Daily Bread: Mon 15th, Dec, 2008

I have taken a break from the readings for about 6 days through ill health, but return today.

We find ourselves in Zechariah, Chapters 5 to 8.

Zec 5:1 Again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a flying scroll!
Zec 5:2 And he said to me, "What do you see?" I answered, "I see a flying scroll. Its length is twenty cubits, and its width ten cubits."
Zec 5:3 Then he said to me, "This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole land. For everyone who steals shall be cleaned out according to what is on one side, and everyone who swears falsely shall be cleaned out according to what is on the other side.

Zechariah means "Yahweh remembers", it seems that his life symbolises that the God of Israel would remember their sins against him, and one day remember to be Graceful to them despite those sins.

God shows him visions of the reaction of God to the peoples sins. Every Sin would be known, every sin would find the people out.

Written at the time of the Babylonian exile the letter assures the people that their is a faithful remnant that God will be faithful to.

He first explains the problem with Israel, that got them into exile.

Zec 7:8 And the word of the LORD came to Zechariah, saying,
Zec 7:9 "Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another,
Zec 7:10 do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart."
Zec 7:11 But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear.
Zec 7:12 They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the LORD of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great anger came from the LORD of hosts.
Zec 7:13 "As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear," says the LORD of hosts,
Zec 7:14 "and I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations that they had not known. Thus the land they left was desolate, so that no one went to and fro, and the pleasant land was made desolate."

God in the next text shows his great passion, love and wrath towards Israel;

Zec 8:1 And the word of the LORD of hosts came, saying,
Zec 8:2 "Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath.

God loves Israel and has promised to be faithful to her, although she has not been to him as a National entity;

Zec 8:3 Thus says the LORD: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts, the holy mountain.
Zec 8:4 Thus says the LORD of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of great age.
Zec 8:5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.

The faithful remnant are truly his people;

Zec 8:6 Thus says the LORD of hosts: If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my sight, declares the LORD of hosts?

Only a few of his people delight in his Glory, he therefore glories in it.

Zec 8:11 But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, declares the LORD of hosts.
Zec 8:12 For there shall be a sowing of peace. The vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew. And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.
Zec 8:13 And as you have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong."

Here God looks to when he will turn Israel back to himself again in our day. They are the faithful remnant, the rest will perish.

Zec 8:14 For thus says the LORD of hosts: "As I purposed to bring disaster to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the LORD of hosts,
Zec 8:15 so again have I purposed in these days to bring good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; fear not.

The Nation is saved because God loves them, and he preserves the faithful few. They will be millions, yet many will fall.

Zec 8:22 Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD.
Zec 8:23 Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'"

As a friend recently told me this should render prayer shawl. So Gentiles will take hold of the Jewish Prayer Shawl. This to a Jew represents the Gentile taking hold of the God, the belief, the true religion that is of the Jews, faith in their Messiah, Yeshua! Jesus Christ.

Salvation is of the Jews as Jesus said, the restoration of Israel will be like life from the dead for the Gentiles. We as the Messianic Community are grafted into the faithful remnant of the Nation of Israel. The two are distinct, yet overlap in some manner, the focul point at the moment is the Messianic Community, made of both Jews, and Gentiles. The Nation is basically just in Spiritual exile.

Were Jews that were saved still Israelis when in Exile in Babylon? of course, and they still are now. The National identity is just one of disobedience and blindness. The remnant remains and shall become the whole. We get to be placed into this amazing body!

Martin R Gough.