December 28
Zechariah 12:1-13:9
Revelation 19:1-21
Psalm 147:1-20
Proverbs 31:1-7
Zechariah 12:1 -The thought dawned on me the other day. Why would the God that “stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth” care about man? Why would the King of eternity care about temporal man? So much that He became a man (John 1:14) and is still a man (1 Timothy 2:5). The “transcendence” of God is an easy concept (for me at least) – that He is Great! But that He is Good to me – don’t miss the message of the Old Testament – the great God has a word for Israel, and this message He has for you and me as well!
Zechariah 12:4 – Revelation 9:16 talks about an army of 200,000,000 horsemen – what will stop them when they attack Jerusalem? The LORD will smite the horse and his rider!
Zechariah 12:10 – “they shall look upon me whom they have pierced”? The word “pierced” actually means “pierced” by the way according to the Englishman’s Concordance. When has the LORD been pierced? By his people?
In John 19:34, Jesus was pierced by the spear of the soldier. The very next verse John says “he that saw it bare record” – John can’t believe he saw it and then realized it was what Zechariah talked about almost 500 years earlier, and notes that (John 19:37).
But all Israel isn’t saved as Paul prays (Romans 10:1), but they will (Romans 11:26).
When Babylon has warred with the saints (Revelation 18:24), and attempted to war with Israel (Revelation 12:6), but the LORD protects Israel (Zechariah 12:7), then He will reveal Himself to them as He revealed Himself to Paul (Acts 9:5).
He will pour out “the spirit of grace and of supplications.” And they reference the “only son” – the “only begotten Son” (John 3:16).
Zechariah 13:6 – All of a sudden we see a shift from the false prophet that is thrust thru by their own parents (Zechariah 13:3), to the shepherd that is smitten and the sheep scattered (Zechariah 13:7). At first we think the whole passage is about false prophets – but Jesus quoted Zechariah 13:7 as about himself (Matthew 26:31). However where this verse falls is much debated. John MacArthur thinks it talks about the false prophet covering up the marks of cultism. Most commentators agree, but some see an allusion to the Messiah.
Zechariah 13:9 – As Hosea 2:23 declares – God will reach out and say “It is my people!” God will reconcile His people to Himself! His people will declare “The LORD is my God!” – watch how this ties into the NT reading!
Revelation 19:1 – What will they say? Alleluia (Praise Ye the Lord) (Revelation 19:1, Revelation 19:3, Revelation 19:4, Revelation 19:5, Revelation 19:6).
Revelation 19:6 – George Frederick Handel wrote the Hallelujah Chorus using the words from this verse, and when it was played, King George II stood. The King stood for the King of Kings! (Revelation 19:16).
Revelation 19:7 – This passage talks about us – we are invited as the spouse of the Lamb – our wedding feast that John the Baptist alluded to in John 3:29, and Paul talked about in Ephesians 5:22-23.
Revelation 19:16 – See the Hallelujah Chorus above!
Psalm 147:1
Psalm 147:6 – The Great LORD (Psalm 147:5) who knows the name of every star (Psalm 147:4), identifies not with the “great” but with the meek (Psalm 147:6). Because compared to Him, nobody is great. Yes – He loves us, not because of anything good in ourselves (Titus 3:5).
Proverbs 31:4 – As Billy Sunday said, “I am the sworn, eternal and uncompromising enemy of the liquor traffic.”
