Commuter Bible

Zechariah prophesies that judgment is coming for Zion’s enemies, but in a surprising reversal after their punishment, God will call them to be a part of his people as a remnant. Later, Zion is called to rejoice, for their king is coming. He is described as being victorious, righteous and humble all at once, even riding a donkey instead of a mule as was customary for kings. The Lord promises to restore his people and defend them from their enemies. Finally, Zechariah takes on the role of a shepherd of those sheep who were raised for purpose of being slaughtered as a symbolic parallel, for the shepherds had not cared for them; they only used them for personal gain.

We’re picking up where we left off in the collection of visions that Zechariah saw, today looking at visions six, seven and eight. The vision of the flying scroll is an indication that God’s just law is about to be executed in the land. Wickedness is personified as a woman who is taken captive and sent away to Babylon to be worshiped. The eighth vision, like the first, includes four horses who patrol the earth, signifying God’s sovereignty over all creation. After this Zechariah addresses questions of fasting and declares that a day of fruitfulness and feasting is coming for those who seek the Lord.

The prophet Zechariah was a contemporary of the prophet Haggai; both prophesy to those exiles returning to Jerusalem, but while Haggai focuses mainly on rebuilding the temple, Zechariah additionally sees visions of a future king. As such is the case, the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John incorporate more passages from Zechariah than from any other prophet. In today’s reading, Zechariah prophesies through night visions; we’ll cover 5 out of 8 of them in this episode. One is of horsemen that patrol the world, another of horns and craftsmen, another of a man who surveys and measures Jerusalem, a fourth of the high priest Joshua and a servant called the Branch, and a fifth of a gold lampstand.

Haggai served as a prophet to the people of Jerusalem who had returned from exile. While they were busy trying to establish their own households they had neglected the house of God. Haggai encourages his fellow Judahites to consider their ways and make the Lord a higher priority. Later, in 2 Peter, the apostle Peter writes to the church to warn them against false teachers who claim Christ but in reality are self-glorifying and treacherous. Peter encourages the church to patiently await Christ’s second coming, for the judgment of the wicked is sure.

Like Jonah before him, the prophet Nahum preaches devastation and ruin for Ninevah, the capital of Assyria, a place of unparalleled power and wealth. Though they thought themselves to be secure from danger, their downfall came after nearby rivers flooded the city and destroyed part of the city wall, allowing Babylon to enter easily and set it ablaze. Later in Habakkuk, the prophet of the same name is recorded speaking to the Lord on behalf of his people. He openly and honestly struggles with understanding why God would allow injustice to prevail. By his conversation with the Lord, we are reminded of the sovereign power and authority of God, who calls the righteous to live by faith.

The prophet Zephaniah extends an urgent invitation to seek the Lord and only the Lord. Even the priests in the house of the Lord were worshipping other gods. The day of the Lord is approaching to eliminate those who rebel against the Lord, but in His grace, he will leave a meek and humble remnant. Later, in 2 Thessalonians, Paul writes to the church concerning how they should live in light of Christ’s impending return. Rather than live idle lives, they are encouraged to work until that day comes, giving glory to God by loving each other well and committing themselves to faithful obedience.

As we finish out the second half of the book of Micah, we’ll immediately see another crystal clear prophecy; this one predicts that the coming Messiah will be born in Bethlehem, a small town that was unlikely to have anything significant take place within it’s bounds. God promises that one day he will remove earthly and idolatrous occupations that keep his people from worshipping him rightly, asserting that nations who have not obeyed him will receive his anger and wrath. Finally, Micah looks past the coming destruction of Israel to declare the future hope of redemption for those who repent from their sin and serve the Lord.

Given the time frame established by the prophet himself, Micah’s prophecies are astoundingly clear and accurate, as he clearly pronounces the fall of Samaria, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the coming captivity in Babylon. The people had grown comfortable in religious activity but they were excusing sin and denying the possibility of judgment. He urges God’s people to consider the nature and character of God Himself, and in so doing, they ought to repent in light of his justice and holiness.

Joel is one of the shortest books of the Old Testament and is divided in two parts. The first half describes a plague of locusts that invade the land and destroy the land’s produce, threatening the survival of animals, people, and even grain offerings before the Lord. That section ends with a plea for God’s people to confess their sins, transitioning to the second half of the book, which contains promises of the Lord to restore and rebuild his people and the land. Interpreters debate about the relationship between the locusts and the army; is the army an army of locusts, or is Joel calling the people of the army locusts? Or maybe both interpretations are correct. Regardless, the promises of God to restore repentant people resound with hope and joy.

On his second missionary journey recorded in Acts, Paul stopped in the port city of Thessalonica, preached in the synagogue, and a church formed in the city. In just a few short weeks, a riot began, and Paul was forced to leave the fledgling church body. Here in today’s passage, Paul attempts to answer some unresolved questions that they have covering an array of topics. Though they had some misunderstandings, overall, they appear to be a faithful, God-fearing church, laboring side-by-side while looking for the Lord’s return.