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 9:16-17,
"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."
This passage causes me to think of life in the resurrection. Following this age, the Lord will come and set up his reign on earth from Jerusalem. All those of faith will not face the ultimate judgment that awaits all other mankind. These, the Lord's people, will "sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown."
Attractive and beautiful are the descriptors used of these. I am reminded of a comment in Revelation 19:7-8, "Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." Of this bride it is said, "'Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.' And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal." Revelation 21:9-11.
How different things will be that day! The curse of God on mankind will be removed, that sinful nature will be eradicated from us all, "'There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Revelation 21:4. This will be a day when us lost and fallen sinful creatures will be precious and beautiful in God's sight. It will be his own handiwork that makes this so!
Paul tells us of our resurrected bodies, "The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body." 1 Corinthians 15:42-44.
In 1 Corinthians 15:51-54 Paul goes on to say, "Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory.'"
What awaits those of us who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith is truly remarkable, truly breath-taking!
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
"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."
This passage causes me to think of life in the resurrection. Following this age, the Lord will come and set up his reign on earth from Jerusalem. All those of faith will not face the ultimate judgment that awaits all other mankind. These, the Lord's people, will "sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown."
Attractive and beautiful are the descriptors used of these. I am reminded of a comment in Revelation 19:7-8, "Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." Of this bride it is said, "'Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.' And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal." Revelation 21:9-11.
How different things will be that day! The curse of God on mankind will be removed, that sinful nature will be eradicated from us all, "'There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Revelation 21:4. This will be a day when us lost and fallen sinful creatures will be precious and beautiful in God's sight. It will be his own handiwork that makes this so!
Paul tells us of our resurrected bodies, "The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body." 1 Corinthians 15:42-44.
In 1 Corinthians 15:51-54 Paul goes on to say, "Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory.'"
What awaits those of us who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith is truly remarkable, truly breath-taking!
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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