Malachi: How have you loved us?
Devotions this week based on The Prophets Week 12 – Malachi (WATCH HERE)
I enjoy the game of basketball and over the last few years have gotten back into officiating the game. I’ve learned a lot and realize that your perspective may not always be the same as the players, coaches, or fans…but you are the one charged with making a call when a violation or foul has occurred. Most are obvious and there is little complaint. However, sometimes a person fouls without even realizing it (or appears they don’t!). When you call the foul they can be heard to ask, “Who me? How?” with a puzzled look on their face.
Sometimes we don’t realize when we’ve created a violation…but someone does.
The oracle that God gives to Malachi is the spiritual official of the LORD calling out the violations of the people of God. Their response seven times is, “How?” What they were doing was deviating from the path of the LORD, but being done with a level of willful ignorance.
God sends Malachi to them and to us to call it out…not because he is vengeful, but because he loves us enough to not let us continue down that path.
The first call is this:
Malachi 1:2 — “I have loved you,” says the Lord.
But you ask, “How have you loved us?”
The shock isn’t the Lord’s statement, but the people’s response: “How have You loved us?”
How could someone not recognize the love of the Lord? The Lord responds. “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” the LORD says. “Yet I have loved Jacob, 3 but Esau I have hated, and I have turned his mountains into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.” (Malachi 1:2-3)
The evidence of the Lord’s love was his faithfulness not just to Jacob, but all of his descendents. The people hearing Malachi for the first time were part of that. The Lord had preserved them, watched over them, been faithful to his covenant promises, and more.
But the people failed to see it.
Life was still hard. Enemies still threatened. Prosperity was not rampant.
The people seem to have set their “qualifiers” on what God’s love looked like. And when their qualifiers were not seen, they had concluded, “God doesn’t love us.”
Have you ever done the same? We may not say this out loud, but we feel it in our complaints:
If God loved me, why is life hard?
If God cared, why doesn’t He fix things?
God’s answer reminds us that His love is not the outcome of human merit or some bargaining power, but the result of his grace. He loved Jacob, not because Jacob was good but because He is gracious. He loves us, not because we are good, but because of his grace.
God’s love is real not based on our external circumstances and whether we find them pleasant or not, but on the objective life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Throughout Scripture, God’s love is seen most deeply not in comfort, but in rescue.
In Christ, that love is fully revealed:
“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5
The cross is God’s irrefutable declaration:
“I have loved you.”
The opening of Malachi calls us to repent of how quickly we forget and how easily we question God’s heart. God’s statement of his love for us sets the tone for the other calls he makes later in the book. He does all things, even calling out sin, because he loves us.
The God who speaks in Malachi speaks the same today:
“I have loved you” … look to Christ.
Apply: Where has God shown His love to you? What helps you remember instead of doubt?
Prayer: Lord, forgive my forgetfulness. When my heart questions Your love, fix my eyes on Jesus. Restore a thankful spirit in me through the cross and empty tomb. Amen.
Zechariah: The Returning King who will reign over all!
Devotions this week based on The Prophets Week 11- Zechariah (WATCH HERE)
Zechariah 14:9, 20-21 The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.
20 On that day HOLY TO THE LORD will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots in the LORD’s house will be like the sacred bowls in front of the altar. 21 Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the LORD Almighty, and all who come to sacrifice will take some of the pots and cook in them. And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD Almighty.
This past summer I added a laser engraver to my workshop. For years I have enjoyed woodworking and creating gifts and projects that capture a faith memory for people. Weddings, baptisms, confirmations and the like provide opportunities to make a piece that hopefully preserves the day and the significance of it for the individual.
When you engrave something, you make it personal. You can buy cups and tumblers by the dozens, but when you engrave a name or logo on it, now that cup belongs that that individual or connects someone to that company.
At the end of Zechariah, he speaks the word of the LORD and the Lord’s intent to inscribe, “HOLY TO THE LORD” on the bells of the horses as well as the pots of the Lord’s house. These inscriptions were taking the generic and setting it apart from the Lord. No longer would the things of God (the house of the LORD) be corrupted by the things of man (Canaanite).
The day this will be realized is when the Lord Jesus returns to fully bring an end to the effects of sin and the kingdom of God will be seen in its fullness. All of those who are designated “HOLY TO THE LORD” will be with the LORD.
How will this happen and are you included?
All of God’s prophets point ahead to the work of Christ and the salvation he will bring. Zechariah is no different as he speaks of the one who would bring a solution to sin:
Zechariah 13:1 “On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.
Multiple prophecies are fulfilled by Christ as he rode into Jerusalem on the donkey (Zechariah 9:9) or was pierced finding him dead (12:10).
Yet in his suffering, his victory over sin, death and the devil was secured. The LORD exalted him to the highest place and gave him a name above every name.
Zechariah 14:9, 20-21 The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.
By God’s grace, the LORD has taken you a generic, sinful person and through Christ etched his name, “HOLY TO THE LORD,” on your heart. By God’s grace you are welcomed into his holy temple to be a people that is intent on declaring his praises and serving to his glory. By God’s grace the second coming of Christ will be a day of rejoicing as we welcome our Savior in the skies and he welcomes us into heaven.
For weary believers, Zechariah gives oxygen for hope. Christ will rule. Peace will win. God will dwell with His people forever.
Prayer: Come, Lord Jesus. Strengthen my hope as I wait for Your return. Make me steadfast and faithful until You come again in glory. Amen.
Zechariah: The Shepherd Who Was Pierced!
Devotions this week based on The Prophets Week 11- Zechariah (WATCH HERE)
It’s hard to be optimistic when the visuals are different.
It must have been hard at times to be a prophet of God. The LORD would give you tough words to say that would confront sin. But when he gave you wonderful promises to share, it was often amidst a challenge that looked far different than the promise God gave.
Life was still not easy for the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem after they returned from exile.
Yet the oppression by the surrounding nations would eventually be addressed by the Lord.
Zechariah 12:9 On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem.
It’s always a good day for God’s people when the Lord resolves to take care of their enemies (which is still true today!)
But then Zechariah continues…and perhaps burst the bubble of the Lord against his enemies with an announcement of great mourning coming:
Zechariah 12:10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, 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. 11 On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be great, like the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.
The object hasn’t changed from the LORD speaking to begin chapter 12. What an odd sentence to communicate, “They will look on me (the LORD), the one they have pierced.” As the LORD promises to destroy the enemies of God’s people, he is pointing forward to himself as the one who would be that one. But his work wasn’t identified by great victory, but by a piercing. It was identified by mourning by God’s people. It was compared to the untimely death of King Josiah on the plains of Megiddo (2 Chronicles 35:20–25) for which the prophet Jeremiah wrote laments. What could cause this mourning?
The death of Jesus.
Luke 23:27 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28 Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.
A few hours later, the piercing came.
John 19:33 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. 35 The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. 36 These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” 37 and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”
But what seemed like a tragic death in the moment, was the deliverance the LORD had promised over the enemies of God’s people. Zechariah is given this truth to share:
Zechariah 13:1 “On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.
What God was doing was what was necessary for the punishment of our sin and impurity. Left on their own, even God’s people would have no solution to confront the enemies of God. Yet, the LORD in essence sends himself to bring victory over our enemies and cleanse us from all sin and impurity. He turns a day of mourning into a day of rejoicing…even today!
Apply: What is happening in your life today that seems like the LORD is absent? What is possible that God is doing to work in the events that bring us tears to bring us his love, peace and forgiveness?
Prayer: Jesus, You were pierced for my transgressions. Thank You for opening the endless fountain of Your grace. Wash me daily in Your mercy. Amen.
Zechariah: The Humble King Who Comes to Save!
Devotions this week based on The Prophets Week 11- Zechariah (WATCH HERE)
Zechariah 9:9–10 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
10 I will take away the chariots from Ephraim
and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken.
He will proclaim peace to the nations.
His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.
If you were living in a war-torn country, deep inside your heart you would probably desire a leader of some kind to come in and wipe out the enemy and bring peace and stability to your land.
Safety is a key need of humanity. We are wired to be safe and feel safe. Next to need of food and shelter, we yearn for safety.
At the time of Zechariah, the people in the land of Israel had returned from a time of captivity in Babylon. Their leader Zerubbabel was a vassal of the Persian empire and the peace in their country was tenuous. Surrounding nations were nervous that Israel was going to rebuild and did their best to frustrate the effort. A change in the reign of Persia could turn everything upside down.
So the prophecy of Zechariah must have resonated with the people.
A KING would come!
One who was righteous and would bring victory!
Peace would extend around the world.
This would be great!
Fast forward 500 years or so and Jesus comes riding into Jerusalem. Here he is! He’s on the donkey. He has developed a reputation that fits the role of the Messiah. This was it! Out with the Romans! Up with Israel.
Except it didn’t happen. No battles. No swords flashing. No armies retreating.
Just Jesus nailed to a Roman cross in what seemed to be a humiliating defeat.
The political and social view would put this as a crushing defeat to Zechariah’s prophecy. However, Zechariah was not pointing his hearer to a political king, but rather a righteous king, a humble king, a king who would gain victory, not over nations and principalities of earth, but rather the dark forces of sin, Satan and all his minions. The real battle wasn’t an earthly empire, but rather the influence and consequence of sin.
This is why Jesus came. This is why Jesus fulfilled Zechariah’s prophecy on Palm Sunday. It wasn’t about liberating Jerusalem, it was about restoring peace between God and man.
And this he did.
For you and for me.
This peace extends to your heart. This peace is for all people of all nations to the ends of the earth. Whether those souls are in war torn countries, or ones at peace, they have the greatest victory a king could ever win…the victory over sin.
This is the reason to rejoice!
Apply: Sometimes we look for God to solve all the earthly problems around us. We too can latch on to an earthly Messiah to vanquish all the ills of life and society. Why is it more important to have Jesus as our Savior from sin than a political force in the world?
Prayer: Lord, teach me the strength of humility. Let Your reign of peace begin in my heart and extend through my life to others. Amen.
Zechariah: A Branch who Builds the Temple!
Devotions this week based on The Prophets Week 11 – Zechariah (WATCH HERE)
Zechariah 6:9-15 The word of the LORD came to me: 10 “Take silver and gold from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon. Go the same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah. 11 Take the silver and gold and make a crown, and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua son of Jehozadak. 12 Tell him this is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the LORD. 13 It is he who will build the temple of the LORD, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.’ 14 The crown will be given to Heldai, Tobijah, Jedaiah and Hen son of Zephaniah as a memorial in the temple of the LORD. 15 Those who are far away will come and help to build the temple of the LORD, and you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you. This will happen if you diligently obey the LORD your God.”
A crown on a priest?
This combination is unusual. In the United States, we have the “establishment clause” which prohibits the government from establishing and mandating a religious belief as a “state” religion that all must follow. This is a good thing and allows for the freedom of religion.
We don’t want our president to be a priest.
For that matter, our president is not a monarch as well. Our constitution was written directly to defy the monarch of England and establish an Executive Branch that would be filled by the will of the people.
Even for the people of Zechariah’s day having the crown on a priest was a very odd thing. Even though the monarchy of Israel was to be driven by a deep belief in the LORD, the high priest was the one responsible for the spiritual worship life of the people. From the establishment of the monarchy under King Saul, there was not one individual who held both positions.
But the Branch would.
This crown was fashioned and placed on the high priest, Joshua. But as the crown rested on his head, the LORD spoke through Zechariah: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the LORD. 13 It is he who will build the temple of the LORD, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne.
The Branch was Christ. Isaiah’s prophecy makes it even more clear:
11 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of power,
the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD—
3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD.
The amazing thing of this prophecy is that the two offices of priest and king find their fulfillment in Christ. Perhaps the irony is that these meet on the cross as the “King of the Jews” was being offered as a sacrifice for the sins of all people. As the writer to the Hebrews (7:26-27) says, “ Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.
The bricks and mortar, wood and gold would build the physical temple, but only Christ would build the eternal temple with himself as the King of kings and Lord of lords.
It’s in this reality that we find ourselves as part of the fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy. By faith in the Lord Jesus, you are part of this holy temple!
Ephesians 2:19-22 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Apply: What spiritual blessings do you enjoy as the the Lord is both your high priest and your king?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for ruling with justice and mercy. Build my life into Your spiritual house and teach me to trust Your perfect leadership. Amen.