2 Chronicles 24:20
20 Then the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God, ‘Why do you break the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken you.’”
This is a word of prophecy by Zechariah against the people of Judah because they turned from God and worshipped idols. It also serves as a warning to us when we rebel and turn from God. But Zechariah doesn't just say it is wrong, he also points us to the root issue of why we are behaving this way. Why do we disobey? What are we hoping to gain by following idols of lust and greed rather than by following God? We are not completely irrational, but mistakenly believe that the fantasy will somehow fulfill us, that somehow we will be happier with someone else rather than with God. However, the truth is as Zechariah says: "you cannot prosper". In the heat of temptation we may only think of the pleasure, but the pleasure is short-lived, and does not lead to true life. Also, as Zechariah further explains, we reap what we sow, and when we turn from God He turns from us, so we lose His blessing.
Lord, help me to see the lies behind my disobedience, and to choose life through obedience.
20 Then the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God, ‘Why do you break the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken you.’”
This is a word of prophecy by Zechariah against the people of Judah because they turned from God and worshipped idols. It also serves as a warning to us when we rebel and turn from God. But Zechariah doesn't just say it is wrong, he also points us to the root issue of why we are behaving this way. Why do we disobey? What are we hoping to gain by following idols of lust and greed rather than by following God? We are not completely irrational, but mistakenly believe that the fantasy will somehow fulfill us, that somehow we will be happier with someone else rather than with God. However, the truth is as Zechariah says: "you cannot prosper". In the heat of temptation we may only think of the pleasure, but the pleasure is short-lived, and does not lead to true life. Also, as Zechariah further explains, we reap what we sow, and when we turn from God He turns from us, so we lose His blessing.
Lord, help me to see the lies behind my disobedience, and to choose life through obedience.