Be Prepared 09.29.08

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Today we are completing our studies on the book of Zechariah, please read Chapters 8-14 in your Bible or Click Here to read them online. You can also cut & paste this link to your browser: biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Zechariah%208-14&version=9

Today we will read and learn about the promises of the restoration of Jerusalem; the judgement upon neighboring nations; Zion's future king; and the deliverance of Jerusalem. Today's message focuses on the importance of realizing that Jesus is coming. We have no idea when He is coming, but we must be prepared for that day.

In great anticipation, Zechariah proclaimed, "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass." (Zechariah 9:9). Although this prophecy was fulfilled five hundered and fifty years later, Zechariah never stopped rejoicing over the coming of the Lord. This prophecy was fulfilled as Jesus entered Jerusalem during the last week before His crucifixion riding on an ass, "And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest." (Matthew 21:8-9).

Zechariah also foretold of the details concerning Jesus' betrayer, the religious leaders that paid him, and His crucifixion, "And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the LORD. And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD........And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn" (11:11-13, 12:10). This prophcy was fulfilled as Jesus was rejected and betrayed, "Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him." (Matthew 26:14-16).

Zechariah ended His prophecy by foretelling the end of our present sinful age, "Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south." (Zechariah 14:1-4).

We all would like this part of the prophecy to be only speculation, but the truth is that these prophecies are in fact a reality that is taking place. We will see nations rise up against each other until the very end and unfortunately all who have not accepted Jesus will not be saved from the destruction. We have no way of knowing when the exact time will be that Jesus will come back, but we can be prepared for that moment. Jesus said, "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." (Acts 1:7-8). All who accept Jesus receives the Holy Ghost in them and become witnesses for Him.

In today's message Jesus Christ in many ways, as King, (Zechariah 9:9), as Servant, (Zechariah 11:12), and as the Great Shepherd, (Zechariah 13:7).

Today's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
We pray for a sincere heart that is sensitive to the truths in the Bible, we struggle with forgetfulness and indifference, but with You we can be revived. A revival for messengers who feed our indifference in favor of modern accepted philosophies of this world rather than the life changing truths of the Gospel. Revival for those who sit in the church pews week after week who hear the life changing truths of Your Word, but leave unyielded to the working of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Revive both the messenger and listener so that our lives are a demonstration of the reality of a vibrant walk with You, Jesus, our Savior and Lord. In Jesus' name, we pray.......Amen.

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