Zechariah 7:12 (KJV)
Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts.
The passage is speaking of the post-captivity Jews, especially the priests. Though they retained their identity during the captivity, they let their standards of separation slip terribly. Now, returning to their Promised Land, they had compromised priorities—especially concerning the building of the Temple.
The prophets, Zechariah among them, were called upon by God to challenge the people about those priorities. The Bible says that in the face of those prophetic challenges, “they made their hearts as an adamant stone.” It wasn’t that they did not know or hear “the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent.” They had simply hardened themselves so that they did not listen. They did not obey. They despised the Word instead of surrendering to it.
In many respects, this is a viable description of the United States of America today. Though there are an increasing number of people who have never darkened the door of a church, and any more there is a good possibility that their parents haven’t either. It would be impossible to say
· they know nothing of the Lord, or
· that they have never heard the name of Jesus, or
· that they are completely unfamiliar with the message of the gospel.
Most certainly, they have at least heard of heaven and hell. But increasingly, these same people have made their hearts as an adamant stone. It’s more than they ignore and isolate themselves from Christians, churches, and the Bible—they are hard, angry, and aggressively opposed to the preaching of the Word of God. They are sharp, prickly, and obnoxious against the Word of God.
Mind you, many of these people would consider themselves spiritual. They might claim some sort of relationship to some sort of god. But they are hateful to what they perceive to be historic Christianity.
God’s response is to send preachers to them and to warn them so that, if they should repent, they might be spared the great wrath of the LORD of hosts.
#HeartsOfStone #RepentAndReturn #StandardsOfFaith #BiblicalWarning #GodsWrathAndMercy
Hearts of Stone: Compromised Priorities
Call to Action
Are we truly listening to God's Word, or have we allowed our hearts to become like adamant stone? In today's world, many have heard the message of the gospel but remain resistant. It's crucial that we not only hear but also obey and surrender to the Word of God.
Join us in prayer and action:
🙏 Pray for softened hearts, both within our community and beyond.
📖 Dive deeper into the Bible, allowing its truth to transform you.
👥 Share the message of God's mercy and salvation with those around you.
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