Will God Hear Us?

O. T. #2299  "Will God Hear Us?"

Oct. 13, 2022

Zechariah 7-Part 4 

Therefore it is come to pass, that as He cried, and they would not hear: so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of Hosts. (verse 13)

LET IT GLOW

I hope our heart is not as hard as a diamond, as in verse 12. Yet, it was the condition of the Jews' hearts before they were sent into captivity by Assyria and Babylon. Prophet after prophet was sent to warn them, to bring them to repentance of their sins of idolatry and draw them out of rebellion before God. However, they would not. Had they turn from their sins and back to God, they would not have gone into captivity for 70 years.

Did you see who cried first? It was God. 

In the Hebrew language, cried means to call out; invite; preach; pronounce; publish; read; say.

Since the Jews refused to listen when God called to them, He would not listen when they called to Him. 

MacArthur explains, "This reflects a severe form of God's wrath by which He abandons disobedient sinners." 

Proverbs 1:23-24, 28-29 says, Turn you at My reproof: behold, I will pour out My spirit unto you, I will make known My words unto you. Because I have called, and ye refuse; I have stretched out My hand, and no man regarded. Then shall they call upon Me, but I will not answer; they shall seek Me early, but they shall not find Me. For they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD.

Folks, we do not want to be like that! We do not want our family, neighbors, nor church to be like that! Keep praying for them and loving them to Jesus.

What good news is in this? God keeps His Word. He loves us so much that He will not let us keep straying away in sin. He will discipline His child and draw us to Himself or take us home.

LET IT GROW

Verse 14 tells us that the Jews were scattered, taken into captivity, and lived as strangers, but the discipline worked and over 50,000 returned to Jerusalem to rebuild it. Most people were of a new generation, and they had been told about their God.

Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the Most High: And call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me. (Ps. 50:14-15)

My God has come through so many times for me, as I have shared before-when I stopped breathing after surgery, when my potassium and magnesium were depleted after a test, after a covid shot, and during a car accident. Thank You God for all You have done for me! Glory to God in the Highest! I owe You my life. Use me for whatever, sharing Jesus, hope in Jesus, love in Jesus, Your amazing grace.

LET IT GO

How are we to live? Do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God. (Micah 6:8b) He gives peace in the storm, joy in the struggle, freedom from the chains of sin. I've got Jesus, so I've got joy. Joy like a river in my soul. How about you, dear one?