TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
Zechariah 12:1-13:9
Revelation 19:1-21
Psalm 147:1-20
Proverbs 31:1-7
Zechariah 12:1 — This thought dawned on me the other day: why would the God who “stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth” care about man? Why would the King of eternity care about temporal man? He cares 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) – but His “imminence” is more of a puzzle (again, for me at least). Don’t miss the message of the Old Testament, though – the great God has a word for Israel, and He has this message 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 — The word “pierced” actually does mean “pierced”, by the way, at least according to the Englishman’s Concordance. When has the LORD been pierced? At the crucifixion of Jesus by His own people!
In John 19:34, Jesus was pierced by the spear of the soldier. In the very next verse John can’t believe what he saw, but he soon realized that it was what Zechariah talked about almost 500 years earlier (John 19:37).
Currently, all Israel isn’t saved as Paul prays (Romans 10:1), but they will be (Romans 11:26).
After 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 prophets that are thrust through by their own parents (Zechariah 13:3) to the shepherd that is smitten and the sheep scattered (Zechariah 13:7). The meaning of this verse 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 New Testament reading!
Revelation 19:1 — What will they say? Alleluia or 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 – this is our wedding feast that John the Baptist alluded to in John 3:29 and that 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). 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.”
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