And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand! 2 Then I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.” 3 And behold, the angel who talked with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him 4 and said to him, “Run, say to that young man, ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and livestock in it. 5 And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the Lord, and I will be the glory in her midst.’”
6 Up! Up! Flee from the land of the north, declares the Lord. For I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heavens, declares the Lord. 7 Up! Escape to Zion, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon. 8 For thus said the Lord of hosts, after his glory sent me[b] to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye: 9 “Behold, I will shake my hand over them, and they shall become plunder for those who served them. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me. 10 Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the Lord. 11 And many nations shall join themselves to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people. And I will dwell in your midst, and you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. 12 And the Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem.” 13 Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord, for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling. Meditation Get comfortable in God’s love because His love culminates in an ETERNITY of God dwelling with you. God loves you and He has gone to great lengths to ensure He will be with you- forever. You are totally and eternally secure in His love. Zechariah’s original audience consisted of insecure exiles recently returned home (@ 537BC), too insecure to begin to rebuild the temple until @520 BC. The second vision was intended to boost confidence and remove complacency of the remnant- God’s plan to dwell with His people will be eternally established! God’s revelation shows a city with walls of fire from the glory of God in her midst (1-5)! The interpretation and application are for God’s people to get up (6, 7) and get moving. God’s glory is coming! God will plunder the plunderers and shake those who shake His people (8-9). Redeemed ones sing and rejoice knowing God’s redemptive plan will be accomplished (10) and the temple will be rebuilt, restoring the Lord’s dwelling with His people (5, 10, 11, 13). Nations will be grafted in (11, 12) and the celebration should begin- God’s sovereign grace will accomplish God’s will, a holy dwelling with His people (13). God’s original temple plan was to restore dwelling with His people (Exodus 25). The prophet’s proclamation comes to culmination in Christ (who is both God’s dwelling & God’s temple- (John 1:14; John 2:19-22) and consummation in the 2nd coming of Christ (Revelation 21:15-27). God WILL dwell with His people ETERNALLY! You are secure in God’s covenant love today. Richly Dwelling -Describe your response: God will eternally dwell with you if You are in Christ. This truth should shape celebration in your soul! You are secure in God’s steadfast love. -Good news of God’s sovereign grace accomplishing God’s will should get us up and get us going. The original audience was to rebuild God’s temple to restore God’s glory. Where can you respond to God’s plan to create a place for God’s glory to dwell? -God’s love will not let you go. How does this secure promise propel you to faithfulness? Key Verses 10 Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the Lord. 11 And many nations shall join themselves to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people. And I will dwell in your midst, and you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. Comments are closed.
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AuthorPastor Mitchell celebrates twenty-four years of marriage with Lisa and together they have four adventurous children. Mitchell is a pastor at First Presbyterian Church in San Antonio, TX. |