Month: December 2015

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ZECHARIAH 10:1-11:17 | REVELATION 18:1-24 | PSALM 146:1-10 | PROVERBS 30:33

The time has come to receive these beautiful prophetic words of promise. Here are precious promises to the people of God. Not only to the chosen people of Israel, but in the formation of the New Covenant in the coming of Christ, the preaching of the gospel is God’s call for all persons to be saved.  God says through the prophet Zechariah:

⁸ I will signal for them
   and gather them in.
Surely I will redeem them;
   they will be as numerous as before.
⁹ Though I scatter them among the peoples,
   yet in distant lands they will remember me.
They and their children will survive,
   and they will return.

God, having seen the misery of this people in their being justly left by the Good Shepherd, sees their further misery in being abused by foolish shepherds. The description suits the character Christ gives of the scribes and Pharisees. They never do anything to support the weak, or comfort the feeble-minded, but seek their own ease, while they are negligent to their flock. The idle shepherd has the garb and appearance of a shepherd, but he leaves the flock to perish, through neglect or leads them to ruin by his example.

As for the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh, that must surely have been God’s way of re-engineering his original covenant with the people of Israel, in that he sends His own son, i.e., he comes down himself, but his own people will reject him, and sell him instead for the price of a slave, which in those days was thirty pieces of silver (verse 12).  This is prophesied and documented right here by Zechariah. 

And because of this unfortunate and foolish act of rejecting God incarnate, the divine plan of redemption is then opened up to the rest of the non-Jewish world.  We are the beneficiaries of this twist of fate!

The ultimate sacrifice of God in the form of Christ in the flesh comes into this world to redeem one and all!  How beautiful and perfect a plan is that!

Turning next to our reading in the book of Revelation, we find that chapter 18 continues John’s account of the end-times and Babylon’s doom.  There is scholarly debate about what nation or people Babylon signifies, and although lacking consensus, the majority leans toward identifying Rome as this nation. The finality of this Babylon’s doom is reiterated by a series of events to mark the utter desolation of the final annihilation of this power.  See verses 21 through 23.

Our next stop is to the Psalms, and David’s psalm for the day is yet another psalm of praise.  He says with complete determination:

² I will praise the LORD all my life;
   I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

And finally, this verse from the Book of Proverbs is an excellent one to commit to memory:

³³ For as churning cream produces butter,
   and as twisting the nose produces blood,
   so stirring up anger produces strife.

May God bless the reading and reflection of His Word.  Amen.

Click Here For Today’s Reading

ZECHARIAH 9:1-17 | REVELATION 17:1-18 | PSALM 145:1-21 | PROVERBS 30:32

In one of the most striking chapters in this book so far, Zechariah announces the judgement of God on Israel’s enemies, and then seals the deal with these words:

⁸ Never again will an oppressor overrun my people,
   for now I am keeping watch.

And yet, the announcement of Zion’s King presents the image of a most humble and lowly entrance.  Zechariah says:

⁹ Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
   Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
   righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
   on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Not in a chariot driven by horses or some such grand scene.  A donkey, if you will. 

Not unlike his birth into the world in a lowly stable with farm animals.

And the promise is a substantial one. Zechariah continues to be the mouthpiece of the Lord when he says to the people of Israel: 

¹⁰ He will proclaim peace to the nations.
   His rule will extend from sea to sea
   and from the River to the ends of the earth.
¹¹ As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you,
   I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit.
¹² Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope;
   even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.

May it be that like the Israelites of old, you and I are also prisoners of hope!

Turning next to our reading in the book of Revelation, we find perhaps one of the more involved chapters that delves deep into the continued theme of the Apocalypse.  Rich in simile and imagery, it begs for scholarly interpretation.  I would urge you to study this at your leisure.

Today’s Psalm is yet another great one of praise.  I can’t help but reproduce here the last four verses — words to comfort and uplift, and claim as promises to rely on:

¹⁸ The LORD is near to all who call on him,
   to all who call on him in truth.
¹⁹ He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
   he hears their cry and saves them.
²⁰ The LORD watches over all who love him,
   but all the wicked he will destroy.

 ²¹ My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD.
   Let every creature praise his holy name
   for ever and ever.

Finally, a most profound piece of advice from the book of Proverbs, penned by Solomon, wise king of Israel:

³² “If you play the fool and exalt yourself,
   or if you plan evil,
   clap your hand over your mouth!

May God bless the reading and reflection of His Word.  Amen.