"I asked, 'Where are you going?' He answered me, 'To measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is....And I Myself will be a wall of fire around it....''" (Zechariah 2:2 & 5, NIV)
I tell you; reading the morning Bible is like reading the morning newspaper. Our text is from today's "Minor Prophets" reading. This is going on right now. Read the paper, watch/listen to the news. "He is risen."
You must read the whole chapter to get the "whole picture;" it's very short. It's quite interesting that the, "man," in verse 1 becomes, "the angel," in verse 3. I don't want to get into "angel theology," but too many times the word implies for too many people some strange being with wings. The main thing is that they are messengers to us from the Lord of Heaven and Earth; here, the word comes from, "a man." Many times it is a reference to Jesus Himself. The message reveals a preparation for the return of the Jews to Jerusalem, "Run, tell that young man, 'Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of people and animals in it. Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north' (France, England, Germany, Russia?) declares the Lord, 'for I ("let the reader understand") have scattered you to the four winds (America, Australia, Argentina?) of heaven'...." Zechariah 2 is quite clear. The Lord of Glory, the Lord Jesus Christ, "scattered," the Jews throughout the earth; man did not. Now, He declares that it is time to "come home."
Notice the promise to Jerusalem and to those who love Jerusalem in verse 5, "And I Myself will be a wall of fire around it,' declares the Lord, 'and I will be its glory within.'" This is what we could call unfolding prophesy. This is happening as I write and as you read. This is the Word of God, Who/Which is, "forever settled in the heavens." This is the spoken and written word of Him Who Alone is, "The Word of God," Jesus. This is Certain Word, Final Word, Sure-to-come-to pass Word. And, my friend, this is Jesus' Word to you and me. Yes, it is to the Jews. Yes, it speaks to Jerusalem, Israel. But also, yes, it speaks to all of us, "who follow the Lamb wherever He goes," to those whose hope, trust, obedience and love is Father, Son Jesus, and Holy Spirit. It is security-guarantee word, because Jesus is our Security-Guarantee Word.
I can say with absolutely certainty that while the global events spoken of in our text are now being fulfilled concerning Jerusalem and the Jews, and so too is the "gathering" of the Church and the, "wall of fire," around the Church, of which I'm sure you are aware, includes conclusively you and me. You and I need not worry today, not fret, not live in fear, but rather in the reality that Jesus Himself is our, "wall of fire," impenetrable by any force of Hell, any, "prince of Persia," or, "prince of Greece," or, "prince of," any kingdom, nation, or people group on Planet Earth. Whatever we face today we can face securely within the, "wall of fire," of the Blessed Trinity. Maybe it's just another take on, "He shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and with fire"!
Father, in Jesus' Name, I confess that so many times I'm just speechless before Your unfathomable Word. Amen.
*********************
2015 Mission to Berlin, March 9-31
March 17-19: Prague, Czech Republic
March 19, 20: Tubingen, Germany
I tell you; reading the morning Bible is like reading the morning newspaper. Our text is from today's "Minor Prophets" reading. This is going on right now. Read the paper, watch/listen to the news. "He is risen."
You must read the whole chapter to get the "whole picture;" it's very short. It's quite interesting that the, "man," in verse 1 becomes, "the angel," in verse 3. I don't want to get into "angel theology," but too many times the word implies for too many people some strange being with wings. The main thing is that they are messengers to us from the Lord of Heaven and Earth; here, the word comes from, "a man." Many times it is a reference to Jesus Himself. The message reveals a preparation for the return of the Jews to Jerusalem, "Run, tell that young man, 'Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of people and animals in it. Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north' (France, England, Germany, Russia?) declares the Lord, 'for I ("let the reader understand") have scattered you to the four winds (America, Australia, Argentina?) of heaven'...." Zechariah 2 is quite clear. The Lord of Glory, the Lord Jesus Christ, "scattered," the Jews throughout the earth; man did not. Now, He declares that it is time to "come home."
Notice the promise to Jerusalem and to those who love Jerusalem in verse 5, "And I Myself will be a wall of fire around it,' declares the Lord, 'and I will be its glory within.'" This is what we could call unfolding prophesy. This is happening as I write and as you read. This is the Word of God, Who/Which is, "forever settled in the heavens." This is the spoken and written word of Him Who Alone is, "The Word of God," Jesus. This is Certain Word, Final Word, Sure-to-come-to pass Word. And, my friend, this is Jesus' Word to you and me. Yes, it is to the Jews. Yes, it speaks to Jerusalem, Israel. But also, yes, it speaks to all of us, "who follow the Lamb wherever He goes," to those whose hope, trust, obedience and love is Father, Son Jesus, and Holy Spirit. It is security-guarantee word, because Jesus is our Security-Guarantee Word.
I can say with absolutely certainty that while the global events spoken of in our text are now being fulfilled concerning Jerusalem and the Jews, and so too is the "gathering" of the Church and the, "wall of fire," around the Church, of which I'm sure you are aware, includes conclusively you and me. You and I need not worry today, not fret, not live in fear, but rather in the reality that Jesus Himself is our, "wall of fire," impenetrable by any force of Hell, any, "prince of Persia," or, "prince of Greece," or, "prince of," any kingdom, nation, or people group on Planet Earth. Whatever we face today we can face securely within the, "wall of fire," of the Blessed Trinity. Maybe it's just another take on, "He shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and with fire"!
Father, in Jesus' Name, I confess that so many times I'm just speechless before Your unfathomable Word. Amen.
*********************
2015 Mission to Berlin, March 9-31
March 17-19: Prague, Czech Republic
March 19, 20: Tubingen, Germany
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
