June 25, 2024

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. I asked, ‘What are these coming to do?‘ He answered, ‘These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no one could raise their head, but the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter its people.’” (Zechariah 1.20-21)

REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

We are interrupted by a revelation in verses 18-21 during the “measuring line” prophecy. The “measuring line” prophecy signified the orchestration of rebuilding Jerusalem. The rebuilding of Jerusalem thus empowers the rebuilding of the nation of Israel. As I have shared with you, this nation will be restored to fulfill its purpose. That purpose would be displayed by the people who would by faith serve God before all the nations to glorify, magnify and draw all eyes to the truth of what makes for authentic life and living. What interrupts this prophecy which is picked up in the beginning of chapter 2, is the introduction of the four craftsmen. No clear identification is given of who the four craftsmen are. There have been many possible identities given with the most reasonable being Zerubbabel (the leader, descendant of King Jehoiachin) of the returning remnant), Joshua (high priest), Ezra and Nehemiah. I say most reasonable because they were the contemporaries of Zechariah. I find in this line of prophetic representation of the rebuilding of a nation the thematic thread which had been begun with the call of David to be King of Israel as the redirection of the people who had chosen Saul as their leader instead of honoring the position of Samuel as prophet and priest of God. With the destruction of the first temple and the scattering of the “tribes” of Israel and their assimilation into the culture of other nations and peoples, a call to repentance is required. In Zechariah, we see this call as the prelude to what God is promising to do. In the works of the other prophets, we see this same theme proposed from various angles. The primary message is a change of heart and mind directed toward God and away from human thinking.

However, the “four craftsmen” who will be the executioners of godly action against the “four horns” which have ruled over Israel do not have to be four actual people. It is possible that they are four castes of people whom God calls together to counteract the four nations, or kingdoms, who have stood against God and Israel. We cannot forget that this story is not merely about Israel. We could get lost in the historical and sociological aspects of this nation’s march through time. What the other nations feared is said to be Israel as a nation and a people. Is that the case in all actuality? Or is it the fact that they feared a nation who so stood with God (sadly in a vacillating sense) believing that God stood with them (fortunately in an unvacillating sense.) It is not the people the nations feared as much as it was their God. It has been the modus operandi of people to believe that “killing the messenger will eliminate the message.” We see it most poignantly in the ministry of Jesus and those who opposed Him. The debate was great even among those were in leadership in Israel as to the effectiveness of such a plan. It would be said at one time, “We must be careful because the people love Him and follow Him.” They couldn’t attack Him directly, yet, and instead sought to turn the people against Him. Their efforts failed in doing that. They sought His crucifixion using Rome, and the fear that Pilate and Herod had of Caesar, to accomplish their task not of protecting God’s honor but their own position of corrupted leadership. It didn’t work, however, as the message and the Man of God not only survived but as has thrived.

So what else or who else might this four craftsmen be that would promote the laying of the foundation of this new nation and building upon it? We do not know. In some part, it may not actually matter except that in building up the kingdom of God on earth there is the combating of the enemy of God and humanity. We could speak of it in this way: Love the Lord your God with all your 1) heart, 2) soul, 3) mind and 4) strength (or body.) The sphinx, or griffin, was an image in all four of the kingdoms who opposed Israel to signify strength and domination. They were the combination of four elements such as 1) the head of a man, 2) the body of a lion or a bear, 3) the wings of an eagle and 4) the strength of a bull. We see a similar representation of God in Ezekiel’s theophany. But we can look into the establishment of the Temple and the call to worship to see four elements involved in the administration of it for the sake of the people and to the glory of God. The elements of prophet, priest, king and warrior can also be used to help define the four craftsmen. I would tend to see these as the preferred representatives because it connects the lines of the Messianic promise. Even the Apostle Paul gives illustration to this in his letter to the Ephesians concerning “putting on the whole armor of God.” While there are five elements he mentions: belt, breastplate, shoes, shield and sword; it fits in the parameter of the representation of the priest to which he says the Church is called as “the priesthood of all believers.” Regardless, the word which God gives to Zechariah indicates that there will be a counterpoint of overwhelming presence to stand against and defeat the point of the enemy. God’s point? His favor and blessing and calling continues to rest upon Israel as the chosen messengers of truth and righteousness. It rests upon the Church as well and we would do well to embrace it and act with it accordingly.

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.