Learn From The Past

 O. T. #2297  "Learn From The Past"

Oct. 11, 2022

Zechariah 7-Part 2

LET IT GLOW

What a wonderful weekend. We had our celebration of our 50th year since graduating high school. It was great to see old friends. (No pun intended.) Since I spent all of my school years at the same school, I knew everyone, some longer than others. We share memories together of our fun times. Of course, there were a few who have passed away and some who did not come to join us. A couple have cancer, which is sad. My takeaway from it was to be thankful for my days of life, reach out to others with the love of Jesus, and be all God wants me to be, for my time is getting shorter. 

We are still looking at the first message that God gave to Zechariah for the Jews. The people at Bethel sent some guys to find out if they should continue fasting each summer on the anniversary of the Temple's destruction, as they had done for so many years. Then the Lord said to ask if they were really fasting to Him. Even in the Jewish holy festivals, are they eating and drinking just to please themselves? Isn't that the same message the LORD proclaimed through the prophets when Jerusalem and Judah had all well?

What was the LORD's answer?

• Judge fairly, show kindness and mercy to one another.
• Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor. 
• Do not scheme against one another.
• Their ancestors refused, stubbornly turning away, putting their fingers in their ears to keep from hearing. 
• They made their hearts as hard as stone so they could not hear the Lord's instructions or messages of repentance. 
• That is why God got angry at the Jews.

Since they refused to listen when God called to them, He would not listen when they called out to God. So they were scattered among the nations and their land was desolate that no one even traveled through it. Their pleasant land became desert due to their rebellion. What a lesson from which to learn!

This fast is still observed today by orthodox Jews as the Fast of Gedeliah, their governor.

LET IT GROW

The important thing was for them to obey God's Word and His Spirit. It was not a matter of ritual. That is how great joy, peace, and prosperity to Israel came during David and Solomon's time. So this generation should obey instead of substituting rituals for obedience.  The Day of Atonement was the only annual fast required by God's Law. (Lev. 23:27) Although, other fasts were called for by God. (Joel 1))

Obedience is better than sacrifice the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22)

Do we examine the true motivation of self-gratification in our feasts/fasts? If our motives are wrong, God is not pleased with the external formalities and conformities.  It is the heart which He looks at. Our fasts should not be burdensome. nor for show. God is pleased by obedience, not by self-imposed fasts!

The Jews were to look forward, not backward. Learn from the past and be faithful in the future. 

LET IT GO

Help us to spread Your fame, Jesus, today, in our corner of the world, and to those who need hope.

But I have spared you for a purpose-to show you My power and to spread My fame throughout the earth. (Exodus 9:16)ET IT GO

Why Fast?

O. T. #2296"Why Fast?"

Oct. 10, 2022

Zechariah 7

LET IT GLOW

Tradition. Does your family, city, even state have traditions? Throughout out my state there are a lot of fall festivals being held. I think originally, festivals were meant to be a time of thanking the Lord for the great harvest He provided. However, now it has become a time of selling crafts and merchandise.

The Jews had their traditions, too. During the 70 years of captivity, they had their fasts throughout the year. Actually, it would be a day of mourning, not worshiping the Lord God. Their religious calendar included:

• The tenth month when the Babylonians begun to lay siege on Jerusalem;
• the fourth month when the city walls were broken through;
• the fifth month when the Temple was burned;
• the seventh month when the Jewish governor was assassinated.(Wiersbe)

It was going to be another 3 years before the Temple was completed and worship there established. A delegation was sent from Bethel, about 12 miles north of Jerusalem to seek the Lord's favor and inquire of the prophets and the priests at the Temple. (About 223 exiles had returned with Ezra and settled there.) 

Should we continue to mourn and fast each summer on the anniversary of the Temple's destruction, as we have done for so many years? That was the question. The answer is found in verses 5-6, which isn't actually an answer. The Lord asked if it was all really done for Him, the fasting, or to please yourselves.

The first message: Obedience is better than fasting.

We find out later that God's answer was to consider their heart-why were they fasting.

Why do we do things? Is it just a tradition? Is it because we love the Lord? Is it for us to feel good?

LET IT GROW

The Lord gave Zechariah the first message:

• Judge fairly.
• Show mercy and kindness to one another.
• Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor.
• Do not scheme against each other.

The second message: Disobedience leads to severe judgment. 

Do we show compassion? Or do we pull away our should and stop up our ears so we do not hear the Lord's instructions?

LET IT GO

Help us to love You, Jesus, and love our neighbor.

LET IT GO 

A Branch

O. T. #2295  "A Branch"

Oct. 7, 2022

Zechariah 6-Part 3

LET IT GLOW

I have mentioned before about the old pecan tree that had to be cut down in our back yard. The stump was never dug up nor burnt. so this summer, I have been watering sprouts that shot up from it. There must be a dozen of them. It is precious to me, for this illustrates our Jesus who sprang up as a Branch from Jesse (David's father) in little Bethlehem, growing up in Nazareth, and ministering in Jerusalem and Israel, all small places. Read on to learn more about this Branch. (After all these years of studying the Word, it dawned on me that David was a shepherd boy living in the Bethlehem area, too. That is where to do the census and Jesus was born there..)

Previously, the Lord told Zechariah to take the gifts of gold and silver that 3 men brought from those Jews back in Babylon area and use it to make crowns. Then, He told the prophet to set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua. This was done in a coronation service. 

In verse 12, the prophet was told what to say, Thus speaketh the LORD of Hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The Branch: and He shall grow up out of His place, and He shall build the Temple of the LORD. 

Did you notice the phrase, behold the man, as a familiar one? those very words was used by Pontius Pilate in presenting Jesus to the multitude after He had been crowned with thorns. (John 19:5)

The Hebrew meaning of the word Branch (shibb'oleth) is an ear of grain (as growing out).

The Branch is symbolic of the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ:

• He will appear as an antitype of Joshua. (verse 12a)
• He will grow out of His place, having a lowly origin, yet will grow into universal prominence. (Micah 5:2)
• He will build the Millennial Temple. (verses 12b-13a)
• He will bear the glory; it is His by virtue of the fact that He fulfilled every promise made to Abraham and Israel for His provision of righteousness and regeneration for Jew and Gentile alike. 
• He will be King-Priest. (verse 13c,d) One day He will be installed by the Father upon His own throne forever as King-Priest. (2 Sam. 7:8-16) Melchizedek was the only one with that roll. (Gen. 14:18)
• There is peace and harmony between Jehovah and Messiah, as far as the attributes, being one person in the Messiah with both offices.
• The Messiah will combine the Jew and Gentile together. (verse 15a)
• The Messiah will corroborate the truth of God's Word. (verse 15b)
• When Israel witnesses Gentiles brought into fellowship with and service of Jehovah, they will know that the LORD of Hosts sent the Messiah to them.

Tradition says that the crown was kept in the Temple until the Messiah, Jesus Christ, came to earth. It was then destroyed along with the Temple by the Romans in AD 70. The important thing was the crown to remind Israel of God's universal purpose to use Israel as the means to reach all the world. They lost sight of this. 

LET IT GROW

What is the last instruction mentioned in verse 15? The Messiah will demand absolute obedience. What a ministry and mission for Israel, yet they did not. Their failure will still be turned to obedience and blessing and benefit if they obey God. During the Millennial reign of Christ, Israel will acknowledge Him as the Savior, Messiah, The Branch.(Jeremiah 31:31-34)

It all depends on God, not on us. We fail so many times, but His grace forgives us and brings us back into the fold. 

LET IT GO

One day all the earth will shout Your praise, Jesus.

Our hearts will cry, these bones will sing, "Great are You, Lord Jesus!"

 

Who Do We Crown?

O. T. #2294  "Who Do We Crown?"

Oct. 6, 2022

Zechariah 6-Part 2

LET IT GLOW

In a few more nights, our local football team will crown a girl as their homecoming queen. It will be quite an honor in my hometown. We will be there to watch. We will be celebrating with our former classmates 50 years since we were seniors. And I will remember the sweet gal that our team crowned as its homecoming queen, Rita. She was and is everyone's friend. She deserved it. One day there will be One crowned a King. Read on to find out more.

The previous eight visions are brought to a conclusion by a symbolic action in keeping with the instructions given by the Word of the LORD. In verses 9-15, we read of the coronation and commissioning of Joshua, the high priest. Zechariah is instructed to meet with 3 men who brought gifts from Babylon of gold and silver. (They had not come to Jerusalem with the two previous groups of the remnant.) 

How were the gifts to be used? The prophet was told to use the gifts to make crowns. One crown was to be placed upon the head of the high priest, Joshua. this is very unusual because the high priest had not previously worn a crown, as did the king of Israel. Joshua was representing Jesus as the coming High Priest of Israel. After the resurrection of Jesus, He passed through the veil, with His blood, ascended to heaven, Now He sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for us to the Father. 

After that ceremony, the crown was removed from Joshua's head and the priestly mitre (diadem, hood). It was a turban worn by the high priest to which a golden plate was attached on which was engraved "Holiness to the LORD." then they clothed Joshua with the high priest garments. He was then ready to minister before the Lord on behalf of the people. Then Joshuas was all dressed up in the righteousness provided him by the LORD Jesus. (Liberty Bible Commentary)

This illustrates justification for us, made by Jesus. Nothing we can do will justify us before Holy God; it is through the righteousness of Jesus that we are justified before Holy God. He is the One without sin, not us. He is the One who clothes us in righteousness. 

Are you clothed in the righteousness of Jesus? Have you asked Him to be your Savior and forgive your sins? Do you believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God?

LET IT GROW

Zerubbabel was not to be crowned as king at that time. (The next time a crown is worn on the throne will be when King Jesus returns to earth to reign during the Millennial.) Zerubbabel was the governor appointed by king Cyrus of Persia. 

Jesus now serves in heaven as King and High Priest. He will do so on earth when it is time for Him to return to reign for a thousand years. He will be the only one to function in both capacities at the same time. Previously, Israel had a priest to tend to the spiritual life and a king to tend to the political life. 

What a day that will be!

LET IT GO

We crown You with praise, glory, and honor, King Jesus!

You are the only One worthy of worship and praise.

Thank You for being our High Priest and King of our heart.

 

Jesus Has Got This!

O. T. #2293  "Jesus Has Got This!"

Oct. 5, 2022

Zechariah 6

LET IT GLOW

No matter what has you up at night, has you wringing your hands, captures your thoughts, friend, Jesus has got this! I know it is hard to continue on. Grace, God's grace, is greater than all my sin and your sin and the world's sins. Sometimes we just need to hear this.

The eighth and last vision of Zechariah is found in this chapter as a universal vision. The emphasis is on the horses and chariots, not the riders and their ministry in accomplishing God's ministry and purpose. The four chariots represent the four spirits/angels assigned different parts of the world to do God's bidding. First of all, they were between two brass mountains. They are Mt. Morah and the Mt. of Olives, which have the Valley of Jehoshaphat, Kidron Valley between them.  

Mt. Morah was the place where Abraham took Issaac to sacrifice him to the Lord. It is also Jerusalem where the first two Temples of worship were erected. the Mt. of Olives is where Jesus prayed in the garden before His crucifixion.

The various colors of horses indicated their missions and have representation:

• bay, red was war and bloodshed
• black was calamity and distress, famine
• white was victory and joy
• grizzled, spotted, was plagues and pestilence.

Those could represent the 4 great empires in Daniel's vision. They could refer to those in John's vision of 4 horsemen in the Great Tribulation found in Revelation 6. The thing is, the judgment of God will eventually come, at His timing. 

Are we ready?

LET IT GROW

The four spirits of the heavens went out, as well as the two horses, north to Babylon and south to Egypt. Cyrus conquered them. In the future Israel, the Messiah will conquer the enemies of Israel and destroy them. King Jesus will rise up to reign as the world's great king in authority.

Some powerful nations today may think they can conquer all and rise to be a world empire, but not so. Our God has it all planned out. The future will go as He has deemed it to go. Evil will not prevail, but good will be victorious. 

LET IT GO

You alone are God, Almighty God, the only One to be worshiped and served.

As we go through today, help us smile and say, "Jesus has got this!"

What's in Your Basket?

O. T. #2292"What's in Your Basket?"

Oct. 4, 2022

Zechariah 5-Part 2

LET IT GLOW

If you are as old as I am, you will recall when Alan Shepard Jr. was the first American to travel into space, and in 1971, he walked on the Moon. Objects flying in space has not been an unusual sight for this generation, has it? Even with the early invention of the airplane as early as 1903, man has maneuvered objects in the air for quite some time. I said all of this to say, back in Zechariah's day, any flying object would have been a very, very unusual scene to behold. 

In the prophet's sixth vision, he saw a flying scroll. Now in the seventh vision, Zechariah saw a woman flying in a ephah (ay-faw'), which is a measure for grain for the Hebrews. Here it is larger than a bushel basket, flying. The prophet did not even know what the object was so he asked Jesus (angel).

New Living Translation says it like this: He replied, "It is a basket for measuring grain, and it's filled with the sins of everyone throughout the land. Then the heavy lead cover was lifted off the basket, and there was a woman sitting inside it.

Here was the first woman in space, and Zechariah wanted an explanation. The ephah was a little more than a bushel of dry measure, such as flour and barley. It symbolized trade or commerce. When Israel returned home from Babylon, they had an insatiable love for money and desire for material things. Nehemiah dealt with the high rates of interest charged when lending Jewish brothers. In Malicah 3:8, the prophet asks if a man robs God. It had been so through their guilt of covetousness. They did not tithe and hurt their brothers in order to do it.

The woman symbolized wickedness, wrong, especially morally; fault. 

Webster's Dictionary says it is morally very bad, fierce, vicious. 

To make sure the woman did not escape from the flying basket, Jesus put a lead lid upon it. It was talent in weight, the heaviest used by the Hebrews. She was not going to escape.

Are we weighed down with sin? Is impatience getting us down? I find getting another car or the smashed one fixed is not a speedily process. Oh well, I can't drive yet anyway. I get tired of seeing it parked in my driveway. Someone needs to get the process going, like yesterday. And then there is the painful injuries. I have only had one restful night sleep and I am worn to a frazzle. I will get off my soapbox. Just wanted you to see that we all have things weighing us down, right?

The thing is, Jesus can help us carry that heavy load. His yoke is light. We need to ask His help to get through whatever it is in each of our lives with flying colors.

LET IT GROW

So was does this woman flying in a basket with a lead lid on it symbolize?

• It is a reference to the man of sin. Although the outward idolatry was cured, the inward sin by the Babylonian captivity was not. 
• The wicked woman was not able to escape, although she tried and didn't want to be removed with the ephah.. Women represented Assyria and Babylon who were used of God to remove wickedness from His people.
• Commercialism was a way of obtaining the money and material things the Hebrews experienced, saw, and learned from Gentiles while in Babylon. The Hebrews became good businessmen with an insatiable love for riches.
• God was revealing His intent to remove that spirit of covetousness from the land of Israel. 

Then what happened? Two angels with huge wings like storks lifted the basket above the earth. (Storks were considered unclean birds.) The children of Israel were originally a people of agriculture, using the land for livestock, grain, and vineyards. The basket was taken to Babylon and put on a base in their temple of false gods. During the Millennial reign of Christ, Babylon and its wickedness will be destroyed. The land of Israel and the earth will be rid of evil. Only God the Father, Christ the son, and the Holy Spirit will be on the throne.

For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. (1 Tim. 6:10, NKJV)

LET IT GO

Help us love You, Jesus, more than money, houses, cars, things, jobs, and everything.

You alone are Savior, Jesus, sustainer, Redeemer, Provider.

And we love You!  Fill us with a basketful of love overflowing today to others.

A Flying Roll

O. T. #2291" A Flying Roll"

Oct. 3, 2022

Zechariah 5

LET IT GLOW

In this chapter, God performs a cleansing operation and deals with the sins of the nation Israel. The sixth vision that Zechariah had was a flying roll or scroll. This would not have bben an ordinary sight. What do we learn about it?

• The roll was 30 feet by 15 feet, which was the same size of the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle. That is where the high priest took the blood of a perfect lamb and sprinkled the Mercy Seat with the blood once a year. It was an offering for the sins of the nation Israel. He was a representative of the whole nation. No one else was allowed to go behind the veil in front of the room. The high priest was standing on redeemed ground, having been redeemed by the blood. (McGee)
• The flying roll was probably made of the bark of trees or papyrus, or animal skins. It was flying because it contained news of judgment going to be poured out swiftly against the individuals of the nation. The indictment is large and detailed. It was no small matters. (Falwell)

When we are redeemed (10:8), we are released, delivered, severed, a ransom paid. It is not by gold or silver, precious stones, or precious jewels, but the blood of Christ, the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. We are delivered from the penalty and power of sin. 

John 3:14-15 says, And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the son of man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Folks, we are so loved by God that He was willing to give up His only Son to redeem you and me. It was the blood of Jesus that purchased us, cleanses us, and provided a way for us to go to heaven, since we are all sinners in need of a Savior. We could not do it by ourself. We can't keep all of the Ten Commandments, but Jesus Christ did. Therefore, He was our perfect sacrifice for our sins. Thank You, Jesus!! Have you believed in Jesus and asked Him to forgive your sins, come into your heart to be your Savior and Redeemer?

LET IT GROW

The roll flies over the land and whole earth, which is brought under the indictment of the curse. Two sins are summarized-stealing and swearing, and mentioned, which represent the Law of God. The people were stealing from God with tithes and offerings or lack of and taking advantage of their neighbors. Also, false swearing by God's name were individual sins. The curse would remain in a person's house either over night or permanently. 

Those who sin openly will not hinder the God's work, but God's judgment is upon them and there is no escape. When the Messiah returns, He will pour out judgment upon the earth and will remove every sinner from the land. 

God gives us grace as Christians. The Holy Spirit in us produces fruit of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, and faith. Those are no mentioned in the Mosiac Law. Judgment begins with God's people. (1 Peter 4:17; Ezek. 9:6)

LET IT GO 

Blessed Redeemer! Precious Redeemer!

Thank You for dying for me a sinner!