June 11, 2024

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“During the night I had a vision, and there before me was a man mounted on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, brown and white horses.” (Zechariah 1.8)

REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

Why are myrtle trees important to God’s message for His people? Isaiah, Nehemiah and Zechariah all mention myrtle trees. According to Talmudic teaching, the branches of the myrtle trees are one of four to be used in celebrations being waved by the people. Their symbolism is a reminder of God’s redeeming love and His promise to restore the peace of Israel. The Hebrew name for Esther is Hadassah, Myrtle. We know her story is one of bringing hope, peace and life back to the Jews who were in captivity. Her advocacy for them undid the harm which Haman planned to have done to eliminate the Jews. His name has been interpreted from the ancient Persian to mean “illustrious” or showy. He desired to appear bigger than life and create a name for himself. On the other hand, Esther desired to make a name for God and humbled herself into the service of the king and of God. Her integrity lead to the saving of the Jews from a mortal enemy.

Now in Zechariah, we hear of the “presence of God” in angelic form resembling that of a man appearing in a grove of myrtle trees. It was a peaceful, restful and beautiful place. It may have resembled in some small part what Eden may have looked like. As we read this second vision given to Zechariah, we hear of the report of the riders of who had gone throughout “the world” on red, brown and white horses. (We can reflect on the meanings of the colors of these horses later as the purpose of this vision is the report they give.) The report was simple and concise “And they reported to the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees, ‘We have gone throughout the earth and found the whole world at rest and in peace.’” (verse 11) We must note, by the response of the man in the grove, the false sense of the report as it concerns Israel and God’s people. It is similar in effect to the name of Haman in the story of Esther. His name meaning “illustrious” or “showy” would lead one to think of proper, good and prosperous. His outward “show” was a facade, however. He was anything but proper, good and prosperous. He was evil in his heart and had it set in his mind to eliminate the Jews. He set out a plot which gave the impression of defending the honor of the king. However, it really would have served only his personal agenda. We can see a similar contrast in the message of the horsemen concerning the peace and prosperity throughout the extend of the realm of King Darius who ruled from India to Egypt. There was certainly “peace” in the land as no wars were being waged (no small fete, mind you.) But after seventy years of such “peace,” there was no peace for the people of God. They were a broken and homeless race longing for home in Israel and specifically in Jerusalem. They prayed for a peace in Israel that would endure without enemy interference. In the place of “peace,” the myrtle grove, there was no real peace because the heart and the mind of the people were afflicted. This troubled God who saw the desire of these people to be different than that of their ancestors.

What is that saying- “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again believing you will get a different result.” Was this the moment when the truth of God spoken by the prophets would finally sink in? Would this be like when the generation of doubters who had been led out of Egypt on their journey to the Promised Land and expired in the wilderness? They were replaced by a next generation who followed the faith of Joshua and Caleb and believed what God promised was coming to pass. Time would tell. How long did they remain faithful? If they had would those in Zechariah’s day be so troubled themselves as prisoners in their own land? Here is a message for us today as the Word of the Lord is given with accompanying signs and warnings. Will we desire to live in the myrtle grove with the “man” of God and be truly at peace? Or will we simply use the wood to make a fortress to which we will retreat being at unrest? Why unrest? Because we know there really isn’t peace in the world no matter what others may say makes for peace or is at peace. Here I would remind us all, mighty ones of God, that only in Christ Jesus will we find the true peace, not as the world gives but only as is given to us by God in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, before we were conceived in the womb, You had already formed us in Your love and by Your Spirit brought us into being. Each one of us is blessed with the opportunity of doing right, being good and producing the fruit of the Spirit so that others may be fed the truth of that same love so that the two will become one. It is our soul’s sincere desire to embrace the oneness You have in mind that we would know that we are Your people and that You are our God. Lead us in that discovery of the truth and the manifestation of that love for us all. In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN.