Needing some good news . . .

 

READ Zechariah 10–14

I’m tired of watching or reading world news. This planet is filled with doom and gloom. Reading the prophets is like that too, at least much of what they say is about the problems in their day and the lengths God must go to turn the mess into glory. These five chapters do have some good news in it, so my focus is on that even though the reasons God needs to intervene are woven into these texts.

First, Zechariah says the Lord will bless them even though they have tried to get blessings from other gods and fortune tellers and are in trouble because they have no leader:

Ask rain from the Lord in the season of the spring rain, from the Lord who makes the storm clouds, and he will give them showers of rain, to everyone the vegetation in the field. For the household gods utter nonsense, and the diviners see lies; they tell false dreams and give empty consolation. Therefore the people wander like sheep; they are afflicted for lack of a shepherd. (Zechariah 10:1–2)

He also tells them: “I will make them strong in the Lord, and they shall walk in his name.” ( 10:12) and points ahead to the Messiah, His death and their realization of who they rejected:

“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. (12:10)

The good news is told and as I read these declarations, I know ‘that day’ is when Jesus came and fulfilled all that the prophet said would happen:

On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness. And on that day, declares the Lord of hosts, I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, so that they shall be remembered no more. And also I will remove from the land the prophets and the spirit of uncleanness . . . . On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies. He will not put on a hairy cloak in order to deceive. (13:1-4)

No more sin. No more idolatry. No more prophets who lie and deceive. But it will come at a cost:

In the whole land, declares the Lord, two thirds shall be cut off and perish, and one third shall be left alive. And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people;’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’ (13:8–9)

The next chapter describes what can only be the second coming of Jesus Christ. On that day He will stand on the Mount of Olives and it will split in two. The people will flee as from an earthquake. “Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.” (14:3–5) This is good news!

“On that day there shall be no light, cold, or frost. And there shall be a unique day, which is known to the Lord.” Light will appear in the evening, with living waters flowing from Jerusalem, and “the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day the Lord will be one and his name one.” (14:6–9)

But the horror is there, sounding like an atomic bomb for there will be a “plague with which the Lord will strike all the peoples that wage war against Jerusalem: their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths.” (14:12)

However, everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts . . . . And on that day there shall be inscribed on the bells of the horses, “Holy to the Lord.” (14:16–21)

Yes, it seems that right now, evil prospers. Zechariah says not to be fooled by the news. The Lord is in full control. As we pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” His Word and His promises affirm that will happen and this mess will be no more. That Jesus will return and make all things the way they should be. This is my focus today. I will praise our coming King now and forever!

Personal update: We were surprised and blessed today when hubby did a rapid test, and it was negative! The Lord knows when we need good news! Hubby is still stuck with that persistent dry cough and feels weak but after twelve days, that one little red bar looks so much better than two of them. Thank You, Jesus.