Zechariah 14:9 And the LORD will be King over all the earth; on that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one.
Zechariah wrote his book to the Jewish people who had been in exile in Babylonia (later Persia) and were returning to their own country. Zechariah is trying to get the people to rebuild the Temple, but they are looking at their problems. He tells them of several of his dreams in which in the last set of dreams he speaks of the Messiah would ride a donkey into Jerusalem. He then said the Messiah would be a shepherd to God’s people, but God’s people would reject him. This book was written 500 years before the birth of Jesus.
In the last chapter, Zechariah said that God will battle with enemies of Jerusalem. When the battle is won Light will be present both day and night… There will be a river of living water that will flow from Jerusalem into the world. Jesus said, “I am the Light.” Jesus said, “I am the Living water.”
Zechariah then adds that the Lord will be King over all the Earth and He will be the only King, and His name the only one to have that Name. No one else would be king of this world.
This is obviously a prophecy of the coming of Christ when he speaks of him riding into Jerusalem on a donkey and being the Shepherd who is rejected. It is also obviously a prophecy of Christ’s return.
Prophecies are interesting because they are often looked at and thrown away by people until they happen. Then they look at what the word says, and go, wait a minute…didn’t the Bible say this was to happen. Today most people reject prophecies that deal with the end times. They say that was written to people who did not have science, but that is our snobbery speaking. We are no different than those people back there. They didn’t believe those words that God sent to the prophets either. I mean there is Jesus telling the parable of the Good Shepherd. Those in power didn’t believe. Surely, God didn’t send this man. They rejected him. Jesus wrote the donkey into Jerusalem on one Sunday and before the week was out, they killed Jesus. They rejected him. By the next Sunday Jesus rose from the dead. The Apostles spoke the good news knowing that they would probably die horrid deaths, and yet they did it anyway…. And Those who refused to believe in the Good News that they were preaching, rejected Christ again, and yet others kept having faith in Him.
I have no doubt that Christ will come again. It was a promise God made five hundred years before Jesus was born on this earth. God keeps His promises. I may not be here when He returns, but I do know that I will be celebrating His return to earth in heaven. Many will reject this idea including many who practice the Christian religion. That is not faith, that is a religion. Faith is trusting God’s promises to us knowing those promises will be fulfilled.
What does this verse mean for us?
We need to trust God for He is the ruler of everything. We need to know that he keeps his promises… did not Jesus come as Zechariah said he would as a Shepherd who was rejected and also riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. That is true, and so will He keep His promise that Christ will return. Until that time that Christ does return-whether it is in our generation or in some future generation- we need to pray for those who are not saved that we love because we all know people who have not given over the lives to Christ. We need to live our lives as God intended us to live them… giving acts of love like kindness and patience with every person we meet. Leave the judgements to God.
As for me I add, Marantha- Come quickly Lord.
Today’s Question:
Are you living your life as a witness for Christ?
Ever In Christ’s Love,
Mary Elizabeth Todd
February 21, 2024 & June 17, 2024
Ruhamah United Methodist Church Bible Verses 