October 4 - Zechariah 9-11
When most people think of a prophet or prophecy, they think of telling some future event. This is certainly the case with the Prophets of the Old Testament, even though everything the Lord gave them to say was not dealing with the future. In this passage Zechariah delivers several very important prophecies of future events. We might debate how much he understood what he was saying, but there is no doubt that God communicated to him very specifically, and he was faithful to speak forth God's message.
In chapter 9 Zechariah gives a picture of Jesus in His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem a week before His death. (v.9) He portrays Him as the king that He is, and he reveals that He would ride on the colt of a donkey. That was a strange way for a king to ride, but it was a totally accurate depiction of the event that was to happen hundreds of years later. Do you think it took faith for Zechariah to speak a message that was so unusual? I do. However, he was faithful to deliver God's Word just as he received it. We should do the same thing.
In chapter 11 there is another surprising revelation in the midst of a message about breaking the covenant. It relates to the price that was paid to Judas for betraying Jesus to the Jewish leaders. (v. 12,13) It not only says that he was paid 30 pieces of silver, but it points out that it was thrown into the house of the Lord for the potter. This is a distinct reference to the way that Judas returned the money in his shame when he realized that Jesus would be killed. That money was then taken to buy a place for his burial in the "Potter's field." Isn't that amazing?
One of the ways that we know the Bible is God's Word is the way that all of the prophecies come true just as they were told in the Old Testament. In fact, the Bible is the only book of any Faith that contains such prophecies. We may not understand how God inspired the Prophets to deliver the precise messages, but it is evident by the results that He did. It is not just that Jesus and others knew the Old Testament and tried to follow it completely, because many of these prophecies were beyond their control. They are God's gift to us to show Himself to us in His Word, the Bible. If you do not believe the Bible to be God's perfect Word, I urge you to investigate the prophecies.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Zechariah 12-14.
In chapter 9 Zechariah gives a picture of Jesus in His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem a week before His death. (v.9) He portrays Him as the king that He is, and he reveals that He would ride on the colt of a donkey. That was a strange way for a king to ride, but it was a totally accurate depiction of the event that was to happen hundreds of years later. Do you think it took faith for Zechariah to speak a message that was so unusual? I do. However, he was faithful to deliver God's Word just as he received it. We should do the same thing.
In chapter 11 there is another surprising revelation in the midst of a message about breaking the covenant. It relates to the price that was paid to Judas for betraying Jesus to the Jewish leaders. (v. 12,13) It not only says that he was paid 30 pieces of silver, but it points out that it was thrown into the house of the Lord for the potter. This is a distinct reference to the way that Judas returned the money in his shame when he realized that Jesus would be killed. That money was then taken to buy a place for his burial in the "Potter's field." Isn't that amazing?
One of the ways that we know the Bible is God's Word is the way that all of the prophecies come true just as they were told in the Old Testament. In fact, the Bible is the only book of any Faith that contains such prophecies. We may not understand how God inspired the Prophets to deliver the precise messages, but it is evident by the results that He did. It is not just that Jesus and others knew the Old Testament and tried to follow it completely, because many of these prophecies were beyond their control. They are God's gift to us to show Himself to us in His Word, the Bible. If you do not believe the Bible to be God's perfect Word, I urge you to investigate the prophecies.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Zechariah 12-14.