Zechariah 12-14
Israel Will Respond – Zechariah 12-13
Verse 1 stresses Zechariah’s words of authority of prophecy, because he declares his words come from the Lord. The Lord is the sovereign creator and sustainer of the universe. It’s a reminder of God’s power and relationship with humanity.
Verses 1-9 the phrase “On that day” refers to a future time when God will judge, protect, and restore Israel. God will protect Israel and bring judgment on the enemies of His people. It’s “the day of the Lord” refers to Jesus’ return, when God’s ultimate judgment and establishment of His kingdom.
Verses 1-9 reveal:
In Zechariah 12:10-14; 13:1 God said He would pour out His Holy Spirit on Israel bringing grace and repentant prayer to each person and to the nation. They will turn to Jesus, the pierced One, in repentance. They will realize that they crucified the Savior and they will mourn and repent that they rejected. Him. It will be a great time of sorrow and deep grief for their sins. God will refine a remnant of His people through trials leading them to call upon His name. Only a portion, 1/3 will survive the refining process.
Being sorry for sin and repentance from sin brings spiritual cleansing. 2 Corinthians 7:10 tell us that “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret…” 1 John 1:9 tell us that, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” When we are cleansed of sin, we are restored to a personal relationship with God.
We all have a part in Christ’s death. He bore our sins on the cross so we might die to sins and live for Him. “… But he was pierced for our transgressions…” – Isaiah 53:4-6. “… by his wounds you have been healed.” – 1 Peter 2:24. He died for us all.
This passage relates to Romans 11:25-27 in that God has allowed a partial hardening of Israel’s heart until the full number of Gentiles has come to faith in Christ. God has a plan for both Gentiles and Jews. Salvation of the Gentiles is part of a larger plan that will lead to the salvation of Israel. This has not happened yet.
Zechariah 13:7-9 speaks of striking the shepherd and scattering the sheep. This shepherd is Jesus who was stuck down in death. Then the scattering is His disciples fleeing when He was arrested.
Principle: God is at work in history and in the future; He is always in control.
The Lord Will Return – Zechariah 14
In the future on the Day of the Lord there will be conflict and judgment. There will be a great battle against Jerusalem. The city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, the rest taken from the city. The Lord will fight against those nations. The Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a valley. The Jews will flee to the mountain.
Revelation 22:1-2, 5 tell us changes to nature will accompany the Lord’s return. There will be a river of life flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side will be the tree of life with 12 crops of fruit yielding fruit for every month. The leaves are for the healing of the nations. There will be no longer any curse. The throne will be in the city and His servants will serve Him. They will see His face and His name will be on their foreheads. There will be no light because the Lord will give the light.
A glorious truth is declared in verse 9. The Lord will be king over the whole earth and there will be one Lord, and His name the only name. We can live out that truth today by making Jesus our King and submitting to Him.
In verses 12-15 God will judge the people who oppose Him. He will strike all the nations that fight against Jerusalem. Their flesh will rot, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. There will be great panic and they will attack one another. A similar plague will strike the horses, mules, camels, donkeys, and all the animals of the enemies. Judah will fight against the enemy nations and the wealth of the nations will be collected – great quantities of gold and silver and clothing.
Life is described in verses 16-19. The nations’ survivors will worship the King and celebrate the yearly Feast of Tabernacles. If they don’t, God will withhold rain and bring plages on them.
Verses 20-21 describe life in God’s kingdom. God’s holiness will permeate every aspect of life. “Holy to the Lord” will be inscribed on the bells of the horses and the cooking pots will be like sacred bowels in front of the altar. All will be set apart to God and His purposes.
Sometimes we withhold God’s influence from certain areas of our lives by giving in to angry outbursts when we lose patience with others or when things don’t go our way. Sometimes we can be stubborn, indifferent, insensitive, and selfish. We can even be lazy with activities that don’t help us grow spiritually or glorify God.
Zechariah’s description of the future challenges us to trust in God’s ultimate victory, proclaim the gospel boldly, and live in holiness, anticipating the day when the Lord will return and be King over all the earth.
Principle: The day of the Lord is coming and Jesus will be King over all the earth.
Next week we will continue our study in Nehemiah. -- I encourage you to trust in Jesus.
__________________________________________
If you have enjoyed my post and have found if helpful, please leave a comment or share this post with the buttons below.
No comments:
Post a Comment