In recent years, Zambia has declared the 18th of October as a National Day of Prayer, Fasting, Repentance and Reconciliation. The move, although welcomed by many, has been on the receiving end of stern criticism from the public.
Civil society organisations have opposed the initiative citing the government’s failure to take practical steps to address the corruption scandals and looting of Zambia’s national treasury while hiding behind religion. Likewise, ordinary Zambians also seem to be losing trust and are questioning the motives behind the institution of this event.
Negative sentiments about the event, church and God are now rife on different social media platforms. The scepticism that ordinary Zambians are showing towards the National Day of Prayer and Fasting is justified, critics have said. They say it is prudent that they remind Zambians that religion and politics have historically collaborated to suppress critical thought while promoting subservience to the ruling class.
Controversial and flamboyant Zambian man of the cloth has, however, charged that the delay of rainfall in the south-central Africa country was because people mocked believers who observed the 2019 Day of Prayer, Fasting and Reconciliation.
Prophet Shepherd M Mesala, Spiritual son of Prophet Uebert Angel, said it was very unfortunate that some Zambians have been taking the name of God casually and they are injuring their society. He said God was not happy that he was being mocked by a Christian nation, particularly the capital city of Zambia, Lusaka.
Specifically, the cleric said rains in Lusaka would be delayed as compared to other provinces. He appealed to Christians in Lusaka to kneel down and pray and ask for forgiveness from God.
According to reports, some parts of Zambia have already started receiving rains, but Lusaka.
The Bible on Galatians 6:7 warns against mocking God, “for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.”
Mocking God means disrespecting, dishonouring, denying or ignoring His existence. It is a serious offence committed by those who David describes as wicked because there is “no fear of God before [their] eyes” (Psalm 36:1). But God is not mocked for long and eventually, there will be consequences for such behaviour.
In the Bible mockery is a behavior and attitude shown by the fool (Psalm 74:22), the wicked (Psalm 1:1), the enemy (Psalm 74:10), the hater of knowledge (Proverbs 1:22; 13:1), the proud (Psalm 119:51; Isaiah 37:17), and the unteachable (Proverbs 15:12). The mocker’s heart is cold and in his foolishness and wickedness, he makes a conscious decision to turn his back on God and pursue evil. Mockers lack humility, wisdom, and goodness in spiritual matters.
Mockers don’t limit their disdain to God alone but extend it to God’s people as well. Believers are considered worthy of the same disrespect and dishonour as they proclaim their allegiance to the God who created them and the Savior who provides eternal life. In the Old Testament, God’s prophets suffered the same humiliation as believers throughout history. The prophet Jeremiah became “the laughingstock of all peoples” and was “the object of their taunts all day long” (Lamentations 3:14). Nehemiah was mocked by his enemies (Nehemiah 2:19). Elisha was mocked by the youths of Bethel (2 Kings 2:23).
In the New Testament, no one was mocked and disrespected more than the Lord Jesus Christ—by Herod and his soldiers (Luke 23:11), by the Roman soldiers (Mark 15:20; Luke 23:36), by a thief on a cross (Luke 23:39), and by the Jewish leaders who passed by the cross (Matthew 27:41). The hatred for God in the mockers’ hearts spilled out onto His followers also. Paul was mocked by the philosophers of Athens when he preached about the resurrection (Acts 17:32). The spirit of mockery continues to this day against all who profess faith in the Bible and in Jesus as the only way of salvation.
To say that God is not mocked is a warning against the mockery of what is holy. Eventually and inevitably, mockers will be punished. Throughout Scripture, God warns the mockers who reject Him, turning their mockery against them. God will deride the deriders and laugh at them as they laughed at Him. “But You, O LORD, shall laugh at them; You shall have all the nations in derision” (Psalm 59:8; see also Psalm 2:4). God cannot be deceived (Hebrews 4:12–13). Achan’s sin (Joshua 7) and Jonah’s flight (Jonah 1) were not unknown to God. Jesus’ repeated words to every church in Revelation 2—3 were, “I know your works.”
Meanwhile, Prophet Mesala has also claimed that he had a vision for Zimbabwe.
Writing that Zimbabwe needed prayers, he said;
“In my vision, I saw a lot of people praying for the nation of Zimbabwe for a better change. In the same vision, I saw a group of people planing to remove Mnangagwa out of power through a coup! And God told me to pray for Zimbabwe and stand in the gap for Zimbabwe.
God showed me a vision where I saw a big protest in Zimbabwe. Civilians were in streets with weapons fighting the army. We need to pray for Zimbabwe, and we need to pray for Mnangagwa to set down in peace. Children of God are suffering in Zimbabwe, things have gone bad in Zimbabwe, they need a touch from heaven.”
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