Future Clues (Zechariah 12:1-13:9)

A prophecy: The word of the LORD concerning Israel. The LORD, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the human spirit within a person, declares: "I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves. On that day I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness," declares the LORD. "I will keep a watchful eye over Judah, but I will blind all the horses of the nations. Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, 'The people of Jerusalem are strong, because the LORD Almighty is their God.' (Zechariah 12:1-5 NIV)

It's easy to see why they were looking for a mighty warrior savior/messiah.  Not only were they in captivity, but prophecies like these described battles and war.

"On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves. They will consume all the surrounding peoples right and left, but Jerusalem will remain intact in her place. "The LORD will save the dwellings of Judah first, so that the honor of the house of David and of Jerusalem's inhabitants may not be greater than that of Judah. On that day the LORD will shield those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the LORD going before them. On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem. (Zechariah 12:6-9 NIV)

In these images of battles and war, Israel is saved.  It's capital city, Jerusalem, would be saved.  Not only that, Judah, the city of David, would also be saved.  This is important because they knew the savior/messiah would be coming through the line of Judah and David.  God was going to win these battles.  God was going to win the war.

"And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be as great as the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. The land will mourn, each clan by itself, with their wives by themselves: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives, the clan of the house of Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives, and all the rest of the clans and their wives. (Zechariah 12:10-14 NIV)

As is often the case with Scripture, though, we can't just read the parts we like and stick with them.  All of the prophecy is from God and all of it fits together into one big picture.  The same prophecy that declares victory for Jerusalem and Judah also speaks of mourning for one whom they have pierced.  This one is like a firstborn son - an only child.  This prophecy refers to this one as "me."  The speaker in this prophecy will pour out a spirit of grace on Jerusalem.  This is the suffering messiah/savior.

"On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity. "On that day, I will banish the names of the idols from the land, and they will be remembered no more," declares the LORD Almighty. "I will remove both the prophets and the spirit of impurity from the land. And if anyone still prophesies, their father and mother, to whom they were born, will say to them, 'You must die, because you have told lies in the LORD's name.' Then their own parents will stab the one who prophesies. "On that day every prophet will be ashamed of their prophetic vision. They will not put on a prophet's garment of hair in order to deceive. Each will say, 'I am not a prophet. I am a farmer; the land has been my livelihood since my youth.' If someone asks, 'What are these wounds on your body?' they will answer, 'The wounds I was given at the house of my friends.' (Zechariah 13:1-6 NIV)

This messiah will cleanse us from sin and impurity.  False prophets will stop prophesying in that day.  The false prophets who don't stop will have no cover or recourse.  Even their own parents will turn them in and they will receive the penalty for false prophecy - death.  The savior/messiah will remove confusion about God and make it clear to all people in that day - God offers to save us through His savior/messiah.

"Awake, sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!" declares the LORD Almighty. "Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones. In the whole land," declares the LORD, "two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third will be left in it. This third I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. 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 our God.'" (Zechariah 13:7-9 NIV)

When Jesus was struck down, the sheep scattered on that day.  The one-third and two-thirds began when he arose from the dead.  Those who declared Jesus as the savior/messiah and made him the Lord of their lives would be changed forever.  They would be set free from sin and death and given the Spirit of grace.  Their lives, though, would be a refiners fire that burned off the impurities that kept them from God and His work.  They would call on Him and He would answer their prayers.  They were His people and the LORD is their God.

What about you?  Are you a part of the 1/3 who declares Jesus as your savior and Lord or the 2/3 who will be struck down and perish?  Do you see struggles as a "refiners fire" burning off impurities in your relationship with the LORD?  Do you call on Him in prayer, knowing He will answer?  Are you one of His people?  Is the LORD your God?

The Humble King (Zechariah 9:9-17)

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. (Zechariah 9:9-10 NIV)

When Jesus rode down the middle of town on a donkey's colt, he knew exactly what he was doing.  He was telling the crowd that he was the fulfillment of Zechariah's prophecy and all the other prophecies about the savior/messiah.  They knew what he was doing, too.  Otherwise, they would not have been singing "Hosanna to the King" as he went by.

As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit. Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you. (Zechariah 9:11-12 NIV)

The savior/messiah was here to set them free.  They had plenty to be set free from.  Israel went into captivity because of their own sin and they hadn't controlled their own country since then.  They only returned home because the king of Babylon allowed them to go home.  They have a temple that they rebuilt, but it's only a shadow of the temple originally built by Solomon.  They live in their own land, but Rome now occupies all the land and the Roman soldiers are a constant reminder.  They are not free.

I will bend Judah as I bend my bow and fill it with Ephraim. I will rouse your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece, and make you like a warrior's sword. Then the LORD will appear over them; his arrow will flash like lightning. The Sovereign LORD will sound the trumpet; he will march in the storms of the south, and the LORD Almighty will shield them. They will destroy and overcome with slingstones. They will drink and roar as with wine; they will be full like a bowl used for sprinkling the corners of the altar. (Zechariah 9:13-15 NIV)

They were ready to be set free from the oppression of other countries.  They were ready for God to use their troops like a bow, an arrow, and a sword.  They were ready for their enemies to be "full like the bowl used for sprinkling the corners of the altar" - a bowl that was filled with blood.  They were ready to go into battle and have their messiah/savior lead the charge.

The LORD their God will save his people on that day as a shepherd saves his flock. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown. How attractive and beautiful they will be! Grain will make the young men thrive, and new wine the young women. (Zechariah 9:16-17 NIV)

They didn't understand the timeline of God's full picture, though.  The savior/messiah was also supposed to suffer and die.  The savior/messiah was supposed to set people free from the bondage of sin.  When the savior/messiah did these things, God's Spirit would be poured out on all nations.  When the savior/messiah did all this, people would truly be set free.

The final battle is still to come.  The savior/messiah will lead his people into that battle and the war will be finished.  This will happen in the second coming of the savior/messiah.  No one knows the day or the hour when this will take place, but it is coming.  Right now, though, the savior/messiah has given us a way to set the captives free.  He has given us a way to be free from the bondage of sin and death.  He has set us free.

How about you?  Have you been set free?  Has the savior/messiah set you free from sin and death?  Are you a part of His army, setting other captives free?

O Little Town of Bethlehem (Micah 5:1-5)

Marshal your troops now, city of troops, for a siege is laid against us. They will strike Israel's ruler on the cheek with a rod.  (Micah 5:1 NIV)

Israel was not walking together with God.  They had turned their back on Him in rebellion.  They were attacked and defeated by their enemies.

"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."  (Micah 5:2 NIV)

God promised a ruler who would lead them out of this captivity.  This ruler would be born in Bethlehem.

Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor bears a son, and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites.  (Micah 5:3 NIV)

This child born in Bethlehem will be a "brother" to other Israelites.  He will be from their nation.  Other passages told us he will be a descendant of Abraham and from the line of David.  Abraham --> Israel --> David --> The Savior.  The picture is getting more and more specific.

He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be our peace when the Assyrians invade our land and march through our fortresses...  (Micah 5:4-5 NIV)

No matter what "invades our land,"  the Messiah "will be our peace."

How about you?  Does Jesus bring you peace no matter what "invades" your life?

The Good Shepherd (Jeremiah 23:1-8)

God's design for our lives is really quite simple.  I like to refer to it as "A Garden Walk."  The name transports us back to the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve lived a life in what God considers perfection.  They had nothing hidden and nothing to hide.

Even after the fall, God still wants to walk together with us in a relationship where we have nothing hidden and nothing to hide.  He wants us to walk together with Him (love God) and walk together with others (love our Neighbor) just like Adam and Eve in the Garden.  Parents were supposed to teach their children how to do this and elders would help the younger parents.  These elders were the shepherds of God's "flock."

"Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!" declares the LORD. Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend my people: "Because you have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done," declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 23:1-2 NIV)

When God's people turn away from Him, though, it is the same as rebellion.  Individuals in rebellion will get what they deserve.  Elders, Prophets, and Teachers in rebellion, though, will receive much more for the damage they have done.  They purposefully led their children, students, and all God's people astray.

"I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number. I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing," declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 23:3-4 NIV)

God promised, however, to restore people to good shepherds who will protect them and lead them well.  These shepherds will lead them to "the Garden" where they will find peace again.  It is in this environment that they will grow in numbers and draw near to God.

"The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteous Savior. (Jeremiah 23:5-6 NIV)

This whole process will begin with God's chosen one - a Righteous Savior.  He will be a King who reigns wisely and does what is right.  He will be an ancestor of David.

"So then, the days are coming," declares the LORD, "when people will no longer say, 'As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,' but they will say, 'As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the descendants of Israel up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them.' Then they will live in their own land." (Jeremiah 23:7-8 NIV)

Not only do we know now that he would be someone from the lineage of David.  We also know that he will appear when Israel is released from captivity and returned home to Jerusalem and Judea.  We know more specifics about his heritage and about the timing.  All these things match up with Jesus.

What about you?  Do you have a "Garden Walk" with God?  Do you help your family experience that walk as well?  How about others?  Are you a good shepherd?  Do you turn to good shepherd(s) for wisdom?

Chosen People (Genesis 12:1-9)

The LORD had said to Abram, "Go from your country, your people and your father's household to the land I will show you. "I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (Genesis 12:1-3 NIV)

The earliest prophecies about the Savior were more general and vague.  We knew that this Messiah would be a descendant of Abraham.  Whomever it was, this person would bless all nations and peoples.  This was a promise made to Abraham.

So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there. Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him. From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD. (Genesis 12:4-8 NIV)

As is always the case with true prophecies, there is another sign, miracle, or prediction that is more short term.  This short-term prediction, when it comes true, helps validate the longer-term prediction that would take place in the future.  So, for example, the Israelites in Jesus' day had reason to believe that all nations would be blessed through Abraham's seed.  They knew this would happen because the earlier prediction, "To your offspring I will give this land," had already come true.  They had already seen proof that they were God's chosen people and that God was good for His promises.  Now, they looked forward to His fulfillment of promises for their day.  They were watching for the Messiah, the Savior, who He had promised to send.

How about you?  Have you seen God fulfilling His promises in the past?  Does it help you trust His promises even today?  Do you have any specific promises of God that you trust?