Zechariah 8:9-13 says...Bible reading week 35, day 5

Today's verses are Zechariah 8:9-13, which reads,

v.9 - "Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Let your hands be strong, you who are listening in these days to these words from the mouth of the prophets, those who spoke in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, to the end that the temple might be built."

Look at what the faithful are doing.  They are listening and what are they listening to?  They are listening to the words of the prophets, mainly Haggai and Zechariah at the time.  These are also people who are keeping on listening.  They were listening to the prophets before the temple was started and they are still listening to the prophets as the last block is put into place.  They are actually listening in the process and holding that the last block will be put in place.

Are you listening to the word of God through the Scriptures that we have been given?  We have listened but are we still listening and holding to what God's Word says?  Do we have hope in eternal life with Him prior to it happening?  Are our eyes tuned in to Him everyday?  Those who listen will be given strong hands to accomplish what is ahead of us.

v.10 - "For before those days there was no wage for man or any wage for animal; and for him who went out or came in there was no peace because of his enemies, and I set all men one against another."

While they were listening to the prophets of God there were many distractions.  The wages were low to nil.  They were using their animals with no kickback to help feed the animal being used for labor.  Put on top of this the enemies who were waging war to stop the Israelites from re-establishing themselves in the region.  While all this is happening, the people are still listening.  

How do you do with distractions?  Do distractions take you from listening?  When it looks like there is no immediate profit, do you still listen?  When it seems like the use of resources is not being replenished, do you still listen?  When it seems that following Christ actually brings upon the enemy to you, do you still listen?  Does God still have your ears when the world is yelling for its way?

v.11 - "But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,' declares the LORD of hosts."  

How will God deal with the listeners?  Let's find out.

v.12 - "For there will be peace for the seed:  the vine will yield its fruit, the land will yield its produce and the heavens will give their dew, and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things."

Those who listen to the words of the Lord through the prophets and listen with hope of something that is going to happen even in the face of personal and financial loss and enemy attack will experience peace, produce, and a plentiful pouring from the heavens.  God would supply peace.  God would supply produce.  God would supply the provisions.  One of our greatest physical needs is that of food that comes from the seed that is on the vine that is dependent on the rain.  God is going to give peace to the whole process so that His listeners will have something to eat.

What if we are the seed that receives peace?  What if the vine is Jesus, the Messiah, and the fruit is those who have confessed Him and responded in obedience to His call?  What if the land is the picture of the faithful mankind that is being feed needed rain from heaven that is God sending down His continual instruction through the prophets and now through His word?  Those who are faithful and listeners with hope, the remnant, will inherit all that the Godhead gives.

v.13 - "It will come about that just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you that you may become a blessing.  Do not fear; let your hands be strong."

We are back to strong hands which come to those who listen to God.  Even though they have enemies and even though they have been divided between the house of Judah to the south and the house of Israel to the north, a salvation is coming.  This salvation will allow us to be a blessing to others.  A transformation will happen to us to go from being a curse to being a blessing.

We have a curse upon us because of the sin of the garden.  That curse can only be lifted by a Seed promised in the book of Genesis, proclaimed by the prophets, and personified in Jesus as the God-man.  This transformation is not of our own doing but what Jesus did by hanging on a cross and rising from a grave.  This One who can turn a curse into a blessing, are you listening to Him?  Let us pray.

"Lord, what a week to be with others who are seeking after You.  May we be listening to You with a expecting hope of what is to come.  May we experience strong hands to labor in the midst of enemy attacks and present personal and financial loss by the eyes of the world.  But, our eyes on Someone else and on somewhere else where provisions never end.  Help us Lord to listen more.  Amen."

Pastor Adam