Daily Bible Devotionals

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and freedom to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of our God’s vengeance, to comfort all who mourn, to provide for those who mourn in Zion; to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, festive oil instead of mourning, and splendid clothes instead of despair. And they will be called righteous trees, planted by the Lord, to glorify Him.” Isaiah 61:1-3 (HCSB)

In today’s chapter, the covenant is referred to as “an everlasting covenant” (61:8). Isaiah has mentioned it before in chapter 55:1-5. Jeremiah and Ezekiel also use this same phrase and call it “the New Covenant.”

“‘Look, the days are coming’ – this is the Lord’s declaration - ‘When I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. This one will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and led them out of the land of Egypt – a covenant they broke even though I had married them’ – the Lord’s declaration. ‘Instead, this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days’ – the Lord’s declaration. ‘I will place My instruction within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be My people. No longer will one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying: Know the Lord, for they will all know Me, from the least to the greatest of them’ – the Lord’s declaration. ‘For I will forgive their wrongdoing and never again remember their sin.’” Jeremiah 31:31-34 (HCSB)

It is important to note that (what we refer to as) the “New Testament” is translated in Hebrew as “B’rit Hadashah” (New Covenant). The close connection between “everlasting covenant” and “new covenant” in today’s chapter reminds us that the “newness” of the New Covenant is the quality of freshness and fulfillment. It is not that God abandons what He had been doing with Israel in the “old” and begins afresh with the Church in the “new.” Instead, He brings to the forefront what had been there all along in the “old” yet was not understood. Several features of the everlasting, or “new,” covenant are underlined in today’s chapter; together, they lead to the conclusion that all who believe in Messiah Jesus and follow Him by faith alone are “a people the Lord has blessed.” (61:9)

Jesus took the Passover cup and said,

“This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you,” Luke 22:20b (NKJV)

Jesus declared Himself (and His ministry) to be the consummation of a historical process of prediction and preparation. He saw today’s passage as a crucial one in setting the terms and mandate of His own mission. Following His baptism and temptation in the wilderness, Jesus entered His hometown synagogue, where, armed with Isaiah 58:6, He declared himself as the fulfillment of today’s passage. (Luke 4:17-21). Strangely, these bold words did not make people want to kill Jesus. It was His recalling to their memory how God had shown mercy to faithful Gentiles and not to unfaithful Israel.

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord shines over you. For, look, darkness covers the earth, and total darkness the peoples; but the Lord will shine over you, and His glory will appear over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your radiance. Raise your eyes and look around: they all gather and come to you; your sons will come from far away, and your daughters will be carried on the hip. Then you will see and be radiant, and your heart will tremble and rejoice, because the riches of the sea will become yours, and the wealth of the nations will come over you. Caravans of camels will cover your land – young camels of Midian and Ephah – all of them will come from Sheba. They will carry gold and frankincense and proclaim the praises of the Lord.” Isaiah 60:1-6 (HCSB)

We are, of course, familiar with the fact that Gentiles (non-Jews) comprise the majority in the Church today. But in Isaiah’s day, this was not so. For many of Isaiah’s generation, it was unthinkable that Gentiles could be counted among God’s people. The historic precedence of Gentile believers is clearly articulated in the Torah yet almost completely overlooked by the Jewish community, even today. It is true that Ruth, Tamar, Rahab, and Bathsheba were all accounted for as righteous. (See also: Matthew 1)  But they were an exception, not a rule. I say this to help you feel the gravity of Isaiah’s insistence on the coming influx of Gentiles, counted among God’s people, by faith in Messiah.

The closing chapters of Isaiah depict this Gentile influx but go beyond it. The language is exalted. It depicts things that transcend even our own era. For us, the “Gentile believer phenomenon” is commonplace. Much of the shock of Isaiah’s message is lost on us because we are literally living in an era of fulfillment (in part) of Isaiah’s prophecy.   In our day, the uncommon thing is to find JEWS who believe Jesus is Messiah, although Jewish believers are growing in number. Isaiah points beyond our understanding of his generation’s “things to come.”  

We should keep in mind the fact that Revelation 21, with its picture of the New Jerusalem, draws heavily on Isaiah 60. So much so that the apostle John is considered the “Isaiah” of the New Testament. The nations will walk by the light of the holy city, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. (Revelation 21:24)  This may also be an allusion to the star that appeared over Bethlehem at the birth of Jesus. (Matthew 2:1-12)  Further references to the wealth and riches, including “gold and incense,” together with “camels” from far-away places, maybe an even clearer reference to wise men who came “from the east” to present their gifts to Jesus. (See also: Psalm 72:10-11)

Clearly, today’s passage is an announcement of God’s intention to gather a worldwide harvest through the gospel. The “sons and daughters” are of every nationality. The nations, islands, and foreigners comprise a large part of those who “honor the Lord .”They are pictured as doves coming home to their lofts. Have you come home yet? There is still time to place your faith in Him, who draws all men unto Himself. So, have you come home to roost, or have you flown the coop, still looking for a safe place to land? (Matthew 11:28)

“Truth is missing, and whoever turns from evil is plundered.  The Lord saw that there was no justice, and He was offended.  He saw that there was no man – He was amazed that there was no one interceding; so His own arm brought salvation and His own righteousness supported Him.  He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; He put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and He wrapped Himself in zeal as in a cloak.”  Isaiah 59:15-17 (HCSB)

When God’s patience runs out, He puts on His clothes and weapons of war.  The well-known imagery of the Christian soldier in Ephesians is based on today’s passage.

“Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil.  For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the World powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.  This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day and having prepared everything to take your stand.  Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, and your feet sandals with readiness for the gospel of peace.  In every situation take the shield of faith, and with it you will be able to extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s Word.”  Ephesians 6:10-17 (HCSB) - (see also Psalm 18:9-15)

This vision is the same one that John gives of Messiah in Revelation 19:11-21 when he depicts Him as a Warrior who comes to judge the World on the last day.  Put simply, God is displeased with injustice.  Sin is at the root of injustice, and Satan is the root of all sin.  

Our duty, to go into battle against His enemies, equipped with the full armor of God, is merely a reflection of Jesus Himself.  His enemy is our enemy…and that enemy is a spiritual one.  In fact, the armor the Bible commands us to don is spiritual in nature.  Each piece is designed to protect in a specific way…but no one part can comprehensively defend.  That is, our breastplate does not protect our head or feet; hence, the command to put on the FULL armor.

Notice that among all these defensive items, there is only one piece of armor that is used for offense: The Sword of the Spirit, which is God’s Word.  And Who is God’s Word?  Jesus.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with him in the beginning, and apart from Him, not one thing was created.  Life was in Him, and that life was the light of men.  That light shines in the darkness, yet the darkness did not overcome it.”  John 1:1-5 (HCSB) - (see also: John 1:14)

The believer is equipped for defense, but our power to OVERCOME is the same source as Isaiah describes today.  We go through the motions of obedience, but Jesus provides the victory.  Where we cannot defend against sin and Satan, Jesus completely destroys!

“At that, when you call, the Lord will answer; when you cry out, He will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you get rid of the yoke from those around you, the finger pointing and malicious speaking, and if you offer yourself to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted one, then your light will shine in the darkness, and your night will be like noonday.” Isaiah 58:9-10 (HCSB)

Humility shows itself in a willingness to turn away from sin and toward God. This is a spirit that is obviously lacking in the Southern Kingdom of Judah’s attitude to worship in Isaiah 58, a chapter that contrasts true and false worship.  

“The Lord does not see as man sees;. For man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7b (NKJV)

There are indications in today’s passage of formal religion, but it is a religion with which God is displeased. Both negative and positive aspects are highlighted. We learn that “formal religion” is not (in and of itself) “true religion .”When a transformed heart is absent from worship, good works are meaningless and void of proper Biblical motive and Spirit-leading. The evidence of Israel’s distortion of proper worship is “doing as one pleases” and is a hindrance to prayer.  

True religion is a “heart religion,” leading to true joy and true happiness.   The outworking of heart religion expresses itself within formal religion but places good works in proper perspective. Of course, we know this is a message that Jesus saw as important to teach us. The same yoke (burdensome religious ways) that Isaiah exposed as “false religion,” Jesus offers to relieve us of if we will repent from our sin and come under His “yoke” through a personal saving relationship with Him.

“Come to Me, all who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Place My yoke over your shoulders, and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble. Then you will find rest for yourselves. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (GNT)

Furthermore, James, Jesus’ half-brother, also felt it was important to point out the hypocrisy inherent in Israel’s worship and distinguish between false and true “religion” among people who professed to be believers.  

“If anyone thinks that he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” James 1:26-27 (ESV)

Perhaps you have spent much time in or around Church. But are you certain that you are truly following Jesus? Many have bought into “Jesus-themed” religion, clinging to a form of godliness but denying the power thereof. (2 Timothy 3:1-5) Of such, Jesus will say, “Turn away, I never knew you!” (Matthew 7:22-23)

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Isaiah 57. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“No foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord should say, ‘The Lord will exclude me from His people’; and the eunuch should not say, ‘Look, I am a dried-up tree.’  For the Lord says this: For the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, and choose what pleases Me, and hold firmly to My covenant, I will give them, in My house and within My walls, a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters. Will give each of them an everlasting name that will never be cut off.”  Isaiah 56:3-5 (HCSB)

In today’s chapter, once more, Isaiah raises expectations that Messiah’s coming is near:

“…my salvation is close at hand and My righteousness will soon be revealed.” Isaiah 56:1 (NIV)

Consequently, those who have received God’s blessing of salvation should be serious in their concern to be holy. “Doing what is right” and keeping one’s “hand from doing evil” involves a concern for the fourth commandment: Remember the Sabbath day. In fact, three different types of “Sabbath keepers” are mentioned: Repentant Jews, foreigners, and eunuchs. All three had a burden that needed to be lifted, a barrier between them and worship. Knowing the word “Sabbath” translates as both “seven” and “rest,” consider Jesus’ words.

“Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 (HCSB)

The eunuch was burdened because he was barred from worshipping in God’s temple because of his physical deformity.  

“No one who is emasculated or has his male organ cut off shall enter the assembly of the Lord.” Deuteronomy 23:1 (NKJV)

This makes the story of the Ethiopian Eunuch in the Book of Acts even more powerful. Most likely a dispersed Jew and obedient pilgrim, the Ethiopian eunuch had traveled to Jerusalem to worship and most likely had stayed over for Shavuot (Pentecost) and heard of the strange happenings there. He was faithful despite being barred from entering the Temple complex. Now, on his way home, he was reading the Isaiah scroll (not readily available to non-Jews) in Isaiah 53. That is when God sent Philip to him.  

“So he (Philip) got up and went. There was an Ethiopian man, a eunuch and high official of Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to worship in Jerusalem and was sitting in his chariot on his way home reading the prophet Isaiah aloud. The Spirit told Philip, ‘Go and join that chariot.’”  Acts 8:27-29 (HCSB)

I have no doubt that Philip continued reading all the way to Isaiah 56, where this eunuch would have learned that Jesus had made him “kosher,” so to speak. Through Messiah, this eunuch was given a memorial and a name. See, eunuchs had no name to pass on because they were unable to father children. But this eunuch’s name was now “The Lord’s son,” and his memorial would be his spiritual children who would come forth because of his gospel testimony. So, what is your name and memorial?

“‘Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost! Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.’”  Isaiah 55:1-2 (NIV)

Isaiah 55 is a gospel call. It is an urgent and passionate call to the lost. Isaiah 55 has been called God’s own gospel sermon: the entire chapter is in first person singular. The offer is universal and sincere, directed to all who are hopeless.

It immediately reminds us of a similar expression used by Jesus in His encounter with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well.

“Jesus said, ‘Everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again. But whoever drinks from the water that I give him will never get thirsty again – ever! In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up within him for eternal life.’” John 4:13-14 (HCSB)

Relieving hunger by supplying bread reminds us of Jesus’ words on the occasion of feeding the 5000.

“I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread he will live forever. The bread that I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.” John 6:48-51 (HCSB)

Three matters are worth noting in today’s passage:

1) The recipients of the call are needy. They have no money; they have nothing with which to bargain with God for their salvation. Jesus’ parable of the great banquet ends with an invitation:

“‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and lame!’” Luke 14:21b (HCSB)

2) God genuinely desires the salvation of all sinners. Isaiah began his prophecy with these words:

“‘Come now, let us reason together,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18 (NKJV)

3) Salvation is by grace, alone:

“For it is by grace that you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is the gift of God - not of works, so that no one can boast.”  Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV) (see also: Romans 3:24-28)

“‘Do not be afraid, for you will not be put to shame; don’t be humiliated for you will not be disgraced. For you will forget the shame of your youth, and you will no longer remember the disgrace of your widowhood. For your husband is your Maker – His name is YHVH of Hosts – and the Holy One of Israel is your redeemer; He is called the God of all the earth. For the Lord has called you like a wife deserted and wounded in spirit, a wife of one’s youth when she is rejected,’ says your God. ‘I deserted you for a brief moment, but I will take you back with great compassion.’”  Isaiah 54:4-7 (HCSB)

It is essential to understand that you are reading a prophecy. God is telling His “Bride” that He will take her back, even before He has sent her away. It is important to understand that because otherwise, God seems wishy-washy, as if He cannot make up His mind or is an emotional wreck.  

So, what is the value of this knowledge? It restores our trust in the Lord. It reminds us that He will “never leave or forsake us,” which is the core of the security of our salvation. Essentially, the Lord tells His “Bride” that while He will put her out for a season, His intention is not to leave her forever. There are times when, because of our personal sins, believers feel distant or even forsaken by God. If you are indeed a believer, even though you are a disobedient believer, the Lord is only intent on your restoration and not your damnation. Repent and approach the Lord. He is our faithful “Husband”.

The idea of “union and communion” lies at the heart of the Old Testament understanding of God’s relationship with his people. The Bible describes this relationship in four terms: Father/Son, Master/Slave, Shepherd/Sheep, and Husband/Wife.  

One of the most charismatic phrases that Paul uses in the New Testament is “in Messiah (Christ) Jesus .”(1 Corinthians 1:2; Eph 1:1; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1)  Parallel this with another emphasis: “Messiah is ‘in’ the believer .”(Romans 8:10; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 1:27)  Together, these two concepts indicate the closeness of the “marriage” bond between Messiah and His people. Jesus expands this idea even further:

“I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in Me through their message. May they all be one, as You, Father are in Me and I am in You.  May they also be one in Us, so the World may believe You sent Me.” John 17:20-21 (HCSB)

Jesus desires that just as He is in the Father and the Father is in Him, we should share in that relationship: in the Father and Him.   Furthermore, that is how closely we believers should be with each other: One. Truly, the “Bride of Messiah” (singular) is actually the sum of all believers. As a husband and wife become “one,” so is the relationship of Jesus to His Bride. That means He is completely devoted and intimately concerned with the Church at large and with us as individuals at the same time. He cares for his “Bride” corporately, and He cares for you personally.

“Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” Isaiah 53:10-12 (NKJV)

There are certain Bible passages that were of great importance with respect to understanding Jesus. Perhaps no other passage from the Tanakh (Old Testament) is as crucial as Isaiah 53. Jesus Himself quoted Isaiah 53:12 and applied it to Himself.

“For I say to you that this which is written must still be [a]accomplished in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ For the things concerning Me have an end.” Luke 22:37 (NKJV)

On other occasions, when Jesus declared that He “must suffer many things” and that He had not “come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 8:31; 10:45), He was also alluding to Isaiah 53.

Of great significance is the fact that the major contributors to the New Testament refer to at least eight different verses from Isaiah 53. Verse 1 is quoted by John and applied to Jesus (John 12:38); Matthew cites verse 4 about how Jesus healed (Matthew 8:17); and verses 5, 6, 9, and 11 are picked up by Peter (1 Peter 2:22-25).

Others have suggested that the various statements in the New Testament, to the effect that Jesus should be “rejected” and “taken away,” are taken from Isaiah 53. His being “buried” like a criminal without any preparatory anointing, the parable of the stronger man who “divides up the spoils,” His silence before the judges, His intercession for the transgressors, and His laying down His life for others – all these are rooted in Isaiah 53.

Every verse of today’s chapter, except verse 2, is directly applied to Jesus in the New Testament, some verses several times. There is good evidence that Jesus’ whole public ministry: His immersion, healing, teaching, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension - are all seen as a fulfillment of the pattern foretold in Isaiah 53.

Today, if I were to share the gospel with a Jewish non-believer, I would begin with Isaiah 53 (then move to Micah 5:2, Psalms 22 and 69) before entering the New Testament.

I chose today’s passage because many of us are facing struggles during this difficult season. God is not ignorant of our suffering; nor is He a sadist, as some have put forth. He does not take pleasure in our pain. Rather, He is pleased when we are faithful to honor and worship Him despite the pain. Seasons come and go. This one, too, shall pass. True shalom is not the absence of conflict; it is peace from and with God in the midst of it.

“Remember the instruction of Moses My servant, the statutes and ordinances I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. Look, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome Day of the Lord comes. And He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers. Otherwise, I will come and strike the land with a curse.”  Malachi 4:4-6 (CSB)

“And His disciples asked Him, ‘Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?’  And He answered and said, ‘Elijah is coming and will restore all things; But I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands. Then the disciples understood that he was talking about John the Baptist.”  Matthew 17:10-13 (NASB)

What was John the Baptist’s message? It was the same message of return & repentance that Malachi foretold.

“In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, ‘Repent, because the kingdom of heaven is near.’”  Matthew 3:1-2 (HCSB)

Isaiah is another prophet who foretold John’s coming. “For he is the one spoken of through the prophet Isaiah, who said: a voice of one crying out in the wilderness, saying ‘Prepare the way for the Lord. Make His paths straight!’”  Matthew 3:3 (HCSB) (Isaiah 57:14)

John the Baptist’s ministry is even mentioned in the Psalms.

“Righteousness will go before Him to prepare the way for His steps.”  Psalm 85:13 (HCSB)

And how was the Lord’s way to be prepared? The way was prepared when people repented and turned their hearts toward the Lord.

If you have ever walked against the flow on a Manhattan sidewalk, you understand that it is easier to reach your destination when everyone walks in the same direction as you!

Repentance reverses the flow of spiritual and moral traffic, so to speak. By turning hearts toward the Lord and His Word, men become educated about God’s character, His commandments, the concepts of holiness & man’s depravity, and the world’s need for Messiah. In short, repentance prepares the heart to receive the gospel.

Repentance is not, in & of itself, salvation. It simply prepares the way for it. That’s why John said, “…but the One who is coming after me is more powerful than I”. (Matthew 3: 11)

Moving into the New Testament, let’s continue turning our hearts to God’s Word. Let’s commit to advancing His kingdom by sharing the Truth of Messiah, which His Spirit reveals to us, one chapter at a time.

“At that time, those who feared the Lord spoke to one another. The Lord took notice and listened. So a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who feared YHWH and had high regard for His name. ‘They will be Mine.’ says the Lord of Hosts, ‘a special possession on the day I am preparing. I will have compassion on them as a man has compassion on his son who serves him. So you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked between the one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.’” Malachi 3:16-18 (HCSB)

I love this passage because it reminds me of the people who study the Bible with me in coffeehouses. Those of us who fear the Lord are getting together and speaking about Him openly and publicly. Scripture says the Lord is with us when we gather in Messiah’s Name. He takes notice and listens.

“For where two or three have gathered in My name, I am there in their midst.” Matthew 18:19 (NKJV)

Two factors distinguish the believers Malachi speaks of: 1) They fear the Lord, and 2) They have high regard for His name. Remember the third commandment: Do not receive the Lord’s name in vain. A “Book of Remembrance” is written before the Lord. All who fear YHWH are set apart as “a special possession” on the day of the Lord when the Lord judges the world. Malachi’s words are obviously Messianic.

Consider how the Lord will have compassion on those whose names are written in the book: “as a man would have compassion on his son.”  Those who follow Jesus are called sons and daughters, co-inheritors with the Messiah. (Rom 8:16-17) As God raised Jesus from the dead, so He will also raise those who, by faith, believe in Jesus. Finally, a distinction is drawn between those of Israel who fear the Lord and those who do not: righteous and wicked, servants and self-servers. Compare God’s offer of compassion (toward Israel’s repentance) in Malachi 3 with His attitude toward Israel’s wickedness in Exodus 32.  

“The Lord replied to Moses, ‘Whoever has sinned against me I will erase from my book. Now go, lead the people to the place I told you about; see, my angel will go before you. But on the day I settle accounts, I will hold them accountable for their sin.’ And the Lord inflicted a plague on the people for what they did with the calf Aaron had made.” Exodus 32:33-35 (CSB)

The idea that salvation is secured to the Jew simply by virtue of having been born Jewish is not supported even by the Old Testament. It is as ridiculous as the notion that damnation is unavoidable for the Gentile by being born a non-Jew. Righteousness must be imputed into each believer’s account by God’s grace alone. That transaction occurs when individuals turn from their sin and faithfully fear the Lord by trusting God’s Word concerning the Messiah. This is how men are saved. This is how our names are recorded in the Book of Remembrance. (Revelation 21:27)

“You have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet you ask, ‘How have we wearied the Lord?’  When you say, ‘Everyone who does evil is good in the Lord’s sight, and He is pleased with them,’ or ‘Where is the God of justice?’”  Malachi 2:17 (HCSB)

Here is a saying that bears repeating. Two things confound a fool: 1) How slow God is to respond to sin, and 2) How quickly He shows up to judge.

The religious contradictions in Israel had reached their peak by the end of the first prophetic age. On the one hand, the religious leaders were teaching that God was overly gracious, to the point that He was pleased with those who practiced evil. On the other hand, they demanded God’s justice for their enemies.

How can a God, who is pleased with evil, serve justice? Justice demands that God hates what is evil.

Today’s verse reminds me of a conversation I had with a gentleman in Israel a few years back. This young man told me he didn’t believe anyone was going to Hell. He thought we shouldn’t risk personal confrontation by preaching about judgment and redemption because God would pardon the whole world at the last moment.

Later that day, the issue of suicide bombers came up. The same fellow’s comment was, “I hope those suicide bombers get what they deserve!”  Contradiction. When we refuse the Bible as the standard, we allow feelings, politics, and secular philosophy to determine our theology. With this approach, our opinions “seem” to make sense in isolated situations, but they don’t collectively agree. We elevate our intellect to be the judge and humiliate the Bible to be “just another opinion.”  

We find a similar situation in the book of the Judges.

“In those days, there was no king in Israel. Everyone did whatever he wanted.” Judges 21:25 (HCSB)

Paul lists several manifestations of moral relativism displayed in the last days.

“But know this: difficult times will come in the last days. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of religion, but denying its power. Avoid these people!”  2 Timothy 3: 1-5 (HCSB)

The same perversion of truth, which brought judgment upon Israel before Messiah’s first coming, will eventually bring judgment upon the whole earth. It signals the approach of Jesus’ second coming, not as a Suffering Servant but as the Righteous Judge.

“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. But if I am your father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is your fear of Me? Thus says the Lord of Hosts to you priests, who despise My name. ” Malachi 1:6 (HCSB)

It may not sound very hip, but I am concerned with what corporate worship services have become for many congregations. I say this from the perspective of having performed over 1,000 concerts in worship settings worldwide.  

There is a growing sense, present in many churches, that following God is all about us as individuals. The music, theatrics, marketing & promotion, and message series seem to be focused on our pleasure. The whole production seems to be at the expense of simply teaching the Bible comprehensively and living out God’s Word in a community of accountability.

This was very much the case with Israel in the days of Malachi. Prophets and priests tickled the ears of the public and showed favor to whoever contributed the most money. The religious leaders spoke of the positive and popular aspects of God’s blessing, and they steered clear of the negative and unpopular elements of His standard.  

Selective preaching perpetuated an ignorance of God’s Word. Ignorance of His Word leads to a diminished view of God’s character. A diminished view of God leads to a heightened view of oneself.  

Ultimately, the leaders were more concerned with the approval of men than with glorifying God, at the risk of man’s rejection. As a result, Israel heralded Adonai neither as Father nor Lord.

Most modern-day production-centered churches assume that their methods result in the spiritual growth of their congregants. Research has discovered that this may not be the case. For instance, consider this example from Chicago seeker church, Willow Creek: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/march/11.27.html

Please understand I’m a showbiz guy. The music business is my professional background. I love a great worship experience when music, media, and message are artfully woven together. But problems arise when a congregation focuses more on gathering, retaining, and (dare I say) entertaining congregants rather than graciously yet comprehensively teaching the Bible.

“The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; and with all your acquiring, get understanding.”  Proverbs 4:7 (NASB)

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17 (NASB)

When we acknowledge God as Father AND Lord, we will worship Him as such.

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Zechariah 14. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against the Man Who is My Companion,” says the Lord of hosts. “Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; then I will turn My hand against the little ones. And it shall come to pass in all the land,” says the Lord, “That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, but one-third shall be left in it: I will bring the one-third through the fire, will refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; and each one will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’” Zechariah 13:7-9 (NKJV)

Speaking of Messiah, the great Shepherd of Israel, Zechariah reminds us of Messiah’s primary role in His first coming: Atonement for sin. He does not come first as the great King whom so many people in the Jewish community are awaiting today. While He will return as the triumphant King in His second coming (Revelation 19:11-16), Messiah first comes to atone for the sin of the flesh with His own flesh, offering atonement, even to the rebels who opposed Him.

“Therefore I will give Him the many as a portion, and He will receive the mighty as spoil, because He submitted Himself to death, and was counted among the rebels; yet He bore the sin of many and interceded for the rebels.” Isaiah 53:12 (HCSB)

Of course, we know the Messiah has been revealed in the person of Jesus. A portion of our evidence (that Jesus is Messiah) comes from His fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy (and Micah’s (Micah 5:2), David’s (Psalm 22), and Isaiah’s (Isaiah 53), to name a few. He was struck down, and His crucifixion resulted in the scattering of His “sheep,” aka His disciples.

“Then Jesus to them, all of you shall be offended because of Me this night: for it is written, I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.” Matthew 26:31 (see also: Mark 14:27; John 10:12)

But more than fulfilling prophecy, the scattering of Jesus’ “sheep” also had a therapeutic result. It separated His disciples from the vicious “wolves” posing as shepherds in Jerusalem, separated “wheat-from-tare” among those who called themselves His disciples, and helped spread the gospel by 1) Scattering the evangelists around the world and 2) Ensuring that the gospel preached was pure. Job spoke of the purifying nature of his own hardships.

“But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.” Job 23:10 (NKJV)

A great thing about God’s chastening & refining His people is that the season of chastening & refinement does not last forever. Hence, He fulfills Hosea’s words.

“Say to your brethren, ‘My people,’ and to your sisters, ‘Mercy is shown.’” Hosea 2:1 (NKJV)

“Then I will pour out the Spirit of grace and prayer on the house of David and the residents of Jerusalem, and they will look at Me whom they have pierced. They will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly for Him as one weeps for a firstborn. On that day the mourning in Jerusalem will be as great as the mourning of Hadad-Rimmon in the plains of Meggido. The land will mourn, every family by itself: the family of David’s house by itself and their women by themselves; the family of Nathan’s house by itself and their women by themselves; the family of Levi’s house by itself and their women by themselves; the family of Shimei by itself and their women by themselves; all the remaining families, every family by itself and their women by themselves.” Zechariah 12:10-14 (HCSB)

Today’s passage presents a picture of the awakening of Israel when the “veil” begins to be taken away. (Romans 11) Then the call will come to self-humility and contrition of heart for Israel having rejected Messiah and having sinfully refused the testimony of the Holy Spirit as to Jesus’ true identity. This will be, for that Remnant, their great “Yom Kippur” (day-of-atonement). At least two millennia have elapsed since Messiah atoned for the sin of the World, and since that time, the community of Israel has not kept that day of fasting and introspective soul searching, as God commanded. In 70 A.D., the Romans destroyed the Temple, which is in ruins today, making Temple sacrifices impossible. So, while the Jewish community may set the day aside, they fall short of God’s desired requirements for the day.

It is important to note that we are studying the words of an ancient prophet who predates Jesus’ earthly advent by almost 600 years! For the sake of discussion, let’s say that Jesus is not the Messiah, and the “real” Messiah was to come on the scene today. According to Scripture, the Jewish community would not accept him, either! They would reject him and kill him - simply because it is prophesied, all the way down to their acknowledgment of wrongdoing and grief for having “pierced” him.

Now, back to reality: Jesus IS the Messiah! And there will come a time when a Remnant of Israel will not only worship Him; they will grieve, family by family, for how they had once rejected Him. We see it also in Revelation 1:7

“To Him who loves us and has set us free from our sins by His blood, and made us a kingdom of priests to His God and Father – to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Look! He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, including those who pierced Him. And all the families of the earth will mourn over Him. This is certain. Amen.” Revelation 1:5b-7 (HCSB)

It is not a wailing of terror that is described here but the anguished mourning of the awakened Remnant when they realize the dreadful impiety their fathers were guilty of in crucifying the Lord of glory. Yet God will pour on that believing Remnant of David’s house (and on Jerusalem) His spirit of grace and prayer, not one of judgment & wrath!

“Then I said to them, ‘If it seems right to you, give me my wages, but if not, keep them.’ So they weighed My wages, 30 pieces of silver. ‘Throw it to the potter,’ the Lord said to me – this magnificent price I was valued by them. So I took the 30 pieces of silver and threw it into the house of the Lord, to the potter. Then I cut in two my second staff, Union, annulling the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. The Lord said to me: ‘Take the equipment of a foolish shepherd. I am about to raise up a shepherd in the land who will not care for those who are going astray, and he will not seek the lost or heal the broken. He will not sustain the healthy, but he will not sustain the healthy, but he will devour the flesh of the fat of sheep and tear off their hooves.’” Zechariah 11:12-16 (HCSB)

Reading today’s passage, one might believe they were reading one of the New Testament descriptions of Jesus’ betrayal by Judas, for it is a perfect fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy:

“Then one of the twelve – the man called Judas Iscariot – went to the chief priests and said, ‘What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you?’ So they weighed out 30 pieces of silver for him. And from that time, he started looking for a good opportunity to betray Him.” Matthew 26:14-16 (HCSB)

“Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was full of remorse and returned the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. ‘I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,’ He said. ‘What’s that to us?’ they said. ‘See to it yourself!’ So he threw the silver into the sanctuary and departed. Then he went and hanged himself. The chief priests took the silver and said, ‘It’s not lawful to put it into the temple treasury since it is blood money.’ So they conferred together and bought the potter’s field with it as a burial place for foreigners.” Matthew 27:3-7 (HCSB)

So, the Good Shepherd has asked for His wages and broken His shepherd staffs, named “Favor” and “Union.” It reminds me of the violinist who not only retired from performing but he smashed his violin, making a return to the concert stage nearly impossible. But what of the new shepherd? Contrary to The Who song, for Israel, it was not a case of “meet the new boss, same as the old boss.” It was more like, “Meet the new boss; he is evil and selfish.” In other words, Meet the Anti-shepherd, “Antichrist.”

The scenes leading up to today’s chapter have contained some lovely pictures of God’s favor for the repentant Remnant of Israel. But the glory of Israel’s full return has been held at a distance from our present generation because of the rejection of the Shepherd upon whom the blessing depends, Jesus. So, we are still left with the sorrowful account of the refusal of the Good Shepherd. (Isaiah 53). The spirit of Anti-shepherd, who seeks only his own glory and doesn’t care a bit for the ruin and scattering of the Lord’s “Flock” is rampant. The former passage predicting the events surrounding Jesus’ betrayal was fulfilled precisely as prophesied, so we can expect Anti-messiah to arrive on the scene exactly on time. Already, the signs of the end are appearing. Are you ready? Jesus is coming to redeem and shepherd His Flock. Have you joined His sheepfold?

“Ask the Lord for rain in the season of spring rain. The Lord makes the rain clouds and He will give them showers of rain and crops in the field for everyone. For their idols speak falsehood, and the diviners see illusions; they relate empty dreams and offer empty comfort. Therefore, the people wander like sheep; they suffer affliction because there is no shepherd. My anger burns against the shepherds, so I will punish the leaders. For the Lord of Hosts tended His flock, the house of Judah; He will make them like His majestic steed in battle. From them will come the cornerstone, from them the tent peg, from them the battle bow, from them every ruler.” Zechariah 10:1-4 (HCSB)

Today’s chapter details a time when another Remnant of Israel will again reach out to Him, whom they once “spurned” as the Anointed One. From verses 6 and 7, we see that the Remnant will not merely come from Judah but will represent all twelve tribes. These are those brought into blessing and who will settle in the land of their fathers, never more to be uprooted by an enemy’s hand. This chapter communicates more than simple immigration of Jews to the land of Israel. It carries with it the implication of returning to the Lord through Messiah and being restored to the land. In that sense, a Jewish person may immigrate to modern Israel yet not be fulfilling Zechariah’s prophecy if they do not embrace Jesus as Messiah. Furthermore, suppose a Jewish person comes to faith in Jesus and never moves to Israel in their lifetime. In that case, they fulfill Zechariah’s prophecy because Scripture promises they will eventually reside in the New Jerusalem. (Revelation 21:2)

Considering agriculture & meteorology, without the latter rain (Joel 2:23), Israel becomes little better than a desert wilderness. Under natural conditions, the former and latter rains are required to ensure agriculture and, hence, the prosperity of the people. Therefore, we should not be surprised to find the prophets using these “rains” in a figurative sense.  

Spiritually, Israel (in her history) had received her former rain when God blessed her by allowing her to be a nation and His Temple established in Jerusalem. But a long season of drought had set in, triggered by her idolatry. Zechariah encouraged them to look up again and ask the Lord for “rain in the time of the spring rain.”  In response to their request, God pledged Himself to give them showers of blessing. There is no doubt that Zechariah is speaking prophetically of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit predicted by Joel. It would be Israel’s “latter rain.”  But for us, looking forward, the giving of the Holy Spirit constitutes our former rain. We are still awaiting our latter rain when the Holy Spirit works mightily again in this present season of spiritual drought. This will be a brief time before Jesus returns, resulting in a revival that includes Jewish people.

Until then, a spiritual famine of sorts prevails. Yes, Jewish people are coming to faith (and in increasingly significant numbers) in our day, but since the days of Jesus, they have primarily been like “sheep without a shepherd,” blindly following blind guides. (Mark 6:34) That is why our proper understanding (and preaching) of God’s Word is so important: We don’t know how long the Lord will tarry, so we cannot assume our present Jewish friends will be part of this prophesied revival. We must preach as if He will tarry!