Zechariah 1 -- Supposed To Be About The Future, But Check Out The Past

My Bible's opening comments about Zechariah speak over and over about its references to the future -- even OUR future.  But something snagged my attention in chapter 1 -- the talk of ancestors:

"The Lord said, 'The Lord was very angry with your ancestors ... Don't be like your ancestors.  THEY WOULDN'T LISTEN OR PAY ATTENTION TO ME,' says The Lord.  'Your ancestors are dead...'"

But then in the next sentence I read, "I commanded my words and laws to my servants, the prophets, and they preached to your ancestors, WHO RETURNED TO ME."

It wasn't apparently the PREACHING but God's PUNISHMENT that returned them to Him.  Sometimes we can talk all we want, with little or no effect.  It's instead the living out of the consequences of sin that finally produce repentance.

Father God, help me and those I love to understand You are a just and holy God, and that You do produce consequences for our disobedience in Your LOVE for us so that we WILL return to You.  Let us not move away from You because of those consequences, but instead help us to move CLOSER to You as we SEE THE LOVE.

Sent from my iPad

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford