“Now I will soon pour out my wrath upon you, and spend my anger against you, and judge you according to your ways, and I will punish you for all your abominations. 9 And my eye will not spare, nor will I have pity. I will punish you according to your ways, while your abominations are in your midst. Then you will know that I am the Lord, who strikes.”
The Lord said, no one will be able to escape it or fight it. They are not strong enough or rich enough to survive, much less fight. All those who count on their strength to win for them are wrong. Anyone who hopes their honor will keep them safe are mistaken. Everyone who thinks money can sustain them find it useless. The Lord God is more powerful. Verses 17-19 read,
“All hands are feeble, and all knees turn to water.18 They put on sackcloth, and horror covers them. Shame is on all faces, and baldness on all their heads. 19 They cast their silver into the streets, and their gold is like an unclean thing. Their silver and gold are not able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord. They cannot satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs with it. For it was the stumbling block of their iniquity.”
People find it so much easier to put their faith in their reputations and take pride in their accomplishments rather than God. People pursue money and think it can solve every problem. But rather than solve problems money like pride becomes their downfall, and they remain blind to it. Even religion has been twisted into obscenity. The pure relationship between Father God and His people has dirtied and made into something gross with idolatry, legalism, and self-righteousness. Verses 20-22 read,
“His beautiful ornament they used for pride, and they made their abominable images and their detestable things of it. Therefore I make it an unclean thing to them. 21 And I will give it into the hands of foreigners for prey, and to the wicked of the earth for spoil, and they shall profane it. 22 I will turn my face from them, and they shall profane my treasured place. Robbers shall enter and profane it.”
Times are getting crazy, the economy, the violence, the wars, the terror, and the chaos surround us. People want answers. A few may look to The LORD God, but most look for answers that won’t hurt their pride nor call for repentance. They want to feel good about themselves and repentance calls for us to say, “I’m no good. I can’t do it. I have sinned. I need Jesus.” Verse 25-26 read,
“When anguish comes, they will seek peace, but there shall be none. 26 Disaster comes upon disaster; rumor follows rumor. They seek a vision from the prophet, while the law perishes from the priest and counsel from the elders.”
The Day of Judgment is coming and everyone will be judged. No one will escape that day. Each will face it. Too many will realize too late that they were wrong. They ignored the Lord and they will be sorry, but it will be too late. Being sorry once you’re caught is only being sorry you were caught. Verse 27 says,
“The king mourns, the prince is wrapped in despair, and the hands of the people of the land are paralyzed by terror. According to their way I will do to them, and according to their judgments I will judge them, and they shall know that I am the Lord.”
Money, strength, reputation, nor religion cannot save anyone from that day. Only repentance and faith in Jesus Christ can save anyone. One day it will be too late to call on His name. Today is the day to repent from sin. Very soon is the day of the Lord’s wrath, the Day of Judgment. Today is the today of Salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 says it this way,
“Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says,
“In a favorable time I listened to you,
and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
Are you trusting your money to get you through the tough times? Are you putting faith in feel-good beliefs? Do you think the military can keep you safe? Or do you put your faith in the Lord God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit? Do you know it is He and only He who can save you, make you clean, and keep you? Does your neighbor know? Have you give him the chance to hear the truth and make a choice for the Lord before it is too late?