Zechariah 11:1-3
1Open your doors, O Lebanon,
That a fire may feed on your cedars.
2Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen,
Because the glorious trees have been destroyed;
Wail, O oaks of Bashan,
For the impenetrable forest has come down.
3There is a sound of the shepherds' wail,
For their glory is ruined;
There is a sound of the young lions' roar,
For the pride of the Jordan is ruined.
Zechariah 11 is a heartbreaking chapter. God is sentencing the Jews to destruction. Their leaders chose to stop following God. They chose their own way. Since their leaders chose to continually stop properly shepherding, God was going to stop shepherding. Of course, this is all part of God's refining process.
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (http://www.lockman.org/)
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Passage of the Day - March 30, 2011
Zechrariah 10:7-12
7"Ephraim will be like a mighty man,
And their heart will be glad as if from wine;
Indeed, their children will see it and be glad,
Their heart will rejoice in the LORD.
8"I will whistle for them to gather them together,
For I have redeemed them;
And they will be as numerous as they were before.
9"When I scatter them among the peoples,
They will remember Me in far countries,
And they with their children will live and come back.
10"I will bring them back from the land of Egypt
And gather them from Assyria;
And I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon
Until no room can be found for them.
11"And they will pass through the sea of distress
And He will strike the waves in the sea,
So that all the depths of the Nile will dry up;
And the pride of Assyria will be brought down
And the scepter of Egypt will depart.
12"And I will strengthen them in the LORD,
And in His name they will walk," declares the LORD.
This sounds a lot like a "revival". I know it is end time prophecy, but you catch my drift. This great return home is not a work of great spirituality or a new reach-out tactic. It is being driven by the call of the LORD. It is obeying His call.
Also, please note verse 12. This sounds like a purpose for the Church. Christ, through His body the Church, will strengthen His followers and the broken-hearted, the wounded, and the rejected and in Christ's name they will walk.
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (http://www.lockman.org/)
7"Ephraim will be like a mighty man,
And their heart will be glad as if from wine;
Indeed, their children will see it and be glad,
Their heart will rejoice in the LORD.
8"I will whistle for them to gather them together,
For I have redeemed them;
And they will be as numerous as they were before.
9"When I scatter them among the peoples,
They will remember Me in far countries,
And they with their children will live and come back.
10"I will bring them back from the land of Egypt
And gather them from Assyria;
And I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon
Until no room can be found for them.
11"And they will pass through the sea of distress
And He will strike the waves in the sea,
So that all the depths of the Nile will dry up;
And the pride of Assyria will be brought down
And the scepter of Egypt will depart.
12"And I will strengthen them in the LORD,
And in His name they will walk," declares the LORD.
This sounds a lot like a "revival". I know it is end time prophecy, but you catch my drift. This great return home is not a work of great spirituality or a new reach-out tactic. It is being driven by the call of the LORD. It is obeying His call.
Also, please note verse 12. This sounds like a purpose for the Church. Christ, through His body the Church, will strengthen His followers and the broken-hearted, the wounded, and the rejected and in Christ's name they will walk.
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (http://www.lockman.org/)
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Passage of the Day - March 29, 2011
Zechariah 10:5-6
5"They will be as mighty men,
Treading down the enemy in the mire of the streets in battle;
And they will fight, for the LORD will be with them;
And the riders on horses will be put to shame.
6"I will strengthen the house of Judah,
And I will save the house of Joseph,
And I will bring them back,
Because I have had compassion on them;
And they will be as though I had not rejected them,
For I am the LORD their God and I will answer them.
The problem with many of us Christians is that we don't think God will use us because of how much we have royally screwed up. We feel that the choices we have made in the past will forever bar us from significantly serving our Lord. We feel so distant from God to the point where we doubt His love. The thing is...
Yes, that's not true. The fact is God will only use sinners. Desperately wicked sinners. Well there is that ONE exception. Do not allow Satan to deceive you into thinking you are in some sort of trap. You ain't. You are one of the captives that has been set free. God can and will use you for great and mighty things as long as you trust Him. Notice I said great and mighty not great and flashy.
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (http://www.lockman.org/)
5"They will be as mighty men,
Treading down the enemy in the mire of the streets in battle;
And they will fight, for the LORD will be with them;
And the riders on horses will be put to shame.
6"I will strengthen the house of Judah,
And I will save the house of Joseph,
And I will bring them back,
Because I have had compassion on them;
And they will be as though I had not rejected them,
For I am the LORD their God and I will answer them.
The problem with many of us Christians is that we don't think God will use us because of how much we have royally screwed up. We feel that the choices we have made in the past will forever bar us from significantly serving our Lord. We feel so distant from God to the point where we doubt His love. The thing is...
Yes, that's not true. The fact is God will only use sinners. Desperately wicked sinners. Well there is that ONE exception. Do not allow Satan to deceive you into thinking you are in some sort of trap. You ain't. You are one of the captives that has been set free. God can and will use you for great and mighty things as long as you trust Him. Notice I said great and mighty not great and flashy.
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (http://www.lockman.org/)
Monday, March 28, 2011
Passage of the Day - March 28, 2011
Zechariah 10:4
4"From them will come the cornerstone,
From them the tent peg,
From them the bow of battle,
From them every ruler, all of them together.
The strong foundation, the linchpin of the fortress, the might to ward off enemies, and the ability to rule. Sound like a great place to feel safe? The fulfillment of God's promises to Israel will be found in a leader like this. Of course, this leader has a name. His name is Jesus Christ the Lamb of God. What Jesus will do in His return to Earth He can do in our hearts right now. He is our cornerstone. He is what holds us up. His Word fights off the enemy. His commandments are righteous and true and provide the groundwork for any government or legislative body to rule by and for us to run our families and businesses in addition to our own lives.
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (http://www.lockman.org/)
4"From them will come the cornerstone,
From them the tent peg,
From them the bow of battle,
From them every ruler, all of them together.
The strong foundation, the linchpin of the fortress, the might to ward off enemies, and the ability to rule. Sound like a great place to feel safe? The fulfillment of God's promises to Israel will be found in a leader like this. Of course, this leader has a name. His name is Jesus Christ the Lamb of God. What Jesus will do in His return to Earth He can do in our hearts right now. He is our cornerstone. He is what holds us up. His Word fights off the enemy. His commandments are righteous and true and provide the groundwork for any government or legislative body to rule by and for us to run our families and businesses in addition to our own lives.
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (http://www.lockman.org/)
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Passage of the Day - March 27, 2011
Zechariah 10:3
3"My anger is kindled against the shepherds,
And I will punish the male goats;
For the LORD of hosts has visited His flock, the house of Judah,
And will make them like His majestic horse in battle.
The problem with Judah/Israel is that they didn't have a righteous leader (shepherds) nor did they have righteous prophets or priests (male goats). A complete lack of godly leadership brought various kinds of horror upon Judah and Israel. Fortunately, God stepped (and will step) in to save His people. But I ask, who are the godly leaders in your life. If the walls of your life were being attacked, do you have the kind of leadership structure in your life to be able to withstand/repel it? Are you under any kind of authority? Is it godly? Are you in that kind of leadership position for someone else? Are you leading in a godly way? If Israel continued to fail and be left desolate because of poor leadership, what more could we expect in our own lives if we were neglected by our leaders or we neglect those we lead? What if our leaders make unwise/ungodly choices because of their distance from God? Same goes for us in leadership positions. This is serious stuff with some serious consequences.
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (http://www.lockman.org/)
3"My anger is kindled against the shepherds,
And I will punish the male goats;
For the LORD of hosts has visited His flock, the house of Judah,
And will make them like His majestic horse in battle.
The problem with Judah/Israel is that they didn't have a righteous leader (shepherds) nor did they have righteous prophets or priests (male goats). A complete lack of godly leadership brought various kinds of horror upon Judah and Israel. Fortunately, God stepped (and will step) in to save His people. But I ask, who are the godly leaders in your life. If the walls of your life were being attacked, do you have the kind of leadership structure in your life to be able to withstand/repel it? Are you under any kind of authority? Is it godly? Are you in that kind of leadership position for someone else? Are you leading in a godly way? If Israel continued to fail and be left desolate because of poor leadership, what more could we expect in our own lives if we were neglected by our leaders or we neglect those we lead? What if our leaders make unwise/ungodly choices because of their distance from God? Same goes for us in leadership positions. This is serious stuff with some serious consequences.
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (http://www.lockman.org/)
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Passage of the Day - March 26, 2011
Zechariah 10:1-2
1Ask rain from the LORD at the time of the spring rain--
The LORD who makes the storm clouds;
And He will give them showers of rain, vegetation in the field to each man.
2For the teraphim speak iniquity,
And the diviners see lying visions
And tell false dreams;
They comfort in vain
Therefore the people wander like sheep,
They are afflicted, because there is no shepherd.
Whom do we seek for help God or something inherently useless? Only God knows us completely (and others completely). Do you have a problem you need help with? Are you faced with some difficult choices? We have a tendency to seek wisdom and guidance from people who are not wise and shouldn't be guiding anyone in anything. We have a tendency to find people who will tell us to do what we really deep down want to do anyway. Those are not the people we need. We need people not only to help us understand the pluses and the minuses of various actions but get to get down to the real reasons why certain options are on the table.
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (http://www.lockman.org/)
1Ask rain from the LORD at the time of the spring rain--
The LORD who makes the storm clouds;
And He will give them showers of rain, vegetation in the field to each man.
2For the teraphim speak iniquity,
And the diviners see lying visions
And tell false dreams;
They comfort in vain
Therefore the people wander like sheep,
They are afflicted, because there is no shepherd.
Whom do we seek for help God or something inherently useless? Only God knows us completely (and others completely). Do you have a problem you need help with? Are you faced with some difficult choices? We have a tendency to seek wisdom and guidance from people who are not wise and shouldn't be guiding anyone in anything. We have a tendency to find people who will tell us to do what we really deep down want to do anyway. Those are not the people we need. We need people not only to help us understand the pluses and the minuses of various actions but get to get down to the real reasons why certain options are on the table.
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (http://www.lockman.org/)
Passage of the Day - March 25, 2011
Zechariah 9:12-17
12Return to the stronghold, O prisoners who have the hope;
This very day I am declaring that I will restore double to you.
13For I will bend Judah as My bow,
I will fill the bow with Ephraim
And I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece;
And I will make you like a warrior's sword.
14Then the LORD will appear over them,
And His arrow will go forth like lightning;
And the Lord GOD will blow the trumpet,
And will march in the storm winds of the south.
15The LORD of hosts will defend them
And they will devour and trample on the sling stones;
And they will drink and be boisterous as with wine;
And they will be filled like a sacrificial basin,
Drenched like the corners of the altar.
16And the LORD their God will save them in that day
As the flock of His people;
For they are as the stones of a crown,
Sparkling in His land.
17For what comeliness and beauty will be theirs!
Grain will make the young men flourish, and new wine the virgins.
This passage has a double fulfillment. It has a Maccabean fulfillment and an End Times fulfillment. However, lets look at what is going on. God is acting, but He isn't the only one. His people are acting as well. Verse 15 states that we will trample the weapons of our enemies and celebrate joyously. But how does this all start? It starts with returning to our stronghold Jesus Christ. As we go about living in this world, we are going to be attacked and cheap shots are going to be taken. We will be wounded and tempted to quit, desert, or even defect. Staying out on the spiritual battlefield alone is a bad place to be. We must return to our stronghold and request assistance from our White Knight along with marching orders. Evil must be confronted! It must be confronted with the only weapons capable of destroying it: Light, Truth, Love, Hope, Justice, Humility, and Faith. Satan is like a lion roaming about seeking whom he may devour and we all know the only thing worse than a lion is a wounded lion. Going into spiritual battle with only a few of our weapons only wounds the lion of evil. If we attack evil with only Truth and Faith, we will be rendered useless by darts of hate. If we attack evil with only Love and Hope ,we will be rendered useless for our weapons will have limited firepower. Of course none of us can use all weapons at all times. That is why we need our brothers and sisters in Christ. We must work together through coordination by our King and not individually on the battlefield. Evil comes in many forms and as a unit we must be prepared for any eventuality. Only together and watching each others backs and following the Word of Christ can we ever hope to assist Him in thwarting the plans of Satan.
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (http://www.lockman.org/)
12Return to the stronghold, O prisoners who have the hope;
This very day I am declaring that I will restore double to you.
13For I will bend Judah as My bow,
I will fill the bow with Ephraim
And I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece;
And I will make you like a warrior's sword.
14Then the LORD will appear over them,
And His arrow will go forth like lightning;
And the Lord GOD will blow the trumpet,
And will march in the storm winds of the south.
15The LORD of hosts will defend them
And they will devour and trample on the sling stones;
And they will drink and be boisterous as with wine;
And they will be filled like a sacrificial basin,
Drenched like the corners of the altar.
16And the LORD their God will save them in that day
As the flock of His people;
For they are as the stones of a crown,
Sparkling in His land.
17For what comeliness and beauty will be theirs!
Grain will make the young men flourish, and new wine the virgins.
This passage has a double fulfillment. It has a Maccabean fulfillment and an End Times fulfillment. However, lets look at what is going on. God is acting, but He isn't the only one. His people are acting as well. Verse 15 states that we will trample the weapons of our enemies and celebrate joyously. But how does this all start? It starts with returning to our stronghold Jesus Christ. As we go about living in this world, we are going to be attacked and cheap shots are going to be taken. We will be wounded and tempted to quit, desert, or even defect. Staying out on the spiritual battlefield alone is a bad place to be. We must return to our stronghold and request assistance from our White Knight along with marching orders. Evil must be confronted! It must be confronted with the only weapons capable of destroying it: Light, Truth, Love, Hope, Justice, Humility, and Faith. Satan is like a lion roaming about seeking whom he may devour and we all know the only thing worse than a lion is a wounded lion. Going into spiritual battle with only a few of our weapons only wounds the lion of evil. If we attack evil with only Truth and Faith, we will be rendered useless by darts of hate. If we attack evil with only Love and Hope ,we will be rendered useless for our weapons will have limited firepower. Of course none of us can use all weapons at all times. That is why we need our brothers and sisters in Christ. We must work together through coordination by our King and not individually on the battlefield. Evil comes in many forms and as a unit we must be prepared for any eventuality. Only together and watching each others backs and following the Word of Christ can we ever hope to assist Him in thwarting the plans of Satan.
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (http://www.lockman.org/)
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Passage of the Day - March 24, 2011
Zechariah 9:11
11As for you also, because of the blood of My covenant with you,
I have set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.
I have set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.
God made a covenant with Israel and is keeping it through the remnant of His People via the Church established by Christ through His Jewish Disciples in Jerusalem
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Passage of the Day - March 23, 2011
Zechariah 9:8-10
8But I will camp around My house because of an army,
Because of him who passes by and returns;
And no oppressor will pass over them anymore,
For now I have seen with My eyes.
9Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
He is just and endowed with salvation,
Humble, and mounted on a donkey,
Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
10I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
And the horse from Jerusalem;
And the bow of war will be cut off
And He will speak peace to the nations;
And His dominion will be from sea to sea,
And from the River to the ends of the earth.
The problem with Israel was not that they were constantly at war with other nations and empires; they were constantly at war with God. Their desire to rebel against God and go astray was the reason for all of their hardship. God continually sent nations to refine Israel. Israel and Judah were led by good kings, but mostly bad kings. When Christ came, He was to be their eternal King. Following and subjecting themselves to their eternal King meant peace because Christ brought peace between man and God. The problem was the nation and leaders of Israel rejected and rebelled against their appointed King. However Christ's kingdom lives on by the remnant of Jews that did accept Him as King and established His Church. Christ's kingdom allows members of other earthly nations (besides Israel) to find peace with God and be a part of Christ's spiritual nation.
8But I will camp around My house because of an army,
Because of him who passes by and returns;
And no oppressor will pass over them anymore,
For now I have seen with My eyes.
9Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
He is just and endowed with salvation,
Humble, and mounted on a donkey,
Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
10I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
And the horse from Jerusalem;
And the bow of war will be cut off
And He will speak peace to the nations;
And His dominion will be from sea to sea,
And from the River to the ends of the earth.
The problem with Israel was not that they were constantly at war with other nations and empires; they were constantly at war with God. Their desire to rebel against God and go astray was the reason for all of their hardship. God continually sent nations to refine Israel. Israel and Judah were led by good kings, but mostly bad kings. When Christ came, He was to be their eternal King. Following and subjecting themselves to their eternal King meant peace because Christ brought peace between man and God. The problem was the nation and leaders of Israel rejected and rebelled against their appointed King. However Christ's kingdom lives on by the remnant of Jews that did accept Him as King and established His Church. Christ's kingdom allows members of other earthly nations (besides Israel) to find peace with God and be a part of Christ's spiritual nation.
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Passage of the Day - March 22, 2011
Zechariah 9:6-7
6And a mongrel race will dwell in Ashdod,
And I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
7And I will remove their blood from their mouth
And their detestable things from between their teeth.
Then they also will be a remnant for our God,
And be like a clan in Judah,
And Ekron like a Jebusite.
I will leave the interpretation of this passage to the non-consensus of the experts and commentaries. I will rather focus on an applicable theme. God is all about refinement and remnants. When the end comes and all our works are subject to the fire, what will remain? What will have eternal value?
6And a mongrel race will dwell in Ashdod,
And I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
7And I will remove their blood from their mouth
And their detestable things from between their teeth.
Then they also will be a remnant for our God,
And be like a clan in Judah,
And Ekron like a Jebusite.
I will leave the interpretation of this passage to the non-consensus of the experts and commentaries. I will rather focus on an applicable theme. God is all about refinement and remnants. When the end comes and all our works are subject to the fire, what will remain? What will have eternal value?
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Monday, March 21, 2011
Passage of the Day - March 21, 2011
Zechariah 9:1-5
1The burden of the word of the LORD is against the land of Hadrach , with Damascus as its resting place (for the eyes of men, especially of all the tribes of Israel , are toward the LORD),
2And Hamath also, which borders on it;
Tyre and Sidon
3ForTyre
And piled up silver like dust,
And gold like the mire of the streets.
4Behold, the Lord will dispossess her
And cast her wealth into the sea;
And she will be consumed with fire.
5Ashkelon will see it and be afraid.
Gaza
Also Ekron, for her expectation has been confounded.
Moreover, the king will perish fromGaza
And Ashkelon will not be inhabited.
2And Hamath also, which borders on it;
3For
And piled up silver like dust,
And gold like the mire of the streets.
4Behold, the Lord will dispossess her
And cast her wealth into the sea;
And she will be consumed with fire.
5Ashkelon will see it and be afraid.
Also Ekron, for her expectation has been confounded.
Moreover, the king will perish from
And Ashkelon will not be inhabited.
Here is another reminder how temporal things have zero spiritual value. No matter how much we amass, God can take it from us faster than we can say “Even more.” We, the truly temporally rich of the world, are no better than anyone else and are entitled to no higher acceptable level of pride or tolerable evil. If anything, God expects more of us. Our nation(s) have been planted, watered, and pruned for a purpose. If we as a nation(s) fail to serve God’s purpose, we will be uprooted and burned.
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Passage of the Day - March 17, 2011
Zechariah 8:18-23
18Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying,
19"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'The fast of the fourth, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth months will become joy, gladness, and cheerful feasts for the house of Judah; so love truth and peace.'
20"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'It will yet be that peoples will come, even the inhabitants of many cities.
21'The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, "Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts; I will also go."
22'So many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem
23"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'In those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."'"
From John Wesley’s notes:
The fourth month — Wherein the city was taken by the Babylonians.
The fifth — In which the temple was burnt.
The seventh — Wherein Gedaliah was killed.
The tenth — On the tenth day whereof the king of Babylon
From me:
Christ is the transitional figure in history. God pretty much dealt exclusively with Jews until Christ came. Jesus preached to the Jews and the Church was established in Jerusalem Jerusalem Jerusalem Jerusalem
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Passage of the Day - March 16, 2011
Zechariah 8:16-17
16'These are the things which you should do: speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment for peace in your gates.
17'Also let none of you devise evil in your heart against another, and do not love perjury; for all these are what I hate,' declares the LORD."
Sounds simple enough, doesn't it? But do we do it?
Are we up front and honest all the time, or do we hide the truth. We know bold face lying is wrong, but what about hiding the truth, or manipulating the truth in order to deceive?
Do we judge with truth and judgement for peace or do we base our dealings with people on our own agenda and preconceived notions? How about with our kids? I have found that Bill Cosby was right when he said "Parents aren't interested in justice; they want QUIET!" However, succumbing to this temptation teaches what to our kids?
Devising evil against another DOES include that jerk on the road. The Holy Spirit is slapping me upside the head as I write this.
Don't love perjury. Does this mean God forbids us to be politicians? Absolutely not! He just forbids us to be electable ones.
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (http://www.lockman.org/)
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Passage of the Day - March 15, 2011
Zechariah 8:1-15
1Then the word of the LORD of hosts came, saying,
1Then the word of the LORD of hosts came, saying,
2"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'I am exceedingly jealous for Zion, yes, with great wrath I am jealous for her.'
3"Thus says the LORD, 'I will return to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts will be called the Holy Mountain.'
4"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Old men and old women will again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each man with his staff in his hand because of age.
5'And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets.'
6"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'If it is too difficult in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, will it also be too difficult in My sight?' declares the LORD of hosts.
7"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Behold, I am going to save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west;
8and I will bring them back and they will live in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God in truth and righteousness.'
9"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Let your hands be strong, you who are listening in these days to these words from the mouth of the prophets, those who spoke in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, to the end that the temple might be built.
10'For before those days there was no wage for man or any wage for animal; and for him who went out or came in there was no peace because of his enemies, and I set all men one against another.
11'But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,' declares the LORD of hosts.
12'For there will be peace for the seed: the vine will yield its fruit, the land will yield its produce and the heavens will give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things.
13'It will come about that just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you that you may become a blessing Do not fear; let your hands be strong.'
14"For thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Just as I purposed to do harm to you when your fathers provoked Me to wrath,' says the LORD of hosts, 'and I have not relented,
15so I have again purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah Do not fear!
I'm going out on a limb and going to say that the Church created by Christ and his Jewish apostles and followers are the remnant spoken about in this passage and all us Christians are the fruit. We have much to improve, and I think our influence is waining in these last days, but I believe we have been viewed as an overall blessing of God as opposed to a curse of God in the span of the last 2000 years. When Christ returns, He will draw us back to Jerusalem to be where we truly belong.
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (http://www.lockman.org/)
Passage of the Day - March 14, 2011
Zechariah 7
1In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Chislev.
1In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Chislev.
2Now the town of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regemmelech and their men to seek the favor of the LORD,
3speaking to the priests who belong to the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, "Shall I weep in the fifth month and abstain, as I have done these many years?"
4Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying,
5"Say to all the people of the land and to the priests, 'When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months these seventy years, was it actually for Me that you fasted?
6'When you eat and drink, do you not eat for yourselves and do you not drink for yourselves?
7'Are not these the words which the LORD proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and prosperous along with its cities around it, and the Negev and the foothills were inhabited?'"
8Then the word of the LORD came to Zechariah saying,
9"Thus has the LORD of hosts said, 'Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother;
10and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.'
11"But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing.
12"They made their hearts like flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the LORD of hosts.
13"And just as He called and they would not listen, so they called and I would not listen," says the LORD of hosts;
14"but I scattered them with a storm wind among all the nations whom they have not known Thus the land is desolated behind them so that no one went back and forth, for they made the pleasant land desolate."
The fast of the fifth month was a tradition that was not from scripture. That doesn't make it wrong OR necessary. It simply was a tradition. There is nothing wrong with traditions, it matters to whom the traditions are geared towards. Take Christmas. The date of December 25th has nothing to do with the birthdate of Jesus, yet we celebrate it on this day. Is that wrong? No. But how do we celebrate it? Is it gimme, gimme, gimme, spend, spend, spend, fret, fret, fret, overdo, overdo, overdo? Or do we focus on the fact that God gave, gave, gave His Son, who paid our price, price, price, to give us peace, peace, peace, and did it all, all, all? Unless specifically laid out or forbidden in scripture, it doesn't matter what we do. It does matter why. It does matter for whom, to whom, and about whom it is done.
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (http://www.lockman.org/)
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Passage of the Day - March 13, 2011
Zechariah 6:9-15
13"Yes, it is He who will build the temple of the LORD, and He who will bear the honor and sit and rule on His throne Thus, He will be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two offices."'
14"Now the crown will become a reminder in the temple of the LORD to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah and Hen the son of Zephaniah.
15"Those who are far off will come and build the temple of the LORD " Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you And it will take place if you completely obey the LORD your God.
I believe this has a dual meaning. Christ established His Church when He came to Earth the first time and He will rule in the Temple when He returns. He is our Priest and our King as verse 13 points to and as we learned throughout the Letter to the Hebrews. Also, notice how the "Branch" is compared to Joshua which the name Jesus is derived from. As I asked several times in our walk through Hebrews, is Christ your High Priest? Is He your King?
9The word of the LORD also came to me, saying,
10"Take an offering from the exiles, from Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah; and you go the same day and enter the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, where they have arrived from Babylon.
11"Take silver and gold, make an ornate crown and set it on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest.
12"Then say to him, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, "Behold, a man whose name is Branch, for He will branch out from where He is; and He will build the temple of the LORD.13"Yes, it is He who will build the temple of the LORD, and He who will bear the honor and sit and rule on His throne Thus, He will be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two offices."'
14"Now the crown will become a reminder in the temple of the LORD to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah and Hen the son of Zephaniah.
15"Those who are far off will come and build the temple of the LORD " Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you And it will take place if you completely obey the LORD your God.
I believe this has a dual meaning. Christ established His Church when He came to Earth the first time and He will rule in the Temple when He returns. He is our Priest and our King as verse 13 points to and as we learned throughout the Letter to the Hebrews. Also, notice how the "Branch" is compared to Joshua which the name Jesus is derived from. As I asked several times in our walk through Hebrews, is Christ your High Priest? Is He your King?
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (http://www.lockman.org/)
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Passage of the Day - March 12, 2011
Zechariah 6:1-8
1Now I lifted up my eyes again and looked, and behold, four chariots were coming forth from between the two mountains; and the mountains were bronze mountains.
1Now I lifted up my eyes again and looked, and behold, four chariots were coming forth from between the two mountains; and the mountains were bronze mountains.
2With the first chariot were red horses, with the second chariot black horses,
3with the third chariot white horses, and with the fourth chariot strong dappled horses.
4Then I spoke and said to the angel who was speaking with me, "What are these, my lord?"
5The angel replied to me, "These are the four spirits of heaven, going forth after standing before the Lord of all the earth,
6with one of which the black horses are going forth to the north country; and the white ones go forth after them, while the dappled ones go forth to the south country.
7"When the strong ones went out, they were eager to go to patrol the earth." And He said, "Go, patrol the earth." So they patrolled the earth.
8Then He cried out to me and spoke to me saying, "See, those who are going to the land of the north have appeased My wrath in the land of the north."
This passage can be interpreted in various ways (see Matthew Hentry, John Calvin, Jamieson Fausset, etc. However, this much can be agreed upon, God is very much involved in the affairs of men. God is always seeking His own glory, and therefore His faithfulness must always be upheld. This isn't some kind of pride problem God has, but is rather an attribute of Himself we can rely on. He cares immensely about His reputation that we can count on Him to always be faithful, steadfast, unwavering, and unchanging. God was going to protect and defend His people by altering the course of history. He does this for His glory and for His children.
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (http://www.lockman.org/)
Friday, March 11, 2011
Passage of the Day - March 11, 2011
Zechariah 5:5-11
5Then the angel who was speaking with me went out and said to me, "Lift up now your eyes and see what this is going forth."
6I said, "What is it?" And he said, "This is the ephah going forth." Again he said, "This is their appearance in all the land
7(and behold, a lead cover was lifted up); and this is a woman sitting inside the ephah."
8Then he said, "This is Wickedness!" And he threw her down into the middle of the ephah and cast the lead weight on its opening.
9Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and there two women were coming out with the wind in their wings; and they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heavens.
10I said to the angel who was speaking with me, "Where are they taking the ephah?"
11Then he said to me, "To build a temple for her in the land of Shinar; and when it is prepared, she will be set there on her own pedestal."
I like this quote from the Jamieson-Fausset commentary "For more than two thousand years, ever since the Babylonian exile, the Jews have been free from idolatry; but the full accomplishment of the prophecy is yet future, when all sin shall be purged from Israel on their return to Palestine, and conversion to Christ." I never thought of that. This is the "wickedness that was being removed from Israel and left in Babylon.
This relates to what the previous passage was about. Sometimes God brings us to horrible places so we can leave the horrible contaminants of our lives there. Sometimes it is refinement, other times it gets so bad God must start with (forgive the imagery) removing the turd from the punchbowl. This MUST happen when our reputation is affecting His reputation as the Jews reputation was said to be doing in verse 6. This is very hard to think about and write about, so I will leave it here even though I think I could expound upon it.
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (http://www.lockman.org/)
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Passage of the Day - March 10, 2011
Zechariah 5:1-4
1Then I lifted up my eyes again and looked, and behold, there was a flying scroll.
2And he said to me, "What do you see?" And I answered, "I see a flying scroll; its length is twenty cubits and its width ten cubits."
3Then he said to me, "This is the curse that is going forth over the face of the whole land; surely everyone who steals will be purged away according to the writing on one side, and everyone who swears will be purged away according to the writing on the other side.
4"I will make it go forth," declares the LORD of hosts, "and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who swears falsely by My name; and it will spend the night within that house and consume it with its timber and stones."
The Jews were enduring a time of refinement. Most trials are a time of refinement. When you refine anything, gold for example, it isn’t as simple as picking out the impurities and removing them. It is a process of subjecting the entire lump to the process, the pure and the impure. The impure will not be able to abide with the pure during the process and will remove themselves.
The same can be said for us when we endure refinement. It isn’t just our sin that is subject to the sanctification process, but it is our entire being. Why do bad things happen to good people? In some instances God is refining good people into godly people. We are His treasure and he wants us to shine with the brilliance He created us with.
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (http://www.lockman.org/)
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Passage of the Day - March 9, 2011
Zechariah 4
1Then the angel who was speaking with me returned and roused me, as a man who is awakened from his sleep.
2He said to me, "What do you see?" And I said, "I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps on it with seven spouts belonging to each of the lamps which are on the top of it;
3also two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on its left side."
4Then I said to the angel who was speaking with me saying, "What are these, my lord?"
5So the angel who was speaking with me answered and said to me, "Do you not know what these are?" And I said, "No, my lord."
6Then he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts.
7'What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain; and he will bring forth the top stone with shouts of "Grace, grace to it!"'"
8Also the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
9"The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will finish it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you.
10"For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven will be glad when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel--these are the eyes of the LORD which range to and fro throughout the earth."
11Then I said to him, "What are these two olive trees on the right of the lampstand and on its left?"
12And I answered the second time and said to him, "What are the two olive branches which are beside the two golden pipes, which empty the golden oil from themselves?"
13So he answered me, saying, "Do you not know what these are?" And I said, "No, my lord."
14Then he said, "These are the two anointed ones who are standing by the Lord of the whole earth."
I am not even going to pretend to have a strong grasp on the meaning of this. Let me refer you to Matthew Henry’s commentary on this passage: http://www.christnotes.org/commentary.php?b=38&c=4&com=mhc
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (http://www.lockman.org/)
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