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| Day 68 |
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Now it starts to get good...jk.
The last four chapters of Zechariah are mostly a mystery to me, I'll admit it, but there are definitely a lot of references to Christ that I am not quite sure how to put into context with what He did. Maybe someone out there can explain it to me. Here are some verses: 11:12 And I said unto them, If ye think good, give [me] my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty [pieces] of silver.
I know this refers to Jesus being betrayed for that amount of money but how does Jesus' betrayal fit with Zechariah 11?
13:7 Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man [that is] my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.
I know that this is a reference to Jesus' crucifixion, but how does it fit with Zechariah 13?
I look forward to reading what you think :)
The book of Malachi is not quite as hard to understand as the book of Zechariah (Whew!) The book of Malachi deals mostly with God's rebuke of the way His people are worshipping Him. It goes from sacrifice (acts of worship), to public instruction from the priests (preaching?), to daily living. He begins with the priests and goes outward from there. The priests (spiritual leaders...pastors?) are offering unworthy sacrifices to God. 1:8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, [is it] not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, [is it] not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.
He then moves on to the teaching that these priests were doing. 2:7 For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he [is] the messenger of the LORD of hosts. 2:8 But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. The priests (pastors) were supposed to be the "go to" guys on spiritual matters, but because of their vain sacrifices and their constant rebellion they could not faithfully preach the word of God to those who came to them. They didn't know how to shepherd the flock any more. So what happens? It affects the people. Malachi first points out corporate sin and then moves to individual sin. 2:10 Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers? 2:11 Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.
corporate 2:13 And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth [it] with good will at your hand. 2:14 Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet [is] she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.
individual.
All of this stems from the leadership not being right before God and leading their flocks down the paths of unrighteousness. I hope that the church will heed the example that God has set forth in His word and turn from the path she is on.
In chapters 3 and 4 of Malachi there are a couple of references to Christ and John the Baptist. In chapter 3 verse 1 we have a reference to both of them and in chapter 4 verse 5 we have a reference to John. The interesting thing to me about both of these is that in both places these verses are concerned with coming judgement. What do you think about this? Read these two chapters and tell me what you think. Don't worry...they're short :)
And now...drum roll please...The New Testament!!!!!(wild cheering...but not too wild) This is what we have been waiting for. The fulfillment of all of those Old Testament prophecies is upon us. The great and glorious day of the Lord has arrived. The reason for Abraham's faith is here. He has arrived and His name is Jesus (Hallelu Jah!). All that has gone before was to point us to Him!(wild cheering...this time really wild!)
Okay...deep breaths. The New Testament begins with the gospel of Matthew. Matthew begins His gospel by establishing Jesus' rightful claim to the throne of David. Jesus' lineage definitely has some eye-catching names. The first two chapters are about the birth and very early childhood of Jesus. In verse 21 of chapter 1 we have probably the coolest promise about Jesus 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Wow!! I am about to get carried away again :) Does that not make you want to shout for joy? I am His and He is mine!
In chapter 3 we get to the preaching of John the Baptist. 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
What is important here was not that they agree that everyone should confess their sins and live righteously before God, but that they actually live it. It does them no good to come to John and be baptized and confess their sins if they don't change the way they live. Bear fruits of repentance!
In chapter 4 we have the temptaion of Jesus and the calling of the first disciples. I think that verse 2 is kinda funny. 4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
In Jesus' temptation we see that Satan will twist scripture to try to mislead us. Verse 6 was fulfilled but not in the way that Satan would have liked. The fulfillment of this passage meant that Satan had been defeated. He would much rather have Jesus give in to His twisting of scripture than to be defeated for all eternity.
Sorry this got so long...I got excited :)
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| February 06, 2008 |
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The first time I read through the Bible (last year), I spent so much time in the OT that I had forsaken NT reading. By the time I got to the NT, I felt rather Jewish, and I felt a tremendous sense of prophecy fulfilled and God's plan moving forward. It was like watching the downward spiral in the first three episodes of Star Wars, and then the first glimmer of hope in Episode IV with Luke Skywalker, which leads to the triumphal banishment of the Empire and reestablishment of the Republic in Episode VI. Yeah, sorry about geeking out there. |
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