How meaningful are those two words,''If only'',we turn to Isaiah 48 the context is Babylon that super- powers reign was coming to an end (Chap 47),that would mean Israels captivity was coming to an end,they were going home. So God speaks to remind them that all the suffering they had experienced need not have happened,'If only' (48 v18) you had paid attention to God's commands.It is as simple as that,God had sent prophets to them to warn them to turn back to God, sometimes they did but often they didn't. If only they had obeyed God they would have been indestructible,no power be it ever so great would have conqueror them.God's patience has it's limit its.and so God would turn against them,Our Saviour summed it up in Matthew 23 v 37,'Jerusalem ,Jerusalem,you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you,how often I longed to gather your children together,as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings,and you were not willing'. Let us all learn from Israels experience that there will be consequences in forsaking God,is God saying to you or me?,''If only''.
No comments:
Post a Comment