Zexhariahs Futuristic Prophecies

Wow, this was a lot to read today. A lot to take in. Le t me see if I can recap this correctly. He begins by telling us about Gods defense of Jerusalem and destroying of other nations that cities people are called to rejoice. He talks about how the Messiah will come riding a donkey into the city. The Zechariah predicts Judah's rejection of the promised Messiah. He then describes Israel rejection of Gods Good shepherd and how they see Him as only worth 30 pieces of silver, slave value. With the Messiah rejected, go dallows His people to become victim to worthless shepherds who will feel on them instead of protecting them. Basically, by rejecting Jesus we reject salvation.

God will deliver His people from the attacking nations and in the future they will have a spiritual conversion. They will be delivered from sin. When the city of Jerusalem is under attack God will appear with a 'host of angles" and a great earthquake will split the Mount of Olives. Then the Lord will establish the kingdom of the messiah over the entire earth. We know that Jesus will rule over the entire world in the future. those of us who have faith believe this, but the question still lie int he fact that he needs to rule over our hearts, minds and souls TODAY!

psalm 126: this psalm is a prayer for captives and a testimony to conviction that God will bring His people home rejoicing.

Psalm 128 is a prayer for the material blessings God promised to those generations of His people who were obedient.

Psalm 129 picks up another aspect of God's covenant promises tot he godly and calls on Him to take revenge on foreign persecutors

Psalm 132 is a prayer to be used in public worship. It recalls the joy that marked the day David brought the ark to Jerusalem and celebrates not only Gods presence, but His promise that the Messiah will come form Davids line.

psalm 147: God who heals the brokenhearted sustains the universe itself by his power. God, who supplies the living on earth, takes delight in those who fear him and grants them peace. God, who controls all by His word, has blessed Israel with His commands and decrees. praise the Lord.

Psalm 149: the psalmist summons God's people to praise him wholeheartedly for the blessings of salvation and for His justice.

Psalm 107: The psalmist calls the redeemed to praise God. In a series of vivid images he contrasts the lost state with the release that redemption brings. exercising His power over nature, God will remake our barren earth and revitalize our barren lives.

Psalm 116: the psalmist announces his intent to praise God and report his rescue from a life threatening situation. In repayment for God's goodness to him, the psalmist vows to praise God for His compassionate concern for the life and death of His saints.

Psalm 118: The psalm is sung as a joyful people join in the procession at festival time. God is praised for His enduring love and His help in triumphing over Israels enemies is recounted. these victories foreshadow the messianic triumph to come at history's end

Psalms of a Nation Restored

Psalm 78: Asaph's psalm fulfills each generations obligation to share its knowledge of God with the next. Because one generation forgot God they violated His covenant and suffered defeat. So Asaph catalogs the wonderful things God has done in revealing Himself to Israel. He hurled plagues against Egypt. He discipled and fed the wilderness generation. He punished and forgave. Yet Israel rebelled and turned to idolatry. Later, God beat back His peoples enemies and chose David to shepherd His people. How great the sin of man and how much greater the grace of God.

The meaning of Restoration

Should the people continue to fast on the dates that were set aside many years earlier during the exile to commemorate the destruction of Solomon's temple? That is the question at hand. However, God was never really interested in the rituals before the fall He was more interested in the heart of the people. Were the people sorry about the sins they had done or sorry for the disaster. the issue was and still is today, of whether their and our faith is real. Our motive counts more then the actions we do. We are to be today what we will be when Jesus comes. Don't ever forget that. With all that said, the people continue the work on the rebuilding of the temple. When it is done, they celebrate with great joy.

God Appears

Now that all this talk is over...God appears. He poses two series of questions to Job. Who is big enough to have the knowledge of the universe. If he then questions the Lord command of the universe then is he greater? Man has a limited authority over evil and nature and they must not try in any way to be greater in knowledge then God. God unfortunately does not explain why Job is suffering. But God never tells Job he is a sinner or even rebukes Job. The strength that we must find in difficult situations does not come from the knowledge of why these things are happening to us but from the knowledge that God loves us and we are ultimately in His hands.

Job responds to God in humility. He realizes how small he really is compared to God and says that he despises himself and will no longer challenge God. God then rebukes Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar. He is not rebuking them because they were telling the truth, but only for the prayers from thier friend Job.

The end result is years into the future and shows us that Job was divinely blessed. He becomes twice as wealthy, his friends are with him, his family is restored by having 10 more children and he lived so long that he saw his great, great, great, great grandchildren! See if we just stay faithful it will come. But, ultimately it may not come in our lifetime. We may have to wait until the everlasting life we will get in heaven!

Elihu Now Speaks to Job and His Friends

Elihu has waited all this time until these older men have spoken and he can see they are done speaking for he is much younger. Elihu quotes many of the things job has said during this course of conversation, but the one thing he never odes is accuse job of sin. As a matter of fact he does the opposite. He actually sees that God may use suffering to redeem us. he says that pain could be used to help man to redirect his heart to God. In Jobs case he has proved to stay stead fast to God even in his pain. He tells Job that the attacks from his friends have failed and that he does not need to torment himself with fears and thoughts that the God he trusts is unjust. He the lifts up God high and exalts his majesty. There will always be questions of why or how to God, but as I have said before. If we stay steadfast and committed to God our trust in Him will be on solid ground.

Bildad has More to Say

Bildad thinks that God has established order in this world and universe. But as he shines brighter then any created thing in this world and that man in comparison is a "worm". So when Job professes to be pure it is meaningless.

Job strikes back and tell him that we can not squeeze God into our little minds and ideas of what and who He is. He is everything and all things. But he does reaffirm the one thing that the Friends have been saying. that God does eventually punish the wicked. Especially those who bear false witness and accusations. this chapter concludes with the thought that if we had a god that was just as wise as we are, where would be be?

Eliphaz has More to Say

Eliphaz ask how can any mans meaningless life benefit God? What does this imply. That God does not have this relationship with us. he is just out there to be the strong arm of the law. He stresses to Job to repent so that all this will stop and Job can basically get an "Get out of jail" card and use it. job moans and complains that if he could only talk to god and ask what is going on. All four men believe that if Job is really righteous then God is acting out of character of what they believe. The questions at hand for these men and throughout all time are things like...
Why and how can the wicked keep getting richer and poor pooer?
Why does God permit the wicked any rest?
Why is there poverty and oppression?
Once again, God has a mystery about Him and what He does, but we must remain steadfast and firm in our convictions.

Bildad and Zophar Speak

Bildad who is the one out of the three who is somewhat sensitive to Jobs feelings is now angry that Job does not like the advice that he is given. He then just basically hits Job over the head with a bunch of things that happen to the wicked. I think in hopes that Job will surrender and say that he is wicked.

Job cries out in this humiliation. But he remains steadfast in his commitment that he is innocent Now with this all his friends completely refuse to give him any pity. But Job remains to be faithful to God. He know that one day he will be vindicated by God and he will then understand what is going on. He then warns them that with all this false accusation running around they ought to be careful. Those type of sin do not go un-punished wither. I want to be more like Job the more I read. He has fixed hi sites on eternity and this brief life we have will pass by so quickly but the everlasting life will be there for us forever.

Now Zophar is disturbed by the fact that he believes that the wicked joy only lasts but a moment and their grief a lifetime. At this job confesses to having fear in his mind about his afflictions. And he mentions that sometimes God will store up punishment for the sons of man. In all of this thought the reality of what is happening to Job is challenging the belief system among him and his friends. God sometimes will not give us the answer we want to hear or even an answer. Our job is to just sit and listen and be faithful no matter what the circumstances are.

Eliphaz Speaks Again

Eliphaz now goes for Job again but this time you can tell he is ticked off. He asks Job a bunch of questions that are more snotty then anything else. He then gives this speech about how those who are only after wealth ignore God and are wicked. He basically is accusing Job of all of this. the problem is his opinion of God is one that has no love or compassion. He shows that God only deals out punishment. period!

Job strikes back telling Eliphaz that he is a miserable friend. That he himself is not corrupt, wicked and has not stuck at God, but just the opposite. God has struck himself and he does not know why. However, Job sounds like a broken man. he figures that God will not help him in his lifetime, so he will have to wait for vindication when he dies. Job does not expect God to explain to him what is going on and neither should we. When God makes a decision for our lives, we must hold on to that and not ask questions. Job was a man of integrity and I would hope that if I am faced with a situation just half of what he went through that i could hold on to my integrity!

Zophar: God's Wisdom Hidden

Zophar, Jobs third friend now wants to say his peace on this subject. He lectures job about being pure in Gods sight. If they were in court and God could take the stand, he would tell him of all of Jobs sins. Another words, if God punishes, then there is sin. And Jobs punishment is great so there must be a huge sin that job is not telling anyone about. He tells him to repent, pray and everything will be OK. Job must heave just felt like yuck at this point. Not one friend has give him a tiny bit of comfort, just blame and sermons and lectures!

Job know all the things that his friends have told him. But it seems to Job that what his friends have done is smeared Jobs name jut to make themselves and God look good. job says if only he could face God in court he would be vindicated. then he asks God to please stop tormenting Him and give him a chance to defend himself. this brings home the one thing we have to remember. When we are hurting and in pain God is not against us, but right there walking on our side.

Bildad: God is Just

Now Job's 2nd friend, Bildad, joins in the blame game. He tells him that the death of his children was proof positive that they were sinners. OK, well, I agree they were sinners, but so is Bildad. so that is not an answer. He is basically saying...Job you sinned and this is all your fault!

Job agrees that God does not reject the blameless, but how can a mortal be righteous before God? He tells him that it is God who is tormenting him not his sin. He then turns to God and asks Him why? What is it that I have done? It would be better if I were never born!

God is just, but sometimes life is still unfair! We should never pretend to God that all is OK. Admit a sin, thank Him for what He does give and be real with God. After all, he does know your heart!

Eliphaz: Believe Your own teachings

At this point Jobs friend, Eliphaz and him have a little bickering match. Eliphaz feels that Job is being over dramatic. He feels that the wicked people in life are destroyed not the upright and good. i think he has forgotten that all human beings sin. No matter who you are. He tells Job that he should talk to God and ask God to heal him.

However, Job is upset. He wants an ear to talk to. he is in pain and all he wants is his friends to support him and be there for him.. Instead he gets a lecture. Job is not asking for money or anything like that, just devotion. But all he gets is some advice that is so obviously not fitting for him in this situation.

We have to remember no matter what sin our friend is in, they need us to comfort them first before we start giving the lectures of well, the sin you are in is leading you to this point....

Job and the Problem of Suffering

Shall we accept the good from God and not trouble?

Here we see Job as this righteous man that loves and obeys God.. He has a huge family with tons of wealth to go with it. God calls of few of his angels and Satan comes along for the ride. God points out to Satan to look at how righteous he is. Satan provokes God and say that if he has all his riches taken away, then maybe he would denounce God. So God allows him to do so. Job still stays true to God. Then God once again calls his angels and Satan appears before Him. God once again calls attention to Job and how righteous he is. Satan again provokes God and says if this mans health were taken away, he would not praise You. God allows it. Job is now covered with sores, his wealth is gone, his children are dead and now he sits for 7 days with 3 of his friends in silence before he speaks. His words are still not sinful against God. We must take from this that even though we may fail to understand what God has in store for us or what His purpose is for us, we must stay faithful, because His love is constant and faithful to us.

Shadrach, Meshach & Abendnego

Nebuchadnezzar calls all of Babylons leaders to follow him in a dedication of a towering idol. Everyone bows down to worship the idol except for Daniel's 2 friends, Shadrach, Meshach, Abendnego. The king of course is enraged but he give the 3 men a second chance. Of course they do not comply. the king has them tied up and hurled into a blazing fire. He is stunned when he sees four men walking around in a fire, so he calls for them to come out. When the 3 men come out nothing on them is harmed or burned and there is no smell of fire. Nebuchadnezzar sees once again the power of God and makes a decree that no one is to say anything negative against the God of these 3 men. These 3 men served God faithfully not in hopes of gaining something but in hopes of giving something back to God. We should do the same.

Lament for Egypt

Ezekiel fulfilled his commitment as the watchman. He did what he was suppose to do. He warned Judah. God will judge each of them individually. The disaster that Ezekiel predicted has come and now the great city of Jerusalem has fallen. Ezekiel has even condemned the other nations neighboring Jerusalem.

But he then turns back to the convenient that God made with Abraham. Unfortunately the people think that their promise means that they do not have to turn away from a sinful lifestyle. But God has every intentions of making Canaan a wasteland. The promised land will not be claimed by the wicked. For those of us who are believers, we have to make sure we are witnesses to those around us. We can not be responsible fro them being condemned because they did not hear the word from us.

A Vision of Ezekiel

Ezekiel continues with the prediction of the restoration of the Jews. He is given this strange vision of dry bones coming to life which show that new life will be restored into the Jews. Even the Lord can make the dead (hard of heart) come back to life (repent). He then explains the reunification of the people under the Messianic King. God will unite these people and they will eventually have an allegiance in Jesus Christ.

He then describes a foreign invasion into the Holy Land which God will intervene. God's people have been restored to their land and live in peace when armies attack from the north. His predictions of God crushing the enemy has now come true. God uses nature to crush them and bring them into the hands of the Israelites. His commitment to them is now fulfilled. The nations will recognize Gods hand in this battle and Israel will finally know God.

The Exiled Nation

Ezekiel has done his job so far warning the people. He warns once again that each person will be judged according to his ways. Ezekiel prophesied that Jerusalem would fall and it did. the Jews think still that the promised land will be theirs, but as we know from yesterdays reading, it will not for a long time. When the Jews see this they finally realize Ezekiel is not against them things change.

Each of the people are responsible for his or her own action, but Ezekiel show that the leaders are just as responsible for the tone they set for the society. He tells them that God will hold the leaders accountable for where they have brought the people. Leadership is an awesome responsibility, but it better be done with your eyes securely set on the Lord because if the people fail you will be held accountable.

Ezekiel tells the people that God will institute His covenant of peace. He will remove the foreign oppressors, represented by Edom. God will judge Edom! The pagan shrines in these armies must go. Gods people have been scattered because they have been idolaters and unclean. But their return will show them exactly how wonderful, holy and loving God can be. There will be a cleansing, but it will turn out that the people will increase and the knowledge of God and His word will spread!

Remnant Fless to Egypt

This was a long reading and so much was going on here, but the main idea here is that the people ask Jeremiah for his prayers and tell him that they will do what ever the Lord tells them to do. And yet when he gives them what the Lord says, they out right reject it.

The Lord tells Jeremiah to tell the people to NOT go to Egypt. That they must trust in the Lord for their food, water and all the things they need. That going to Egypt will in fact end their lives. They then have the audacity to claim the Jeremiah is working for Babylon. OK, that is from the devil! What do these silly people do?? Go to Egypt anyway. So Jeremiah warns them that all will perish either by sword or famine. They are told this over and over again that their wives burning of incense to the Queen of Heaven is wrong, that their drink offerings is wrong. They come back with the fact that they felt when they were doing this they had prosperity and as soon as they started worshiping the Lord everything failed. Ahhh, but not all were worshiping the Lord. Their wives were still idolaters. Their hearts were still idol worshiping.

Basically it is the same thing. If we know God's will for us, if we read the Bible and know His word, If we go to church and hear how our lives are suppose to be, it makes no difference if we are not willing to put it into action. Those who know and hear the word and do nothing to place it in their lives will perish!!! That means, go to church weekly, read the Bible daily, pray to God in thanks for what He gives you and walk away from the idols in your life. Money, vanity, possessions etc. Rely on God and trust in the Lord and He will give you what you need!

Continued Lamentations

The people finally realized the full extent of their loss. Jeremiah shows them their past and shows them how prosperous they were compared to now and their complete devastation due to theri sin. The Jews thought the fact of who they were...a line of David...would protect them. Crazy. Your name does not protect you but the wonderful loving arms of our creator. He finally cries out for God to restore the people. Help the people to come back to YOU Lord. You know God will always judge us, but He will never reject us. Just as we do with our children. There is always hope in the future even for those who have completely walked away.

Jeremiah's Lamentations

Today's readings are the Lamentations of Jeremiah. They seemed to be focused on the land of Jerusalem. He mentions himself a couple times, but his sorrow is for the land and the hell it had to go through because of the people not listening and continuing in their sinful ways without repenting. God has taken the city and laid His anger upon it. These proud people have now crumbled to the ground stunned (duh) and terrified. God's actions were laid out in front of them for a very long time, yet they did not want to see. Sometimes God will allow His people to suffer just so they will turn away from their dangerous and sinful ways.

Fall of Jerusalem

For 40 some years Jeremiah has been warming these hard hearted people that these things were going to happen and they finally come to be. His predictions of the Babylonians taking over and the walls falling down are now in front of their faces and the time to repent from sins are now passed. Zedekiah is taken, his sons and family are murdered in front of his face and his eyes are poked out as he waits to die. However Jeremiah is released from prison and given the chance for a future. He decided to stay with the poor people he warned over and over again.

We can never doubt the word of God as some of us do. We need to believe with a whole heart that what Gods' word says is true and what He says will happen will happen. There are no trick words, no play on words, no stories to scare us but truth for us to know what to do about our future and our future generations. Repent from your sins!

Jeremiah Escapes Death

Zedekiah begs Jeremiah to pray for the city, but Jeremiah only tells the king about more disaster and ruin. While there is a temporary stop on the attack, Jeremiah tries to leave the city, but unfortunately everyone he is a deserter and he gets arrested. He goes to prison, but after a bit of talking ends up in the courtyard to get bread then into a cistern that is empty but muddy.

The king is scared out of his mind that he will dies and his city will go with him so he secretly goes to Jeremiah to talk about what he should do.Jeremiah tells him to surrender, that the Lord will take care and he will not doe nor the city be burned. However, like anyone who does not trust in the Lord, this scares him even more. he make Jeremiah promise never to tell anyone about this conversation.

Just look at this. Do you see how strong Jeremiah is and how week the king is. There was something the king could have done and he chose not too. It goes to prove you do not have to be big, rich and in power to be brave or courageous. You just have to have faith!

Ezekiel Talks to Tyre and Sidon

Ezekiel talks now to the city of Tyer. He speaks that when this city falls their allies will tremble in fear. He even state that the city will die never to live again. I find that it is funny how he goes into the exact location of this city here. Usually it is just the city name and maybe a few neighbors, but here he goes to great detail as to where this city is. He then once again reminds them of their fall and then address Sidon with the same destructive end in mind. As we all know especially in these tough time, prosperity does not last forever. If you become a bit to arrogant with you wealth just remember you will fall hard!!

Ezekiel's Prophecies During Seige

We see here that Ezekiel first has a few oracle against Judah's neighboring cities. Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia and Egypt. Each one has the same base line which is watch out cause God is against you and you will fall and then you will know that "I am" Lord. Ezekiel goes into an extensive amount of oracles directed to Egypt. Gee, I wonder why?! They have been a thorn in the Israelites side for years.

He talks about how not only will Egypt fall but all of her allies along with her. He goes and makes a comment about each city and how it will be destroyed. Then he speaks about the Pharaoh. he directs his writings to the Pharaohs arm...army and says that all his arms will be broken and that he will fall into the hands of the Babylonians. This will then break the poser that the Pharaoh has over the land. Because of the pride that the Pharaoh had, it caused his fall. This can happen o us today. Too much pride and self worshiping and worry about ourselves too much can cause us to fall and fall hard...just like Egypt!

Jeremiah Sees Spiritual Restoration Under the Messiah

This is a very cool reading today because even a person who may not understand the Bible or who has not been reading and opens to this can see the relationship of Jesus Christ in this. He clearly state that Jerusalem will fall, but all will be forgiven and God will heal the land, bring Judah and Israel back and allow then to enjoy of the milk and honey. When this is all said and done the promise of a Messiah from the line of David will end up ruling the land.

"Only if the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below be searched out will I reject all the descendants of Israel because of all they have done". That's you and me too you know. As you can plainly see here that God keeps all his promises. Even to those who really do not deserve to have Gods loving arms wrapped around them.

Record of God's Promise

Jeremiah is told to now record Gods word so that in the future when these things come about the people will know that they came from from God and not just by chance. Jeremiah gives a beautiful vision of Gods plans for His peoples future. He will first and foremost bring His people out of captivity and give them back the land. Eventually His people will be free again and ruled over by what is the Messiah.


God's discipline and judgment over the people of Israel and Judah will not end and His blessings will now come into play. They can look forward to this even though it is not to happen right away. Once again, God will transform the people and bless them, but with a new covenant, a new one. One that will overshadow the covenant of old. This will now make the Mosaic covenant irrelevant. It spells out the blessing instead of dwelling on the disciplines for those who will obey and have faith. God will put "The law in their hearts and minds...it will be made with the house of Jews". This covenant will now be a relational covenant with God instead of just a bunch a what could have felt like ritualistic rules and laws. As we will read later in the New testament, this new covenant relates directly to Jesus Christ. As Jeremiah says these laws belong in our heart. This is why we are to read the Bible over and over again, so we have these laws in our heart and mind everyday!

Jerimiah's Prophecies During Seige

We now move back over to Jeremiah.

Jeremiah announces that God has explained that He is going to be on the enemies side and Judah will be and is doomed. Jeremiah tells the people to go. Run. He urges the people to re=-think how they are dong things. He wants them to reform. He then predicts that Jehoahaz will be taken captive by the Babylonians and no long be in rule.

Babylon has taken over and Jeremiah has been taken under guard when the Lord tells him to purchase a land occupied by the Babylonians. He does as he has been asked. He tells the witness that for now the land is occupied, but in the future it will be houses and fields. He is puzzled by this so he prays to God to ansers why he had to purchase this field. God explains that he will soon hand His people over to Babylon, but a few of His people will be restored and those few will be the start of re-establishment. You know faith see things not exactly as they are but as they will be and Jeremiah has that FAITH. He also waited to ask God why and question Him till after he obeyed God. We can for sure take Jeremiahs example here and obey first then ask questions. Mind you only from God do we do this.

Seige Announced to Ezekiel

On the very day the King begins his attack on Jerusalem Ezekiel gets word from God to speak to his people about a cooking pot which represents Jerusalem. Basically that Babylon is going to boil up the people. Supposedly there is no way for Ezekiel to have gotten this message other then through God. a messanger would not have been quick enought to have gotten there at this point and time.

But then comes the message that is so close to home for Ezekiel. The Lord is going to take his wife away from him. He is asked not to do the traditional things people would do during mourning, but to continue on with the work of the Lord. Ezekiel does as he was asked and explains to the people that he and his wife are a sign. Soon Jerusalem will be destroyed and they too will not be able to mourn. Then Ezekiel is silent ed by God until the word comes from messengers that all these things he has spoken have come true.

This reading came at a perfect time for me. We had a few things happen yesterday that I was just blown away and I was questioning myself as to whether or not I am trusting in the Lord enough. Am I failing You Lord is that why these things are happening to me and my family? And this made me realize it is not always a punishment when things happen but can be a learning experience either for us or for others. As believer we are not immune to pain.

Alegory of the Prostitutions

Well, we have a great picture of what the people of Israel have been doing to God. Using the twin sisters as prostitutes was a fantastic idea to really hone in what the heck these people are doing to God. Ezekiel accuse the leaders of leading the people into the adultery. By trying to get security with other nations that ware their enemies and that God has instructed to stay away from, they are leading their people to idol worshiping and dependence on someone else other then God.

We as children of God must be careful not to follow a leader that is corrupt and will lead us away from God. I don't just mean the president or senate or mayors or whatever in our government, but I mean even the people around us in our day to day life. Even in our companionship that we have. If they are leading us astray we need to either cut the ties or keep that relationship at a distance. Because just like the people of Israel, we too can easily be led astray.