Wednesday 15 January 2014

Background

Part of today's passage is one of the set readings for AshWednesday, and it is not difficult to see why.  Against thealmighty power of God we are powerless to do anything , except torepent and open ourselves to God's great mercy.

The passage is structured around two summons - the blowing of atrumpet - but they are very different in focus.

The first gives notice of a crisis - the coming of "the day ofthe Lord" (v. 1). It is the sounding of an alarm on the walls ofJerusalem. And well should the alarm be sounded given what is aboutto happen - "a day of darkness and gloom" (v. 2), the foretellingof "a desolate wilderness" (v. 3). It reads that the coming of adevastating military invasion.

The intention is to provoke an strong and urgent response, andthis is the reason for the second trumpet (verse 15) - to givenotice of a fast and to call the people together (verses 15-16)without exception. It signifies a complete change of heart fromignorance, complacency and disobedience to a remembrance of who Godis, what God promises and what is required of God.

And this remembrance of God is revealed again in verses 14,which is itself a reference to Exodus34:6-7, when God passed before Moses on Mount Sinai on theoccasion that stone tablets containing the ten commandments werereplaced. (The previous ones had been broken by Moses when he sawthe idolatrous behaviour of the Israelites - Exodus32:19-20.) Here again is another chance for the people to turn(or return) to God.

To Ponder

• What causes you to turn to God? Why?

• In verse 13, the people are commanded to rend their hearts andnot their clothing. How can you demonstrate repentance in yourdaily living?