Ahem.
Sorry.
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God shines forth.
"If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
for the world and its fullness are mine.
Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?
Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and perform your vows to the Most High,
and call upon me in the day of trouble,
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me."
"Mark this, then, you who forget God,
lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver!
The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!" Verses 2,12-15,22-23
God does not need our sacrifices. That was never the point. He does not hunger. He does not thirst. Twice in this psalm, he calls for a "sacrifice of thanksgiving." Give him thanks.
Zechariah 11:4-11
This is a difficult passage today. It's obviously allegorical, but to what end?
The passage details God telling Zechariah to shepherd some sheep that are destined for slaughter. He does so, creating two staves, named "Lovely" and "Harmony." (ESV translates those "Favor" and "Union.") He gets rid of the false shepherds, but then grows weary of the sheep and leaves them to their own destruction. He breaks the staff called "Lovely," or "Favor" over his knee, voiding the covenant.
In the longer passage (I kept reading for more understanding), the other staff is eventually broken, severing the relationship between Judah and Israel.
This is a very tragic passage, as it basically chronicles Israel's final fall from grace.
GOD's Decree: "I'm washing my hands of the people of this land. From now on they're all on their own. It's dog-eat-dog, survival of the fittest, and the devil take the hindmost. Don't look for help from me."
I cannot think of any more horrifying words to hear from the mouth of God.
These are the consequences for continuing disobedience. That is the reason that God would allow such horrible things to happen to his people. His patience, his mercy, will eventually run out.
What does this mean for me? It means I'd better fear God. It means that I'd better take seriously the things that he has been teaching me over the past week. If I am disobedient to these things, there is a possibility that he could eventually abandon me. Not in terms of salvation, mind you. But in terms of blessings and protection. I've always felt that, as long as God has something for me to do, I'll have a place here. This feeling is just one step away from feeling invincible. But, in reality, in Christ, we are. Until God is ready to bring us home, nothing can ultimately harm us. By that, I mean take our lives.
But if my usefulness runs out, especially because of disobedience, that protection can disappear in a heartbeat. God will abandon a covenant. That much is clear from these writings. If we do not obey, he will break the staff named "Lovely," or "Favor," over his knee and leave us to our own devices.
Again, a terrifying though to me.
Our main purpose on this earth is to glorify God. Let us discover how we can best do that.
Grace and peace, friends.