Division In Society
Good Morning,
We all have our personal picture of the Lord, whether that picture be of a kind, loving God or one of wrath and judgment. The very best thing to do is read enough Bible that our thoughts are His thoughts.
Zechariah writes of the trouble Israel was having socially: there was division, fussing among the people, and employment trouble. One may wonder what caused the division.
Zechariah 8:10 “For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour.”
The trouble in their society came from the Lord. Counselors and politicians are always trying to find the root of problems, but they usually fail to go to the most logical source – God. When we anger the Lord, He is likely to bring about judgment. In verse ten, we see that there were no jobs and men were not safe. Civil unrest and economic trouble was allowed by or caused by God!
The Lord continues speaking of a better day when He will restore a civil society:
vs. 12 “For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.”
Any casual observer can see our national woes are many, from immigration to the economy, yet few are pointing out the root cause – God!
The Lord uses trouble to rebuke us, as well as to humble us. Trials of weather, economy, and strife are often referenced in the Scripture as tools in the hands of God.
God brings hardship. Psalm 39:3
God sends evil. Micah 1:12; Habakkuk 1:6
God deceives man. Ezekiel 14:9
In my notes, I have written about thirty similar passages. The truth of God’s working in our society through trouble is indisputable.
The important point is that we seek Him and His mercy. It is imperative that we seek the Lord, and when trouble comes, we continue to draw near to Him. Some might wonder if the trouble is from the devil, from God, or from natural causes. I cannot say absolutely where the root lies, but I can say absolutely that our behavior ought to be the same – SEEK THE LORD.
I know some who would say that God cannot do evil or mean things (using our vernacular). I will not argue the point whether God uses evil or causes evil, but there is no doubt God is intimately involved in our lives.
Isaiah writes on the matter:
Isaiah 45:7 “I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.”
We know that our national troubles are rooted in the godless living of society. The closer we walk to the Lord, the more divine blessings we will enjoy. The solution is the same as always: we must get our families into church, Sunday school, and service of the Lord. We need to consider where our tithes and time are going – to a soul-winning church or a social group?
The hope of restoring peace and blessings on our nation comes from getting more people saved and loving God.
Pastor