9 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Execute true justice, Show mercy and compassion everyone to his brother. 10 Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, The alien or the poor. Let none of you plan evil in his heart against his brother.’ 11 “But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear. 12 Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the Lord of hosts. 13 Therefore it happened, that just as He proclaimed and they would not hear, so they called out and I would not listen,” says the Lord of hosts.” -Zechariah 7:9-13
God is very “slow to anger,” “of great kindness, or compassion,” and “of great mercy” (Psalm 145:8). But there comes a limit to the Divine forbearance. God will not allow people to transgress His holy laws of love and righteousness continually without impunity. As people persist in evil, refusing to hear or obey His voice, then finally the time will come when God will no longer hear their voice or prayer. Such is the teaching of these verses in Zechariah. After all, if we’re not going to listen to God, then why should He listen to us? Other places in the Bible confirm to us this solemn truth.
“The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is His delight.” (Proverbs 15:8). “One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.” (Proverbs 28:9). In 1 Peter 3:7 the New Testament speaks about living lovingly and righteously with our spouses so that “your prayers be not hindered.” In the Old Testament we also have the example of King Saul’s life. He started out well, but then went into a path of transgression that led him farther and farther away from God. He basically refused to listen to God’s voice, and just continued walking in his evil ways. Finally it was said that when he inquired of the Lord “the Lord answered him not…” (1 Samuel 28:6). When there’s no other way to get our attention, then God moves to stronger measures. Plug your ears to God’s holy law and truth for too long, persist in that, and God may just show us what it is like when no one listens to our voice. For such evil persisted in, God says “…when you make many prayers, I will not hear…” (Isaiah 1:15). But is there any hope for those of us who fear, “What if we’ve gone too far?” “Will God ever hear my prayers?” “Is there any hope left for me?” “Can I still repent?”
The answer to these questions is, “Yes!” We can repent, humble ourselves before God, start listening to His voice, and He will hear us. That is the promise of His incredible mercy!! Isaiah 1, verses 16-19 continue the story and show us the incredible hope that we can have from God, even in such a situation!! “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, 17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow. 18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land;”
Let us close with the following promise from God, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). Let it be so with us, that we would listen to God and humbly obey Him. Then we can be sure that our prayers are heard on High! “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16).
