R³ Devotional - Day 265

Zechariah 10 through 14…woah.  These 4 chapters are chock full of prophesy of the coming Messiah, God’s dealing with Israel, and the final showdown…The triumph of God’s Kingdom!  Let’s jump in!

Chapter Ten is the restoration of Israel and the condemnation of false shepherds.  How well do you depend on God for your daily provisions?  How about your blessings?  Or do you let false shepherds lead you astray like the Israelites?  God promises to restore Judah and Joseph and expresses anger at those who mislead His flock (vs. 3 My anger is hot against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders; for the LORD of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah…).  God will gather up His scattered people from exile, from the lands of Assyria and Egypt and bring them to the land of Gilead and to Lebanon, until there is no more room for them!

Chapter Eleven is Israel *sigh oh Israel…rejecting the True Shepherd, which in turn leads to judgment.  God will destroy Israel’s leaders, and they will wail because their glory is ruined.  Ole Zechariah will shepherd the doomed flock with two staffs…favor and union…and after a month, he said nope not my job anymore and broke the staff named favor.  He asked for his wages, 30 pieces of silver (hmm seems like there is another story in the New Testament with 30 pieces of silver) and then threw them into the house of the LORD.  Then Zechariah broke the second staff named union, and broke the brotherhood between Judah and Israel, and let another shepherd take over.  I wonder if he will care for the flock as God cares for the flock.  Somehow, I doubt it.

Chapter Twelve is about divine protection and national repentance.  God will protect Jerusalem and destroy all nations who seek to destroy Jerusalem.  He will give salvation to the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem may not surpass that of Judah.  I will pour out a spirit of grace and mercy on Jerusalem and the house of David, so that when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only child.

Chapter Thirteen the purification of God’s people.  On that day I will cut off the names of idols, so that they shall be remembered no more!  He will remove the prophets and unclean spirits, and no one will want to claim to be a prophet after that.  Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter, two thirds will die and one third shall live, and He will refine the one third as one refines silver or gold.  They will come back to God and call upon His name ONLY.  
Chapter Fourteen is the Final victory of God and the establishment of His kingdom!  A dramatic battle with Jerusalem under siege, the Lord is on the Mount of Olives, and it splits into two!  Living waters coming from Jerusalem and the LORD will be King over ALL the earth!  All nations will bow in worship to God.  Holy is the LORD!
 
Real Life Principles: We all know the Day of the Lord is coming; it is written in God’s holy word.  We don’t know the year/month/day/time.  We need to be ready though, always ready for the trumpets to sound.

Relevant Life Applications: We need to be in constant prayer.  We need to understand what God has written in the bible, not only understand it, but put it into practice…daily.  Cast out idols and false prophets, be bold and courageous and tell others about Jesus, repent of our sins and ask God for forgiveness.

Being Ready with Life Action Steps: Pray, repent, seek forgiveness every day God gives us to do His will and His works for His glory!