Burunche’s Blog

Desolation of Israel

“Open your doors, O Lebanon, that fire may devour your cedars. Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen, because the mighty trees are ruined. Wail, O oaks of Bashan, for the thick forest has come down. There is the sound of wailing shepherds! For their glory is in ruins. There is the sound of roaring lions! For the pride of the Jordan is in ruins.

Prophecy of the Shepherds

Thus says the Lord my God, “Feed the flock for slaughter, whose owners slaughter them and feel no guilt; those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the Lord, for I am rich’; and their shepherds do not pity them. For I will no longer pity the inhabitants of the land,” says the Lord. “But indeed I will give everyone into his neighbor’s hand and into the hand of his king. They shall attack the land, and I will not deliver them from their hand.”

So I fed the flock for slaughter, in particular the poor of the flock. I took for myself two staffs: the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bonds; and I fed the flock. I dismissed the three shepherds in one month. My soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me. Then I said, “I will not feed you. Let what is dying die, and what is perishing perish. Let those that are left eat each other’s flesh.” And I took my staff, Beauty, and cut it in two, that I might break the covenant which I had made with all the peoples. So it was broken on that day. Thus the poor of the flock, who were watching me, knew that it was the word of the Lord. Then I said to them, “If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain.” So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.

And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord for the potter. Then I cut in two my other staff, Bonds, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

And the Lord said to me, “Next, take for yourself the implements of a foolish shepherd. For indeed I will raise up a shepherd in the land who will not care for those who are cut off, nor seek the young, nor heal those that are broken, nor feed those that still stand. But he will eat the flesh of the fat and tear their hooves in pieces.

“Woe to the worthless shepherd, who leaves the flock! A sword shall be against his arm and against his right eye; his arm shall completely wither, and his right eye shall be totally blinded.”

What’s going on here? Why all this talk about trees and worthless shepherds? And what’s the significance of the thirty pieces of silver?

Here Zechariah is foretelling that Lebanon and the entire area around the Jordan will be conquered and devastated. Until now, there have been dense forests close to the Jordan River; however, invaders are about to strip that area  of its trees. The lions that once roamed these forests will be roaring in anguish. These lions represent the nations surrounding the Jordan River.

Then Zechariah begins describing worthless shepherds that were herding the flocks, possibly the flocks intended for sacrifice in the temple. The two staffs are symbols of God’s covenant with His people. But those who were to lead God’s people have proven worthless, refusing to keep covenant with God. Now God is about to break off that covenant and allow His people to be killed and carried into exile. First, God breaks the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. Next, God orders Zechariah to behave like a foolish shepherd, a leader who has no concern for his people, as a sign of the woefully inadequate leadership in the two nations. But why the story of the payment of thirty pieces of silver?

Thirty pieces of silver is the accepted price of a slave  in the time of Jesus. The Jewish leaders will pay Judas Iscariot thirty pieces of silver to betray Jesus-an indication of how little they think of Judas and how little he also thinks of Jesus. Judas Iscariot will betray Jesus because Jesus will not fulfill Judas’ expectations of an earthly kingship and Judas will be revolted as a result. When Zechariah requests his wages as a shepherd and is paid thirty pieces of silver, it is a prophetic act foretelling what will happen to Jesus. It is ironic that the true Shepherd of Israel will be sold to those who wish his death for the price of a slave. On the way to Calvary, Jesus will endure countless humiliations, and this price will be among them.

APPLICATION: Today, there are many worthless shepherds and very few true ones. Many leaders are bowing to what is politically expedient, rather than maintaining Biblical standards. Recently, one avowedly Christian university has refused to allow a national Christian men’s movement to use their campus as a meeting place because that movement has boldly stated that they continue to honor Biblical standards of sexuality.

Zechariah is an honest man; for God to order Zechariah to behave as a worthless shepherd is a severe test of Zechariah’s ability to obey. As Zechariah is symbolically breaking those staffs, he must feel horrible. Those broken staffs indicate that God’s people have broken their covenant with Him and must now suffer the consequences. As a prophet, Zechariah can already see the bloodshed that is coming and hear the wails of the dying.

What does God want of each of us? God desires us to honor Him, to worship Him, and to follow His tenets. Micah 6:8 tells us, “He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” God has not changed, and neither have His precepts.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, raise up shepherds who will lead faithfully, no matter what. Help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

Restoration of Judah and Israel

“Ask the Lord for rain in the time of the latter rain. The Lord will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, grass in the field for everyone.

For the idols speak delusion; the diviners envision lies, and tell false dreams; they comfort in vain. Therefore, the people wend their way like sheep; they are in trouble because there is no shepherd.

“My anger is kindled against the shepherds, and I will punish the goatherds. For the Lord of hosts will visit His flock, the house of Judah, and will make them as His royal horse in the battle. From him comes the cornerstone, from him the tent peg, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler together. They shall be like mighty men, who tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle. They shall fight because the Lord is with them, and the riders on horses shall be put to shame.

“I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back, because I have mercy on them. They shall be as though I had not cast them aside; for I am the Lord their God, and I will hear them. Those of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man,
and their heart shall rejoice as if with wine. Yes, their children shall see it and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the Lord. I will whistle for them and gather them, for I will redeem them; and they shall increase as they once increased.

 “I will sow them among the peoples, and they shall remember Me in far countries; they shall live, together with their children, and they shall return. I will also bring them back from the land of Egypt,
and gather them from Assyria. I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon, until no more room is found for them. He shall pass through the sea with affliction, and strike the waves of the sea:
all the depths of the River shall dry up. Then the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the scepter of Egypt shall depart. “So I will strengthen them in the Lord, and they shall walk up and down in His name,” says the Lord.”

RAIN! Right now, farmers in much of the world are crying for rain. Crops that should be flourishing are withering for lack of rain. Here in our little village, we had heavy rain two days ago, and the farmers immediately went to their farms to take advantage of the softened earth. Our area is dry for much of the year, so rain is a precious commodity. It was the same thing in Zechariah’s time. Unfortunately, some of the pagan deities the Israelites were worshiping were rain gods or fertility gods, ignoring the One True Living God who truly did control the weather. The god Baal was frequently portrayed as a man standing on the back of a bull and holding a lightning bolt in his hand. Here God is proclaiming that He and not Baal controls even the lightning.

The priests and prophets for those false gods must have been masters of special effects that would impress their followers. Caught up in idolatry, the Israelites refused to realize that all the prophecies from these people were convenient lies. Who are the shepherds and goatherds referred to in this passage? These are the spiritual and political leaders who should have led people in straight paths but who have abandoned the people to wander willy nilly without protection. Now God promises to do what these leaders failed to do.

“For the Lord of hosts will visit His flock, the house of Judah, and will make them as His royal horse in the battle. From him comes the cornerstone, from him the tent peg, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler together. They shall be like mighty men, who tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle. They shall fight because the Lord is with them, and the riders on horses shall be put to shame.”

Not only does God promise to protect His people, but He also promises to bring them back from exile “until no more room is found for them.” God promises to make ways through the oceans, to dry up the River (most likely the Euphrates), and to strike down the Assyrians and Egyptians so that they are no longer world powers.  Although these events might seem impossible, the truth is that the Euphrates River IS drying up! “The Euphrates River is at risk of drying up due to climate change. Temperatures in northeastern Syria have risen by one degree Celsius compared to 100 years ago, and average rainfall has decreased by 18 millimeters per month per century. The Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources warns that the river could be dry by 2040.” (The Center for Strategic International Studies – https://features.csis.org/the-future-of-the-Euphrates-River/)

Finally, God promises to strengthen His people. “So I will strengthen them in the Lord, and they shall walk up and down in His name,” says the Lord.”

APPLICATION: Years ago, I had an elderly friend who told me that she came to faith in Jesus Christ when she saw Biblical prophecies coming true as Jews fled from war-torn Europe and other parts of the world to found the State of Israel. Now we are watching this Biblical prophecy about the Euphrates River come true in our time. “But,” you say, “this is all due to climate change and the number of dams on the rivers feeding into the Euphrates.” My answer: So what? God is sovereign; if He chooses to use climate change for His purposes, is He not allowed to do so? Our problem is that our concept of God is far too small; we are in danger of reducing the Ruler of the Universe to the level of one of the teraphim, a small household deity that is only good for little petitions but not for big ones.

How many of us need help? How many of us are feeling broken and in need of restoration? God is promising to send healing rains, rains of mercy and grace, and He will do this for us if we will only ask.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, each of us needs Your healing touch, Your mercy, Your grace. Come into our hearts and heal the wounds. Send the rain of Your love to water our lives, so that our lives will become beautiful proofs of Your power. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

 Israel Defended Against Enemies

“The burden of the word of the Lord against the land of Hadrach, and Damascus its resting place (For the eyes of men and all the tribes of Israel are on the Lord); also against Hamath, which borders on it, and against Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise. For Tyre built herself a tower, heaped up silver like the dust, and gold like the mire of the streets. Behold, the Lord will cast her out; He will destroy her power in the sea, and she will be devoured by fire.

Ashkelon shall see it and fear; Gaza also shall be very sorrowful; and Ekron, for He dried up her expectation. The king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.

“A mixed race shall settle in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines. I will take away the blood from his mouth, and the abominations from between his teeth. But he who remains, even he shall be for our God, and shall be like a leader in Judah, and Ekron like a Jebusite. I will camp around My house because of the army, because of him who passes by and him who returns. No more shall an oppressor pass through them, for now I have seen with My eyes.

The Coming King

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem; the battle bow shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to the nations; His dominion shall be ‘from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.’

God Will Save His People

“As for you also, because of the blood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. Return to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope. Even today I declare that I will restore double to you. For I have bent Judah, My bow, fitted the bow with Ephraim, and raised up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and made you like the sword of a mighty man.”

Then the Lord will be seen over them, and His arrow will go forth like lightning. The Lord God will blow the trumpet, and go with whirlwinds from the south. The Lord of hosts will defend them; they shall devour and subdue with slingstones. They shall drink and roar as if with wine; they shall be filled with blood like basins, like the corners of the altar. The Lord their God will save them in that day, as the flock of His people. For they shall be like the jewels of a crown, lifted like a banner over His land—For how great is its goodness and how great its beauty! Grain shall make the young men thrive, and new wine the young women.”

God is promising more wonderful things to the people of Jerusalem.

1. God promises to defeat Judah’s enemies – Hadrach, Damascus, Hamath, Tyre, Sidon, and the cities of the Philistines Ashkelon, Gaza, Ashdod, Ekron. “A mixed race shall settle in Ashdod…” Such a development would shame the Philistines who prided themselves on their pure blood. God promises to protect the Jews. “No more shall an oppressor pass through them, for now I have seen with My eyes.”
2. Messiah is coming! “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem; the battle bow shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to the nations; His dominion shall be ‘from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.’  When describing Palm Sunday, John quoted these verses to prove that Jesus was fulfilling this prophecy. (John 12:15)
3. Finally, God promises to save His people. “The Lord their God will save them in that day, as the flock of His people. For they shall be like the jewels of a crown, lifted like a banner over His land—For how great is its goodness and how great its beauty!”

For centuries, Jews around the world have contemplated these verses and have begged God for their fulfillment. Christians believe that Jesus the Messiah has already come, but these verses are yet to be completely fulfilled. On the other hand, considering the large number of missiles striking Israel daily, it appears that God really IS protecting Israel.

APPLICATION: There are many people who wonder if the prophecies in the Bible have ever come true. Part of this chapter describes the arrival of Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. The unusual details are completely fulfilled. Other parts of this chapter may be in the process of fulfillment even as we are reading this. God fulfills His promises every time. What does this mean for us?

There are many promises throughout the Bible. At any given time, one or more of these promises may apply to our situation. How can we know if we can safely apply a promise? First of all, pray and ask God to give you His peace about that promise. Then look at your situation. Can you apply the promise without twisting either your situation or the wording of the Bible? If the promise still stands, then claim it and thank God for giving it to you!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, thank You for Your precious promises. Lead us to the promises that we need and help us to apply them honestly and faithfully. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Jerusalem, Holy City of the Future

“Again the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘I am zealous for Zion with great zeal; with great fervor I am zealous for her.’ “Thus says the Lord: ‘I will return to Zion, And dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, the Mountain of the Lord of hosts, the Holy Mountain.’

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each one with his staff in his hand because of great age. The streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.’ “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, will it also be marvelous in My eyes?’ says the Lord of hosts.

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Behold, I will save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west; I will bring them back, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. They shall be My people and I will be their God, in truth and righteousness.’

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Let your hands be strong, you who have been hearing in these days
these words by the mouth of the prophets, who spoke in the day the foundation was laid for the house of the Lord of hosts, that the temple might be built. For before these days there were no wages for man nor any hire for beast; there was no peace from the enemy for whoever went out or came in; for I set all men, everyone, against his neighbor.

But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘For the seed shall be prosperous, the vine shall give its fruit, the ground shall give her increase,
And the heavens shall give their dew—I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these.
And it shall come to pass that just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you shall be a blessing. Do not fear, let your hands be strong.’

 “For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Just as I determined to punish you when your fathers provoked Me to wrath,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘And I would not relent, so again in these days I am determined to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not fear. These are the things you shall do: Speak each man the truth to his neighbor; give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace; let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor; and do not love a false oath. For all these are things that I hate,’ says the Lord.”

Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘The fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be joy and gladness and cheerful feasts for the house of Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.’

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Peoples shall yet come, inhabitants of many cities; the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, “Let us continue to go and pray before the Lord, and seek the Lord of hosts. I myself will go also.” Yes, many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord.’ “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” ’ ”

WOW! Remember that Zechariah is sharing these prophecies with people who are under threat of attack. The citizens of Judah and Jerusalem have already watched the conquest of the Northern Kingdom by the Assyrians. Zechariah’s previous prophecies have been anything but encouraging as he has decried the corruption and hypocrisy of the Judeans. But now God is promising incredible things.

1. God promises to live in the middle of Jerusalem. “‘I will return to Zion, And dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, the Mountain of the Lord of hosts, the Holy Mountain.’
2. God promises that both the elderly and the young, the two most vulnerable people groups, will safely live in Jerusalem. “Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each one with his staff in his hand because of great age. The streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.’
3. God promises to return Jewish exiles from all over the world. “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Behold, I will save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west; I will bring them back, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. They shall be My people and I will be their God, in truth and righteousness.’
4. God promises incredible prosperity to the future citizens of Jerusalem. “But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘For the seed shall be prosperous, the vine shall give its fruit, the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew—I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these. And it shall come to pass that just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you shall be a blessing. Do not fear, let your hands be strong.’
5. God promises to do good to Judah if its citizens will follow His commandments. “For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Just as I determined to punish you when your fathers provoked Me to wrath,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘And I would not relent, so again in these days I am determined to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not fear.”
6. The prescribed feasts will be days of great joy and celebration.

People from all over the world will flock to Jerusalem. In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” ’ ”

APPLICATION: We read these promises and think, “Great! But I don’t live in Jerusalem.” But God does not play favorites. God will live with anybody anywhere at any time who will honor Him and who will follow His commands. “These are the things you shall do: Speak each man the truth to his neighbor; give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace; let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor; and do not love a false oath. For all these are things that I hate,’ says the Lord.”

Another thing to notice is the peace that will overtake Jerusalem when God lives in the midst of her. These days, parents fear to allow their children to walk to school or to play outside their homes in case of kidnapping, drive – by shooting, and the like. But in the new Jerusalem children will play safely in the streets while the elderly watch them.

Violent video games, violent war games on the internet, even violent cartoons are now the norm. Internet pornography sites have proliferated and beautiful kidnapped children are sold to the highest bidder on the dark web; yet, there are those who are certain that disarming the population will automatically eliminate violence in public places. The only Person who can turn our society around is the Creator of the Universe, the One True Living God.

As long as we refuse to play by His rules and ignore Him, rebelling against Him, society will continue to disintegrate. Our situation is very similar to that of the citizens of Jerusalem in Zechariah’s time. But God’s promises apply to us as much as to Zechariah’s listeners.  When we speak truth, support just judges, justice, and peace, and when we refuse to think evil against our neighbors or loving false oaths, God will be with us.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help everyone who reads these words to follow Your tenets. Help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Obedience Better than Fasting

“Now in the fourth year of King Darius it came to pass that the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, on the fourth day of the ninth month, Chislev, when the people sent Sherezer, with Regem-Melech and his men, to the house of God, to pray before the Lord, and to ask the priests who were in the house of the Lord of hosts, and the prophets, saying, “Should I weep in the fifth month and fast as I have done for so many years?”

Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, “Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me—for Me? When you eat and when you drink, do you not eat and drink for yourselves? Should you not have obeyed the words which the Lord proclaimed through the former prophets when Jerusalem and the cities around it were inhabited and prosperous, and the South and the Lowland were inhabited?’ ”

Disobedience Resulted in Captivity

Then the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Execute true justice, show mercy and compassion everyone to his brother. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. Let none of you plan evil in his heart against his brother.’

“But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear. Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the Lord of hosts. Therefore it happened, that just as He proclaimed and they would not hear, so they called out and I would not listen,” says the Lord of hosts. “But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations which they had not known. Thus the land became desolate after them, so that no one passed through or returned; for they made the pleasant land desolate.”

There is a word in Yiddish, “Chutzpah.” Anyone having chutzpah has incredible amounts of nerve. It is said that someone possessing chutzpah might shoot both his parents and then throw himself on the mercy of the court as an orphan. Based on that definition, these men who are coming to inquire from the priests and the people backing them have huge amounts of chutzpah! Look at the question these men are asking: “Should I weep in the fifth month and fast as I have done for so many years?” There’s an implied complaint here. These men are furious because God has refused to bless them even though they have been going through ALL these religious motions! “God, what’s wrong with you?!”

Too bad for these guys that God isn’t putting up with this rubbish. “‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me—for Me? When you eat and when you drink, do you not eat and drink for yourselves? Should you not have obeyed the words which the Lord proclaimed through the former prophets when Jerusalem and the cities around it were inhabited and prosperous, and the South and the Lowland were inhabited?’ ”

God knows the hearts of these people and they are complete fakes! While observing religious rites, these people have absolutely refused to follow God’s commands. “Then the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Execute true justice, show mercy and compassion everyone to his brother. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. Let none of you plan evil in his heart against his brother.’” God is far more concerned about His people following His commands and being just and merciful; however, they have completely blown off everything God has commanded them to do.

“But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear. Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the Lord of hosts. Therefore it happened, that just as He proclaimed and they would not hear, so they called out and I would not listen,” says the Lord of hosts. “But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations which they had not known. Thus the land became desolate after them, so that no one passed through or returned; for they made the pleasant land desolate.”

God’s people have not gone into exile because they have been so virtuous but because they have “refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they cannot hear.” These people have hearts of stone and they have shoved their fingers in their ears, bringing God’s judgement on themselves as a result.

APPLICATION: Reading much of the Old Testament might give you the same feeling as watching a horror movie; you know something terrible is going to happen and it’s only a question of when. Read the Books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy and you realize that God has given the Israelites a complete outline of how to conduct themselves righteously so that they can be blessed. One of the main laws of God’s kingdom is that the measure you give out is the measure you will receive. Give out justice, mercy, righteousness, honesty, etc., and God will bless you. But rebel and violate God’s principles and you are on your own. No blessings from God. Repeatedly, God warns His people the consequences of disobedience, and repeatedly they run off to fertility cults, child sacrifices, etc.

“So what?” you might ask. “What does this have to do with me?” God’s principles have not changed; He still wants us to follow these tenets: “Execute true justice, show mercy and compassion everyone to his brother. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. Let none of you plan evil in his heart against his brother.’” Times may have changed and cultures may have changed, but God’s principles remain the same.

How do we interact with our families? Our neighbors? Our fellow workers? Our fellow church members? The other families involved with our kids’ athletic teams? The list is endless. The question is simple: Are we merciful or not? Are we just and compassionate? If we know families headed by single moms, how are we coming along side to help nurture those kids? If there are immigrant families in our school district, do we reach out to them or shun them?

Remember, sooner or later, you or your children may find yourselves in need of assistance. When a Jewish religious leader asked Jesus which of the commandments was the greatest, Jesus answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40)

What do we gain by obeying God? Obedience brings blessings of all kinds. Sure, you can rebel against God; however, you are cutting off your own nose to spite your own face. You and your family members are the ones who will suffer from your disobedience.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, speak to the hearts of all who read these words, so that they will understand the manifold blessings You have in store for them if they will only obey You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Vision of the Four Chariots

“Then I turned and raised my eyes and looked, and behold, four chariots were coming from between two mountains, and the mountains were mountains of bronze. With the first chariot were red horses, with the second chariot black horses, with the third chariot white horses, and with the fourth chariot dappled horses—strong steeds. Then I answered and said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?”

And the angel answered and said to me, “These are four spirits of heaven, who go out from their station before the Lord of all the earth. The one with the black horses is going to the north country, the white are going after them, and the dappled are going toward the south country.” Then the strong steeds went out, eager to go, that they might walk to and fro throughout the earth. And He said, “Go, walk to and fro throughout the earth.” So they walked to and fro throughout the earth. And He called to me, and spoke to me, saying, “See, those who go toward the north country have given rest to My Spirit in the north country.”

The Command to Crown Joshua

Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “Receive the gift from the captives—from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have come from Babylon—and go the same day and enter the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah. Take the silver and gold, make an elaborate crown, and set it on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Then speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, saying:

“Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, aand He shall build the temple of the Lord; yes, He shall build the temple of the Lord. He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on His throne; so He shall be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.” ’

“Now the elaborate crown shall be for a memorial in the temple of the Lord for Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen the son of Zephaniah. Even those from afar shall come and build the temple of the Lord. Then you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you. And this shall come to pass if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.”

At first, this vision is confusing. Many people think that the two mountains referred to here are the Mount of Olives and Mount Zion. Referring to these mountains as mountains of bronze indicates that they are robust and unlikely to crumble. What is the significance of the colors of the horses? Red generally indicates war, black, famine and death, white, victory, and dappled, famine and pestilence.

Both the black and white horses are sent to the North, the location of Babylon and Magog. These angelic monitors are to bring peace to that area. ““See, those who go toward the north country have given rest to My Spirit in the north country.” The dappled, representing pestilence, are headed to the south. There is no assignment for the red horses but they too are roaming the earth.

The second part of the vision concerns the creation of an elaborate crown that will be created as a memorial in the temple of the Lord. The crown is to be placed on the head of Joshua, the high priest as a sign of the eventual sovereignty of the Messiah. ““Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, and He shall build the temple of the Lord; yes, He shall build the temple of the Lord. He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on His throne; so He shall be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.” ’

Traditionally, the roles of prophet, priest, and king have been separated, except for one man: King David. David wrote psalms, many of which were prophetic. David fulfilled some priestly roles, although he was careful to avoid infringing on the duties of the priests. And of course, David was King over Israel. Here the current high priest Joshua is to be crowned as a prophetic gesture of the triple roles the Messiah will play: the ultimate prophet, priest, and king. Why is Joshua so crowned rather than Zerubbabel? Perhaps Joshua’s family is more closely descended from the Davidic line than Zerubbabel’s. And Zerubbabel is only the political leader whereas Joshua is a spiritual one who might fulfill two roles, prophet and priest. The most important statement is the final one: “the counsel of peace will be between them both.”

Finally, the crown is to remain in the rebuilt temple as a memorial to the four men who donate the silver and gold to create it. But it will also serve as a sign that God’s promises will be fulfilled if only His people will remain faithful.

APPLICATION: Reading these visions, your response might be, “O.K., great, but so what? What does this have to do with me?” Think about the actual situation the returnees from Babylon are facing. Jerusalem is in ruins; her gates have been burned with fire. Nature abhors a vacuum, and while the exiles have been in Babylon, other people have moved in to occupy the land, many of whom are furious that these Jews have returned. The Jewish leaders are realizing that many of their people have no interest in building the temple but only in accumulating the wealth that may have escaped them in Babylon. It’s tough leading a bunch of people who are dragging their feet.

Anybody who has ever headed an institution, whether it be a mission hospital, a church, a school, or a business can sympathize with Zerubbabel, the political leader and Joshua, the high priest. These two men are doing their best in the midst of trying circumstances; however, it’s a discouraging business. Part of the reason behind this vision is to encourage Joshua as the spiritual leader of this motley group.

Perhaps you find yourself in a position not unlike Joshua’s. You have set out to do something great, but now the very people on whom you have hoped to rely are failing you, wandering off to pursue their own interests. You feel downhearted and frustrated. Are all your efforts and sacrifices going to result in failure? God wants you to know that He is the One who can give success and victory and He will bless the efforts of those who serve Him.

In the late 1980’s a book came out detailing the story of a Swedish missionary couple who went to the Belgian Congo. These people met satanic opposition and the only person they led to the Lord was the little boy who sold them chickens and eggs. Shortly after leading this boy to Christ, the wife died and was buried near their small hut. The husband gave up his baby daughter to missionary friends and returned to Sweden, a broken man. The baby girl passed to a second missionary couple when the first people died from some tropical disease. These missionaries returned to the United States, where they raised the little girl as their own. But when the little girl grew up and began looking for her roots, she discovered something magnificent: that little boy who was the only convert had led his tribe to the Lord and had eventually become the head of the national Assemblies of God Church in Zaire. (Now Democratic Republic of Congo) The spiritual seeds planted by that little Swedish missionary lady have yielded fruit far above her expectations.

Have you been working for the Lord in some lonely place and now feel like quitting? Remember Joshua, the high priest. Joshua did not ask for that crown, nor did he order anybody to create it. God moved Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen the son of Zephaniah to donate silver and gold to create that crown. Hang on! Keep the faith! Your crown is coming! Revelation 2:10 tells us, “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, touch the hearts of all who are discouraged and help them to realize that You are watching and that You applaud their efforts. Thank You for taking our puny attempts and multiplying them into something magnificent. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Vision of the Flying Scroll

“Then I turned and raised my eyes, and saw there a flying scroll. And he said to me, “What do you see?” So I answered, “I see a flying scroll. Its length is twenty cubits and its width ten cubits.” Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole earth: ‘Every thief shall be expelled,’ according to this side of the scroll; and, ‘Every perjurer shall be expelled,’ according to that side of it.”

“I will send out the curse,” says the Lord of hosts; “It shall enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who swears falsely by My name. It shall remain in the midst of his house and consume it, with its timber and stones.”

Vision of the Woman in a Basket

Then the angel who talked with me came out and said to me, “Lift your eyes now, and see what this is that goes forth.” So I asked, “What is it?” And he said, “It is a basket that is going forth.”

He also said, “This is their resemblance throughout the earth: Here is a lead disc lifted up, and this is a woman sitting inside the basket”; then he said, “This is Wickedness!” And he thrust her down into the basket, and threw the lead cover over its mouth. Then I raised my eyes and looked, and there were two women, coming with the wind in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and heaven. So I said to the angel who talked with me, “Where are they carrying the basket?” And he said to me, “To build a house for it in the land of Shinar(Babylon); when it is ready, the basket will be set there on its base.”

Just in case you thought everybody who is returning from Babylon is coming to build the temple, think again! While some individuals truly want to be part of this marvelous work, there are others who are hoping to make out better in Judea than they have in Babylon. These people are faking their faith, and as soon as they reach Judea, they are grabbing land, building houses with cedar panels, and enslaving their fellow returnees. The ridiculous aspect of this is that God knows exactly who those people are who want to worship Him and who are the opportunists. And God is taking names and is about to seriously kick butt!

In Zechariah’s first vision, he sees an enormous flying scroll 30 feet by 15 feet. Why is the scroll flying? God is watching everything that goes on and He is sending His curses to those who are only pursuing their own evil ends. “Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole earth: ‘Every thief shall be expelled,’ according to this side of the scroll; and, ‘Every perjurer shall be expelled,’ according to that side of it.”

“I will send out the curse,” says the Lord of hosts; “It shall enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who swears falsely by My name. It shall remain in the midst of his house and consume it, with its timber and stones.”

It’s mind-boggling that the evil ones among the returnees are failing to appreciate God’s ability to perceive their spiritual state. After all, it was the sins of their ancestors that resulted in their being carried off to Babylon in the first place. These people are blessed that their families even survived at all when many others were killed. But logic appears to have little place in these people’s thinking. All these people can think of is grabbing as much as possible as quickly as possible. Notice there are two sides to the scroll. The one side bears curses against thieves. The other side bears curses against perjurers, those who are denying the presence of the One True Living God. Thieves and perjurers will both be expelled.

Continuing to sin steals the praise that should go to God and denies God’s presence, rendering one both a thief and a perjurer. But in addition, these curses will enter the houses of these evil people and will remain in the midst of those houses until the houses are consumed along with their timber and stones. How is this likely to happen? Israel has several earthquake faults running through it. The same fault that runs through the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea continues down through the continent of Africa, where it expresses itself as the Rift Valley. Given this seismic instability, it’s quite possible that houses of stone might crumble.

What about the woman representing wickedness? God is promising to rid the land of wickedness and to send the evil spirits far away into the land of Babylon, a land that has never truly worshiped Him.  

APPLICATION: “OK, “you say, “but what does this scroll and this evil woman in a basket have to do with us?”

A holy God cannot tolerate wickedness, thievery, or injustice. God ordered Moses to warn the Children of Israel not to take His Name in vain, “for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His Name in vain.” Swearing by God when one does not mean it demonstrates a total lack of respect for God. Such an act is taking God’s name in vain.

God is in the clean – up business and will help anyone who turns to Him for assistance. But for those who persist in evil and delight in it, these curses still apply. God has promised to live with anyone who will honor Him. Jesus told his disciples in John 15:4-5, “Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without aiding in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me. I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much feuit. However, apart from Me you can do nothing.”

Do you want a life that will be satisfying, a life that God can approve? Commit yourself to following Jesus Christ; ask Him to forgive your sins and to clean you and give you new life.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we confess that we are sinners and that we cannot deliver ourselves from the evil we do. Lord, save us from ourselves. Give us Your new life and help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

The Vision of the Lampstand and Olive Trees

“Then the angel who was speaking with me returned and woke me, as a man is awakened from his sleep. “What do you see?” he asked. “I see a solid gold lampstand,” I replied, “with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven spouts to each of the lamps. There are also two olive trees beside it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.”

“What are these, my lord?” I asked the angel who was speaking with me. “Do you not know what they are?” replied the angel. “No, my lord,” I answered.

So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of Hosts. What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain. Then he will bring forth the capstone accompanied by shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’”

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent me to you. For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven eyes of the LORD, which scan the whole earth, will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.”

Then I asked the angel, “What are the two olive trees on the right and left of the lampstand?” And I questioned him further, “What are the two olive branches beside the two gold pipes from which the golden oil pours?”

“Do you not know what these are?” he inquired.

“No, my lord,” I replied.

So he said, “These are the two anointed ones who are standing beside the Lord of all the earth.”

Despite this being a short chapter, these verses contain two spiritual nuggets. So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of Hosts. What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain. Then he will bring forth the capstone accompanied by shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’”

The following information comes from https://www.myolivetree.com/the-two-olive-trees-zechariah-4-prophecy/ “What is the meaning of the lampstand and the olive trees? Zechariah sees a lampstand that was kept continually burning. The number seven signifies completeness. Therefore, the seven lamps and seven pipes are surrounded by the two olive trees that provide an unlimited reservoir of oil—they are completely provided what they need to fulfill their purpose. In biblical times, keeping the golden lampstands in the temple filled with oil, cleaning them of soot, and maintaining the wicks was a tedious and continuous job.

The vision of the two olive trees directly feeding the lamps the pure oil needed to stay lit signifies God’s Spirit doing the work and being revealed in the light. We know that Jesus is the light of the world, and remarkably, He gives Christians the declaration that they too are the light and will be used by Him to do the Father’s will. The two olive trees in Zechariah were a picture of the priestly offices. And because Christians are “kings and priests,” the Holy Spirit works through us to be the light of the world, and our supply of this anointing never runs dry.”

Who was Zerubbabel? The Encyclopedia Britannica tells us: “Of Davidic origin, Zerubbabel is thought to have originally been a Babylonian Jew who returned to Jerusalem at the head of a band of Jewish exiles and became governor of Judea under the Persians. Influenced by the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, he rebuilt the Temple.” This rebuilding was opposed by enemies of the Jews who hated the idea of the Temple being rebuilt. God is assuring Zerubbabel that Zerubbabel WILL complete the temple and will place the capstone, the final act of rebuilding. Even though Zerubbabel and the Jews are facing a mountain of difficulties, those difficulties will flatten before the power of the Lord.

“For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven eyes of the LORD, which scan the whole earth, will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.”  God has no limits. Even though we are impressed with big splashy people, events, or things, the Creator of the Universe is not. God knows that inside the smallest organisms are miracles. Bethlehem’s stable once held a baby destined to become the Savior of the world.

Why should Zerubbabel hold a plumb line? Plumb lines are used to ensure that a building will be erected in a straight fashion. Plumb lines witness to that which is true. If something is “out of plumb,” it is crooked and incorrect. The seven eyes of the Lord which scan the whole earth will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel because Zerubbabel will be doing the work of God, completing the Temple.

APPLICATION: There are many times when we feel we have been handed a daunting task. When we came to our station in northeastern Ghana in 1993, it was a small health center with eleven workers. Just over one year later, a tribal war broke out and suddenly we found ourselves as the only facility to which one tribe could come for health care. We had to begin operations and inpatient care, squeezing 37 beds into this small place. We had no electricity, so we sterilized gown packs in a large pressure cooker over a coal pot on the verandah. I was the first laboratory technician and I trained several other workers to do grouping and cross matching so we could transfuse patients. When the kits became available, we added testing for Hepatitis B. We had one LP gas refrigerator and one kerosene refrigerator. Indeed, that was the day of “small things!” We gained some nurses because they had to flee their stations for fear of their very lives. We did operations under local anesthesia and ketamine anesthesia. Looking back, we realize that God empowered us and protected our patients.

These days, we have a 112-bed facility with trained nurse anesthetists and a staff of 250. Currently, we are even providing surgical services for another district hospital that is facing challenges with manpower and equipment. But even now, it is only because God is pouring the oil of His Holy Spirit throughout our facility that we are able to deliver good care to our clients. We can absolutely state that God is the One who has built this hospital. Truly, it is “not by might, not by power, but by God’s Spirit” that the hospital exists.

Do you feel God is calling you to a great work when you have few resources? Why not ask God to show you where to start. Make a beginning and trust that God is going to help you progress. God knows exactly what you need and when you will need it. The promises of God’s Spirit are just as real today as they ever were!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us feel overwhelmed. Help us to claim Your precious promise of strength and the infilling of the Holy Spirit. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

 Vision of the High Priest

“Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him. And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?”

Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel. Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, “Take away the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said, “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.” And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the Lord stood by.

The Coming Branch

Then the Angel of the Lord admonished Joshua, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘If you will walk in My ways, and if you will keep My command, then you shall also judge My house, and likewise have charge of My courts; I will give you places to walk among these who stand here. ‘Hear, O Joshua, the high priest, you and your companions who sit before you, for they are a wondrous sign; for behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH.
For behold, the stone That I have laid before Joshua: upon the stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave its inscription,’ Says the Lord of hosts, ‘And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘Everyone will invite his neighbor under his vine and under his fig tree.’ ”

Feel overwhelmed and discouraged? You’re not alone. The Jews of Zechariah’s time are also feeling downhearted. Is there righteous leadership anywhere? Now God is showing Zechariah how He proposes to handle Joshua the high priest. “Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel. Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, “Take away the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said, “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.” And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the Lord stood by.” What an incredible encouragement for Joshua as well as for the other believers! God is protecting the high priest’s chest/heart, and his head/mind.

If we are honest with ourselves, we realize that we fall far short of God’s holiness and glory many times a day. And every single time, Satan is right there reminding us of our shortcomings. In this passage, Satan is standing ready to accuse Joshua; however, God cleanses Joshua and delivers him from Satan’s attacks. God then goes on to clothe Joshua with rich robes and a clean turban – all signs of Joshua’s priesthood. 2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”  1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…” God can do for us just what He is doing for Joshua the high priest in this vision if we will only confess our sins and and ask God to cleanse us.

As if this is not enough, God then goes on to promise wonderful things. “Then the Angel of the Lord admonished Joshua, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘If you will walk in My ways, and if you will keep My command, then you shall also judge My house, and likewise have charge of My courts; I will give you places to walk among these who stand here. ‘Hear, O Joshua, the high priest, you and your companions who sit before you, for they are a wondrous sign; for behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH.
For behold, the stone That I have laid before Joshua: upon the stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave its inscription,’ Says the Lord of hosts, ‘And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘Everyone will invite his neighbor under his vine and under his fig tree.’ ”

The Branch mentioned is the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who eventually does come in the fullness of time. The stone with the seven eyes is a symbol of God’s watch care. God is promising to remove the iniquity of Judah, to watch over it, and to restore the land to complete peace. Neighbors will gather together in fellowship without fear of attack. This promise has yet to be fulfilled in modern Israel, which receives several hundred rocket attacks daily.

APPLICATION: Who doesn’t want to be free from the sins that weigh us down? Who doesn’t want peace? None of us is free from hassles; we all have problems we’re facing. No matter how many different ways we try to find comfort, only God can actually give us peace. Jesus the Messiah is the Branch from the House of David who has come to free us from our sins and to give us peace. Let’s pray.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, all of us have problems in our lives and all of us need peace. Only You can truly give everlasting peace. Lord, apply Your healing power to the lives of all who are reading these words. Give us Your peace. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

The Vision of the Measuring Line (Ezekiel 40:1-4)

“Then I lifted up my eyes and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. “Where are you going?” I asked. “To measure Jerusalem,” he replied, “and to determine its width and length.” Then the angel who was speaking with me went out, and another angel came out to meet him and said to him, “Run and tell that young man: ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the multitude of men and livestock within it. For I will be a wall of fire around it, declares the LORD, and I will be the glory within it.’”

The Redemption of Zion (Hosea 3:1-5)

“Get up! Get up! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the LORD, “for I have scattered you like the four winds of heaven,” declares the LORD. “Get up, O Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the Daughter of Babylon!”

For this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “After His Glory has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye— I will surely wave My hand over them, so that they will become plunder for their own servants. Then you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent Me.”

“Shout for joy and be glad, O Daughter of Zion, for I am coming to dwell among you,” declares the LORD. “On that day many nations will join themselves to the LORD, and they will become My people. I will dwell among you, and you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent Me to you. And the LORD will take possession of Judah as His portion in the Holy Land, and He will once again choose Jerusalem. Be silent before the LORD, all people, for He has roused Himself from His holy dwelling.”

Why is God sending a man to measure Jerusalem? In the future, God promises, “Run and tell that young man: ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the multitude of men and livestock within it. For I will be a wall of fire around it, declares the LORD, and I will be the glory within it.’” Even though the Romans will attempt to destroy Jerusalem, in 70 A.D., Jerusalem will survive. Today Jerusalem truly is a city without walls because the population is so great.

Now God is calling to the Jewish exiles who have been scattered throughout the world. ““Get up! Get up! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the LORD, “for I have scattered you like the four winds of heaven,” declares the LORD. “Get up, O Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the Daughter of Babylon!”

For this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “After His Glory has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye— I will surely wave My hand over them, so that they will become plunder for their own servants. Then you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent Me.”

Jewish exiles return at the behest of King Cyrus; however, that return will be dwarfed by the return of Jews from around the world after World War II. After the horrors of Hitler’s concentration camps, many of the Jews who survive will emigrate to Israel, determined to establish it as a Jewish state.

What does God mean when He says, “whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye,”? The apple of the eye is the pupil. Here God is promising that He will care for the Jews as tenderly as a man or woman would protect his/her eyes.

How will the citizens of Jerusalem know that Zechariah is truly speaking for God? “I will surely wave My hand over them, so that they will become plunder for their own servants. Then you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent Me.”  The very nations that have plundered Jerusalem will be plundered by those who have been serving them.

APPLICATION: What does this chapter mean for us? If we are serving the One True Living God, we can trust God to be a wall of fire around us and to exhibit His glory among us. “But,” you ask, ‘’what about believers in North Korea and Nigeria who are being slaughtered for their faith? Why isn’t God protecting them? There are all kinds of protection. Most of us assume that if God protects us, we will never suffer persecution or loss. Wrong! Jesus warned his disciples, “In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer! I have overcome the world.” We may have to suffer a lot and we might even have to die for our faith. But God can give us strength and courage to face any trial. God can glorify Himself even in the midst of persecution. One of the fundamental affirmations of Judaism is the Shema Yisrael, pronounced “sheh MAH.” This affirmation comes from Deuteronomy 6:4 “Hear, O Israel. The Lord, your God, the Lord is One.” Professor of classical rabbinic literature at Brandeis University, Reuven Kimelman said the Shema summons Jews to feel “an all-consuming love of God.”
“It’s a love that is unreserved, all-demanding, at all times, in all places and in all circumstances,” he said. “Nothing is excluded. Thoughts are to be focused, words are to be spoken, and deeds are to be done.” When believing Jews were being murdered in concentration camps, it was the Shema that these people were repeating as they went to their deaths. Even though these people were martyred, God gave them the courage to acknowledge His sovereignty even as they were dying horribly.

Are you stuck in a miserable situation with no way out? Do you feel trapped? Ask God to show Himself to you in the midst of your problems. The same God who has given believers the courage to persevere and die if necessary can be a wall of fire for you. God can still glorify Himself even in the midst of your problems.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, many of us find ourselves in troubles that are not of our own creation. We feel we have no way out. Lord, be a wall of fire against Satan’s discouragements! Glorify Yourself even in the midst or our problems. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.