December 22, 2014
“The Branch” is a title referring to a coming King in the line of David. The Davidic line in Zechariah’s day was preserved (in Zerubbabel), but no longer in possession of the throne. A branch is part of a family tree that has yet to reach its climax. One from David’s line would again take the throne, yet in this future day this “Servant/Branch” would be both King and Priest. The high priest, Jeshua (Yeshua, Jesus), and his fellow priests were “symbols of things to come,” they foreshadowed the coming Messiah who would combine the offices of king and high priest and make all of His followers a kingdom of priests with Him. This messianic prophecy is partially fulfilled in Christ’s first coming, but will be completely fulfilled in His soon return.
December 21, 2014
This is God’s Word. It is what it claims to be. It can do what it says it can do. The prophet Zechariah had the privilege of speaking to the returning exiles to Jerusalem. Their forefathers had been overthrown and taken captive 70 years before as the old prophets had predicted. Unlike their forefathers, the returning children were repentant and ready to believe. Along with the book of Daniel, this little book is filled with images that aren’t seen again until John takes them up again in his revelation of Jesus. Zechariah is filled with Messianic prophecy that Jesus fulfilled. What God revealed to and through Zechariah, He has done. Yet prophecy in the Scriptures tends to have a threefold fulfillment: Present (or immediate), ongoing and future. Our faith is built up by the fulfillment already seen, and our hearts are filled with hope by taking hold of those promises that we can apply now and look for in the future.
December 20, 2014
Who are these two “prophets” (witnesses)? Since Scripture is the best interpreter of Scripture, as a rule, the Old Testament is best understood through the lens of the New Testament. But an understanding of the book of Revelation often requires a reversal of this approach, as it is filled with Old Testament imagery and reference. The description of the “two prophets” is a clear allusion to the “two olive trees” found in Zechariah 4. There, the angel told Zechariah that these two are “the anointed ones who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth” (Zech. 4:14). Those with a historical view of Revelation have named various heroes of the faith in the early church as the identity of the two witnesses. But holding to a futurist view of Revelation, I believe that these two witnesses are yet to come. Their identity is not named, yet their description brings to mind the ministries of Moses and Elijah. Certainly, they are the two who stood with the Lord on the Mount of Transfiguration. Perhaps, they will be the ones who stand for Him again in the future at the end of days.
December 19, 2014
John was given a scroll to “eat” in his vision, just as the prophet Ezekiel had been given one in his (Ezekiel 3:1-3). For both of them, it was as “sweet as honey” when they chewed on it, but unpleasant when they digested the impact of its message. God’s Word is sweet to the believer whose ears are open to hear it, yet it is “sour” as they consider those whose ears will not. Our joy in God’s future plans of judgment is tempered by the realization that many that we love and care about will not escape His divine wrath. We therefore commit to keep chewing on God’s sweet Word, yielding to its work in us, and announcing its message to others. Perhaps, those we love will eventually open their ears to hear. And relieve our soured stomachs.
December 18, 2014
Even though trials and suffering may come our way, we can depend on the strength of our God. After a long list of “even though” situations, Habakkuk declared his trust and dependence on God. This is not a response of barely hanging on, endurance. This is not “woe is me,” please feel sorry for me as I scrape by. No. This is things are hard, but we’re overcomers, persevering in Christ’s power. The mountain may be high and the valley low, but we’re leaping from peak to peak with joy and power in Jesus’ Name.
December 17, 2014
Believers can trust the reliability of the Bible. Regardless of the opinions of its detractors, it continues to be supported by archeology and the facts of history. In this first verse from the prophet Nahum, we see reference to two places, “Nineveh” and “Elkosh.” Elkosh was the home of Nahum and was located in the Northern part of Israel close to today’s Lebanon border. Its name means “God, my bow.” Nineveh was the capital city of ancient Assyria. At the time of Nahum it may have been the largest city in the ancient world. Yet, God gave Nahum a vision that it would be totally destroyed and never rebuilt. Both predictions came true. Today, the ancient ruins of Nineveh, which lie near the city of Mosul in Iraq, have been the site of numerous archeological digs since the mid 1800s. Evidence of Assyrian kings named in the Bible have been uncovered. For instance, the palace of Sennacherib with its 71 rooms and colossal bas-reliefs was discovered in 1849. Over 22,000 cuneiform clay tablets were discovered in the ruins of an ancient library that revealed the wealth of kings like Esarhaddon and Ashurbanipal. These names and the wealth of Nineveh was recorded in the Bible, long before these discoveries were made. The Bible is the archeologist’s best friend when digging in the Middle East. Why? Because it is reliable. We can depend on God’s Word.
December 16, 2014
In the midst of Micah’s prophecy for Israel’s judgment, the Spirit revealed the future birthplace of the Messiah. This is the prophecy that the Scribes quoted to King Herod when the Magi inquired about it. Indeed, the Christ was born in little Bethlehem, far from the wealthy cities of the world and welcomed by humble shepherds. God revealed His birthplace to Micah over 700 years before He came. Jesus fulfilled over 300 messianic prophecies, yet His own people rejected Him. What will you do with Christ this Christmas?
December 15, 2014
In Revelation 6, John saw Christ the Lamb open six of the seven seals. The first four seals revealed the four horsemen of the apocalypse. The word “apocalypse” comes from the Greek and literally means, “to unveil, to reveal.” Thus, the title of the book, the “Revelation of Jesus Christ.” The identity of the four horsemen is a matter of much debate. But understanding that the best way to interpret Scripture is by Scripture, a careful comparison of Christ’s description of the last days in Matthew 24 with Revelation 6 is helpful. The first rider has a crown, a bow and rides a white horse. This represents religious deception, those that come claiming to be Christ, deceiving many (Matt. 24:5). The second rider comes with a sword and riding a red horse. This represents the increase of wars in the earth (Matt. 24:6-7 “wars and rumors of wars”). The third rider comes carrying scales and riding a black horse. This represents famine (Matt. 24:7). And the fourth rider comes on a pale (Greek, “chloros” – pale green) horse and represents disease and pestilence (Matt. 24:7). When will these four horsemen appear? I believe they were released when Christ ascended and have roamed the earth in ever-increasing ways ever since. Yet, we should not be afraid, for Christ the Lamb has revealed this to us, so that we would love His appearing.
December 14, 2014
God called Jonah to deliver a warning of judgment to the city of Nineveh. This capital city of Assyria was hated by the Jews. And rightly so, as the Assyrians would later defeat the Northern Kingdom of Israel and carry its people off into captivity. Yet, God wanted them warned of His judgment. This is a unique story in the Old Testament of the Word being carried to a Gentile people by one of God’s prophets, albeit unwillingly. God had declared His purpose to Abraham that “all the families of the earth” would be blessed from his seed. Here, the book of Jonah hints at this future blessing. Even the Lord Jesus referred to this little book when He said that the only sign He would give was the “sign of Jonah,” referring to His death, burial, and resurrection after three days. If you have trouble believing that God could “arrange” for a fish to save a drowning man, you’ll probably have trouble with a crucified man being resurrected from the grave. Yet, those who do believe are rescued from God’s judgment.
December 13, 2014
This is what John heard the four beings continually saying of the One seated on the heavenly throne. These four beings (other translations: “beasts, living creatures”) have been variously interpreted to represent the four evangelists, or four gospels of Matthew (Lion), Mark (Ox), Luke (Man), and John (Eagle). Or they are seen to represent all of creation. It is also interesting to note that these four images were on the banners of the tribes of Israel’s wilderness encampment that camped according to the four points of the compass (Judah/East/Lion, Ephraim/West/Ox, Reuben/South/Man, Dan/North/Eagle). John does not comment on their identity. He only records what they continually repeated– that God is three times holy, omnipotent and eternal. And surely the phrase “still to come” points to Christ’s soon return.