Greetings to you all greatly beloved of God in Christ Jesus. Welcome to another wonderful day. We are thankful to God for preserving our lives each new day and for blessing us with all spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus.
In our today’s episode 629, we shall be examining the book of Zechariah Chapter 8 titled:
To Man, This May Appear Impossible But To God, Nothing Shall Be Impossible
This was the statement God made to Prophet Zechariah when he received another message as part of the answers he provided for the delegates sent to him to ask question about fasting in Chapter 7.
So, consider today’s message as a continuation of the four sermons produced from the answers Zechariah gave to the Israelites through their delegates. We have dealt with two already in the previous chapter 7.
After he had rebuked them in chapter 7, he soft pedalled this time around in chapter 8 and revealed to them the mind of God concerning Jerusalem – God has promised restoration for His people. Although the way he presented it appeared impossible, but who can question God when He is ready to perform His wonders on earth? Absolutely, no one.
This is why told the Israelites in verse 2 that God had longed to help Jerusalem because of His deep love for her people.
Jerusalem will again be regarded as and known as a holy, faithful city and a sacred hill. This restoration will be so obvious that the streets will again be full of children playing with one another, while the older people will be enjoying themselves in their old age.
The people will be rescued from the lands where they have been taken, and they will be brought back from every corner of the earth back to live in Jerusalem. They will again be called God’s people, and God will be their God, ruling over them faithfully and justly.
To some people, this may seem impossible given the fact that Jerusalem was already a ruined city but with God, nothing shall be impossible.
As a matter of fact, this same message was relayed to them in the beginning at the time the foundation was being laid for the rebuilding of the Temple.
During that time, the economy was down. There was a very high level of insecurity – enemies were attacking them from every corner to the point that many people died in the process. All these were caused by their disobedience.
But then, in situations like that God had always been having some remnants.
So, the promise of God is coming to these survivors that this time around, they will plant their crops in peace. Their vines will bear grapes, the earth will produce crops, and there will be plenty of rain. God will give all these blessings to those who have survived.
You can imagine in the past when these people were still facing their period of challenges and devastation, the foreigners were seen cursing one another by saying, ‘May the same disasters fall on you that fell on Judah and Israel!’ Can you imagine?
But God in His infinite mercy has promised to turn their situation around to the point that even foreigners who were using them to curse before, will start using their situation to bless one another. They will now be saying: ‘May you receive the same blessings that came to Judah and Israel!’
It’s funny right?
Yeah, that is exactly what happens to those who have received Christ – to every believer. In the past, the devil has been ravaging the life of every sinner – those without God. But the moment they believe the Gospel and become born again, their situation becomes turned around spiritually which then reflects in other areas of their lives positively.
In the final section of Zechariah’s Sermon, he gave them the following notes:
He enjoined them to be courageous and not to be afraid.
He advised them to speak the truth always to one another
He advised them to give real justice in the courts of law — the kind that brings peace.
He warned them not to plan on harming one another.
He warned them not to give false testimonies under oath, because God hates lying, injustice, and violence.
He advised them that all the fasting they have been observing in the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months will become festivals of joy and gladness for the people of Judah and that they must love truth and peace. They must not fast hypocritically any longer. Their fasting should be a true fast acceptable unto the Lord.
Religious activities should be pro life and not against life. Please James 1:27
He then assured them this:
20 The Lord Almighty says, “The time is coming when people from many cities will come to Jerusalem.
21 Those from one city will say to those from another, ‘We are going to worship the Lord Almighty and pray for his blessing. Come with us!’
22 Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to worship the Lord Almighty and to pray for his blessing. 23 In those days ten foreigners will come to one Jew and say, ‘We want to share in your destiny, because we have heard that God is with you.’”
To be continued…stay tuned and stay blessed.
Let’s pray:
I want to pray with some people that are sick right now. I declare you are healed in your cell, tissue, organ and in every system of your body, in Jesus name.
Remember that God has made you a beneficiary of divine health through the stripes that were laid on Jesus Christ. Through Jesus Christ, you have a right standing with God to have direct access to Him to claim your right as God’s child. I declare begin to enjoy all the dividends of redemption for your life in Jesus name.
I declare you have peace with peace with God. You are prosperous, because God will never withhold anything good from you. Enjoy the new year in peace and harmony.
The Word of God that I have declared concerning your life be now, begin to find physical expression in your life and transform you into the original image God has designed you to be according to His Word.
Bible Readings For Today: Book of Genesis Chapters 12 & 13 with Psalm 5
I call you blessed now and always.
Tuesday January 05, 2021 (DDMI)
