“Free at last, Free at last, Thank God almighty we are free at last.”

― Martin Luther King Jr.

There will be a day when all nations of God’s created humans will have their eyes on Him, wondering what is happening around them.  They will stop in their work and look up with amazement.  They will gather their family who are left on earth.  They will lay down their weapons of mass destruction of all kinds to see what God will do next. 

No matter what is happening that day, when we least expect it, expect it.  ALL will see God through Jesus Christ His Son. The King is coming—again!   Unbelievers will be fearfully caught off guard but all will know it is God at work.  All the prophets proclaimed the news of His coming to earth as a baby, growing up “in stature and wisdom” as Son of Man and Son of God.  God’s spoke-persons, like Zechariah, told the world centuries before it happened that Jesus, the Messiah, would come to save the world (all people) by taking our deserved punishment for our own sins.  And THAT happened!  We read and are amazed at the details of Jesus riding through the streets on the back of a young colt donkey!

The prophets also told of Jesus’ return to earth a second time to put an end to warring with our clear and present dangerous enemy, Satan, the fallen angel, who still skirmishes with us in a battle for our souls already won by Jesus the first time. John, Jesus “beloved disciple”, was given further “revelation” to how it will all come together under God’s careful eyes.  So, don’t fall for the one who wants to destroy us.  Fall at the feet of the One and Only who saved us and set us free to live life abundantly with Him—forever!

“God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  Philippians 2:9-11 NKJV

God speaks and His creation responds.  Believe and be saved for eternity.

Zechariah 9, The Message

The Whole World Has Its Eyes on God

^1-6 War Bulletin:

God’s Message challenges the country of Hadrach.
    It will settle on Damascus.
The whole world has its eyes on God.
    Israel isn’t the only one.
That includes Hamath at the border,
    and Tyre and Sidon, clever as they think they are.
Tyre has put together quite a kingdom for herself;
    she has stacked up silver like cordwood,
    piled gold high as haystacks.
But God will certainly bankrupt her;
    he will dump all that wealth into the ocean
    and burn up what’s left in a big fire.
Ashkelon will see it and panic,
    Gaza will wring its hands,
    Ekron will face a dead end.
Gaza’s king will die.
    Ashkelon will be emptied out,
    And a villain will take over in Ashdod.

^6-8 “I’ll take proud Philistia down a peg:
    I’ll make him spit out his bloody spoils
    and abandon his vile ways.”
What’s left will be all God’s—a core of survivors,
    a family brought together in Judah—
But enemies like Ekron will go the way of the Jebusites,
    into the dustbin of history.
“I will set up camp in my home country
    and defend it against invaders.
Nobody is going to hurt my people ever again.
    I’m keeping my eye on them.

A Humble King Riding a Donkey

^9-10 “Shout and cheer, Daughter Zion!
    Raise your voice, Daughter Jerusalem!
Your king is coming!
    a good king who makes all things right,
    a humble king riding a donkey,
    a mere colt of a donkey.
I’ve had it with war—no more chariots in Ephraim,
    no more war horses in Jerusalem,
    no more swords and spears, bows and arrows.

He will offer peace to the nations,
    a peaceful rule worldwide,
    from the four winds to the seven seas.

^11-13 “And you, because of my blood covenant with you,
    I’ll release your prisoners from their hopeless cells.
Come home, hope-filled prisoners!
    This very day I’m declaring a double bonus—
    everything you lost returned twice-over!
Judah is now my weapon, the bow I’ll pull,
    setting Ephraim as an arrow to the string.
I’ll wake up your sons, O Zion,
    to counter your sons, O Greece.
From now on
    people are my swords.”

^14-17 Then God will come into view,
    his arrows flashing like lightning!
Master God will blast his trumpet
    and set out in a whirlwind.
God-of-the-Angel-Armies will protect them—
    all-out war,
The war to end all wars,
    no holds barred.
Their God will save the day. He’ll rescue them.
    They’ll become like sheep, gentle and soft,
Or like gemstones in a crown,
    catching all the colors of the sun.
Then how they’ll shine! shimmer! glow!
    the young men robust, the young women lovely!

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

We must daily answer the question every person must face as they choose who they will follow:

Do I really believe that what God says and does really real?  The answer will be shown in our behaviors that flow from our hearts.  God sees our hearts, so be honest.

Believe and live for Jesus; be saved forever.  Repent of sins and those sins are gone forever.  We are not perfect but perfectly forgiven.  As we grow in relationship with God, through daily, intentional communication that includes talking to God about everything and then pausing to listen to His direction, we find our thinking and behaving begin to change.  What we thought we wanted before Jesus no longer matters.  What we want now is more of God.  Our focus on God makes everything else grow dim in the background of real life with God.  Yes, Jesus changes everything!

Don’t miss the gift of grace!  Zechariah prophesied that the key to Israel’s future was the coming Messiah, whose gentle leadership would triumph through suffering.  In a couple of days, we will read in Zechariah 12:10 of a future outpouring of the Holy Spirit as repentant people seek his grace.  (See the book of Acts…After Jesus returned to heaven the first time.)  Where the grace of God is missed, bitterness is born. But where the grace of God is embraced, forgiveness flourishes.

The Gift of Peace.  Peace can be had right now.  Jesus left us with a Helper, His Holy Spirit, to guide, correct, convict, encourage, comfort, and point the way to real life with Jesus in ways that please God who loves us and wants the best for us.  Along with the Helper, Jesus left another gift—His peace for which I am personally grateful.  When trouble comes or the enemy tries to rob me of peace, Jesus restores the joy and peace of His salvation at work in me every time.  Because “greater is He that is in me than he (satan) that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” –Jesus (John 14:27)

And I’m singing…

Because He lives
I can face tomorrow
Because He lives
All fear is gone
Because I know
He holds the future
And life is worth the living
Just because He lives!

The longer we walk in the garden of grace, the more likely we are to smell like flowers, the fruits of His character beginning to bloom within us. The more we immerse ourselves in His grace, the more likely we are to give grace to others. Could this be the clue for coping with anger? Could it be the secret is not in demanding payment but in pondering the payment of your Savior?  I’m very sure the answer is yes.  Say yes to Jesus!  He changes everything!

Lord,

Thank you for saving my soul, not giving up on me, and making me whole and holy each day—things I cannot do for myself.  Cleanse my heart, change my mind, refresh and feed my soul while restoring the joy and peace of your salvation at work within me by your power.

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen