Zechariah 9 - Rejoice Greatly!

"Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion!
    Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem!
Lo, your king comes to you;
    triumphant and victorious is he,
humble and riding on a donkey,
    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
    and the war-horse from Jerusalem;
and the battle bow shall be cut off,
    and he shall command peace to the nations;
his dominion shall be from sea to sea,
    and from the River to the ends of the earth.

As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you,
    I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.
Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope;    today I declare that I will restore to you double." (Zech 9:9-12 NIV)

 

Zechariah predicts trouble, but in the end: Good News! And, the even better news for us today is that the King has come!

 

Sadly, even as this prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus entered Jerusalem in the days before he was betrayed; (Matt 21:1-11; John 12:12-15); even as he was not welcomed by all people then; he is not welcome by many today. He was viewed, by many, with suspicion then. He is viewed with suspicion and fear today.

 

Set aside those doubts and fears! Our hope is in Him! Let us rejoice in the Good News that our King has come! He reigns!

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Isaiah 32 - Fruit Of Christ's Righteousness Is Peace

Our Worship and Music Committee spent a little bit of time after Worship yesterday selecting hymns for the months of July through September. "When Peace Like A River" was selected as a favorite hymn for most of the month of September.  A few of those lessons during September are pictures of anything but peace. Even as we thought about changing the hymn, we remembered that the peace that Christ brings is not the same peace that the world strives for. The peace of God is more like a calmness of heart or spirit in the midst of a storm. There may be trouble in the world, but there is peace within the one who knows Jesus.

It doesn't sound so good for Israel. Isaiah prophecies a storm. There is trouble brewing. The Assyrians will definitely bring chaos to the complacent people of the land who have felt secure in themselves. They may as well get rid of their fancy clothes now and beat their breasts for a storm is about to rage in on them.

But, there is hope. A king is coming (in our case has come and will come again). He will reign with righteousness and justice. He is our refuge in all storms. And... as the LORD promised through Isaiah:

"The Lord’s justice will dwell in the desert,
his righteousness live in the fertile field.
The fruit of that righteousness will be peace;
its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.
My people will live in peaceful dwelling places,
in secure homes,
in undisturbed places of rest.
Though hail flattens the forest
and the city is leveled completely,
how blessed you will be,
sowing your seed by every stream,and letting your cattle and donkeys range free." (Isa 32:16-20 NIV)

Peace is the fruit of the righteousness of Christ. We know peace within when we know Christ, even if and while the world is in a raging war.  

God is our refuge and strength. He is the peace that has reconciled us to Him and the whole Body of Christ. The world cannot do this. Only the righteousness of Christ can.

God's Peace - Pr. J