is taken from them and experience tribulation in this world, but also that He has overcome the world. Like the movies (even though fiction) and like their history (reality), God will change their lives and grant them overcoming grace and power. Because Jesus overcame the world and all its sinful curses, His people will also overcome the world.
The last reading in Revelation describes the beginning of the end of evil in this world. This evil is personified as a city and as a sinful woman, yet it is far greater and more destructive than can be illustrated. It is identified with Rome, with Babylon, with paganism, with those who persecute God’s people, with all abominations, perversions and things that are vile. While many interpretations are made, the big picture is that our great God is going to deal with all that is evil.
APPLY: the words that come to mind are, “Be still and know that I am God.” Our world is in a mess, but He is not done with it yet. Like a family that takes time to iron out its messes, our Father is taking time to deal with this deranged world. The ending doesn’t sound like a fairy tale ending but there will be a definite ‘happily ever after’ for His children. We will experience peace and joy. We will be laughing and dancing and enjoying a feast with Jesus. Our story may have nasty moments, many tears, lots of hard work, and destruction of things we have held far to dear, but one day, the trumpets will sound and we will know who God is because He will change everything. In the meantime, I must simply do what He says and let Him be God.
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