Zechariah 10
COMMENTARY
: 1 Ask you of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so that LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field. (7592 “ask” [sha’al] means consult, beg for, to make a request, to seek, or find out.)
DEVOTION: Control is the name of the game in our world. We think we are in control. We think that we can solve all the problems of the world. Some think there is no need for the LORD in the life of the people of our world.
Weather is a hot topic today in Alaska. There are those who state that we are facing global warming because of all the carbons we are putting into the air. Our world is going to be destroyed. Some are making a lot of money going around with this theory. The facts seem to be missing. Research seems to be mismanaged. Is our world really going to be destroyed? The answer is yes. It is going to be purged of sin in the future. At present we are feeling some of the effects of sin on our world. Should believers be concerned about the environment? YES. That should not be our main concern. Our main concern should be people and their relationship to the LORD.
Throughout Scripture we see that the LORD is in control of the weather. HE is the one who sends rain or withholds rain. HE is the one who gives good harvests or poor harvests. HE is the one who causes crop failure because of sin in the lives of HIS people.
Again we read about what is going to happen in the future. The future for the world is good after a time of judgment by the LORD. HE is going to provide great harvests and rich blessings.
Remember our main concern is not elections or global warming these are traps of the enemy.
CHALLENGE: The real concern is our lives giving glory to the LORD through our witness.
: 2 For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd. (7462 “shepherd” [ra’ah] means to nourish, to enable, edify figurative for teacher, or figurative of ruler.)
DEVOTION: Zechariah states out this chapter with a statement of fact. The fact is that the children of Israel can pray to the LORD and HE can send rain. They had been depending on their idols to provide them rain. They had been depending on their diviners to provide them rain. They had been depending on false dreams to bring them rain. All these sources were vain!!!
What happened to the people who were depending on idols, diviners and false dreams? They wandered around in a desert without any direction. They were in trouble with no place to turn. Why? They didn’t have leaders who were following the LORD. They didn’t have leaders who taught them correctly. They didn’t have leaders who nourished them correctly. The had leaders who were like rain clouds but without the rain. There was no blessing. There was no HOPE.
The LORD was against these false leaders. HE was going to punish them. Why? It is because they not only were going in the wrong direction but were leading HIS people in that direction. They were the Pharisees of the Old Testament. They had a form of godliness but no power. They were leading people into the lake of fire.
Today we have such leaders. The problem is that some of them use the Bible each Sunday to teach falsehood. They are leading their people right into the lake of fire with a smile on their face. They are reinterpreting the Bible to call sin righteousness. They are saying that God’s people can eat, drink and be merry because they are going to heaven no matter what they do. Some of those who were Biblical to begin with are now saying that all ways lead to heaven. It doesn’t matter what religion they follow. With or without Christ people can still get into heaven. It is a great lie from our enemy the devil. However, many who say they are followers of the LORD want to believe it because they want to have what they want when they want it.
Those who claim Christ are still very selfish individuals. Those who claim Christ are still very lazy people. Those who claim Christ are still very greedy people. The only way we can fight this in our life is to depend on the LORD. HIS Holy Spirit can guide us to truth. The Holy Spirit wants to teach us truth.
The purpose of those who lead sheep to pasture is to give them true comfort. The teacher is supposed to give the sheep food each day to keep them going. The teacher was to give them help in times of trouble.
Why do God’s people listen to these false teachers? The reason was because the true teachers were nowhere to be found. If they were around they were not feeding the flock or tending to their needs. They needed true teachers to teach them truth. It was not happening.
Is it happening in our churches today? Are there teachers and preachers who are not tending to the needs of the flock? Are there teachers and preachers who are not feeding the flock? The next verse tells us that the LORD was angry with these shepherds. Is HE angry at the shepherds that are tending to HIS flock now? Pastors tend to the flock the LORD has given you.
CHALLENGE: Pastors and church leaders feed the flock. Don’t let them leave a service without some food for the soul. The LORD will bless all those who do. Praise HIS name.
: 6 And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the LORD their God, and will hear them. (1396 “strengthen” [gabar] means to cause to prevail, robust, to make strong, to make superior, be greater, or to make an object mighty and forceful.)
DEVOTION: Have you ever faced a time period in your life when it seems that everything was going wrong? Did it seem at the time period that the LORD was not answering your prayers? Did it seem like all your friends were running the other way instead of helping you?
The children of Israel had many time periods like that in their history. They were guilty of sin and a lack of repentance when the LORD sent prophets to them for that purpose. They were rebellious. They were stubborn.
Do these characteristics describe many believers today? It seems that we want to act the way we want to act and when trouble comes we want God to rescue us from all the messes we have made in our life. HE doesn’t work that way. HE wants us to realize that we are accountable for our sins. HE wants us to repent and change our ways. Sometimes it seems like we don’t have control over our situation but we can still continue to turn to HIM for help.
One of the themes throughout the Word of God is that this life is only temporary but the life after death is eternal. We would like everything fixed NOW in this life but there are many Christians who are suffering for their faith and dying for their faith because during this time period HE is still instructing us.
The future for Judah and Israel is bright. It is not going to happen during the time period when Zechariah prophesied. It is still future to this day. We continue to see hope manifested. Let us live in that hope for what we are presently going through is still only temporary.
CHALLENGE: Separate what is eternal from what is temporary in our life and we can see the LORD working. If we don’t, we face discouragement rather than a willingness to prevail with the LORD in our present circumstance.
: 12 And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in HIS name, says the LORD. (1396 “strengthen” [gabar] means to make superior, prevail, mighty, to achieve, or to make strong.)
DEVOTION: This is the second time in this chapter that the LORD promises to strengthen HIS people. Why do they need strength? They are living their daily lives in this world. They face trouble. They face people. They face decisions that need to be made every second.
HE wants them to walk in HIS strength each day. HE wants them to be totally dependent on HIM. HE wants to be the Shepherd that they presently don’t have. They were presently following false shepherds who HE likens to goats. They were leading them away instead of toward.
We need to be walking in the strength of the LORD each day to make wise decisions. HE has made the promise. Do we hold HIM to HIS promise with confidence? HE wants us to be confident that HE is going to lead us in the right direction with the right strength to face anything HE allows in our path on a daily basis. Don’t walk alone. Let HIM lead!!!
CHALLENGE: I can do all things through Christ who makes me strong both physically and mentally. Are we using the power the LORD gave to us?
DONATIONS:
Remember that all donations to Small Church Ministries are greatly appreciated. The treasurer will send a receipt, at the end of the year unless otherwise requested. Please be sure to make check out to “Small Church Ministries.” The address for the treasurer is P.O. Box 604, East Amherst, New York 14051. A second way to give to the ministry is through PayPal on the website: www.smallchurchministries.org. Also, if you can support this ministry through your local church please use that method. Thank you.
Visit our Facebook page for Small Church Ministries – please invite others to join us on Facebook. Thank you. Look for the logo from the devotionals.