Our Bible Reading Plan for today includes this from Zephaniah 1:14-18:
14 The great day of the Lord is near--near and hastening fast. Hark! the voice of the day of the Lord! The mighty man [unable to fight or to flee] will cry then bitterly. 15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, 16 A day of the blast of trumpet and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the high towers and battlements. 17 And I will bring distress upon men, so that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord; their blood shall be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung. 18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's indignation and wrath. But the whole earth shall be consumed in the fire of His jealous wrath, for a full, yes, a sudden, end will He make of all the inhabitants of the earth.
"Great" here is the Hebrew word "gadowl", which means: great, large in magnitude, in intensity, loud in sound, extended dimension, of power, of punishment. This "great" day will not be so good for those who have rejected or ignored the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! We also read this today in Psalm 92:6-11:
6 A man in his rude and uncultivated state knows not, neither does a [self-confident] fool understand this: 7 That though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to be destroyed forever. 8 But You, Lord, are on high forever. 9 For behold, Your adversaries, O Lord, for behold, Your enemies shall perish; all the evildoers shall be scattered. 10 But my horn (emblem of excessive strength and stately grace) You have exalted like that of a wild ox; I am anointed with fresh oil. 11 My eye looks upon those who lie in wait for me; my ears hear the evildoers that rise up against me.
We who are alive on the earth today are much nearer to the fulfillment of these prophecies! What is the promise to those of us who have NOT rejected God and His Word; those who have received Jesus Christ as Lord and personal Savior? Look at Psalm 92:12-15:
12 The [uncompromisingly] righteous shall flourish like the palm tree [be long-lived, stately, upright, useful, and fruitful]; they shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon [majestic, stable, durable, and incorruptible]. 13 Planted in the house of the Lord, they shall flourish in the courts of our God. 14 [Growing in grace] they shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap [of spiritual vitality] and [rich in the] verdure [of trust, love, and contentment]. 15 [They are living memorials] to show that the Lord is upright and faithful to His promises; He is my Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
If YOU have received Jesus as Lord and Saviour, then you can join me in declare this from Psalm 92:1-5:
12 The [uncompromisingly] righteous shall flourish like the palm tree [be long-lived, stately, upright, useful, and fruitful]; they shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon [majestic, stable, durable, and incorruptible]. 13 Planted in the house of the Lord, they shall flourish in the courts of our God. 14 [Growing in grace] they shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap [of spiritual vitality] and [rich in the] verdure [of trust, love, and contentment]. 15 [They are living memorials] to show that the Lord is upright and faithful to His promises; He is my Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
If you have NOT received Jesus as Lord and Savior, why not? TODAY is your day of Salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2)! Click on The Spoken Word Church link to the left and find out how! Don't waste another moment being without God in this world! Soon and very soon it will be a day of great joy for God's people, but not so great for those who are not! The choice is yours! CHOOSE wisely! Here is Hillsong Live with "God Who Saves":Shalom in Him!
