Then the Angel of the LORD admonished Joshua, saying, “If you will walk in My ways, and if you will keep My command, then you shall also judge My house, and likewise have charge of my courts; I will give you places to walk among these who stand here…” Zechariah 3: 6, 7, NKJV.
Dear LORD, how grateful we are, for Your promises to us. Please open our eyes that we might see the message You have for each of us. In the name of Jesus we humbly pray. Amen.
Our Scripture for today speaks of a scene taken from the fourth vision of Zechariah. It is a battle between Christ and the Adversary, for the soul of Joshua, a high priestly figure, who stands in representation of Israel. Israel’s sins had caused them to be taken into captivity. But they had repented of their sins, and had been forgiven by God, and brought out of captivity. Then, as in our day, even when the sinner repents of his or her sin, and is forgiven by God, the Adversary, refuses to let go.
But thank God for Jesus, the Angel of the LORD! Joshua stands interceding for the people, and the Adversary resists. Satan accuses and Christ defends. We are admonished in 1 John 2: 1, not to sin; but we are also reminded that if we sin, we have “an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous…”
As we draw close to inauguration day; my focus is not only on our newly elected President Barack Obama, but on the Amercan people as a nation. We have missed many an opportunity to “get things right.” We have had many opportunities to allow God to be our real “Commander in Chief,” but have chosen to comply with the status quo. Nevertheless, thank God! He has not given up on us. I believe that God is making a call to this nation to return to Him and prosper!
Our verse for today is in the form of a call to repentance. “If you will walk in My ways, and if you will keep My command,” is the first part of that call. What are God’s ways? What are His commands? In order for us to walk in His ways we must know what those ways are. And if we are going to have the right motive for walking in God’s ways, it must first begin with love for God, and our neighbors (Matthew 22: 37-39)! Jesus tells us what are His ways. He said, If you love Me, keep My commandments… And [My] commandments are not burdensome” (John 14: 15; 1 John 5: 3)! May God help us to turn away from walking in our own ways, and begin to walk in His way!
“[T]hen you shall also judge My house, and likewise have charge of my courts…” When we return to the basics of obedience to God’s commands, then we will be able to put our own homes in order. When our homes are in order, our churches will be in order. When our churches are in order, our schools will be in order. When our schools are in order, our society will be in order. If we return to the LORD He will “abundantly pardon” us (Isaiah 55: 7)! But we need to get back to basics.
Finally, God promises, “I will give you places to walk among these who stand here…” Then we will experience great and wonderful blessings! “These who stand here,” are the angels of God, who “… camp all around those who fear Him and delivers them” (Psalm 34: 7, NKJV). We live in constant fear of attacks by our enemies. But it is only the mercies of God that can offer true, foolproof, protection, from all, and any, attacks; and from all manner of evil!
America, “your [“change”] comes from the Lord which made heaven and earth (Psalm 121: 2, paraphrased)! Return to Him today!