[NOTE: For those who are continuing the 1-year Bible reading plan we started on April 1, 2018, just go to the end of this entry and you will find the Day 284 – Zechariah 1-4; John 8 summary!]
In Genesis 27-30, Jacob is the “star.” At least Jacob is center stage in these chapters. The account of Jacob deceiving Isaac and taking Esau’s blessing makes me wonder, “Why did God choose Jacob instead of Esau?” While, Jacob was only following Rebekah’s instruction when he went to his father and deceived Isaac into giving him Esau’s blessing, even that shows us Jacob’s weakness of character. The chief lesson we learn here is God doesn’t choose us for our character, goodness, or integrity. God chooses us because He does! After God chooses us, He works on our character, goodness and integrity. Sin broke us all. When Adam and Eve rebelled against God, the nature of rebellion became part of us. We are born with a me first attitude. Jacob exhibited that attitude as much as any character in the Bible. Even so, God blessed Him, and used Him to fulfill His promise to Abraham and giving Him many descendants.
While Abraham contributed only one son, Isaac, to the promise; and Isaac contributed two sons, only one of whom, would be considered part of the completion of the promise–Jacob; Jacob would eventually contribute twelve sons. Those twelve sons would become the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel. As we will see as the book of Genesis continues to unfold and we move to Exodus, it was the descendants of Jacob who multiplied and became a nation. The process took about 400 years, but God always keeps His promises, and thankfully, He uses ordinary, imperfect people in the process. We don’t have to wonder why. Ordinary, imperfect people are all God has had to work with ever since Adam and Eve rebelled against Him.
Mark 8 offers several important encounters between Jesus and others, but the most important of all is His encounter with His own disciples, when He asked them who people were saying He was. Peter’s response that Jesus was the Messiah marked the turning point in Jesus’ ministry. Everything in Mark’s gospel led up to that moment, and in the remaining eight chapters, Jesus walked into His destiny of dying on the cross to pay the penalty for human sin and rising from the dead to demonstrate His victory over sin and death. While we are reading only one chapter of Mark each day, it is important for us to see how each chapter fits into the bigger picture of God’s plan for the redemption of humanity.
In the even bigger picture, one of Jacob’s sons, Judah, provided the human lineage for Jesus. As we read through the Bible during this year, we will see time and again how God’s great plan is lived out in simple events, including the births of particular people at just the right time. You and I were also born at just the right time to fulfill the plan God has for us. the next time you’re thinking you don’t matter all that much, remember that!
Day 284 – Zechariah 1-4; John 8
Today we turn to the Book of the Prophet Zechariah. He also ministered during the time of the return of the exiles from Babylon, (or Persia, because they had overtaken the Babylonians by this time. While Zechariah condemns the Israelites for their lack of faithfulness, he also prophesies the people’s return, and ultimately the coming of the Messiah!
Zechariah 1 begins with a call to return to the LORD. Darius has become king, replacing the Babylonians, and the seventy-year period of exile is coming to an end. As the chapter continues, we read a vision of angelic horsemen who have been traveling over the earth and seeing the other nations at rest. The LORD tells them, those nations will be punished for their part in Israel’s continued exile. Next, comes a vision of four horns and four craftsmen. The horns “scattered” Israel, Judah and Jerusalem. The craftsmen came to eliminate the horns’ power.
Zechariah 2 consists of a man with a “measuring line,” who is told to measure Jerusalem. The good news for the people of Israel is Jerusalem is going to become a city without borders, and the LORD Himself will put a wall of flame around it to protect it. Remember: This is a vision. It doesn’t mean a literal wall of flame necessarily. It simply means Israel will have no enemies able to come against it.
Zechariah 3 offers an amazing vision of Joshua the high priest who is accompanied by an angel and Satan. Satan, of course, is there to accuse, while the angel is told to put pure vestments on Joshua. Joshua is promised he will rule over the people, and that the LORD will send “The Branch,” which is an image for Jesus, to rule the people. This is more good news for Israel.
Zechariah 4’s vision is even greater for Israel, as it shows a golden lampstand, and two olive trees, which it turns out to be a promise that Zerubbabel, who laid the foundations for Jerusalem and the Temple will also finish it. He is promised that it will not be by his power or might, but by the Spirit of the LORD that this will be accomplished. The hope of the people who heard this prophecy must have soared.
As we turn to John 8, we read one of the most poignant accounts in Jesus’ ministry. The religious leaders once again wanting to trap Jesus, bring a woman caught in adultery to ask Jesus what judgment ought to be carried out against her. They assumed they had Jesus, because if He said to carry out the judgment the Law of Moses required–death, they could accuse Him of being unmerciful, but if He said to let her go, they could accuse Him of disobedience to the Law. Jesus had a different response: go ahead and stone her…but the one who is without sin cast the first stone. That led to the religious leaders departing one by one, until only the woman was left. Jesus turned to her and asked where her accusers were? She responded that none were left. Jesus said He didn’t condemn her either, but to go and sin no more. What a powerful message: no condemnation, but a call to go and lead a new life! The remainder of the chapter is another all-out battle between Jesus and the religious leader. Jesus proclaims Himself the light of the world. The religious leaders deny that and challenge Him. Jesus responds that if they knew the truth it would set them free. Those were fighting words, because the religious leaders assumed they knew the truth. Jesus ultimately told them they were children of their father, the devil. The last and most telling statement Jesus makes in the chapter is “Before Abraham was, I am.” The “I am” reference here, is to claim the name of God: Yahweh – I am. Without any doubt, Jesus marked Himself for death with that statement. No human being could claim to be God, which is what He had done. The religious leaders would do whatever it took to see Jesus eliminated. Please, understand: Jesus isGod, but because the Jewish leaders wouldn’t accept this truth, they path to the cross was becoming more certain all the time.