“For this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says:
I was determined to punish you when your ancestors angered me, and I did not change my mind, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. But now I am determined to bless Jerusalem and the people of Judah. So don’t be afraid.
But this is what you must do:
Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace. Don’t scheme against each other. Stop your love of telling lies that you swear are the truth. I hate all these things, says the Lord.”
Here is another message that came to me from the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says:
The traditional fasts and times of mourning you have kept in early summer, midsummer, autumn, and winter are now ended. They will become festivals of joy and celebration for the people of Judah.
So love truth and peace.”
Once again God is reminding His people how to live justly among themselves.
The time of discipline is over. Now He is determined to bless – to devise blessing.
His desired response from them?
To not devise evil toward each other.
I love that about God’s character. When He is plotting, devising, scheming it is always, only for our good. It will bring about growth in our character, depth of intimacy in our relationships, and the kind of joy no one can take away.
What if we treated each other that way? If we who are His children only devised for one another what is for each other’s best?
I think the world would take notice.
Not only is Jehovah-Sabaoth devising good for His children, those days of fasting and mourning they have been asking about are to be replaced with festivals of joy.
Has He done this for you? Turned your mourning into dancing? Traded sackcloth for a garment of praise?
This has nothing to do with our situation. It has everything to do with whether we are surrendered to Him. And He is determined to bless.
Therefore let’s love truth (faithfulness) and peace (shalom).
For when we live this way, it is well.