December 12, 2011
Central Truth
As Christians, we live in anticipation for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to establish His kingdom as promised in Scripture.
And the LORD will be king over all the earth; in that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one. (Zechariah 14:9)
1 Behold, a day is coming for the LORD, when the spoil taken from you will be divided in your midst. 2 For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women raped. Half of the city shall go out into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 3 Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. 4 On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward. 5 And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. 1 14:5 Other Hebrew manuscripts you
6 On that day there shall be no light, cold, or frost. 2 14:6 Compare Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate, Targum; the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain 7 And there shall be a unique 3 14:7 Hebrew one day, which is known to the LORD, neither day nor night, but at evening time there shall be light.
8 On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea 4 14:8 That is, the Dead Sea and half of them to the western sea. 5 14:8 That is, the Mediterranean Sea It shall continue in summer as in winter.
9 And the LORD will be king over all the earth. On that day the LORD will be one and his name one.
10 The whole land shall be turned into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. But Jerusalem shall remain aloft on its site from the Gate of Benjamin to the place of the former gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king's winepresses. 11 And it shall be inhabited, for there shall never again be a decree of utter destruction. 6 14:11 The Hebrew term rendered decree of utter destruction refers to things devoted (or set apart) to the Lord (or by the Lord) for destruction Jerusalem shall dwell in security.
12 And this shall be the plague with which the LORD will strike all the peoples that wage war against Jerusalem: their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths.
13 And on that day a great panic from the LORD shall fall on them, so that each will seize the hand of another, and the hand of the one will be raised against the hand of the other. 14 Even Judah will fight at Jerusalem. 7 14:14 Or against Jerusalem And the wealth of all the surrounding nations shall be collected, gold, silver, and garments in great abundance. 15 And a plague like this plague shall fall on the horses, the mules, the camels, the donkeys, and whatever beasts may be in those camps.
16 Then everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Booths. 17 And if any of the families of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, there will be no rain on them. 18 And if the family of Egypt does not go up and present themselves, then on them there shall be no rain; 8 14:18 Hebrew lacks rain there shall be the plague with which the LORD afflicts the nations that do not go up to keep the Feast of Booths. 19 This shall be the punishment to Egypt and the punishment to all the nations that do not go up to keep the Feast of Booths.
20 And on that day there shall be inscribed on the bells of the horses, “Holy to the LORD.” And the pots in the house of the LORD shall be as the bowls before the altar. 21 And every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holy to the LORD of hosts, so that all who sacrifice may come and take of them and boil the meat of the sacrifice in them. And there shall no longer be a trader 9 14:21 Or Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts on that day.
Imagine this morning as you prepare for another day, just as you did yesterday and the day before: It's an ordinary day until you arrive at your favorite restaurant for lunch. As you begin to eat, you notice all the people in the restaurant are startled by a sight in the sky. As you look, you see an extraordinary event taking place. The sky rips open, and you see a blinding light so brilliant that the sun fades in comparison. Once again, Christ enters our world . . . except this time, not as a lamb for the slaughter, but as the Lion of Judah. The King returns.
When I sit down to write a song, I must always begin with the end of the song in mind -- the final cadence, the final resolution. No matter where I decide to take the melody, high, low, loud, soft, fast, or slow, it is the story line that leads the listener on a journey building in anticipation to the end. The same concept applies to an author writing a book or a film director creating an award-winning film.
God, the Songwriter of life, loves us so much that He reveals the end of His symphonic masterpiece, Christ's return. He gives us complete freedom to write the melody of our lives. God chose us (John 15:16, 1 Peter 2:9-10) and desires that we write our lifesong in Him, glorifying Him as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1) and alert in anticipating Christ's return (Matthew 24:42).
Journeying through life and deciding the melody of my lifesong, I am convicted by the Holy Spirit when reflecting on the Second Coming. Am I keeping my "behavior excellent" (1 Peter 2:12) at this moment? Am I living in humility so that I can be used by God? Am I sharing the gospel with the lost, serving those in need, and pouring into other believers? Or am I living for myself, pursuing my dreams and ambitions, building my kingdom?
As the songwriter for your lifesong, is the melody of your lifesong glorifying God at this moment?
1. How has the Holy Spirit convicted you in the way you are currently living? What needs to change?
2. How has your perspective changed in light of Christ's inevitable return?
3. Who in your sphere of influence does not have a personal relationship with Christ and will be left in the dark when He returns? When can you share the Gospel with them and begin discipleship? (Matthew 28: 18-20)
WEEKLY FAMILY ACTIVITY
ZECHARIAH 14-MALACHI 4 (DECEMBER 12-16)
Read Malachi 3:16-18.
Whose names are written on the scroll? What does it mean to fear God? What does it mean to honor the name of the Lord?
What does verse 17 call those who are written on the scroll?
Read 1 Peter 2:9 (NLT).
How can you be a part of God's people? How does someone care for a treasured possession? How does it make you feel knowing that God cares for His people this way?
ACTIVITY: Let's make scrolls! Fold a piece of paper long ways and cut it along the fold. Gather sticks from the yard and glue one on each end. Then roll the paper from both ends to meet in the middle. Now open the scroll and write on it the names of people you know have trusted Jesus and are a part of His people. Celebrate their relationship with Jesus -- the great joy it is to be in relationship with Him.
Now get another piece of paper and write on it the names of people who you think are not a part of God's people. Keep this as a reminder to pray for them to come to trust Jesus as their Savior. Also, think about a way as a family that you can reach out to them to share about God's love. If they do accept Jesus, add them to your scroll!