November 8, 2024

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“’[On that Day] Holy to the Lord will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots in the Lord’s house will be like the sacred bowls in front of the altar. Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the Lord Almighty, and all who come to sacrifice will take some of the pots and cook in them. And on that day, there will no longer be a Canaanite [merchant, slave to another god] in the house of the Lord Almighty.‘” (Zechariah 14.20-21)

REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

As I bring this series of reflections on “God’s Word to Zechariah,” I know that the fulfillment of prophecy is “in part.” We are living in the moments of revelation leading up to when all things will be made clear. Don’t you wonder how many times the “face of the Messiah” has been shown to the world? How many have been given the opportunity to see Christ and still they refuse to see? The day is coming, we are told:

Isaiah 45.23 “By Myself I have sworn, My mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before Me every knee will bow;
by Me every tongue will swear [the truth of Me].”

or…

Romans 14.11 (alluding to Isaiah 45.23) “As surely as I live, says the Lord, ‘Every knee will bow before Me; every tongue will confess to God [the truth about ourselves].’”

or…

Philippians 2.9-11 “Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, [with the intent] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Do we see the progression of this revelation of what was, is and is yet to come. The Apostle Paul spoke this to the community of faith in Christ which was in Corinth, “Love never fails. Where there are prophecies,  they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For [now] we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part shall disappear. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror [and that dimly at best]; then we shall see face to face [with clarity]. Now, as I know in part; then, I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (I Corinthians 13.8-12)

The aforementioned passages are leading up to the final rise of the hill. It is from there we know that the whole world will be that city of God which cannot be hidden from the eyes, the eyes of the heart, the eyes of the mind and the eyes of the soul. All barriers will be eliminated and all assists for seeing will be taken away. There will be only one truth and two consequences. They all have been revealed and through the course of time they have been proven to be self-evident. All are looking for a heaven and all know there is a hell. They may have differing names but their realities are consistent. Heaven is a place where there is no more trouble, no disagreement, so sickness, no struggle, no sorrow, no death. Life will be “good.” Hell is that place which is just the opposite. The veil of deceit will be lifted. That which was a lie or that which was denied will be shown as truth. There will be no more exchange of one for the other. From the beginning, Lucifer in Heaven/Satan on Earth has been reveling in creating this image of deception. Even he knew the end of the story. Yet in pride, he believed he could alter reality by creating an altar upon which each person could worship themself. Ultimately, that which does not worship God will find there is nothing left to worship. All the fixations and idols will disappear. All the modifications and accommodations will drop out of sight. The honest truth will be known. It will not and cannot be denied.

Mighty ones of God, the progression of revelation continues to press forward toward us as much as we are rushing toward it. What is it we hope to accomplish with the course we are pursuing with our lives? Is it about us or about God? Shall we be immersed in the truth of who we are in Christ and who we are without Him and be made whole or shall we find ourselves disintegrating into nothingness? The only means of “survival” is this: know the Word of God and strive to live in it not on your own but with the fellowship of faith and in community with those who believe that Jesus is the Christ. Put aside the things of this world and cling to what is right, good and holy. It is God who makes things holy. It is God who makes things right. It is God who makes all things new. God does it with the powerful reality of Jesus Christ who is the only Lord and Savior of our lives. How many times will He show Himself to us? How many times will we be rescued from captivity which we ourselves surrendered to by choosing “other than”? He sent a people into the world to bear witness to His mercy and forgiveness with Adam and Eve. He rescued Noah and his family from a sinful world with an immersive event of global proportions. He delivered His people from Egypt and Pharoah’s army with a flood having made straight the path toward righteousness. Time and again, the promise of deliverance has been spoken with the evidences of mercy and provision. In perfect love, He made His will known in a walk through the waters of the Jordan, the fiery trials of the desert and the challenge of the Cross through His Son, Jesus Christ. The Church is called to be His witnesses to the end of the earth and accomplish all that can be done by faith until the end of the age. Is that “age” coming to a close? Are we ready and prepared to give up all “strings attached” and pursue Him as the prodigal who returned to his father willing to be the servant of all? The message of opportunity is clear. I pray that I will hear it more clearly and live it out more perfectly. I cannot do it on my own. I yearn for the blessing of His Holy Spirit which has been promised to me as leader, guide, friend and comforter. It is promised to you. Do not delay. Do not hesitate. Those who do shall be lost. Be found in Jesus Christ!

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 in order that others 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 so we would know we are Your people and 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.