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.
Zechariah: Clean Garments!
Devotions this week based on The Prophets Week 11 – Zechariah (WATCH HERE)
Of all the minor prophets, Zechariah stands out as one that gives clear prophecy and pictures of the coming Messiah, Christ and his person and work on behalf of God’s people, including you and me. This week’s devotions will focus on five of those.
The picture of Zechariah 3:1 is every pastor’s nightmare.
3 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him.
To the average parishioner, they may see their pastor as one who is “above reproach,” and “example for all” and a “man of God.” To be sure we as pastors are called to be all of these, but inside, and I will speak for myself, there is a reality that sin is just as real for me as it is for every person to whom I get to share God’s Word with.
What will Satan say? What is in his opening statement to accuse me?
Satan has an arsenal of accusations that he could condemn even the most pious of pastors.
But before he has able to open his case and present the case, the LORD intervenes:
2 The LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?”
But the court doesn’t need to hear the accusations as if there was no evidence to the guilt and the jury had to be convinced.
The clothes were covered with filth. The evidence even on the outside stood against the defendant.
3 Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel.
This would be an easy case to prove. There was no need for witnesses…although many could be called. There was no need to bring in forensic experts…even though there would be overwhelming evidence to the sins of the pastor standing there. His clothes were covered with the evidence that he was a sinner and deserved to be sent from God’s presence forever.
It’s not just Joshua, the high priest at the time of Zecharaiah, or me as a pastor today, or you as a person today. Any trip into the courtroom of God with Satan there ready to accuse us is not going to end well. The presenting evidence is overwhelming to a jury, let alone our holy God. The verdict should be “Depart from me, to the fire prepared for Satan.”
But the vision takes an unexpected and merciful turn.
4 The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.”
Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you.”
5 Then I said, “Put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the LORD stood by.
The picture of Zechariah 3:4-5 is every pastor’s and every person’s greatest joy and comfort. With clear and beautiful imagery, Jesus, THE angel of the LORD, became the substitute for Joshua, every pastor and every person. Joshua was an imperfect high priest. Jesus was the perfect high priest for us. He takes away our guilt and clothes us in his righteousness, his perfection.
So now what can Satan say? Nothing! He has nothing of which to accuse us because we have been given the perfection of our Savior. We didn’t clean up our act or do enough to stand in God’s presence. Simply put we have been made clean by the mercy and grace of God to stand confidently in the presence of our gracious and merciful heavenly Father.
Apply: Satan loves to accuse us and get us to believe we are not forgiven or can’t be forgiven. How can this vision God gave to Zechariah and the reality it communicates calm your heart and give you certain hope in your relationship with the Lord moving forward from today?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for removing my guilt and covering me with Your righteousness. Help me rest in Your finished work and walk in the freedom of Your forgiveness. Amen.
Haggai: A lasting signet ring!
Devotions this week based on The Prophets Week 10 – Haggai (WATCH HERE)
“‘On that day,’ declares the LORD Almighty, ‘I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel… and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you.’” — Haggai 2:23
The most important ring I ever purchased was almost 30 years ago now when I bought the engagement ring and wedding ring for my wife. While it wasn’t big or spectacular, it was and is a sign of my commitment to her, and by her willingness to wear it, her commitment to me. I wouldn’t just give this ring to anyone. I gave it to her because I love her. I trust her. I value her.
Me giving this ring to my wife was a big deal. God making Zerubbabel at the end of Haggai his signet ring was a huge deal. God gives Zerubbable, the governor of Judah, who faced uncertainty in the midst of rebuilding the temple and reestablishing the nation of Israel, this personal and prophetic promise: “I will make you like my signet ring.”
A signet ring symbolized royal authority and identity. It was the king’s seal that validated decrees. God was saying, “Zerubbabel, you represent My covenant faithfulness.”
Now why was this a big deal? Just before the people of Judah were taken by the Babylonians, the Lord spoke through the prophet Jeremiah:
Jeremiah 22:24 “As surely as I live,” declares the Lord, “even if you, Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, were a signet ring on my right hand, I would still pull you off. 25 I will hand you over to those who seek your life, those you fear—to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to the Babylonians.
The leaders of Judah had so strayed from the Lord, that there was little willingness of the Lord to entrust his kingdom and power to the earthly leaders. Historically, Zerubbabel never became king. He remained a governor under the Persian rule. However, the Lord had greater significance in this prophecy:
Matthew 1:12 After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, …and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
This prophecy pointed beyond Zerubbabel to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ — the true Son of David (Matthew 1:12–16).
Where God once said of Zerubbabel’s ancestor Jehoiachin, “Even if you were a signet ring on My right hand, I would pull you off” (Jeremiah 22:24), now He restores that honor in Zerubbabel’s line. Through Jesus, God’s authority and presence would again dwell among His people forever.
So the book that began with a ruined temple ends with a royal promise: God will complete His redemptive work. And he did in the person and work of Jesus Christ!
Apply: Haggai ends not with fear but with faith. God’s plans are never abandoned. He completes what He begins. When life feels unstable, remember: your security rests in His covenant, not your circumstances. When you doubt God’s plan, look to Christ, the true Signet Ring who carries divine authority and guarantees our future glory.
Prayer: Sovereign Lord, thank You that Your promises never fail. You chose Zerubbabel as a sign of restoration and fulfilled that promise through Jesus, Your Son. Seal my heart with Your Spirit and remind me that in Christ, I am secure, chosen, and part of Your eternal plan. Amen.