Topic: Laugh Now and Weep Later [Wednesday September 13, 2017]
Text: Ezekiel 21:1-17
Key Verse: “And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings; because it cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord GOD. “ (Ezekiel 21:7).
A convicted, hardened robber thought he would ‘enjoy’ his ignoble criminal life for ever. Sighting the execution stakes on the day he was to die, his joy and strength left him; he became a pathetic shadow of his former self.
From our text, Israel was unconcerned about the coming judgment. Ezekiel the prophet was informed by God that both the wicked and the righteous (by human standard) would be affected. A sword was used by the Lord to symbolize the destruction that was coming upon Jerusalem. Ezekiel was thus called upon to sigh and weep bitterly for the land; and when the people asked him the reason for this, he was to then break the news of the coming judgment to the people; which, perhaps, was meant to inspire them to halt their idolatry and return to pure worship.
They appear to understand the requirements of God but willfully refuse to listen and obey. They appear to be so drunk with the pleasures and vanities of sin that they were now just living for the moment, refusing to pay attention to the danger coming until their prophets resort to mourning and weeping for them. The lesson we learn here is that those who refuse now to listen to the voice of reason will have their laughter turned into mourning in the coming days if they continue to rebel against God. The people who willfully reject all entreaties to turn a new leaf and repent will themselves weep and cry for attention when they eventually end up in eternal damnation.
The question each one of us should be asking ourselves is: do I want to laugh now and weep later or should I rather weep for my sins now and obtain God’s pardon and forgiveness to enable me laugh for joy throughout eternity? The choice is wholly yours.
Thought for the day: The wise will laugh last but the foolish will cry forever!
Bible Reading in one Year: Numbers 11-13
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
