Posts filed under ‘israel’
Zechariah 6: Crowning Joshua
Throughout Scripture, God gives us glimpses (sometimes more than just glimpses), into the future where He promises to right wrongs, to rework and recreate things and in general, make life very pleasant for those allowed into the Millennial Kingdom. Zechariah 6 is merely one case of many where the curtain is pulled back from the future and we are enabled to see a glimpse of what to expect then.
Zechariah 6 – Four Chariots
n interesting note here is that while verse 7 tells us that after the chariots went north, God’s spirit was quieted. What was/is north of Israel? Babylon, Assyria, Syria and ultimately Moscow, Russia. We know the Medes-Persians conquered and absorbed the Babylonian Empire so while the fact that God’s Spirit was quieted is important. Yet, at the same time, we know that even though Ancient Babylon was destroyed, the system that undergirded Babylon has remained to this day and it will once again rise in importance during the coming Tribulation period. This is clear in Revelation 18:2-3.
Zechariah’s Fifth Vision
Though Zechariah saw the visions he did not understand their full meaning. Zechariah asks, “What are these, my lord?” (v. 4; also 12-13). The two Olive trees represent Joshua and Zerubbabel, who are the prototype of the two witnesses of Rev. 11:3-12 and it is also important to understand that only as human beings, Joshua or Zerubbabel represent Jesus – the true Priest-King – that a person is able to fulfill this vision at all. Ultimately, in their fullest sense, the “two olive trees” represents Christ, the Lord’s Priest-King (cf. Ps. 110:4).
Continue Reading October 21, 2024 at 11:03 AM Leave a comment
Zechariah’s Fourth Vision
The filthiness of Joshua’s rags reference Israel’s stain of her national sin. Joshua stands in for Israel the way Jesus stands in for us now. Interestingly enough, God removed Joshua’s guilt and Satan is silenced. He has no rebuttal because he clearly understands that God fully pardons Joshua the way He will fully pardon Israel’s sin in the future as God pardons the sins of the unbeliever who comes to God in faith in the finished work of Jesus on Calvary’s cross. Satan cannot dispute this.
End is Not Yet
Things are globally escalating to the point where the world is going to need a “savior;” a voice of intelligent reason who can de-escalate things and lead the way to “peace and prosperity.” If Antichrist had come on the scene 10 or 20 years or more ago, the global situation was far different from what it looks like now. The world seems to be on a fast-track to severe global conflict (including wars and rumors of them, failures of the electric grid, debanking people, push toward climate change, out of control inflation that makes it very difficult for the average person to put food on the table, and a kinetic and growing cultural division throughout American society among other things. If the current global situations did not exist, few would be thinking about someone needed to save the world.
Continue Reading October 4, 2024 at 11:00 AM Leave a comment
Devising Iniquity
God will answer the prayers of His children in the way He sees fit; in the way that best fulfills His will. I’m not a prophet and I’ve never claimed to be. But simply basing things on God’s Word and the examples of how He has done things in the past, helps me understand that this appears to be His chosen method of directing human history to accomplish His will without it being obvious.
God’s Hidden Hand
What is fascinating about all of this – at least to me – is the fact that when these things occurred several thousand years ago, it all looked very human or naturally occurring to the outside observer, with one empire growing to the point of being able to conquer neighboring empires or cities and absorb them into that growing kingdom. It is the human way of life due to our sin nature and the curse on Creation. Someone must be top dog it seems.
Continue Reading September 20, 2024 at 12:59 PM Leave a comment
A Call to Repentance from Zechariah
Like many prophets of the Old Testament, the message Zechariah gave to the people of Israel/Judah was one of hope but required something from them. Like most today, people often do not want to repent because it means relying on something or Someone outside themselves for deliverance. Ever since the fall, humanity has become more and more inward, conceited and arrogant, following in the footsteps of Satan himself.
Continue Reading September 9, 2024 at 1:04 PM Leave a comment
Has God Vacated?
And so it goes from one empire to another. Following Nebuchadnezzar’s death, eventually his grandson Belshazzar (Daniel 5), took the throne. He made a huge mistake, one that appeared to be either unforgiveable to God or God simply knew the king would not repent of his wickedness. This resulted in God’s judgment using the Medes and Persians. They were upcoming while Babylon was on its way to being destroyed.
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