Zechariah 8
COMMENTARY:
: 2 This says the LORD of hosts, I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury. (7065 “jealous” [qana’] means to get heated, envy, become excited, to become desirous of exclusivity in relationship, or zealous.)
DEVOTION: There is nothing wrong with being passionate about what you believe. So often we try to hide what we believe. We don’t talk to people on a daily basis about the LORD. We don’t want to be made fun of or make people think we are not “cool.” We have been taught that we are not supposed to talk about politics and religion in public because they are private matters. That is not true
This election we have people talking about who to vote for and why in many pulpits in our country. Pastors didn’t tell people who to vote for most of the time but they gave the pros and cons for each candidate.
Now the elections is still coming so we should use just as much energy talking about our salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ. This should be our number one priority all the time.
Don’t let Satan win by believing his lie about our conversations. We should have passion and that passion should be that we are jealous that people understand how much God is jealous about HIS people. We are HIS people in this age.
CHALLENGE: We need to be exclusively on the side of the LORD during any voting we do. We are to bring honor to HIM at home and in society!!
: 3 This says the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain. (571 “truth” [‘emeth] means firmness, faithfulness, reliability, sureness, stability, or reliability.)
DEVOTION: How many of us like change. Our world is full of change. Some we like and others we don’t like. Change is what is going to happen to the children of Israel.
They were in captivity. They are going to come out of captivity into a city that is going to be blessed of the LORD. The LORD was jealous for HIS city. It had become full of sin. HE had to judge the people but HE promised that remnant would come back to the city and receive a blessing.
In the future it was going to be known as the city of FAITHFULNESS to the LORD. It had been unfaithful. But now the streets were going to be full of elderly people who could walk the streets at any time in peace. There were going to be children playing in the street withou any worries. It sounded impossible but we know that the LORD can do the impossible. Too often we limit God. Too often we don’t think that the Bible could be true. However, it has always proved itself true because the God of the Bible is Sovereign and Omniscient. HE knows the beginning from the end.
This Hebrew word for “truth” is used five times in this chapter. The LORD repeats things to get our attention. HE wanted the Israelites to know that HIS future kingdom was going to be built on sureness. We can be sure that the LORD always tells us the reliable facts. HE never sugarcoats things. HE has been honest with the children of Israel throughout HIS history with them. Still in their future there is going to come a time that ten men will take hold of one Jew and ask if they can go with him to worship the LORD. What is very amazing is that there is going to be someone from every language asking for this permission.
HE has been honest with us throughout HIS history with us. We can count on HIM. HE is firm. HE is faithful. HE is reliable. HE is stable. HE is going to be there at all times. When we think about HIS treatment of the children of Israel and how they treated HIM, we could wonder why HE stayed with them. Well, HE stays with us the same way. We let HIM down on are regular basis but HE never gives up on HIS children. HE loves us. Praise HIS name. The future is bright for those who have Christ in their hearts and not just in their heads.
Our present is secure with HIM at our side. Our past is forgiven. Our future is GLORIOUS. HE always gives HOPE to HIS people. Isn’t that a great state to be in? We should be content each day with what HE sends our way because it is always for our good.
CHALLENGE: God values truth in our teaching and life. Manifest HIS truth to those around you. Make sure that you worship the LORD with an attitude of truth.
: 8 And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be MY people, and I will be their God in truth and in righteousness. (571 “truth” [’emeth] means firmness, faithfulness, trustworthiness, constancy, duration, fidelity, or sure.)
DEVOTION: God always gives hope to HIS people. Each prophet has a message of hope in the midst of judgment. God is holy and needs to deal with sin in the lives of HIS people. HE chastens them because HE loves them. HE knows that the only way people change is through suffering. HE stays with them during their suffering but none the less still sends suffering.
At the end of a time period of suffering there is blessing. There are promises made to the remnant who are true believers. There is always a group that genuinely belief. They are few but they are willing to walk with the LORD while others walk in the other direction.
In the end God wins. HE wins because HE has a plan that gives a future where HE will be with HIS people and will reign in truth and righteousness.
That is not happening now. We definitely live in a time period where there is little truth and very little right living going on in our world. Good is declared evil by our society and evil is declared good. People are voting for drugs and gay marriage to be legal. They have voted in the past that babies in the womb are not really human beings until they are born out of the womb. None of these beliefs are taught in Scripture.
Many nations have been judged for shedding innocent blood and we are doing it in the millions each year and think nothing of it.
CHALLENGE: Do we think God is in favor of these actions?
: 22 Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD. (2470 “pray” [chalah] means entreat, appease, flatter, beseech, beg, seek the favor, or asked.)
DEVOTION: The prophet deals with all three time periods: past, present and future. Sometimes it is hard to distinguish what time period he is talking about. We have to study the context to see and sometimes we have to really study the working for the tenses of the verbs. God wants us to understand HIS plan but it can only happen if we are willing to meditate on HIS Word.
This verse deals with the future. There will be visitors to Jerusalem from strong nations seeking the guidance of the LORD. In the last verse we find that ten men will seek one Israelite to hang onto so that they can be in the presence of someone who is in the presence of the LORD.
They want to communicate with the ruler of the world. During the Millennial reign of Christ this is going to take place. No other time period seems to answer this question.
Today it seems like every nation wants to either kill the Jews or distance themselves from the Jews to make sure they don’t fall with the Jews. Will the Jews fall? The Bible says that there will be at least on more falling of the Jews for a time period of seven years when they will be judged for their treatment of the LORD and HIS people.
There is always a remnant that follow the LORD who are Jewish but have chosen to follow Jesus. They are called Messianic Jews. They witness to their fellow Jews about Christ. Recently a Jewish synagogue in Buffalo was brought by a Messianic Jewish congregation. They are teaching the New Testament.
We are to lead others in entreating the LORD for HIS blessings on our congregations and for those congregations that teach the Word of God according to the whole counsel of God.
People will follow us if they see that the LORD is working in our lives and in the life of our church. Set an example of seeking the favor of God in our daily walk with HIM.
CHALLENGE: Praise the LORD to others when we see HIM answer our prayers. They will see that HE is still working in our world.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Fasting at the feasts of Israelverse 19
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Time when everyone will prayverses 21, 22
Pray before the LORDverse 22
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Foundation of the house of the LORDverse 9
Templeverse 9
Joy and gladness and cheerful feastsverse 19
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Word of the LORDverses 1, 18
This says the LORD of hostsverses 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 14, 19, 20, 23
This says the LORDverse 3
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)verses 1-4, 6,7, 9, 11, 14, 17-23
LORD of hostsverses 2-4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 14, 18-21, 22
Jealousverse 2
Fury of the LORDverses 2, 14
Truthverse 8
Righteousnessverse 8
House of the LORD of hostsverse 9
Control of natureverse 12
Punish verse 14
Relent not – sent judgmentverse 14
Hate false oathsverse 17
Pray before the LORDverse 21
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign, Plural name)verses 8, 23
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Neighborverses 10, 16, 17
Heathenverse 13
Inhabitants of many citiesverse 20
Nationsverse 22
All languages of the nationsverse 23
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Curse among the heathenverse 13
Provoke the LORDverse 14
Imagine evilverse 17
Love false oathverse 17
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Presence of the LORDverses 3, 23
Truthverses 3, 8, 16, 19
Saveverses 7, 13
Righteousnessverse 8
Strengthverses 9, 13
Hearverse 9
Prophetsverse 9
Afflictionverse 10
Prosperousverse 12
Blessingverse 13
Fear notverses 13, 15
Execute judgment of truthverse 16
Peaceverses 16, 19
Love not false oathverse 17
Fastingverse 19
Joyverse 19
Gladnessverse 19
Cheerful verse 19
Love of truthverse 9
Prayverses 21, 22
Seek the LORDverses 21, 22
Heard that God is with youverse 23
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Zionverse 3
Jerusalem – city of truthverses 3-5, 8, 15, 22
Mountain of the LORD of hostsverse 3
Remnant of Jerusalemverse 6
God’s peopleverses 7, 8
Judahverses 13, 15, 19
Israelverse 13
Jewverse 23
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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