Click For Audio Version
Have You Forsaken The Lord?
20 Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God: ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, He also has forsaken you.’ ” 2 Chronicles 24:20 NKJV
This is a sad but true verse in Scripture. It is true in every generation, but let us look first at this time in history.
The priest Jehoiada has grown old and died. While he lived, he was faithful to God and did much good in Israel.
After his death, however, the people of the land left the house of God and served images and idols. God’s wrath was on Judah and Jerusalem because of their sins.
God continued to send prophets to them, but they would not listen to them.
Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, is then filled with the Spirit of God and speaks these words of God to the people. He asks them why they transgress the commandments of the Lord, knowing that such sin will never prosper the people spiritually nor in any other way.
Some of the saddest words ever spoken are in this verse of Scripture.
He says that because they have forsaken the Lord, the Lord has forsaken them.
Our world is in the midst of turmoil. It has been so throughout history.
People worship false gods.
In some places, that is by worshiping a carved chunk of wood. In some cultures today, that is putting our fame, our car, our home, or our bank account before all else. The working for and paying for things becomes all we do.
We always want more things.
They dominate our thoughts and our lives.
They become our gods.
Our true and holy Lord is cast aside in the midst of our dedicating our lives to the false belief that we must always have more things. Things become our gods.
There are many ways to forsake the true Lord.
Zechariah was killed for telling the people that they had forsaken the Lord.
Perhaps, many will ignore these words before them here today.
God continues reaching out to us.
My prayer is that, before it is too late, you reach back.