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.

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/)