Zachariah 13:1-9, 14:1-21
And on that day there shall be inscribed on the bells of the horses, “Holy to the Lord.” – Zachariah 14:20a
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History tells us that the Israelites, due to their stubbornness, disregarded God’s grace and refused to be set apart for the Lord who redeemed them. Their reliance on various false gods led to the destruction of their homes and nation, and their exile to foreign lands. The lament of the Israelites in Psalm 137 gives us a glimpse into the profound sorrow they experienced during their exile in Babylon. “By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion……For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” (Psalm 137:1, 3)
It was this painful, humiliating experience that awakened the Israelites to begin cherishing their identity as God’s chosen people. The merciful and gracious God allowed the Israelites to return to the Promised Land and restore their worship of the LORD God. However, through the prophet Zechariah, God told the remnant of Israel that His plan of redemption far exceeded all this. God will fight for them, and He will be King over all the earth. At that time, not only will the people of Israel be consecrated to the Lord, but the whole earth will be consecrated to the Lord. (14:20-21)
The LORD of Hosts says, “And on that day, declares the LORD of hosts, I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, so that they shall be remembered no more. And also I will remove from the land the prophets and the spirit of uncleanness” (13:2). The first step in God’s self-revelation is to expose sin. “I will cut off the names of the idols from the land,” so that people will no longer attribute supernatural power to certain things and worship them as “gods.” Brothers and sisters, have you ever heard of or encountered similar situations? People attribute certain circumstances to certain things and treat those things as “gods”? A phrase like “very powerful” is enough to label something as “god.” Yet, the true God is pushed far away.
God refines His people through suffering and trials until they humble themselves and call upon the name of the LORD, acknowledging that the LORD is their God (13:9). They once again accept the LORD as the one true God, their Creator and Redeemer, and pledge absolute loyalty to Him; they will obey the LORD’s commandments, worship Him, and live according to God’s standards. They will consecrate themselves to the LORD. This is precisely what Leviticus 27:28 states.
The phrase “Holy to the Lord” declares God’s ultimate ownership of the Israelites. Israel no longer belongs to this world. The values of this world are not their highest standard of living. They find their existence and meaning in life by following God’s Word. Their lifestyle and orientation are entirely different from those of the world! Every action and decision they make centres on the LORD, who redeemed them! —And so should we!
Prayer:
Abba Father, thank You for Your call! The sincerity of our commitment to being “Holy to the LORD” is reflected in every aspect of our lives. Please help us to practice this with all our hearts and minds. In the victorious name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
Click to read
History tells us that the Israelites, due to their stubbornness, disregarded God’s grace and refused to be set apart for the Lord who redeemed them. Their reliance on various false gods led to the destruction of their homes and nation, and their exile to foreign lands. The lament of the Israelites in Psalm 137 gives us a glimpse into the profound sorrow they experienced during their exile in Babylon. “By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion……For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” (Psalm 137:1, 3)
It was this painful, humiliating experience that awakened the Israelites to begin cherishing their identity as God’s chosen people. The merciful and gracious God allowed the Israelites to return to the Promised Land and restore their worship of the LORD God. However, through the prophet Zechariah, God told the remnant of Israel that His plan of redemption far exceeded all this. God will fight for them, and He will be King over all the earth. At that time, not only will the people of Israel be consecrated to the Lord, but the whole earth will be consecrated to the Lord. (14:20-21)
The LORD of Hosts says, “And on that day, declares the LORD of hosts, I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, so that they shall be remembered no more. And also I will remove from the land the prophets and the spirit of uncleanness” (13:2). The first step in God’s self-revelation is to expose sin. “I will cut off the names of the idols from the land,” so that people will no longer attribute supernatural power to certain things and worship them as “gods.” Brothers and sisters, have you ever heard of or encountered similar situations? People attribute certain circumstances to certain things and treat those things as “gods”? A phrase like “very powerful” is enough to label something as “god.” Yet, the true God is pushed far away.
God refines His people through suffering and trials until they humble themselves and call upon the name of the LORD, acknowledging that the LORD is their God (13:9). They once again accept the LORD as the one true God, their Creator and Redeemer, and pledge absolute loyalty to Him; they will obey the LORD’s commandments, worship Him, and live according to God’s standards. They will consecrate themselves to the LORD. This is precisely what Leviticus 27:28 states.
The phrase “Holy to the Lord” declares God’s ultimate ownership of the Israelites. Israel no longer belongs to this world. The values of this world are not their highest standard of living. They find their existence and meaning in life by following God’s Word. Their lifestyle and orientation are entirely different from those of the world! Every action and decision they make centres on the LORD, who redeemed them! —And so should we!
Prayer:
Abba Father, thank You for Your call! The sincerity of our commitment to being “Holy to the LORD” is reflected in every aspect of our lives. Please help us to practice this with all our hearts and minds. In the victorious name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.