Posts filed under ‘Judaism’
Zechariah 7: Obedience Better Than Fasting
By Zechariah 7, the people had been captive in Babylon for roughly 68 years, just shy of the requisite 70 years. Because they had been forced out of their Land, they wept and fasted each year to remember the event. The trouble was that though they were remembering the event with weeping and fasting, God had not necessarily told them to do that. Beyond this, had they lived in obedience to Him, they would not have been removed from the Land forcibly and there would have been no need to fast and weep for their loss. They brought it on themselves by their refusal to live as God wanted them to live.
But instead of recognizing this fact, the people sent a couple of representatives to “inquire” of the priests and ultimately, of Zechariah the prophet regarding their weeping and fasting over that event.
Continue Reading January 6, 2025 at 12:41 PM Leave a comment
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.
Zechariah’s Second Vision
This vision of Zechariah 2 speaks of the day when God in Christ will restore both – during the Millennial Kingdom. The nation of Israel, and Jerusalem itself. This vision speaks to fact that Jerusalem would have a large population, and…
God Himself will physically protect Israel from all harm. Two great affirmations are in this third vision: Our Lord’s return will be glorious (2:1-9) and Our Lord’s future blessings will be glorious (2:10-13).
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.
Here’s What You’re Not Going to Do…
In the meantime, might I suggest that you simply do what you can do for yourself, leaving all the rest to God. If you have extra cash to be able to stock up on perishables (including vitamins and other supplements since they usually have a two-to-four year shelf life), then do that. If you cannot do that, do you really believe God will ignore you, not hear you and not provide for you? He knows your circumstances better than you do.
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