UMC Dreaming of a Blasphemous Christmas-
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“Up, up! Flee from the land of the north,” says the LORD; “for I have spread you abroad like the four winds of heaven,” says the LORD. “Up, Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon.” Zechariah 2:6-7
The prophet Zechariah begins this section with a warning from God for the Jewish people to scatter to all parts of the world. As The Lord says “I have spread you abroad like the four winds of Heaven” Now for those who say all of this was already fulfilled during the Babylonian exile, were the Jews dispersed across the entire world?
This is a significant detail to understand the prophecy, for the prophecy to be fulfilled The Jews had to be dispersed across the entire world and then brought back to Jerusalem. From a historical perspective, I dont we have ever seen this fulfillment until modern day Israel was reborn in a day (Isaiah 66:8) which was fulfilled in 1948
For thus says the LORD of hosts: “He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye. Zechariah 2:8
Here’s the next challenging question, “Says the Lord of Hosts, HE sent ME” Who was sent? Scripture says its the LORD of Host speaking, this is obviously Christ sent by The Father, this is a Messianic prophecy. So when was this fulfilled? Short answer it hasn’t yet, this is the future return of Christ to save Israel from the nations
As Christ says “to the nations which plunder you (Israel), so how does God view Israel? Christ reveals as “the apple of His (God) eye” Why is the world so anti-semetic? Because Israel is still the apple of Gods eye!
For surely I will shake My hand against them, and they shall become spoil for their servants. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me. Zechariah 2:9
“ I (Christ) will shake My (Christ) hand against them (nations)” The reason I believe the book of Zechariah is very important for the Church today because it deals alot with the return of Christ and His salvation plan for Israel
“Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” says the LORD. Zechariah 2:10
The Lord says “I am coming” this is Christ explicitly revealing His return to Israel, and Christ will dwell in your midst. If only the nation of Israel would repent and turn to The Lord Jesus for salvation!
“Many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you. Zechariah 2:11
What about the Church? Here’s Christ promise about the New Covenant “Many nations (Gentiles) shall be joined to The Lord in that day, and they shall become My people (Church) The reality is when Christ returns many people, Jew and Gentile will become saved, as the wicked will be destroyed
And the LORD will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem Zechariah 2:12
People will say “But Israel today is unsaved”? When Christ returns “The Lord will take possession of Judah as His (God) inheritance in the Holy Land, and will AGAIN choose Jerusalem”
God will once again redeem Israel through Jesus Christ, Marantha!
Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand. So 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.” Zechariah 2:1-2
This next vision by the prophet Zechariah is a very fascinating text that I believe is prophecy about the New Jerusalem, God’s Kingdom to come! The vision is very similar to what Ezekiel received about the future temple (Ezekiel 40) This vision has made many ponder for centuries, is this about a physical future temple or is this vision about the spiritual temple, the Church, the body of Christ ( 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 2 Corinthians 6:16)
But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. Revelation 21:22
So He took me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze. He was standing in the gateway with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand. / “Son of man,” he said to me, “look with your eyes, hear with your ears, and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for that is why you have been brought here. Report to the house of Israel everything you see.” / And I saw a wall surrounding the temple area. Now the length of the measuring rod in the man’s hand was six long cubits (each measuring a cubit and a handbreadth), and he measured the wall to be one rod thick and one rod high Ezekiel 40:3-5
Remember who was also described to be in the appearance of bronze,
14His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters Revelation 1:14-15
And there was the angel who talked with me, going out; and another angel was coming out to meet him, who said to him, “Run, speak to this young man, saying: ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls, because of the multitude of men and livestock in it. Zecharian 2:3-4
Again I think comparing these visions with the visions in Revelation, this is describing the New Jerusalem, filled by the “Great Multitude”(Revelation 7:9) everyone who is Born Again in Christ, washed by the blood of The Lamb
I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. / And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. Revelation 21:2-3
For I,’ says the LORD, ‘will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.’ ” Zechariah 2:5
Now we see, The Lord, Jesus Christ, speaking himself, that Christ will be in the midst of the New Jerusalem and become its wall of fire around it. This again aligns well with Revelation
Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” Revelation 21:5
Christ will be seated on His throne with us, in the New Jerusalem, we will rule and reign with Christ in Gods Kingdom to come! What a great promise to remember as we are Gods people through Jesus Christ, the King of all Kings and Lord of all Lords , Amen!