February 24, 2013 … God’s Promise of Deliverance

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2013 - Day 55

Passage of the Day: Malachi 3: 14-15 [in the context of Verses 14-18] - [NLT] … 14 “You have said, ‘What’s the use of serving God? What have we gained by obeying his commands or by trying to show the LORD Almighty that we are sorry for our sins? 15 From now on we will say, “Blessed are the arrogant.” For those who do evil get rich, and those who dare God to punish them go free of harm.’” …
[God’s promise of mercy to the remnant of believers] … 16 Then those who feared the LORD spoke with each other, and the LORD listened to what they said. In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and loved to think about him. 17 “They will be my people,” says the LORD Almighty. “On the day when I act, they will be my own special treasure. I will spare them as a father spares an obedient and dutiful child. 18 Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”  
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Contextual Study of today’s passage: Malachi, Chapters 3-4 [NLT] … Go to this link … 
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Reference Passage #1: 2nd Chronicles 7: 14 : [NLT] … [Yes, this is God’s great revival promise through Solomon upon the rebuilding of God’s Temple; but read God’s promise in the context of 2nd Chron. 7: 11-22 to see what happens when God’s remnant is impatient and/or disobedient.]  
“… 14 Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land.” 

Reference Passage #2: Romans 1: 18-32: [NLT] … Go to this link ... [When God’s people don’t attend to obedience to Gods’ word – here’s what happens!] 

My Journal for Today: Do you ever feel that those who’re unGodly or disobedient to God’s ways are overlooked and seem to be rewarded for their ungodliness? Well, God’s people, in the times of the Prophet Malachi, certainly felt that way; but if you read the passages from this OT Prophet above, you’ll see that God set His record of truth straight for His remnant of faithful; and God has a promise of deliverance for those who’re willing to remain in Him and continue – with the patience of faith – to follow His ways, seeking His will.

This was also the same message that God gave to God’s people through Solomon (see the readings from 2nd Chronicles above) after the rebuilding of God’s Temple, which was earlier in the history of God’s people. God promises to stay with the remnant of the faithful; but we must not forget God’s message to the unfaithful and disobedient as well, even down through the ages from Malachi into the New Testament, when Paul warns the believers in Rome (see the passage from Romans 1: 18-32 linked above) what God will do – or does – when His children persist in their unfaithfulness and disobedience.

And all of these messages – to the faithful and the unfaithful – summarized above … from the Old as well as the New Testaments, apply in this day as well as the times when God laid them out to a former generation of believers and unbelievers. And God’s plan for redemption has been meted out for eternity in the life, death, and resurrection of His Son, the “Sun of Righteous” spoken of in Malachi 4: 2, Who has come to set His faithful free and give them (us) the salvation He promised in Solomon’s day, in Malachi’s day, in Jesus’ day, and for all time.

If we know THE TRUTH (Who, of course, is Jesus), He will set us free! (see that promise of John 8: 32 - linked). So, I pray that we all know Him, and we are in that remnant of faithful who will one day be free to live with our Lord forever.

My Prayer for Today … Lord, help me to always be in the remnant of faithful, whom You have set free by Your “Sun of Righteousness!” … Amen