November in Daniel, Psalms, Ezra, Haggai, Zechariah, and Esther

NOVEMBER

1. Daniel 9
2. Daniel 10
3. Daniel 11 & 12
4. Ezra 1-2
5. Ezra 3 & Psalm 126
6. Psalm 92-93
7. Psalm 94
8. Psalm 95-96
9. Psalm 97-98
10. Psalm 99-100
11. Ezra 4
12. Haggai 1 & 2
13. Zech 1 & 2
14. Zech 3 & 4
15. Zech 5 & 6
16. Zech 7 & 8
17. Zech 9
18. Zech 10 & 11
19. Zech 12 & 13
20. Zech 14
21. Ezra 5 & 6
22. Psalm 129
23. Psalm 118
24. Psalm 148-150
25. Esther 1 & 2
26. Esther 3 & 4
27. Esther 5 & 6
28. Esther 7 & 8
29. Esther 9 & 10
30. Psalm 106

Put Zechariah Back on the Prophets Shelf

You're done! Jesus is coming!!!

Zechariah 14 - The Return of the King

LINK: Zechariah 14

BACKGROUND

This chapter anticipates the second coming of the Messiah as the divine King. It looks to the universal earthly reign of the Lord. It covers the initial plundering of Jerusalem, the judgment of the Gentile armies, and the establishment of His millennial, 1000-year, reign, and concludes with a description of worship in Jerusalem. 

Zechariah refers to the "day of the LORD." Many prophets have referred to it (Isaiah 2:12; 13:6,9; Jeremiah 46:10; Ezekiel 13:5; 30:3; Joel 1:15; 2:1, 11, 31; 3:14; Amos 5:18; Obadiah 15; Malachi 4:5). This is a day of universal judgment on the whole world (Isaiah 24).

On that day, The Mount of Olives will be split in two when the Messiah appears accompanied by His holy ones (14:4). This is the place from which He ascended (Acts 1:11-12). It is also the place where He taught His disciples what would happen in the end times (Matthew 24).

This time will also have a host of miraculous natural phenomena (see also Isaiah 13:10; 34:4; Joel 2:10, 30-31; 3:15; Matthew 24:29). Notice also the living water that will flow out of Jerusalem that was also mentioned in Ezekiel 47.

The key verse is 14:9: 

The LORD will be king over the whole earth. 

On that day there will be one LORD, 

and His name the only name.  

Enemies will be defeated. False gods will be cut off and no longer remembered (13:1-2). In Jerusalem, The LORD will be worshiped by the survivors from all the nations and the Feast of Tabernacles (14:18-19; Leviticus 23:33-43) will be celebrated as it is a feast of thanksgiving for God's gracious blessings!

Of the seven feasts, the Feast of Tabernacles will be the only one left to be celebrated since Passover was fulfilled in the death of Christ (1 Corinthians 5:7; John 1:29), Feast of First Fruits was fulfilled in His resurrection (John 15:23), Day of Atonement in acceptance of His salvation, Pentecost with the arrival of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, Feast of Unleavened Bread in the life of believers today as they walk in holiness, and the Feast of Trumpets will be fulfilled when God gathers His people from the ends of the earth (Isaiah 18:3,7; Matthew 24:29-31). Those who do not come will be punished, but I cannot imagine nations will not come. At this time, holiness will be the order of the day!

REFLECTION/APPLICATION

The predictions of Jesus' first coming all came true. We can be assured that the predictions regarding His second coming will come true also.

Take some time to reflect upon the prophecies of His first coming as you prepare your heart for the coming Christmas Season!

THE PROPHECIES OF THE FIRST ADVENT OF JESUS CHRIST

PRAYER

These verses from Zechariah are in Handel's Messiah: 

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion;

shout, O daughter of Jerusalem:

Behold the King cometh unto thee:

He is the righteous Savior,

and He shall speak peace unto the heathen.

(Zechariah 9:9, 10; Matthew 21:5)

Now that we have almost concluded this "POETRY AND PROPHETS" year in the Bible Book Club, you will be amazed at how much more you understand about the Scriptures in this masterpiece! Take some time to worship God as you read (or listen to) the rich words. This is my favorite version: Handel's Messiah: The Complete Work. 

And here is a link to a devotional I wrote: 

Handel's Messiah (online or Microsoft Word document)

Zechariah 12 & 13 - Redemption and Refining

LINK: Zechariah 12-13

BACKGROUND 

These chapters are about the destruction of the Gentile nations that opposed Israel (12:1-9) and Israel's spiritual deliverance that included the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (12:10a) and repentance as people put faith in Jesus, the Messiah (12:10-14)! 

The Scarlet Thread of Redemption

The one who is pierced in 12:10 is Jesus and foretells His rejection as God Incarnate and His Crucifixion. When Jesus comes again, He will be recognized as the Messiah, and people will turn to Him. Hadad Rimmon was a village near Jezreel and refers to the slaying of one of the few "good" kings of Judah, Josiah, at that place (2 Chronicles 35:20-27). 

There will be a cleansing fountain (13:1) and all idols and false prophets will be removed from the land (13:2-6). Then, the True Prophet/Shepherd (13:7-9) will come. This goes along nicely with the previous prophecy in Zechariah:

• Smitten Shepherd by sword and directed by God (13:7a) - piercing of the Messiah (12:10; 11:7-8; Isaiah 53:4, 7, 10)  

• Scattered  sheep (13:7b-8) - abandoning of the sheep (11:9)  

• Saved remnant (13:9) - the restoration of the covenant relationship (13:1-2)

Jesus quoted Zechariah 13:7 before His arrest in Matthew 26:31,32. The Roman "sword" put Christ to death, and His disciples (sheep) would be scattered when He was arrested (Matthew 26:56). The scattering also refers to the scattering of Jews all over the world at the fall of Jerusalem to the Romans in A.D. 70 (Matthew 24-25; Mark 13; Luke 21).  This scattering and trying has gone into modern history where the Jews of the Holocaust were "refined like silver." 

REFLECTION 

A little over a week ago, toward the end of our wonderful Washington, D.C. vacation, my family and I spent 6 hours in the Holocaust Memorial Museum. I was confused about having to wait in another long security line (my email from our congressional aide said we were to bypass all lines and go directly to our VIP passes). 

In the midst of this, a European woman in the security line nosed in on our private conversation to tell us we had to wait in line, and that we needed tickets. No excuse, I bit her head off. "We have VIP tickets, and our instructions say not to wait in line. Do you know what 'VIP' is?  As I was saying this, I thought to myself, "She is probably even German!" (Bad, I know. At this point you are probably wondering why am writing about the Bible with that kind of response to a foreign visitor.)

Going through the museum, you learn of Jews being herded like cattle to their deaths (After emerging from the Holocaust experience, a volunteer told me they even made the exhibit very narrow at this point so that the visitors are literally on top of one another so they can experience this herded feeling.) There were no VIPs at Auschwitz, and I was convicted of my irritation with that woman. This museum was so sobering. I emerged from the darkness of the concentration camp into the light of a warm Washington, D.C. day with a new appreciation for life. 

Petty inconveniences are nothing compared to their horrors. I felt bad for my irritated response to that lady. Even though she should not have been so nosy (She did not understand we already had tickets waiting for us AFTER the security line, and I was just confused and needed clarification from someone official.), I did not need to snap back at her, and I wished I could have apologized to her afterward, but she and her family went through the Museum very quickly compared to us. 

Gratefulness in everything, large and small, was my "takeaway" from this museum.  

I did not cry until I sat in the last area with film interviews of survivors. One of them was bitter toward God for what had happened. He felt God had turned His back on the Jews. When he noticed a fellow prisoner praising and thanking God, he had an interesting exchange that impacted me.  I could not remember the exact quote, but I found this excerpt from an article by another person who had a similar reaction to mine:

A man told the story about seeing a friend of his in the concentration camp praying in the middle of the day. Orthodox Jews pray at the beginning and at the end of the day but not usually in the middle of the day. So he asked his friend what he was doing. The friend said, "I'm being grateful to God." 

"Grateful to God?" the man said, "What could you be grateful to God for in the middle of hell?"   

His friend's response was profound. He said, "I'm thanking God that I am NOT LIKE THEM!"   

That's when tears came to my eyes. (The FULL article is well-worth reading) 

This is where I lost it emotionally too. 

When tragedy strikes, many people turn their back on God. Not so with this grateful man, and I hope it is not so with you or me. 

Continuing with the story: 

Some people have the ability to find something to appreciate, even in the middle of something horrible. It is truly a choice. now, whenever I get upset when something doesn't go my way, I have a little talk with me. I remind myself that, no matter how many challenges I have, there are many people in the world who would gladly change places with me. 

Somehow my disappointment at having to wait in line when we were "VIPs" seemed so trivial after all of this. 

God uses everything to refine us and try us so that we can come forth as silver and gold. God says through Zechariah:

And I will bring the third part through the fire,

Refine them as silver is refined,

And test them as gold is tested.

They will call on My name,

And I will answer them;

I will say, "They are My people,"

And they will say, "The Lord is my God.”

Zechariah 13:9

It is all a matter of perspective. 

APPLICATION

Is the Lord your God even in the midst of hard times? Can you be thankful and see the glass half full?  

Read the full article linked above (his application was my application long before I read his article). Look up the cross references I have included in the Scripture above and Psalm 66:10, Proverbs 17:3; Job 23:10.

Are you grateful today despite your circumstances?

PRAYER

Lord, teach us to be grateful today. In Jesus' name, Amen. 

Zechariah 10 & 11 - Which Shepherd Do You Follow?

LINK: Zechariah 10 & 11

BACKGROUND 

These chapters continue with the Messianic theme. YAY! Jesus is coming!!! 

No more darkness and doom and judgment. The LIGHT will come!

Zechariah 10

The Scarlet Thread of Redemption

This chapter is full of promises:

Holy Spirit (10:1) - His Spirit is often described as rain in the Old Testament (Isaiah 32:15; 44:3; Hosea 6:3; Joel 2:23-32). 

Shepherd (10:2-3) - The shepherds led the flock of Israel into sin (Ezekiel 34; Matthew 9:36). God promises to care for His flock (Micah 5:4). Jesus said He was the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep (John 10:11).

Cornerstone (10:4) - Jesus came from Judah to be the Cornerstone of the church. (Acts 4:11; Ephesians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:6,7). The cornerstone could be the foundation stone or a stone which crowns a building. Jesus is both the foundation on which the church is built, and He is the capstone that crowns the church! You will see this word again in Psalm 118 in a few days. 

Tent Peg (10:4) - "The large peg inside an Oriental tent, on which is hung most of it valuable furniture (Judges 4:21; Isaiah 22:20-24). On Messiah hang all the glory and hope of His people" (A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, (Zechariah 10:4)). 

Bow of Battle (10:4-5) - Jesus came to overcome the enemy of our souls, Satan (Genesis 3:15).  Death will be swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15:54-55).

Ruler (10:4) - Jesus will reign as King just as God had promised (Genesis 49:10; Micah 5:2).

Reuniting and Restoration (10:6-12) - The "house of Joseph" represented the two northern tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, and the "house of Judah" were the remaining ten southern tribes. These tribes would be reunited and strengthened together (Jeremiah 31:10). 

Zechariah 11

While Zechariah 10 talks of the Messiah's reign. Zechariah is asked by God to act out the roles of two different kinds of shepherds. There is a delay in those blessings coming because of the rejection of this Shepherd Messiah. It is a lament and talks of the wrath to come and the consequent devastation that will result from the people rejecting the Good Shepherd (10:2-3). 

REFLECTION 

Which shepherd do you follow? Hopefully, you follow the Good Shepherd. 

Recently, I had two weeks where I was on the road, living out of a suitcase, following a packed schedule in unfamiliar places, seeing new and exciting things, and sharing space in hotel rooms where it was very hard to get away to spend time with the Good Shepherd.

And it began to show! My sinful, selfish nature emerged more and more. I realized that I was not following the Good Shepherd but following the worldly shepherd that says "Get ahead. You are Number One!"  

Toward the end of the two weeks, I got up early and walked and prayed and repented, renewing my mind and my commitment to follow Him. (I also had to apologize to my husband and wish I could apologize to a lady I was not nice to while waiting in line!) We cannot disengage from following Him and expect to exhibit the fruits of the Spirit no matter how "mature" we are in the Lord!

Lesson learned. 

APPLICATION

Are you following the Good Shepherd today? 

PRAYER

Lord, help us to follow You, minute by minute every day. Amen. 

Zechariah 9 - The Coming King

LINK: Zechariah 9

BACKGROUND

The last six chapters were written several years after the prophecy in Zechariah 8 sometime after 480 B.C.

Zechariah begins an oracle and is probably prophesying the march of Alexander the Great through the cities mentioned in this chapter (333 B.C.). It should be noted that Alexander spared the temple and the city of Jerusalem as 9:8 prophesied. He was God's instrument for divine judgment on Israel's enemies.

The Scarlet Thread of Redemption

Zechariah 9:9-10:12 looks toward the blessings of the Messiah who would come righteous and have salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey. In the ancient Near East, if a king was coming in peace, he would ride on a donkey rather than a war stallion. This was a prophecy 500 years before Jesus' Triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-5). The Messiah will establish peace in His kingdom and regather Israel. 

Zechariah 9:13 to the end of the chapter probably refers to the conflict of the Maccabees (169-135 B.C.) with all the Greek rulers of Syria including Antiochus IV Epiphanes which we already discussed during our reading of Daniel 11 & 12. While this is a partial fulfillment of this prophecy, the complete fulfillment will come at the Second Advent of Jesus Christ when God will care for them as a shepherd for his flock and Israel will shine in God's land like "jewels in a crown."

REFLECTION

The king is coming in our Bible reading in January (or December if you want to start reading about Jesus' birth during Christmas).

APPLICATION

Rejoice in Your coming King this Advent season!

PRAYER

Now that you have gotten through most of the Old Testament, read (and sing) these two Advent hymns and see how much more you understand the words!

Come, Thou Long Expect Jesus 
by Charles Wesley

Come, Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel’s Strength and Consolation,
Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear Desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all sufficient merit,
Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

This song is part of the "O Antiphons" that are traditionally prayed through from December 17th-23rd. Here is a PowerPoint I made when leading a group through these at Christmastime.

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Refrain
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who orderest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.

Refrain

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory over the grave.

Refrain

O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Refrain

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.

Refrain

O come, O come, great Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.

Refrain

O come, Thou Root of Jesse’s tree,
An ensign of Thy people be;
Before Thee rulers silent fall;
All peoples on Thy mercy call.

Refrain

O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease;
And be Thyself our King of Peace.

Refrain

Zechariah 7 & 8 - Repentance Urged, Blessings Promised

LINK: Zechariah 7 & 8

BACKGROUND

Almost two years after the night visions in the previous chapters on December 7, 518 B.C., Zechariah gave three messages to the people. For the last 70 years, the people in captivity had been holding a fast in July/August to remember the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 25:8-10) and a fast in September/October commemorating the death of Gedaliah, governor of Judah, during a time of civil strife after the fall of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 41:2). They came to the temple to ask if they had to continue fasting now that the temple was being rebuilt. Here is the gist of the three messages:

1) They were rebuked for fasting and feasting (Leviticus 23, Deuteronomy 12) out of formalism and for themselves rather than for the Lord (7:5-6).

2) They were exhorted to administer justice and show mercy and compassion toward all because the previous generation had hearts as hard as flint (KJV says "adamant stone"). Because of this, God did not hear their prayers (7:13), dispersed them among the nations (7:14a), and desolated their land (7:14b). Yesterday's reflection and application related to this.

3) They were promised blessing in the future when God would bring them back, and He would dwell in Jerusalem and be their God in truth and righteousness. Their fasting would be turned to feasting, and they would be a blessing to "all languages and nations"(8:13, 22- 23; Genesis 12:1-3!). Therefore, Zechariah encouraged them to finish the work on the temple and not to be afraid.

REFLECTION

I have been saying since Genesis 12:1-3 that part of God's plan has been from the beginning that God wants to redeem all peoples. I have attempted over the entire two years of Old Testament studies to point out this "bottom line" blessing of the Bible.

If I haven't convinced you of this thread running throughout the entire Old Testament, Warren Wiersbe's summary of 8:20-23 should:

The Gentiles will be redeemed (Zech. 8:20–23). God called Abraham and established the nation of Israel so His people would witness to the Gentiles and lead them to faith in the true God (Gen. 12:1–3). In setting apart one nation, God was seeking to reach a whole world. Many of the great events in Jewish history recorded in Scripture had behind them a witness to “the whole world”: the plagues of Egypt (Ex. 9:16); the conquest of Canaan (Josh. 4:23–24); God’s blessing of the nation (Deut. 28:9–11); and even the building of the temple (1 Kings 8:42–43). When David killed Goliath, he announced that God would give him victory so “that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel” (1 Sam. 17:46). 

But Israel failed in her mission to the Gentiles. Instead of the Gentile nations coming to worship the true God of Israel, the Jews forsook Jehovah and worshiped the false gods of the Gentile nations. The “court of the Gentiles” in Herod’s temple became a market where Jews visiting Jerusalem from other countries could exchange their money and buy approved sacrifices. However, before we criticize the Jews too much, we had better examine the track record of the church when it comes to winning the lost at home and taking the Gospel to nations abroad. 

When Messiah restores His people and establishes His kingdom, the Gentiles will trust the true and living God and come to Jerusalem to worship Him. Isaiah saw a river of Gentiles “flowing” into the city (Isa. 2:1–5) and Micah used the same figure (Micah 4:1–5). Zechariah describes a scene in which ten men (a Hebrew expression for “many men”) will take hold of one Jew and beg to go with him to the temple!  

It’s a wonderful thing when God so blesses His people that others want what God’s people have. “We have heard that God is with you” (Zech. 8:23). This sounds like what should happen in our local churches when an unbeliever beholds our worship of the Lord. “He will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, ‘God is really among you!” (1 Cor. 14:24–25, NIV) 

“I say then,” wrote Paul, “has God cast away His people? Certainly not!” (Rom. 11:1, nkjv) There’s a bright and blessed future for God’s people Israel, even though the nation has been oppressed and persecuted by the Gentiles, some of whom claimed to be Christians. Our privilege is to love them, pray for them, and tell them that their Messiah, Jesus Christ, has come and will save them if they trust in Him. The Gospel of Christ is still “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek” (Rom. 1:16, nkjv).  (Be Heroic, p. 128)

APPLICATION

Where do you fit into God's global purpose?

PRAYER

Lord, we praise You for Your purpose which is so clear in Scripture. Bring us to the application of and action upon Your Word today. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Zechariah 5 & 6 - Flying Things and Peace

LINK: Zechariah 5 & 6

BACKGROUND

Zechariah 5

Sixth and Seventh Visions - Flying Scroll and Woman in a Basket 

A scroll the exact size of the Tabernacle (30 feet long by 15 feet wide) contains a curse for violators of the third and eighth commandments (Exodus 20:7, 15) probably representing judgment on anyone who violates God's Law.

The woman in a basket (In Hebrew, it means a large barrel or basket used in household dry measurement ranging in size from 5 to 10 gallons) symbolizes wickedness (the Hebrew word for wickedness is in the feminine gender) that would be banished and sent to Babylonia which was a symbol for wickedness and idolatry (Revelation 17:3-5). Sin's power and penalty have been removed because of Christ. One day, Christ will remove all sin from the earth when He comes again. Then, there will be eternal peace and safety. Come Lord Jesus!

Zechariah 6

Eighth Vision - The Four Chariots 

This vision concludes the eight visions that Zechariah saw on the night of February 15, 519 B.C. These four chariots and horses are similar to the four horsemen in Zechariah 1. They come out of two mountains made of bronze with this metal often symbolizing righteous, divine judgment against sin (Revelation 1:15; 2:18). The chariots with their horses represent four spirits (or "winds", Hebrews 1:14) that go out throughout the earth to accomplish His purposes. The chariots suggest the idea of battle and indicate judgment (Isaiah 66:15). Many believe the colors of the horses are significant and connect it with Revelation 6:1-8 where the red horses symbolize war, the black horses going toward the north (Babylon), famine; and the white horses going after the black horses, death. There is speculation that the dappled horses going toward the south symbolize plagues. Overall, this vision means God's judgment on Gentile nations for their sins.

The Scarlet Thread of Redemption

Zechariah 6:9-15 tells us of the rule of Jesus (the "Branch" - see comments from yesterday) who will rule as a Priest on His Kingly throne. (A totally perfect Priest-King instead of two separate people who were often corrupt!) A time will come when there will be perfect peace and harmony between civil and religious authority in the person of Jesus Christ!

REFLECTION

I watched the Mumbai Massacre documentary on PBS this week; and I am, once again, struck by the fact that we live in a very unsafe world! It led me to pray for the families of the 170 people killed in November of 2008 and also the families of the terrorists. My heart ached to hear the survivors tell of the 10 scared, young gunmen controlled by masterminds sitting in safety in Pakistan and giving orders to kill over cell phones. None of the survivors interviewed expressed animosity toward their attackers but rather a "highly grudging sympathy" for them. They came from poor and uneducated backgrounds. One of the gunmen had been sold to the Jihadists for $3,000 US by his own parents!

The author of the excellent book, Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson says, "If you fight terrorism, it's based on fear, but if you promote peace, it's based on hope." Greg has promoted peace by supporting community-based education, especially for girls, in remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Since 1993, his Central Asia Institute has successfully established 130 schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan which provide 51,000 students, with an emphasis on girls' education. Why girls? Because statistics show that educated mothers are less likely to allow their sons to go on Jihad. (For those of you who have concerns about this organization from watching the news, ALL lawsuits were dropped in October 2013.) 

2023 Update: The numbers that have been helped are much higher all these years later. Check out their website.

I also know of someone working in Tajikistan to help kids with disabilities there. If you want to learn how you might give, contact me at Body and Soul Companion.

APPLICATION

What have you done to promote peace today?

PRAYER

Lord, we long for the day when we will have perfect peace and security when the Prince of Peace reigns. As we celebrate His first coming soon, help us to be instruments of His peace today. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Zechariah 3 & 4 - Clean Garments and Empowered Lives

LINK: Zechariah 3 & 4

BACKGROUND

The Fourth Vision - Clean Garments for the High Priest (Zechariah 3)

This vision speaks of Israel's internal cleansing from sin. Unlike the first three visions, this one contains no questions from Zechariah and answers from the angel. Joshua, the high priest who returned with Zerubbabel from Babylon, stands (in his priestly duty) before the angel of the LORD (some commentators believe this is the pre-incarnate Christ because he "takes away" sins [3:4]). Representing the whole nation, Joshua wears "filthy" garments which literally mean "excrement-covered" (Commentary on Zechariah by Merrill F Unger, p. 59). Satan accuses Joshua of sin before the angel, but the angel rebukes him stating that Jerusalem had been plucked from the fire of captivity for a purpose. Israel was acquitted and given clean garments symbolizing the forgiveness and restoration of Israel as a priestly nation (Exodus 19:6).

The Scarlet Thread of Redemption

There is a symbolic message with "the Servant, the Branch, and the Stone" (3:8-9). Christ is the Servant who came to do the will of the Father (Isaiah 42:1; 49:3-4; 50:10; 52:13; 53:11). Christ is the Branch in that He is from the Davidic branch that will rise to become King (Isaiah 4:2, 11:1 - Stay tuned for our discussion of the "Jesse Tree" next week!). As the Stone, He is the cornerstone (Matthew 21:42; 1 Peters 2:6), a stone of stumbling (1 Peter 2:8), rejected stone (Matthew 21:42), smitten stone (Exodus 17:6; 1 Corinthians 10:4), and the smiting stone (Daniel 2:34-35). At His first coming, Jesus was a stumbling stone because Israel rejected Him but the foundational cornerstone of the church. When He comes again, He will smite all other kingdoms and establish His kingdom!

The Fifth Vision - The Lampstand and Two Olive Trees (Zechariah 4)

This lampstand was supernaturally supplied with golden oil flowing from two olive trees to the bowl and onto seven channels to each of the seven lights on the lampstand. The two olive trees symbolized Joshua and Zerubbabel in their priestly and kingly roles for the people of God (4:14). This vision symbolized that, despite the opposition, God would give them success to complete the task of rebuilding the temple and shining His light because of His Spirit and not because of their might and power.

REFLECTION

Satan is never a savory subject, but he is alive and kicking. We see him in his role as accuser in Zechariah 3. We learned in Job 1-2 that he has access to God's throne. Also, we know that He accuses God's people "day and night"(Revelation 12:10).

Satan has grounds for accusation! There is no denying that we are sinful people and deserve condemnation for our sins. Our Righteous Judge cannot ignore our sins, but Jesus Christ is our Advocate as He represents us before the throne of God when we sin (1 John 2:1-2). He was "delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification" (Romans 3:25). Satan's accusations mean nothing because Jesus already died for those sins, and He has covered us in His righteousness!

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. (Romans 8:1-2; 33-34)

When "we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). Then, the case is closed! God cannot condemn us for sins His own Son has already covered. He goes beyond that to cover us in His righteousness. "I will put rich garments on you" (Zechariah 3:4) not garments of our own making like Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:7) but garments in which blood was shed (Genesis 3:21) and suitable to cover us in righteousness.

That is GOOD NEWS!

APPLICATION

Have a time of confession before the Lord and rejoice in His righteousness today. Also, invite God's Spirit to work in and through you to accomplish the impossible!

"Not by might nor by power,

but by My Spirit,"

says the Lord of hosts.

(Zechariah 4:6)

 

Here is a song from the 80s based on this verse: 

PRAYER

Lord, the enemy accuses us day and night, but we have an Advocate, Jesus Christ, the righteous! We praise You that as we confess our sins, You are faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Lord, despite opposition, you want to empower us by Your Spirit for a purpose. Lord, use us to do the impossible today! We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Zechariah 1& 2 - Visions

LINK: Zechariah 1 & 2

If you have not already done so, please read the "Introduction to the Prophetical Books." 

BACKGROUND

Book of Zechariah

If you are reading along with us in the Bible Book Club, you know that Zechariah prophesied during the rebuilding of the temple. If you are reading in another way, see the post for Ezra 4 HERE.

Here is a review of where Zechariah fits in historically:

Ezra 4:1-5 (Cyrus, 559-530) (Reigns of Cambyses [530-522] and Smerdis [522])  

Haggai (Darius I, 521-486)  

Zechariah 1:1-8:23 (520-518)  

Ezra 4:24-6:22 

Zechariah 9:1-14:21 (480-470)  

Esther (Xerxes/Ahasuerus, 485-465)  

Ezra 4:6-23 (Xerxes/Ahasuerus - Artaxerxes, 464-424)  

Ezra 7:1-10:44 (Artaxerxes) 

He started preaching two months after Haggai started preaching, and they overlapped for about two months. So, for a time, the people were getting God's encouragement in stereo! :)

Zechariah 1-8 was written while the temple was being rebuilt.
Zechariah 9-14 was written after the rebuilding of the temple.

The Scarlet Thread of Redemption

At that time, Zechariah gave consoling sermons to the workers engaged in rebuilding God's most holy structure, the temple. He also gives us colorful visions of a glorious future for God's people. It is the most Messianic (and longest) of all of the Minor Prophets. He tells of God's future deliverance through the Messiah (Zechariah 9:9-10). 

Zechariah 1-6 are visions
Zechariah 7-8 are sermons
Zechariah 9-14 are promises

Haggai was old when he prophesied, and Zechariah was young.

Haggai exhorted while Zechariah encouraged. 

Haggai preached in the form of messages, and Zechariah shared eight visions; five of comfort and three of condemnation. 

Zechariah 1 & 2

Zechariah starts with a call to repentance for God's people. God's message was clear and simple: "Return to Me, and I will return to you." 

In these chapters, Zechariah shares the first three of eight visions:

Man among the Myrtles (1:7-17) - Wicked nations may seem like they prosper but God will bring judgment upon the nations who have oppressed Judah.

Four Horns and Four Craftsman (1:18-21) - The horns were the four world powers that oppressed Israel (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, and Medo-Persia). The four craftsmen were the nations used to overthrow them. 

Man with the Measuring Line (Zechariah 2) - Jerusalem would be rebuilt and the people would be restored. Zechariah 2:9-12 is a promise of the Messiah who will live among them and a promise that Gentile nations will come to know Him (John 1:14; Revelation 21:3 and do not forget the promise in Genesis 12:3!)

REFLECTION

I was just talking with my friend, Kim, this morning about her husband's devotional with their kids yesterday during a camping trip. Then, I read this while composing this post:

How would you evaluate your father's contribution to your spiritual life? (a) negligible; (b) sizable; (c) enormous.  

Four times in his opening verses, Zechariah mentions the sorry state of Judah's fathers or ancestors (1:2, 4-6) who, by ignoring God and pursuing evil, brought divine judgment upon themselves and their children. 

Fathers, yours is an awesome assignment: to assist your children in becoming men and women of God. And the painful testimony of Scripture is this: children seldom rise to a higher spiritual plane than that of their parents. Read the first six verses of Zechariah as if it were a manual titled How to Succeed as a Father because that is just what those verses will help you do. (The Daily Walk, September 23, 2008, p. 29)

APPLICATION 

I relay this reflection knowing that this is a touchy subject for some of you because your dad's contribution to your spiritual life may have been negligible.

Take heart! Even though my dad was great, he had no part in my spiritual development because he was not a believer until a few years before he died (I had the great privilege of praying with him to welcome Christ into his heart and life, but that is another story.). If this is the case for you, God is your heavenly Father who wants to nurture you in your growth.

If your dad was not great and did not invest spiritually, there may be some healing that needs to take place in your life to help you toward a true view of your heavenly Father. I am praying for this to happen for you!

If you are a father, take these verses in Zechariah to heart and make a plan!

If you are a wife, do not nag your husband, but pray that he will become the spiritual leader that God has made him to be!

If you are single or do not have children, you can have many spiritual children! Start investing spiritually in someone today! 


PRAYER

Lord, teach us to invest in the future generation. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. 

Introduction to the Prophetical Books

INTRODUCTION TO THE PROPHETICAL BOOKS

Download the Year Two BBC Overview and Timeline 

The Bible is not written in chronological order but according to the type of book:

Books of Moses (Law or Pentateuch): Genesis - Deuteronomy 
History: Joshua - Esther
Poetry and Wisdom Literature: Job - Song of Solomon
Major Prophets: Isaiah - Daniel
Minor Prophets: Hosea - Malachi

I find it easier to understand prophecy when it is read in the context of the historical period. So, that is why we are interspersing the prophets in the historical context of 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles. 

I will not be doing a strictly chronological approach because I do not want to jump back and forth once we start a prophetic book. So, when we get to a book like Isaiah, that covers the reign of four kings of Judah spanning six decades, we will read through all of those kings in 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles before we study the entire book of Isaiah.

The prophetical books are broken up into two sections: 5 Major Prophets (Isaiah - Daniel) and 12 Minor Prophets (Hosea - Malachi). We will read them in chronological order. That way we will get breaks between the longer major prophets of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel with the shorter Minor Prophets. Here is a brief rundown of the order of the historical dates for each prophet with the Major Prophets highlighted in bold. They are all B.C.:

841-824.....Obadiah (this date is hotly debated!)

825-809....Joel

784-772.....Jonah 

767-755.....Amos 

755-714.....Hosea 

-----722 Assyrian Captivity of Northern Kingdom of Israel

739-681.....Isaiah 

733-701.....Micah 

650-620....Nahum 

636-623....Zephaniah 

627-574.....Jeremiah 

574-538.....Lamentations 

621-609.....Habakkuk 

605-586 Babylonian Captivity of Southern Kingdom of Judah

605-536.....Daniel 

593-559.....Ezekiel 

------538 Cyrus of Persian issues edict allowing Jews to RETURN to land

520-505.....Haggai 

520-489.....Zechariah 

435-415.....Malachi 

Theologically, the prophets concentrate on warnings of impending judgment, teachings about righteous living, encouragement to the faithful and oppressed, and predictions of God's future plans.

                                                                                         

I am approaching the prophets with fear and trembling! :)  I hope that you are game and that breaking up the longer books of the Major Prophets with the shorter books of the Minor Prophets will make it easier! I believe God has so much to teach us through the study of these books.

I LOVE what Eugene Peterson says about the prophets:

Over a period of several hundred years the Hebrew people gave birth to an extraordinary number of prophets – men and women distinguished by the power and skill with which they presented the reality of God. They delivered God’s commands and promises and living presence to communities and nations who had been living on god-fantasies and god-lies. 

Everyone more or less believes in God. But most of us do our best to keep God on the margins of our lives or failing that, refashion God to suit our convenience. Prophets insist that God is the sovereign center [emphasis mine] not off in the wings awaiting our beck and call. And prophets insist that we deal with God as God reveals himself, not as we imagine him to be [Isn't that powerful? Ponder that for a moment].  

These men and women woke people up to the sovereign presence of God in their lives. They yelled, they wept, they rebuked, they soothed, they challenged, they comforted. They used words with power and imagination whether blunt or subtle. . .  

Prophets make it impossible to evade God or make detours around God. Prophets insist on receiving God in ever nook and cranny of life. For a prophet, God is more real than the next-door neighbor.  (The Message Remix, p. 1194, 1197)

With fear and trembling, let us start the prophets in the next post!

Zechariah 12-13 - Judgment and Cleansing

by Katrina

LINK: Zechariah 12-13

BACKGROUND
Zechariah 12
The phrase "In that day" is used several times in this chapter and refers to the "day of the Lord," the day of wrath and judgment that the prophets have been telling about. The Lord begins by identifying Himself as the creator of heaven and earth and the one who gives life to man. Jerusalem will be attacked by Gentiles. The city is like a cup that the enemies drink from. But it makes them drunk and sick. Jerusalem is also like a stone, immovable, and it will eventually destroy the invading enemies. The Lord will defend and save the people then destroy their enemies. Then the people will recognize Jesus for who he is. They will see him as the Messiah whom their fathers had pierced (at the crucifixion), and they will weep bitterly in repentance. They will mourn individually as well as corporately.

Zechariah 13
When the people repent and mourn for their sin, then the Lord will cleanse them. Their hearts will be purified. The land will be cleansed of idolatry. False prophets will be destroyed. They will disguise themselves to try to save themselves.

The true Shepherd will arrive. He will be struck, and the sheep will scatter. This refers to the crucifixion of Jesus when the disciples scattered. Jesus quoted Zechariah 13:7 on his way to the Garden of Gethsemane, "I will strike down the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered."

Then God will weed out all but one-third of Israel. This will be the remnant that will be refined and saved. They will finally, truly belong to God.

REFLECTION/APPLICATION
Sometimes God has to refine us with fire. Are you going through difficulty that God wants to use to refine you? Though the fire is painful, the refined product is worth it! Bring any sin before God and allow Him to cleanse you. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)  Psalm 32 is a great one to read and meditate on for this.

PRAYER
Jesus, you are the good shepherd who truly cares for the sheep. Please lead us in your ways and teach us to follow you in all that we do. We bring our sins before you and ask for your cleansing. Make us pure and use us for your work. We trust in you and will rejoice in you! Amen.