Bible Reading Blog
“Self-Aware & Repentant”
Categories: Congregational Bible ReadingBIBLE READING: 2 Chronicles 24.20-22, Matthew 23.29-36
“Then the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God, ‘Why do you break the commandments of the LORD, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, he has forsaken you.’” But they conspired against him, and by command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the LORD.” (2 Chronicles 24.20-21)
Zechariah’s message was pointed but it was what the people needed to hear. Their choices had separated them from God. Why didn’t they want to hear that? It was indicting and personal. The reality of his words was overshadowed by their offense at him. Would you want to hear what Zechariah had to say?
When we read that story, we probably don’t put ourselves in the shoes of the murderous mob. Surely, we think, we would have listened. We wouldn’t have treated the prophet this way. We would have turned back to God. That’s what the Pharisees said (Matthew 23.29-30), but Jesus exposed their hypocrisy. In rejecting his message of repentance, they were doing the very same thing their fathers had done to the prophets (Matthew 23.31, 34).
I pray we read these stories with humility for we are not that different than those of the past. Our practice of faith can easily digress into self-assured reliance upon present “goodness.” We must be warned. The scriptures reveal that only a remnant of people is truly faithful to God and rarely do others stand with these kinds of people. These are challenges we must take seriously.
Our faith must be self-aware and repentant. I’m not saying we apply any and every accusation personally, but we must not be deceived about our own goodness. We naturally tend to drift from God and need to be shaken back into reality at times. Our hearts ought to be so geared towards God’s righteousness that we are willing to accept our limitations and failures. This awareness is evident in all people of faith we have seen in Hebrews 11.
Furthermore, this conviction motivated their desire to see others be right with God. Zechariah didn’t elevate himself so others would see his superior faith. Instead, he had no agenda but to reconcile people to God. We must appreciate how true faith compelled these people to act and speak. Our faith ought to be so deeply rooted in God’s rightness that it moves us to make it known.
When God’s righteousness collides with the lives and desires of men, there will always be a fallout. As people of faith, we must see this as part of our refining and our calling. We are salt to preserve the world from judgment and light to expose reality. Let us not fear the fallout but trust what God has promised: he will reward those who diligently seek him (Hebrews 11.6).
