October 31, 2024

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“’[On that Day] You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.‘” (Zechariah 14.5b)

REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

Vacate the premises. We have seen the pictures of Pompeii as archaeologists have slowly removed the ash and debris left by Mt. Vesuvius when it erupted in 79 A.D. The people who were captured in the moment as 13-20 feet piled over them. It is hard to imagine how such a thing could happen except that the citizens of Pompeii ignored the signs of the impending eruption. How could a volcano erupt with such force and not give any signal beforehand? Caught sleeping in oblivion? Spontaneous eruption? We will never really know but we can see the consequences of the lack of preparation. We have the story which Jesus told in answering the question about “when the Christ will come.” He spoke of the ten bridesmaids awaiting the trumpet blast signaling the return of the groom to take his bride and complete the marriage agreement. He had been away preparing a place for them to live as was the tradition. In essence, the wedding was put on intentional pause. Their world would wait until suddenly the signal came. When it did, five of the bridesmaids were wise enough to trim their wicks so as to not burn up all their oil. They also had enough in reserve to last until the moment of the groom’s arrival came. The other five were not as skilled nor prepared. They were caught with a wavering light seemingly being consumed by darkness. By the time they had purchased new oil and wicks, it was too late. We know also that Jesus would declare that “the Son of Man will come like a thief in the night.” The emphasis was not so much on the thief but of the preparedness. The thief knew when the time of vulnerability was the greatest: when everyone was deep in sleep. The call was to be on guard, alert and at the ready. Here we are in Zechariah 14 and the signs were being given that God was going to “storm the castle” and take back what was His: Jerusalem. He would make a way for the believers who trusted in Him to escape. He was telling them “be prepared to vacate the premises.” When the city was abandoned, God and His army would march in and take over keeping all unbelievers from ruling in that place. We heard it from the beginning of Zechariah that the time would come when a false peace would be overcome by authentic peace.

What needs to be vacated in our hearts, mind, homes, businesses, places of worship and discipleship, places of governance and wherever else we find ourselves being the witness of Christ intentionally and/or unintentionally? The word seems clear. The Lord will return and He will restore to wholeness and holiness that which had been set apart in righteousness for righteousness. This was a clear message when Jesus entered the Temple (whether at the beginning of His ministry according to John or at the end of His ministry according to the Synoptics) and overturned the tables of the buyers, sellers and moneychangers who were employed by the Temple leadership under the instruction and supervision of Caiaphas, the Chief High Priest. Jesus declared, “This which was made to be a House of Prayer has been transformed into a den of thieves.” Set aside the practices of graft and bad business which had become the norm in the Temple “marketplace.” Jesus’ accusation was concerning the idea that “salvation could be bought and sold.” The very act of prayer itself before God was sufficient to gain the ear of God for those who were truly penitent. How the system had been “rewired” to put man in control of God’s business instead of stewarding and shepherding the flock and the resources to sustain them was an atrocity and an abomination to God. Israel was making itself weak before God and before the nations. Jesus came to do the necessary make-over. You know what happens with a home make-over, right? Demolition! New foundation! A solid plan! And a desire to stick with the program! It was going to happen in the word given to Israel via Zechariah and the other prophets. The message didn’t vary from its intent even if the content and text seemed to. The same needs to be understood in today’s world and in our own nation and in our own faith houses. Let those with ears to hear, listen; and eyes to see, perceive.

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, before we were conceived in the womb, You had already formed us in Your love and by Your Spirit brought us into being. Each one of us is blessed with the opportunity of doing right, being good and producing the fruit of the Spirit in order that others be fed the truth of that same love so that the two will become one. It is our soul’s sincere desire to embrace the oneness You have in mind so we would know we are Your people and You are our God. Lead us in that discovery of the truth and the manifestation of that love for us all. In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN.