Read: Zechariah 2
Zechariah
continues to receive visions from God. In this vision of the man with a
measuring line, God is declaring that one day Jerusalem would spread out much
further AND that He would Himself be their wall! (2:4-5) Under David and
Solomon, the Jews controlled much land, but at this time they were very, very
tiny. They couldn’t help but compare their current state with the past. God
often provides His people with “words” about the future so that they could keep
going. These visions then would have served as an timely encouragement to the
weary, discouraged Jews! Yes they had fallen very far and hard, but the future
held something beyond what they had ever experienced.
While
physical protection and future prosperity are enticing promises, we also see in
this chapter God’s “motive”. The Jews are the “apple of his eye” (2:8) - it’s
the most sensitive part of the eye - and He would not sit by idly while His
chosen ones were being hounded without mercy. Some might ask – “why didn’t he
do MORE at that moment?” – but God has His timing and ways. The Jews of the
past, and all who believe in Him, do well to trust Him in all things. Of
course, such trust can be powerfully sustained by specific promises. For
example, God tells them, “I will live among you and you will know that the Lord
Almighty has sent me to you.” (2:11) What
a promise! Brothers and sisters, let’s also seek Him for promises in our
own lives!
Prayer and Journaling
1. Pray
for the people of Jerusalem and Israel. Pray that they would see that Jesus is
their only hope. Not only personally, but also
the hope for the very land that they live in! (v. 10)
2. In
the future Jerusalem will not even have walls due to an explosion in population
AND because God will protect it like a wall of fire (vv. 3-5). Ask the Lord if
there’s any area in your life (or in your family) where you’re getting attacked
and need protection. Pray for God to be a wall of fire around that area!
3. God
promises to live among His people (v. 11). He is a personal God, for sure! Pray
for more of His presence in your life, through the filling of His Spirit. And
then watch what He’ll do in & through you!
