Are We Really Better Than God's Children In The Past - Zechariah 1:1-4

The Minor Prophets Speak to Today 

 

God Calls Us, Today, To Also Return

Zechariah 1:1-4 NLT

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The Messages of the Prophets Do Not Apply to Us

A persistent belief among church members states that the messages of the prophets do not apply to us. We don't have those problems. In the United States, that takes a step farther, the prophet's messages do not apply to America. We do not have those problems.

This flies in the face of scripture - New Testament scriptures: 2 Peter 1:19, 1 Corinthians 10:11, 2 Peter 2:6, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, James 4:5.

"Don't be like your ancestors who would not listen or pay attention when the prophets said: 'Turn from your evil ways and stop all your evil practices.'" Zechariah 1:4 "I was very angry with your ancestors." Zechariah 1:2

God's message remains the same today - under grace. Calvary covers it all so we are no longer slaves to sin, but we are still called to stop all of our evil practices - both individually and corporately.

Can you really tell me you have no evil ways? Is there really no evil practice you need to stop? Has God never been angry with your ancestors or have we just refused to see it?

No longer slaves means we are free to stop those practices, to turn God's anger away.

Beware of worship of the past, of your ancestors; for if you do you will repeat the sins of your ancestors.

Because I, the Lord was Very Angry with Your Ancestors

 

 The Lord of Heaven's Armies says to you again today, "Return to me, and I will return to you." 

 

We don't talk much about Heaven's Armies any more. We just have a hard time believing in those "old" pictures and, truth be told, we harbor fear of spiritual warfare. Of demons and spiritual powers and all that. We harbor fear to our own peril. The peril of repeating the sins of our ancestors and of Israel.

 

It is because God was very angry with the people, God's children, ancient and modern, that he today says to us, "Turn from your evil ways, and stop all your evil practices." He does not cherish his anger. He does not want his anger toward us, individually and corporately, to reach that same white hot intensity that unleashes the terrible punishments of the past.

No! We are not Better than God's Children in the Past.

Yes, the Prophets still Apply to us Today!

 

Photo Credits:

apocalypse 1945 bombing of dresden by en.fbii.org