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In Philippians, Paul urges the church to “hold onto the truth we have attained.” This means as truth is revealed to us, we must continue to move forward and not lose ground with regard to our spiritual journey. This is where misunderstandings and assumptions can be costly. When we are lazy in our commitment to the Word of God and stray from meeting with Him regularly in prayer, we should not be surprised when life beats us down and steals our joy.
Zechariah 14 is a prophecy that looks ahead to the last days. The reason we know this is because the details do not match with other places in history. For example, when Jerusalem was overthrown by the Romans in 70 A.D. (as predicted by Jesus), the city itself was flattened. The Messiah did not come to their rescue. This is an interesting point to consider.
Israel’s overconfidence in prophecies like this one lured them to believe that Jerusalem could not be destroyed. They failed to take seriously the prophecies that spoke of their Messiah first coming to die.
“This was the type of arrival the Jews in Jesus’ day hoped for. Indeed, when the Roman armies surrounded Jerusalem in 70 A.D. a mistaken assurance from prophecies like this made the Jews utterly confident that the Messiah would return from heaven and wipe out the Roman armies surrounding Jerusalem. They could not see that the Messiah must first be rejected and the nation brought to repentance as Zechariah mentioned in 11:12-13 and 12:10.”
David Guzik
It always comes back to repentance, doesn’t it? Ironically, this is a component of Americanized Gospel presentations that is sometimes left out.
I still remember the first time I publically presented the Gospel to a group of teenagers at Campus Life. Looking back now, my intentions were pure but my obedience was severely lacking. I can’t believe how nervous I was. I put all the pressure on myself to deliver the “right words” that would convince these kids to ask Jesus into their heart. I wanted it to appeal to them so badly that I cut corners in my presentation. I formulated a slick marketing campaign in order to appeal to the masses (something Jesus never did). I didn’t give the full picture, like counting the cost – something I have since repented of. Just like Israel, I took the truth and tweaked it to fit my own agenda.
Ultimately, I am thankful that Jesus stuck with me through my flaws. I am nowhere near the man He wants me to be, but I have come a long way since that time. If you ask me what the difference is between now and then, it all comes back to my relationship. I cannot go a day without studying His Word and meeting with Him in prayer. I have seen the fruit of this time and it is simply non-negotiable.
So, where are you at these days with your relationship? Are you meeting with Him regularly and growing in His Word? Are you watching and tracking His movement in your life as you lift up your prayers high to His throne? In a world where we have options to pick and choose nearly anything that piques our interest, Jesus only comes one way – fully loaded. Are you ready to step into the driver’s seat?