Return from Exile: Zechariah 1-3 (4)

Pray Psalm 132.8-10.
Arise, O LORD, to Your resting place,
You and the ark of Your strength.
Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness,
And let Your saints shout for joy.
For Your servant David’s sake,
Do not turn away the face of Your Anointed.

Sing Psalm 132.8-10.
(Finlandia: Be Still, My Soul)
Arise, O Lord, come to Your resting place; Your holy Presence meet with us in might.
Clothe us with righteousness in Jesus’ grace, and we will shout to Your divine delight!
For David’s sake, turn not away Your face, but look upon us in Your holy light.

Read Zechariah 2.1-13; meditate on verses 6-13.

Preparation
1. What did God promise?

2. What did He instruct His people to do?

Meditation
An important prophecy in Genesis 49.8-11 points to the coming of God’s Kingdom and the ultimate Ruler of that Kingdom, One called by the name “Shiloh.” Shiloh is a Hebrew word that means “Him Whose It Is”. In Zechariah 2.6-13, the prophet picks up on this prophecy and points forward to the day when the Lord will receive His inheritance—thus indicating that He is Shiloh—and will come to dwell among His people. Let’s take a closer look.

Zechariah urges more of the captives in Babylon to “flee from the land of the north” and return to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah (vv. 6, 7). Not only should they flee there because God is restoring His exiled people, but because He is preparing to judge those nations—those four “horns” (1.20, 21)—which had taken them captive (vv. 8, 9). But judging the nations is not the outcome God intends for them; nor is fleeing the nations to be the final disposition of His people.

This is a cause for great joy and rejoicing among the people of God. Not only are they returned to the land of promise, and not only are their enemies vanquished, but God Himself is coming to dwell among them. When this happens “many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and they shall become My people”, that is, the people of God’s covenant (vv. 10, 11). As that begins to happen, God’s people will know for certain that God has sent Shiloh among them to inherit the Kingdom prepared for Him from before the foundations of the world (vv. 11, 12). The only proper response to this glorious announcement and promise is silent wonder in the Presence of God, Who is “aroused from His holy habitation” in heaven to come and dwell among His people on earth (v. 13).

It is not difficult to see Jesus—Immanuel—in these promises. He has come to dwell among us, and to join the nations of the world with us as His people! Why are we not so excited, so “aroused” by this promise as to send us forth into the highways and bi-ways of our lives to compel the lost to come in? Is it because we’re captive to our comfort and unwilling to take up the hard work of our mission?

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
I know for certain that I love our four children. I have always wanted what is best for them. And anyone who hurts them hurts me, for they are the apple of my eye. They are cherished persons.

Shakespeare used this term, but it was in the Bible that this phrase was first used figuratively. In Psalm 17.8 the psalmist wrote, “Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me under the shadow of Your wings.”

In Zechariah 2.8 the LORD said: “…he who touches you touches the apple of God’s eye.”

Can you imagine? God feels that way about us.
“For God so loved the world…” (Jn. 3.16).
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us…” (Rom. 5.8).
“…God is love” (1 Jn. 4.8).

And what is our response to being the apple of God’s eye?
“For the love of Christ compels us…” (2 Cor. 5.14).

It compels us to love Him; and make Him the apple of our eye.
“We love Him because He first loved us” (1 Jn. 4.19).
“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make
Our home with him” (Jn. 14.23).

Solomon wrote to his children about the benefits of following his rules for life. We can surely extrapolate this verse to make it our own—how we view God’s Words to us: “Keep my commands and live, and my law as the apple of your eye” (Prov. 7.2).

When His Word is our inheritance and the apple of our eye, we will come closer to serving Him as we long to and as we ought. For we are His beloved children: “the apple of His eye.” Amazing.

For reflection
1. You are the apple of God’s eye. How does that make you feel toward Him?

2. You are the Lord’s inheritance, and He is yours. How should you respond to that?

3. How would you explain to a new believer the role of love for God and obedience to His Word in the life of faith?

Here is a prediction of the coming of Christ in human nature. Many nations in that day would renounce idolatry, and God will own those for his people who join him with purpose of heart. Glorious times are foretold as a prophecy of our Lord’s coming and kingdom. God is about to do something unexpected, and very surprising, and to plead his people’s cause, which had long seemed neglected. Silently submit to his holy will, and patiently wait the event; assured that God will complete all his work. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Zechariah 2.6-13

Pray Psalm 132.11-18.
Pray that the Lord will make His Presence known to and through you today, and that you will seek His Kingdom and righteousness in everything you do.

Sing Psalm 132.11-18.
(Finlandia: Be Still, My Soul)
Remember, Lord, the oath You swore to David. Do not turn back, do not deny Your Word:
“One of your sons, with your throne I will favor, and He shall keep My cov’nant evermore,
and walk within My testimonies ever. Thus He shall ever rule as Israel’s Lord.”

God dwells among us, and He will forever, to meet our needs and clothe us with His grace.
He has to us sent Jesus Christ, our Savior, and made us His eternal resting-place.
His foes are banished from His Presence ever, but we shall reign with Him before His face.

T. M. and Susie Moore

Two books can help us understand our own captivity and lead us to seek revival and renewal in the Lord. The Church Captive asks us to consider the ways the Church today has become captive to the world. And Revived! can help us find the way to renewal. Learn more and order your free copies by clicking here and here.

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (Williston: Waxed Tablet Publications, 2006), available free by clicking here.