Devotions

Your King Comes

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Praise rings out at the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem. There is joy in the people as they experience the fulfillment of God’s promise to them. They observed the Passover and celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days. Then we hear the final prophecies from Zechariah. Their land has been the pathway for armies back and forth with them caught in the middle. God says, “No Oppressor Will Cross Through Them Again” and we are looking forward to the fulfillment of this. Then God says, through Zechariah, “Look! Your king comes to you; he is righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, and on a male donkey, the foal of a female donkey!” which was fulfilled when Jesus entered Jerusalem.

Sing to Yahweh a New Song

Psalm 149:1–9
Let His praise ring out from the assembly of His people. Be glad in our maker. Rejoice in our King. Dance, sing, make a joyful noise of celebration.

Psalm 149:4 (LEB) For Yahweh takes pleasure in his people; he glorifies the afflicted with salvation.

And now, we join together two things we don’t expect in our modern age gospel. From singing, they go in Psalm 149:6 to “the extolling (praise enthusiastically) of God” and in Psalm 149:9 “the judgment that is decreed” with a sword in hand.

Psalm 149:6–7 (LEB) Let the extolling of God be in their throat, and a double-edged sword in their hand, 7 to execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples,

There is a day of God’s judgment. We just celebrated Passover and are reading Ezra 6:19-22. It is a reminder of the day the angel of death passed over the houses of the children of Israel that were covered by the blood.

Praise God in His Sanctuary

Psalm 150:1–6
Wherever you are, praise the Lord. Remember His greatness and “his mighty deeds”. Praise Him with every instrument. And most of all

Psalm 150:6 (LEB) Every breathing thing, let it praise Yah. Praise Yah.

 

The Passover Feast – The Passover Sacrifice

Ezra 6:19–22
The priests and Levites prepared in Ezra 6:20 “the priests and Levites together had consecrated themselves; all of them were clean”. And because they were under the Law of Moses, “they slaughtered the Passover sacrifice for all of the returned exiles, for their brothers the priests, and for themselves”. (note the law is fulfilled as shown in Hebrews 4:12–5:10 the final offering for sin has been made Hebrews 6:13–10:25 our great high priest Jesus Christ has taken His place) Then in

Ezra 6:21 (LEB) The Israelites who returned from the exile and all those who separated themselves from the uncleanness of the nations of the earth to seek Yahweh the God of Israel, ate.

And in Ezra 6:22 “With joy they celebrated the festival of unleavened bread for seven days” (see Leviticus 23:5–8). 

No Oppressor Will Cross Through Them Again

Zechariah 9:1–8
Israel has been the highway that armies have crossed. God set them as a sign post of righteousness for all to see. There is coming a time when they will no longer be the highway for war, but when God himself will reign as it says in

Ezra 6:8 “But I will encamp at my temple like a guard, against those crossing through and returning; no oppressor will cross through them again for now I have seen with my own eyes”.

 

Your King Comes

Zechariah 9:9–13
This was fulfilled when Jesus entered Jerusalem as recorded in Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, and John 12:12-19. Jesus is coming to bring peace in Zechariah 9:9 “Look! Your king comes to you; he is righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, and on a male donkey, the foal of a female donkey!”

This prophecy presents the reaction of the people when the Lord comes “A similar call to exult in Zephaniah 3:14 is linked with a proclamation of the presence of ‘the King of Israel, the Lord’ (3:15) in the city. In Zechariah 2:10 there is a call to sing and rejoice because the Lord has promised to come to reside in Jerusalem, and now his arrival is to be accompanied with wild joy.”1

Riding on a donkey is significant and represents his mission of peace. There was “prophetic scorn of trust in war-horses (verse 10, cf. Isa. 2:7; 31:1; Mic. 5:10; Hag. 2:22) may have favoured the use of asses in Israel. The ass was an appropriate mount for one who came on a mission of peace”.2

Yahweh Their God Will Save Them

Zechariah 9:14–17
The Lord will appear. The Lord will defend. The Lord will save. In Zechariah 9:17 “For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty!”. But he will not just appear, he will appear “like lightning” and “will blow the trumpet”, and “shall go out in the storm winds of the south”.

“The prophet is expressing in vivid metaphor the exuberant abandon of a victorious Israel. They shall devour and tread down the slingers, better ‘slingstones’ as in the Hebrew (RSV mg.). The verb devour (Heb. ʾākal) is the common word ‘to eat’, and so the sense can equally well be, ‘They shall eat’—the victory banquet”.3

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Psalm 149:1-9
  • Psalm 150:1-6
  • Ezra 6:19-22
  • Zechariah 9:1-17

JESUS ’16

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Operation Exodus

is helping Jewish people return to their homeland. You might fund one that desires to go home. http://operationexodususa.org/Overview

Return to Israel – Ezra

We often read one book of the Bible at a time and that is easier for everyone to follow. The order of our readings, beginning with Ezra, are from the Tyndale One Year Chronological Bible because the return from Babylonian exile includes Haggai, Zechariah, Nehemiah, Esther, a few Psalms, and other connections. Covering these events chronologically as they happened, gives a much better context and helps us understand the move of God as He is reestablishing His people. Review the whole series beginning with Go Up To Jerusalem.

References

  • 1. Baldwin, J. G. (1972). Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 28, p. 177). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
  • 2. Baldwin, J. G. (1972). Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 28, p. 179). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
  • 3. Baldwin, J. G. (1972). Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 28, pp. 182–183). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.