July 15 - Shaken, Not Stirred

 Read today’s texts first: Isaiah 22-24; Hebrews 12

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

The earth-shaking Day of the Lord will leave many,
with no foundation of faith, quaking in their boots!

The alignment in our readings today is earth-shaking, literally! We’ve seen how accurate biblical prophecy is, particularly as it relates to the first appearance of the Messiah on planet Earth. To students of God’s Word, there should be no doubt that Jesus will come again. Many missed or misunderstood His first coming, but no one will miss the second. Unfortunately, while everyone will believe He is Lord in that moment, it will be too late to receive Him as Saviour.

Some struggle with the wrath of God we read about so often in the Old Testament. I must admit I do too. I much prefer to focus on the tender, merciful, compassionate ministry of Jesus we read about in the gospels. But we must always remember God is both merciful and just. Those who reject His gracious gift of salvation will face His judgment. The wrath Jesus endured for us on Golgotha will be poured out on the rest of the world. The world they love and trust in will be shaken to its core.

Compare these passages: The floodgates of the heavens are opened, the foundations of the earth shake. The earth is broken up, the earth is split asunder, the earth is thoroughly shaken. The earth reels like a drunkard, it sways like a hut in the wind; so heavy upon it is the guilt of its rebellion that it falls - never to rise again (24:18b-20).  See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens” (12:25-26).

The Day of The Lord will be terrifying to those who have no foundation, but Hebrews 12 ends with this promise to those of us who are part of His Kingdom: Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire (28). That is my prayer today!