Daily Bible Devotionals

“Do not take me away with the wicked and with the workers of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbors, but evil is in their hearts. Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavors; give them according to the work of their hands; render to them what they deserve. Because they do not regard the works of the Lord, nor the operation of His hands, He shall destroy them and not build them up.” Psalm 28:3-5 (NKJV)

Grace is a gift. It’s getting something we do not deserve. Mercy is more closely attached to punishment. Mercy means we do not get what we deserve, at least to the extent that the law says we should have gotten it. Mercy is always at the discretion of the judge or the person offended. Often, after having arrested a perpetrator in a domestic dispute, the police will ask the person offended if they want to press charges. Whenever the person offended says “no,” the perpetrator has received mercy. Whenever a jury recommends a life sentence for a convicted felon, and the judge reduces that sentence, the felon has received mercy. Neither the judge nor the person offended is under any compulsion to extend mercy, and neither would be at fault for demanding the full extent of the law to fall upon an offender. Still, the law allows for mercy. When our eternities are on the line, with God’s standard being perfection and us falling short, I am certainly glad God is willing to extend His mercy toward us through Messiah Jesus!

David’s psalm combines both his personal plea for mercy, “...Do not take me away with the wicked and with the workers of iniquity...”, and his demand for his enemies’ justice, “...give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavors...”. That’s pretty much where we live: in need of mercy yet demanding justice. What separated David as a human from his enemies, i.e., what separates sinners like us from sinners like them? David faithfully believed the Lord’s Word and received salvation by grace, in addition to God’s mercy. David acknowledged that it was the Lord who had established him and glorified Him.  David’s enemies refused to “acknowledge the works of the Lord, nor the operation of His hands.”  We are reminded of Peter’s response to Jesus’ provision of the “great haul of fish,” even though Peter cast the net. The difference between believers & unbelievers is how believers know Who deserves the credit for their salvation.

“Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, ‘Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.’ But Simon answered and said to Him, ‘Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your Word I will let down the net.’ And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” Luke 5:3-8 (NKJV)

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Psalm 27. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“Vindicate me, Lord, because I have lived with integrity and have trusted in the Lord without wavering. Test me, Lord, and try me; examine my heart and mind. For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, and I live by Your truth. I do not sit with the worthless or associate with hypocrites. I hate a crowd of evildoers, and I do not sit with the wicked. I wash my hands in innocence and go around Your altar, Lord, raising my voice in thanksgiving and telling about Your wonderful works. Lord, I love the house where You dwell, the place where Your glory resides. Do not destroy me along with sinners, or my life along with men of bloodshed in whose hands are evil schemes and whose right hands are filled with bribes. But I live with integrity; redeem me and be gracious to me. My foot stands on level ground; I will praise the Lord in the assemblies.” Psalm 26:1-12 (HCSB)

Vindication is needed whenever a person has been unjustly accused of a crime. We do not know the crime of which David was accused, but we know there was a time when he was unjustly pursued by Saul’s army. Saul had to convince his army that David deserved to be punished, so we can be certain the basis for that pursuit was a lie. However, vindication works both ways. Vindication not only clears the innocent; it also makes accusations certain. For instance, if you unjustly accused your neighbor of stealing your lawnmower, your neighbor would be vindicated if the police found your lawnmower in your own garage. Likewise, if your neighbor accused you of stealing his lawnmower, although you are typically an upstanding citizen and your neighbors did not believe the accusation, your neighbor would be vindicated if the police found his lawnmower in your garage.

So, what kind of retribution is David pleading? In some ways, BOTH. David wants vindication because he is innocent, but his accusations about his enemies’ guilt are also proven right. As with many psalms, David’s words also remind us of Jesus, the “Son of David,” who was unjustly accused.

The word “lovingkindness” in verse 3 (translated as “faithful love” in other Bible versions) is more akin to “mercy.” That is, David is a man, hence, not perfect. His plea for vindication is based more on God’s mercy than his own righteousness. For instance, he also pleads in verse 9, “Do not destroy me along with sinners….” David knows he deserves judgment, so he seeks retribution from God. (Ephesians 2:8-9) David has placed his faith in God and His Word. David’s works are merely evidence of his faith, but His vindication must come from God alone.

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:1-5 (NKJV) (see also: Romans 5:6-11)

“Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day. Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your loving kindnesses, for they are from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; according to Your mercy remember me, for Your goodness’ sake, O Lord. Good and upright is the Lord; therefore He teaches sinners in the way. The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, to such as keep His covenant and His testimonies. For Your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity, for it is great.” Psalm 25:4-11 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm, a psalm of David, is titled “A Plea for Deliverance And Forgiveness.”  There is something both comforting and irritating about God’s mercy. It is comforting because we all need it. Apparently, we need it often because the Bible says God’s mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).  While each of us receives God’s mercy, delivered daily to our doorsteps, we typically are slow to dispense mercy to others. We tend to want to see people “learn their lessons” rather than give them a fresh start. In today’s psalm, David is not simply looking for forgiveness; he wants to learn from his circumstances so that he will not sin again. David shows himself to be a man after God’s own heart because his plea to learn God’s Word, His “paths,” echoes the heart of God, speaking through Jeremiah.

“Thus says the Lord: Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’”  Jeremiah 6:16 (NKJV)

The process of adopting a value system that aligns with God’s Word is not merely the byproduct of listening to sermons or taking notes during classroom lectures. We learn to value God’s Word when we obey it. We also learn when we don’t obey it, we suffer the consequences. God’s mercy is so wonderful in that it allows us to experience the pain of the consequences of disobedience, but not to the extent as to destroy any chances of our full restoration and Kingdom usefulness.

“Who is the man that fears the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. He himself shall dwell in prosperity, and his descendants shall inherit the earth.” Psalm 25:12-13 (NKJV)

David’s declaration reminds us of the “Son of David,” Messiah Jesus, and lends understanding to Jesus’s beatitude message.

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5 (NKJV)

Meekness means “power under submission.” David’s psalm gives us the source of that “earth inheriting” meekness: Obedience to God’s Word, the ancient path that leads to life. Not just life for the individual but for the entire nation. (Psalm 25:22)

“The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face.  Selah” Psalm 24:1-6 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm begins with a very obvious, yet often overlooked, fact when people consider the various world religions and how the adherents of those religions coexist in society: There is only ONE TRUE GOD…and He is the God of all men, everywhere. There is only one true God, and He has articulated through the Bible how mankind must worship Him and that all other religion, regardless of how ancient they may be (or how sincere their followers are), is false. The apostle Paul addressed this very issue.

(Paul speaking) “‘God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’ Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising. Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.’ And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, ‘We will hear you again on this matter.’ So Paul departed from among them. However, some men joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.” Acts 17:24-34 (NKJV)

God is exclusive in His divinity, yet he liberally desires for all men to be saved.

“Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants - everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and holds fast My covenant - even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says, “Yet I will gather to him others besides those who are gathered to him.” Isaiah 56:6-8 (NKJV)

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” Psalm 23:1-3 (NKJV)

As perhaps the best-known psalm in the world (definitely one of the most familiar passages in the Bible for believers and non-believers alike), Psalm 23 covers both fear of the present and hope for the future in their greatest extremes. So, how do we unpack the gravity of this passage in a few short paragraphs? Frankly, it cannot be done, but let’s try to anyway!  

Everyone, everywhere, regardless of their station of life or ethnicity, resonates with the idea that they are sheep in need of a shepherd. After all, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray.” (Isaiah 53:6). Sadly, most of the people who apply for the job of shepherd (religious and political leaders) fall short of God’s standard. At best, they are flawed shepherds. We can all agree the world is weary of self-serving “bad shepherds”; those whose care for the flock only extends to their provision of mutton and wool! That is why Jesus introduced Himself as the Good Shepherd, the long-awaited Messiah. (John 10:11-18). His feeding of the 5000 (Mark 6:30-44) is a direct parallel with Psalm 23, right down to making His followers lie down in the green grass. It is easy to accept a shepherd who feeds, cares for, and guides us, but where is a good shepherd during hard times? Does He abandon his flock? Absolutely not! Even in the midst of life’s greatest hardships, His is right here with us.

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4 (NKJV)

Where else do we find this “shadow of death” concept in the Bible?

“Give glory to the Lord your God before He causes darkness, and before your feet stumble on the dark mountains, and while you are looking for light, He turns it into the shadow of death and makes it dense darkness. But if you will not hear it, my soul will weep in secret for your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly and run down with tears, because the Lord’s flock has been taken captive.” Jeremiah 13:16-17 (NKJV)

The “shadow of death” is a condition we bring about ourselves. It does not refer to a sickness or disease, per se. The “shadow of death” is the result of our idolatry. The fact that Psalm 23 informs us that the Good Shepherd is with us in the “valley of the shadow” is a sign of His mercy and willingness to forgive us from our lowest places. Lastly, once we are restored, we dwell in His presence by His grace!

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord, forever.”  Psalm 23:5-6 (see also: Jeremiah 52:31-34; Revelation 21:3-4; John 14:2-3) (NKJV)

“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My groaning? O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; and in the night season, and am not silent. But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted, and You delivered them. They cried to You, and were delivered; they trusted in You, and were not ashamed. But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people. All those who see Me ridicule Me; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, ‘He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!’ But You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts. I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother’s womb, You have been My God.” Psalm 22:1-10 (NKJV)

It is a fairly common occurrence that whenever I discuss the idea of Messiah with Jewish non-believers, in order to get the conversation started, I propose some ground rules. They will not speak from the Talmud (a collection of extra-Biblical rabbinic opinions), and I will not speak from the New Testament. After all, if Jesus is the Messiah, then He should be clearly seen in the TANAKH (Hebrew Old Testament). “Fair enough,” they say, and off we go. But it never fails that whenever I read Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22, the Jewish non-believer says, “STOP! You said you would not speak from the New Testament, and you are obviously talking about Jesus!”  I simply turn the Bible around and show them that King David could describe Messiah Jesus more clearly hundreds of years before His crucifixion than their rabbi can see Him today, 2000 years after the fact.

One of the most misunderstood statements that Jesus made from the cross was, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”  Often, so-called “experts” put forth that in the midst of the trauma of crucifixion, Jesus stammered in His faith and lost sight of the goal. I overheard (and quickly corrected) one Israeli non-believing tour guide who taught his tour group, “Every prayer Jesus prayed, God answered, except for His selfish prayer that the “cup would be removed” from Him in the garden. Then Jesus caught Himself and said, ‘Nevertheless…’ Even on the cross, He was unsure of God’s deliverance and asked, ‘Why have You forsaken Me…?’”  Let me say, that guide was not at all happy when I stepped in to give the proper Biblical understanding of the passage.

So, what did Jesus mean when He asked, “Why…?” Well, what is the subject matter of the psalm? It is the prophetic confession of Messiah, Who would bear the sin of both Israel and the world. Jesus was not confused, and His faith had not faltered. He was quoting a psalm about Himself - not only His unjust punishment but also the hope of His resurrection! Anyone who knew the first part of the psalm knew the rest.  

“You have answered Me. I will declare Your name to My brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will praise You. You who fear the Lord, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, and fear Him, all you offspring of Israel! Psalm 22:21b-24

“For the king trusts in the Lord, and through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be moved.” Psalm 21:7 (NKJV)

Psalm 21 has thirteen verses. The first six verses deal with God’s salvation of David, with strong Messianic overtones. For instance, David speaks of the recipient of God’s salvation as having his days extended “forever and ever” and that he is “blessed forever  .”Also to consider is that Jesus’ Name in Hebrew is Yeshua, which means “God saves.”  

“He asked life from You, and You gave it to him - length of days forever and ever. His glory is great in Your salvation; honor and majesty You have placed upon him. For You have made him most blessed forever; You have made him exceedingly glad with Your presence.” Psalm 21:4-6 (NKJV)

For a moment, let’s consider that David was not speaking about Messiah. David’s words, then, indicate he believed in the resurrection and anticipated to spend eternity in God’s presence, that his earthly deliverances were only foreshadowing of a permanent heavenly one.

The last six verses of Psalm 21 focus on the judgment of God’s enemies. Fire and arrows are His tools of wrath. Arrows are silent, swift, and come from afar. God says that His enemies are hit when they least expect it, and His judgment comes quickly. Of course, we see fire as a means of judgment throughout Scripture. Shadrach, Meshach & Abed-Nego were saved through the furnace (without even smelling of smoke), while the men who threw them into the fire were burned alive. (Daniel 3) Most notably, the “Lake of Fire” (alongside the Word of God/the sword from Jesus’ mouth) is the final instrument of judgment in the Revelation.

“They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” Revelation 20:9-10 (NKJV)

If we are not cautious, we can scan today’s psalm and see it in two parts: God saves the righteous and punishes the unrighteous. But is anyone righteous before God on their own merit? (Romans 3:10) Don’t we all deserve punishment for sinning and falling short of God’s glory? (Romans 3:32) So, how can anyone be considered righteous? Smack in the middle of Psalm 21 is verse 7. David trusted in the Lord, and in His MERCY, God delivered him. David was not righteous, but his applied faith in God’s Word was counted as righteousness. Therefore, God chose to bestow MERCY (not getting what he deserved). And that is how we are saved today. God’s Grace (gift) is that we receive MERCY when we place our faith in the Living Word (John 1:1-14), Jesus, turning from our sin and committing to follow Him. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Psalm 20. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

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“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!