Be silent in the presence of the Lord God; for the day of the Lord is at hand, for the Lord has prepared a sacrifice, He has consecrated His guests.” (v.7)
Today’s reading describes God’s judgment on sin, especially as it will take place on the Day of the Lord (vv. 2-3, 7), when God will pour out His wrath upon a Christ-rejecting, sinful world. Verses 2–3 in our reading are an overview His judgment at the end of history, and serve as a preview to what will happen to Judah in the near future. In verse 7, Judah is the sacrificial victim, while the invited guests are the armies of Babylon, which God will use to accomplish His plan.
The pictures painted here promise the total destruction of evil. Not a single trace of wickedness will be allowed to remain–it will all be swept away, cut off, and punished. This is definitely a zero tolerance policy! If it seems harsh, remember that God is utterly holy, yet has shown remarkable patience through-out history.
Therefore, we should all do as Paul urged us in 2 Corinthians 13:5 - “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith,”- for the day of the Lord is coming and you do not want to be found wanting.
The Truth: “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.” (Mathew 24:21)
