Thus began the fulfilment of the following prophecy of God:
"I took my staff
called Favour and snapped it in two, annulling the covenant which the Lord had
made with all nations".
(Zech 11:10 NEB).
It was by this
event that people of God
"got to know" that His favour through the "good news"
of faith in Christ, and the ingathering of all holy ones, had indeed come to a
finish on earth. (Zech 11:11. Rev 10:7). His covenant of Favour and Union,
the provision of His
spiritual directives to unite peoples through faith in Christ was broken:
"For I shall show compassion no more upon the inhabitants of the land...
So here I am causing mankind to find themselves",
"every man
in the power of
his neighbour."
(Zech 11:6 NWT & NEB).
So people are gradually coming to know the wrath of God The difference between those who give glory to God in fear as they witness fear-inspiring calamities being poured out from God upon earth, and those who are giving glory to God according to faith will be clearly seen: "And they will certainly become mine," Jehovah of armies has said, "at the day when I am producing a special property. And I will show compassion upon them, just as a man shows compassion upon his son who is serving him. And you people will again certainly see the distinction between a righteous one and a wicked one, between one serving God and one who has not served him." (Mal 3:17,18). As to true faith, it is effective only when one shares with the Lord in the work of removing superfluous badness from one's spirit. Only then are we being created in spirit toward everlasting unity with God. This is spirit sanctification, and is accomplished only by one's faithful obedience to the Word of God through The Christ and his anointed brothers. (James 1:21). But to give glory to God out of fear after witnessing fear-inspiring calamities from Him that signal His disapproval, does not in itself remove the superfluous badness in one's spirit. Fear is not enough to walk in a "newness of life". (Rom 6:4). It must be followed by the exercise of faith in the Word of God leading to the dedication of one's life to carry out the Will of God, symbolized by water baptism. (1 Peter 3:21).
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