My usual practice for morning devotions is to read 1 book of the Bible after another. I go back & forth between OT & NT then, when all are read, I start again. Began Zechariah today. The opening gave me serious pause. I think it’s possible a similar dynamic is presently in play.
The word of the Lord comes to the prophet Zechariah: “The Lord was extremely angry with your ancestors. So tell the people, ‘this is what the Lord of Armies says: “Return to me...& I will return to you...do NOT be like your ancestors [whom God told] ‘Turn from your evil ways...
...and your evil deeds. But they did not listen or pay attention to me — this is the Lord’s declaration.”
Please hear me out. Can you even imagine how angry God must have been at our ancestors over chattel slavery & all the atrocities committed through it & over it? Then...
Please hear me out. Can you even imagine how angry God must have been at our ancestors over chattel slavery & all the atrocities committed through it & over it? Then...
Emancipation then Jim Crow in the South? God did not miss one thing. He did not miss the enormous supporting/driving role of so many churches & seminaries in racism. He watched how His words were used to commit & shelter grievous sins. We keep saying what have we to do with them?
(I don’t always make myself clear in tapping out tweets quickly but I named Emancipation in the previous sentence as the historical marker, not, of course, as part of what must’ve made God angry. Meaning to make the point that Jim Crow was the South’s solution to emancipation.)
I’ll get to the point. Many many times in Scripture God warns his people not to be like their ancestors who would not listen and repent of their evil deeds. It is honestly, forgive my bluntness, a self-blindfolding fool who cannot see how we’ve carried on grievous sins of racism.
There are many of us who feel a great urgency in our souls as we seek the Lord daily in His Word and in prayer that time is of the essence. That God is calling us to break away completely from the sins of our ancestors. To get this vile root pulled out of the ground for good. ->
For those unconvinced it’s still a problem, I know 3 pastors in Houston who are presently under investigation by their elders or deacons for speaking out against racism. One is having to resign. Numerous pastors who have spoken out have congregants who are furious. In 2020.
So, back to Zech 1 where God called his people not to be like their ancestors who wouldn’t pay attention & turn from their evil deeds. Ready for V.6?
“So the people repented...”
That could be us! Sins of our ancestors that keep morphing into other forms could finally end with us!
“So the people repented...”
That could be us! Sins of our ancestors that keep morphing into other forms could finally end with us!
Not talking in terms of our whole nation right this moment, though, God help this land if this tide doesn’t turn. I’m talking to fellow Jesus Christ followers. We people who are called to be like Him. We could be brave, Saints. Humble. This could be the time.We could be the ones.
