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Each person could be that difference God wants made

 

By REV. LAWRENCE ALTHOUSE
The Bible Speaks 

Aug. 23, 2015

Background Scripture: Zechariah 7:8-14; Isaiah 30:18-26

Devotional Reading: Psalms 147:1-11

Our prophet of last week, Ezekiel, did his prophetic work in the early years of the sixth century B.C.

In 587 B.C.. Nebuchadnezzar II brought his Babylonian armies to Jerusalem, not only to conquer it but also to destroy the sacred Temple, as well as to carry off into Babylonian captivity the cream of Hebrew society that remained after the war.

The decimated Jews wondered if there should ever again be a nation of God’s elect.

In the latter half of that century, however, Cyrus erected the Persian Empire in place of the Babylonian one. It was during his reign in the early 500 B.C.s that permission was gained to rebuild Jerusalem and its temple.

In these days, two men, Haggai and Zechariah, pursued brief careers as prophets. Their ministries and messages were similar, although Zechariah’s prophetic ministry, 520-518 B.C., was longer than Haggai’s.

The content of Zechariah’s message also placed greater emphasis upon the ethical aspect of their religion. It was also broader and contained the more violent and cataclysmic concept of "the Day of the Lord."

It may be helpful to know there were probably two Zechariahs. The first Zechariah produced chapters 1-8; the second, chapters 9-14. The second "Zechariah" may well have been a disciple of the original prophet.

The first Zechariah saw man as God’s agent, whereas the second Zechariah presented the Lord as one who reacts "directly and decisively. I believe both Zechariahs were right: we are called to be God’s agents of change, but He also achieves changes by other means, as when we fail to heed His call.

Getting it ‘right’

 

It appears Zechariah’s ministry as a prophet of the Lord came into being as a result of a deputation sent from Bethel to the religious authorities in Jerusalem. We know it was the year 518 B.C. because Zechariah lists it as "the fourth year of King Darius," the Persian emperor. Specifically, it was the fourth day of the ninth month.

The delegation under the leadership of Sharezer and Regemelech was entrusted with two important matters. First, the delegation was to seek the favor of the Lord, impressing God with their desire to seek His will. They regarded the very act of going to Jerusalem would command the Lord’s attention.

But, second, they were to obtain an answer from Temple officials as to whether, in light of the reconstruction of the Temple that had begun, they should continue to observe a fast to memorialize the destruction of the Temple. The question they carried to Jerusalem seemed simple and just – they wanted to do the right thing. They wanted to please God.

Some Jews were awaiting the dissolution of the Persian Empire by revolt from within. They lived solely to hear news of Persia’s disintegration. This, prophesied Zechariah, is a false hope. Instead of waiting for that to happen, he called them to live and build positively in their time and where they were.

So, what did God want of them? Keeping the old religious acts or perhaps inaugurating some new rites of obeisance? But, "the word of the Lord that came to Zechariah" was not what they had hoped: "Thus says the Lord of hosts: Render true judgment, show kindness and mercy to one another: do not oppress the widow, the orphan, the alien, or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts again to one another" (7:8-10).

Being God’s grace

 

Instead of waiting for other people to do something that would be beneficial, the prophet was telling them THEY needed to do something that would bring people closer to the Lord. And what he wanted them to do was what he had been calling them to do and be for generations: not ceremonial obeisance, not sacrifices in the Temple, but justice and kindness to people in need.

Why does God keep insisting over and over again for justice and acts of kindness to those in need? Maybe it is because this one thing He puts at the top of the list is the very thing we want least to do? How could God make His will any plainer and how could they/we possibly misunderstand and ignore His will?

I think God keeps saying the same thing over and over because we are so resistant to do that which is at the top of His list. That was the message He continually gave His priests and prophets. And when He sent Jesus to be His voice on earth, that is what Jesus said again and again: to the rich young man who questioned him about obtaining "eternal life" – "You lack one thing; go sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."

When Jesus speaks of helping the poor, note that he never says "the deserving poor." If we want God’s grace, we must be ready to give God’s grace to others.

So, when Zechariah told his people not to wait for someone else to do something to change the situation, I think he was also speaking to us. Some Christians are waiting for the Second Coming of Christ to change the world. We do not have access to God’s mind to know when that fulfillment may come.

But we have our neighbors, the poor, the victims of injustice (or justice too expensive to obtain), and if anything is going to change this world for the better, we must be willing to be used for His purposes. If you want the world changed, you must be willing to do your part.

The difference God wants may be the difference you can give to Him.

 

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World.

8/20/2015