SCRIPTURE: CHAPTER 1, VS 21-23
21 How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.
22 Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water:
23 Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.
APPLICATION: CHAPTER 1, VS 21-23
v. 21-22– The Christian Church began as a small band of true believers who were totally devoted to Christ and totally led by the Holy Spirit, but they got off the track by adding rituals, beliefs and traditions which were not guided by the Spirit–differences developed and hard feelings grew. The fifth commandment considers a murderer anyone who speaks angrily to another, so many of God’s people are murderers. The true wine of Jesus is mixed with the water of division of the Body of Christ due to doctrinal differences. All this was planted by Satan to divide the church and weaken it against him.
v. 23– The church started becoming rich, political, and the hierarchy was becoming powerful and greedy and forgetting the simple faith in Christ and the love of neighbor.
SCRIPTURE: CHAPTER 1, VS 24-31
24 Therefore saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies:
25 And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin:
26 And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city.
27 Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.
28 And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed.
29 For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.
30 For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.
31 And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.
APPLICATION: CHAPTER 1, VS 24-31
v. 24-27– But now the Spirit of God is turning that around. He will “restore the judges as at the first”. His Spirit is moving among the “little people” the common man, not the leaders of the churches. He is revealing Himself to the common people and we will be the True Body of Christ, and His chosen people will be redeemed. Only the True Body will recognize Him at His Second Coming, and will not be deceived by the Anti Christ Beast of the Great Tribulation.
v. 28– And the people who take pride and comfort in the things of this world lose the glory, joy and strength of the Lord and are vulnerable to the attacks of Satan.
V. 29– And they will see their emptiness in their hearts.
v. 30– For the things of this world are temporary and fade away,
and so will their happiness in them.
v. 31– It doesn’t matter to God how strong or powerful a person is in this
world. He’s no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). Whoever doesn’t put Him first will lose.
END OF CHAPTER 1