Slices
Prepare
Are you the sort of person who asks for directions and listens to warnings – or who carries on regardless? What about when the warnings come from the Bible and you don’t want to listen?
Bible passage
The Lord’s anger against Israel
8 The Lord has sent a message against Jacob;
it will fall on Israel.
9 All the people will know it –
Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria –
who say with pride
and arrogance of heart,
10 ‘The bricks have fallen down,
but we will rebuild with dressed stone;
the fig-trees have been felled,
but we will replace them with cedars.’
11 But the Lord has strengthened Rezin’s foes against them
and has spurred their enemies on.
12 Arameans from the east and Philistines from the west
have devoured Israel with open mouth.
Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
his hand is still upraised.
13 But the people have not returned to him who struck them,
nor have they sought the Lord Almighty.
14 So the Lord will cut off from Israel both head and tail,
both palm branch and reed in a single day;
15 the elders and dignitaries are the head,
the prophets who teach lies are the tail.
16 Those who guide this people mislead them,
and those who are guided are led astray.
17 Therefore the Lord will take no pleasure in the young men,
nor will he pity the fatherless and widows,
for everyone is ungodly and wicked,
every mouth speaks folly.
Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
his hand is still upraised.
Explore
Roadworks outside our house closed the road, but the closure was hidden round a bend. So the workers had put up several ‘ROAD AHEAD CLOSED’ warning signs, but many drivers ignored them and ended up stuck, unable to turn around, needing to reverse and go back the way they came.
After the highs of verses 1–7 we come back down to earth with a big bump and a reminder that the greatness of salvation is required because of the great pride of God’s people.
In human terms their efforts were laudable. I can hear their leaders talking up the process: houses built with mud bricks and baked in the sun would be rebuilt but with dressed stone, and fig trees would be replanted but as cedars (v 10).
However, this wasn’t a natural disaster that requires everyone to pull together for the relief effort; this was a warning, a taste of future judgement, a call to the people to return to the Lord. Did they listen? No (v 13) – so worse is to come.
Respond
Draw a circle on a sheet of paper and write ‘WARNING’ inside it at the top. In the rest of the circle write something God warns you about that you often ignore. Ask God to help you listen. Keep the circle near where you pray to remind you every day.
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: 2 Corinthians 8; Revelation 19
Pray for Scripture Union
Give thanks for the Mobilisation team who have worked hard all year to ensure that there is good communication with our supporters and volunteers and that they all feel valued. Pray that as they take a break over Christmas, they will gain fresh energy and vision for a fruitful year ahead.
