ZECHARIAH 12:1-13:9 | REVELATION 19:1-21 | PSALM 147:1-20 | PROVERBS 31:1-7
Chapter 12 of the Book of Zechariah talks about the punishment of the enemies of Judah (1-8) and repentance and sorrow of the Jews (9-14).
Verse 3 speaks of a great promise to the people of Israel: 3 On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves.
Immovable Rock! That is a great title for a nation and her people!
But alas, the mourning “for the one they have pierced” causes the Lord to say this about them: 10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.
Chapter 13 speaks to the following topics: The Fountain for the remission of sins and the conviction of the false prophets (1-6), and the death of Christ and the saving of a remnant of the people (7-9).
Verse 9, in particular, speaks to the promise that God has for his people. I find it amazing that this is one God who will not let this stubborn people go! He says about them:
9 This third I will put into the fire;
I will refine them like silver
and test them like gold.
They will call on my name
and I will answer them;
I will say, ‘They are my people,’
and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’”
Turning now to our reading in the book of Revelation, the account of Babylon’s fall continues in Chapter 19. This event is marked with rejoicing and praise by the heavenly hosts. The angel who instructs John in his visions is quick to point out that he himself is not to be worshiped although he is a heavenly being because he, like John, is also a worshiper of the Lamb of God, also known as, Jesus Christ, God incarnate.
John writes: 10 At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.”
May this be a clear message to the object of our worship: it is God himself that we worship and petition; it is never the angels that such devotion must be directed toward.
Finally, there is a striking account of the heavenly warrior defeating the beast. And if there’s any doubt about the identity of this warrior, we have it in writing:
16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
Turning next to our Psalm for the day, we find that Psalm 149 is another beautiful psalm of praise! I almost wish to reproduce it in its entirety here, but I will limit myself to these few verses:
3 He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
4 He determines the number of the stars
and calls them each by name.
5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
his understanding has no limit.
6 The LORD sustains the humble
but casts the wicked to the ground.
Let it not be said that you do not know what the Lord delights in. The Psalmist tells us:
10 His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;
11 the LORD delights in those who fear him,
who put their hope in his unfailing love.
May it be that you and I also put our hope in Him!
Finally, a few words of wisdom from the book of Proverbs, written by Solomon, wise king of Israel. He says:
4 It is not for kings, Lemuel—
it is not for kings to drink wine,
not for rulers to crave beer,
5 lest they drink and forget what has been decreed,
and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
6 Let beer be for those who are perishing,
wine for those who are in anguish!
7 Let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.
May God bless the reading and reflection of His Word. Amen.
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