ZECHARIAH 12-13:
Several times I have noted Zechariah and other prophets who use the figure of shepherding a flock— picturing God’s people. In chapter 11, there were puzzling verses where Zechariah evidently performed an outward demonstration involving two staffs. Other prophets did such demonstrations. In this one, evidently Zechariah stood in for the Messiah. The two staffs were named Favor and Union. Our Messiah, Jesus, came to restore us to God’s favor and give us unity as God’s people— no matter from what race. The 30 pieces of silver is spoken of with irony: “this magnificent sum at which they valued me.” Remember this shepherd picture!
ISAIAH 64:
Yesterday in chapter 63, we heard the people of Israel ask a whole series of questions about the Lord, like:
“Where is the one who brought Israel through the sea, with Moses as their shepherd?
And here is another verse:
15 NLT LORD, look down from heaven;
look from your holy, glorious home, and see us.
Where is the passion and the might
you used to show on our behalf?
Where are your mercy and compassion now?
The chapter ended with deep pathos:
18 NLT How briefly your holy people possessed your holy place,
and now our enemies have destroyed it.
19 Sometimes it seems as though we never belonged to you,
as though we had never been known as your people.
However, don’t forget how the chapter started, with the Lord wearing blood-stained robes from trampling out the grapes (yes, ‘grapes of wrath’)— the nations who oppressed his people. This is a picture of the grape harvest that we saw so recently in Revelation 14. Note that in Isaiah the Lord does the trampling alone. And so we see also in Revelation, the final battle is won by the Lord acting alone.
REVELATION 18:
The part that puzzles me most in chapter 17 is this:
8 GNT That beast was once alive, but lives no longer; it is about to come up from the abyss and will go off to be destroyed. The people living on earth whose names have not been written before the creation of the world in the book of the living, will all be amazed as they look at the beast. It was once alive; now it no longer lives, but it will reappear.
While that is confusing, the important thing is clear: Satan is the sponsor of the beast.
GNT Translation note:
18 and cried out as they saw the smoke from the flames that consumed her: [They said,] “There never has been another city like this great city!”
Lord, God, we bow before you as our creator. You are the potter. We are the clay. We are your people, and we thank you that you have revealed to us how merciful you are. Because you are our creator, you have the right to do with us what you decide. You decided, Lord, that it would most glorify you to create humans to live forever. But you decided that in heaven, it would not do to have people praising themselves. So you did not make a way for man to save himself by his own efforts. The result would have been pots thinking they were smarter than the potter. You decided that there should be only one way for mankind to be saved. Since you are the only God, allowing multiple ways to get to heaven would mean that pots worshipped other pots instead of the potter. You also decided that it would not do to zap people with judgment the very moment they sinned. You did not want people attempting to please you merely from fear. You wanted the worship of people who would love you. But sin had to be punished. Never bringing judgment on sinful people would not be fair or just. So you came to the rescue of your people by sending the promised redeemer, the one and only Son of Man who was one with yourself, King of Righteousness, and the Lamb of God. Your judgment fell on him, and he opened the way to heaven for us. We understand now why judgment must fall upon the wicked city of Babylon. Help us to leave that wicked city, and protect us from its influences. We your people will be thankful and love and worship You forever.
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