O.T. Treasury of End-Time Prophecy
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. (Zechaiah 9:9)
WIERSBE SAYS OF ZECHARIAH'S 12 CHAPTERS: the last half of his book, these six chapters, comprise one of the greatest concentrations of messianic truth found anywhere in Scripture, but the truth is always related to God’s purposes for his people Israel. Zechariah reveals Messiah as the humble King, the loving Shepherd, the mighty Warrior, the gracious Savior, and the righteous Ruler who will reign on earth as King and Priest.”
SOME BIBLE STUDENTS MAY QUESTION THAT STATEMENT. Walvoord, a life-long student of end-time Scriptures, says in his classic commentary: “Daniel, the Key to Prophetic Revelation,” on page 7: “Among the great prophetic books of Scripture, none provides a more comprehensive and chronological prophetic view of the broad movement of history than the book of Daniel.” Walvoord says Daniel is a “comprehensive and chronological prophetic view.” Wiersbe says that Zechariah is a concentration of messianic truth.
THERE IS NO CONFLICT IN THE ESTIMATE OF THESE TWO BOOKS. Daniel approaches prophecy in a way that makes it the introduction to the New Testament book of The Revelation. Zechariah is broader and yet more compact. We’ll look at Daniel at another time, Lord willing. I love both books.
ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THE REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE BUILDING (520-516 B.C.) Zechariah gave four messages, three of which were preceded with “the Lord Almighty came to me.” The 2nd message was similar: “The Word of the Lord came again to Zechariah” (7:80). (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, edited by Walvoord.)
THE BIBLE "CLAIMS TO BE THE WORD OF GOD" and this claim is reinforced by statements like Zechariah’s claim. R. A. Torrey wrote: “The Bible claims to be the Word of God. It seems to be the Word of God. It proves to be the Word of God.” Thus, the Bible includes words that claim the Bible is the Word of God. Do your kids know this?
IF IT IS NOT THE WORD OF GOD, then it has no moral authority over our lives. The heavy proof of the authenticity of this claim is that the claims are most often of a prophetic nature and are proven by fulfilled prophecy.
WHEN JESUS PREACHED AND DID MIRACLES, He said: Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. (John 14:11) Jesus is establishing the basis on which they (and we) can make a truthful judgment on the authenticity and authority of His message. In this context, it was not words of prophecy. It was something they could see: miracles. We were not there to observe His works, but we had reliable people witnessing His works in our place. In our courtrooms, our system of law relies heavily on sworn testimony.
WE HAVE FRONT-SEAT OBSERVERS IN THE FOUR GOSPELS who paid with their lives rather than deny what they preached and wrote. The fact that they chose death rather than deny what they wrote, is a strong indication that what they said was true. Thus, we have strong, reliable evidence for believing the miracles Jesus did.
THE OTHER STRONG EVIDENCE FOR THE CLAIM OF THE BIBLE to be the Word of God, is the fulfillment of prophecy, especially when its fulfillment is beyond the ability of the prophet to bring it to pass. In other words, not a self-fulfilling prophecy. Sometimes, the words of a prophet lay dormant for hundreds of years before its fulfillment. Several times in the Gospels, the writers say: “That it might be fulfilled….” Those are heavy words!
SO, IN ZECHARIAH, WE HAVE THE PREFACE WORDS: “the Lord Almighty came to me;” and “The Word of the Lord came again to Zechariah.” These words are not just book padding. God is not a book peddler. He doesn’t pad His writings with filler words to make a nice impressive size that will sell better.
THESE ARE IMPORTANT WORDS and they should command our attention. The text is claiming that these words are from the mouth of God. Now, what do you say about it? If you don’t believe they are words from God, on what basis do you say that? What is your claim? You need to make up your mind once and for all and stick with it ‘till you die. I did that when I was nine years old one night in the bean market and I intend to die that way.
IF YOU AGREE WITH ZECHARIAH'S CLAIM, then it immediately has moral authority over you. Joshua confronted the people in his day: And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. (Joshua 24:15) We have that fastened to our front door.
THE BIBLE'S CLAIM TO BE THE WORD OF GOD, goes back to the beginning of Genesis when the lying Satan said to Eve: “Yea, hath God said?” You see, this is at the root of our disadvantaged youth of today who have failed the test as badly as Eve did.
MANY KIDS BIRTHED AND RAISED IN BIBLE-PREACHING, Bible-teaching churches are leaving the churches by the time they finish high school, before they ever enter college or the work force. They were never taught the moral authority of the Bible. In many cases, they never saw it demonstrated that the adults were under the moral authority of the Bible. So, 60% of them are leaving the church. The Bible is not real to them, not relevant to them.
IT ALL COMES BACK TO THE WORDS IN BLUE, ABOVE. No need to look any further. I’m making a big deal of it because it is a very big deal! Mama’s faith, Daddy’s faith has to be internalized in the heart of every child or it is no faith at all. They will wander like a ship with no north star as a reference point. If we see “church-based” youth acting strange today, it’s because they don’t have a North Star; No reference point; No compass. When that happens, they are in a lot of trouble. They are easy prey for the devil.
IF THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD, then it deserves a better place than “somewhere in the house.” It deserves to be in our lap, in our hands, in our hearts. Ω
Read Through the Bible in a Year
JANUARY 25, 2019 - FRIDAY
A.M. Exodus 9-10 P.M. Matthew 18:1-20
(Bible Gateway will read this to you if you like. Look for the speaker icon.)
A Good Verse to Memorize:
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. (Luke 9:23)
Song for Today:
Jesus Is Coming (2:00) (Quartet – Sacred Music Services)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPPr5IJ40CY
(You may have to adjust the volume and delete an ad.)
I searched an hour for a suitable performance of “Jesus Is Coming Again” without success. Everybody and his grandpa have done something with this grand old song I learned as a boy. Sometimes I’m too picky, too old, or something. I found this excellent performance by SMS (Sacred Music Service). I have no idea who they are, but they can sing. I hope you get a blessing from it.
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. (Zechaiah 9:9)
WIERSBE SAYS OF ZECHARIAH'S 12 CHAPTERS: the last half of his book, these six chapters, comprise one of the greatest concentrations of messianic truth found anywhere in Scripture, but the truth is always related to God’s purposes for his people Israel. Zechariah reveals Messiah as the humble King, the loving Shepherd, the mighty Warrior, the gracious Savior, and the righteous Ruler who will reign on earth as King and Priest.”
SOME BIBLE STUDENTS MAY QUESTION THAT STATEMENT. Walvoord, a life-long student of end-time Scriptures, says in his classic commentary: “Daniel, the Key to Prophetic Revelation,” on page 7: “Among the great prophetic books of Scripture, none provides a more comprehensive and chronological prophetic view of the broad movement of history than the book of Daniel.” Walvoord says Daniel is a “comprehensive and chronological prophetic view.” Wiersbe says that Zechariah is a concentration of messianic truth.
THERE IS NO CONFLICT IN THE ESTIMATE OF THESE TWO BOOKS. Daniel approaches prophecy in a way that makes it the introduction to the New Testament book of The Revelation. Zechariah is broader and yet more compact. We’ll look at Daniel at another time, Lord willing. I love both books.
ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THE REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE BUILDING (520-516 B.C.) Zechariah gave four messages, three of which were preceded with “the Lord Almighty came to me.” The 2nd message was similar: “The Word of the Lord came again to Zechariah” (7:80). (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, edited by Walvoord.)
THE BIBLE "CLAIMS TO BE THE WORD OF GOD" and this claim is reinforced by statements like Zechariah’s claim. R. A. Torrey wrote: “The Bible claims to be the Word of God. It seems to be the Word of God. It proves to be the Word of God.” Thus, the Bible includes words that claim the Bible is the Word of God. Do your kids know this?
IF IT IS NOT THE WORD OF GOD, then it has no moral authority over our lives. The heavy proof of the authenticity of this claim is that the claims are most often of a prophetic nature and are proven by fulfilled prophecy.
WHEN JESUS PREACHED AND DID MIRACLES, He said: Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. (John 14:11) Jesus is establishing the basis on which they (and we) can make a truthful judgment on the authenticity and authority of His message. In this context, it was not words of prophecy. It was something they could see: miracles. We were not there to observe His works, but we had reliable people witnessing His works in our place. In our courtrooms, our system of law relies heavily on sworn testimony.
WE HAVE FRONT-SEAT OBSERVERS IN THE FOUR GOSPELS who paid with their lives rather than deny what they preached and wrote. The fact that they chose death rather than deny what they wrote, is a strong indication that what they said was true. Thus, we have strong, reliable evidence for believing the miracles Jesus did.
THE OTHER STRONG EVIDENCE FOR THE CLAIM OF THE BIBLE to be the Word of God, is the fulfillment of prophecy, especially when its fulfillment is beyond the ability of the prophet to bring it to pass. In other words, not a self-fulfilling prophecy. Sometimes, the words of a prophet lay dormant for hundreds of years before its fulfillment. Several times in the Gospels, the writers say: “That it might be fulfilled….” Those are heavy words!
SO, IN ZECHARIAH, WE HAVE THE PREFACE WORDS: “the Lord Almighty came to me;” and “The Word of the Lord came again to Zechariah.” These words are not just book padding. God is not a book peddler. He doesn’t pad His writings with filler words to make a nice impressive size that will sell better.
THESE ARE IMPORTANT WORDS and they should command our attention. The text is claiming that these words are from the mouth of God. Now, what do you say about it? If you don’t believe they are words from God, on what basis do you say that? What is your claim? You need to make up your mind once and for all and stick with it ‘till you die. I did that when I was nine years old one night in the bean market and I intend to die that way.
IF YOU AGREE WITH ZECHARIAH'S CLAIM, then it immediately has moral authority over you. Joshua confronted the people in his day: And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. (Joshua 24:15) We have that fastened to our front door.
THE BIBLE'S CLAIM TO BE THE WORD OF GOD, goes back to the beginning of Genesis when the lying Satan said to Eve: “Yea, hath God said?” You see, this is at the root of our disadvantaged youth of today who have failed the test as badly as Eve did.
MANY KIDS BIRTHED AND RAISED IN BIBLE-PREACHING, Bible-teaching churches are leaving the churches by the time they finish high school, before they ever enter college or the work force. They were never taught the moral authority of the Bible. In many cases, they never saw it demonstrated that the adults were under the moral authority of the Bible. So, 60% of them are leaving the church. The Bible is not real to them, not relevant to them.
IT ALL COMES BACK TO THE WORDS IN BLUE, ABOVE. No need to look any further. I’m making a big deal of it because it is a very big deal! Mama’s faith, Daddy’s faith has to be internalized in the heart of every child or it is no faith at all. They will wander like a ship with no north star as a reference point. If we see “church-based” youth acting strange today, it’s because they don’t have a North Star; No reference point; No compass. When that happens, they are in a lot of trouble. They are easy prey for the devil.
IF THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD, then it deserves a better place than “somewhere in the house.” It deserves to be in our lap, in our hands, in our hearts. Ω
Read Through the Bible in a Year
JANUARY 25, 2019 - FRIDAY
A.M. Exodus 9-10 P.M. Matthew 18:1-20
(Bible Gateway will read this to you if you like. Look for the speaker icon.)
A Good Verse to Memorize:
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. (Luke 9:23)
Song for Today:
Jesus Is Coming (2:00) (Quartet – Sacred Music Services)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPPr5IJ40CY
(You may have to adjust the volume and delete an ad.)
I searched an hour for a suitable performance of “Jesus Is Coming Again” without success. Everybody and his grandpa have done something with this grand old song I learned as a boy. Sometimes I’m too picky, too old, or something. I found this excellent performance by SMS (Sacred Music Service). I have no idea who they are, but they can sing. I hope you get a blessing from it.
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