Scripture
18 What sorrow awaits you who say,
"If only the day of the Lord were here!"
You have no idea what you are wishing for.
That day will bring darkness, not light.
19 In that day you will be like a man who runs from a lion—
only to meet a bear.
Escaping from the bear, he leans his hand against a wall in his house—
and he's bitten by a snake.
20 Yes, the day of the Lord will be dark and hopeless,
without a ray of joy or hope.
21 "I hate all your show and pretense—
the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies.
22 I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings.
I won't even notice all your choice peace offerings.
23 Away with your noisy hymns of praise!
I will not listen to the music of your harps.
24 Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice,
an endless river of righteous living.
25 "Was it to me you were bringing sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, Israel? 26 No, you served your pagan gods—Sakkuth your king god and Kaiwan your star god—the images you made for yourselves. 27 So I will send you into exile, to a land east of Damascus," says the Lord, whose name is the God of Heaven's Armies.
Observations
- The "Day of the Lord" is not going to be a good day
- No escape
- Dark and hopeless, no ray of hope. To late…
- God hates show and pretense
- God doesn't want show He wants service
- God notices when our focus is not on Him
Applications
- The "Day of the Lord" is coming! I cannot procrastinate
- There are no second chances after the hammer drops
- Don't come to worship to get full, come to empty myself
- God wants worship daily not just in corporate gathering
- I can't give God my focus one hour a week
Prayer
There is coming a day that there will no more hope. That reality should drive me to pick up my intensity and have a huge since of urgency. God You do not accept partial praise. You want Your people to flood this world with justice and righteous living. We need to come into Your house exhausted from our sacrificial service. God empower me not to worship You on Sunday when I haven't served You on Monday – Saturday. You desire justice and righteousness in my daily walk and activities.
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