The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Zechariah 12:2-3,
"I [the Lord] 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."
This oracle is a message, not about Israel in Zechariah's day, but a future day, a day future to us. Nations will surround her to devour her, but will find her impenetrable. This will be a day when finally the Jews say of themselves, "The people of Jerusalem are strong, because the Lord Almighty is their God." Verse 5.
It will be a day when Israel will embrace Jesus Christ as Messiah. In verses 10-11 we read, "And I [the Lord] will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit [or, the Spirit] of grace and supplication. They will look on [or, to] me [Jesus Christ], 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."
Paul looked forward to this pouring out of the Spirit upon Israel in Romans 11:25-27, "I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: 'The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.'"
The oracle goes on to quote the Lord as saying, "On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem." Verse 9. Woe to the nations that attack Israel!
"I [the Lord] 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."
This oracle is a message, not about Israel in Zechariah's day, but a future day, a day future to us. Nations will surround her to devour her, but will find her impenetrable. This will be a day when finally the Jews say of themselves, "The people of Jerusalem are strong, because the Lord Almighty is their God." Verse 5.
It will be a day when Israel will embrace Jesus Christ as Messiah. In verses 10-11 we read, "And I [the Lord] will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit [or, the Spirit] of grace and supplication. They will look on [or, to] me [Jesus Christ], 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."
Paul looked forward to this pouring out of the Spirit upon Israel in Romans 11:25-27, "I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: 'The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.'"
The oracle goes on to quote the Lord as saying, "On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem." Verse 9. Woe to the nations that attack Israel!
Based on the Scriptures, and what we see developing internationally today, I (as well as many, many others) feel this oracle is not far from us in having its roll-out from the hand of God.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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