Peace, Prosperity and Protection

Zachariah 2:1-13

True peace, prosperity and protection comes only from God. This is the third vision from the book. God remembers hHis promise. God is jealous of His people, and protects them. This third vision is a prophesy of comfort.

Verse 1 - man in red horse is the Messiah, the angel of Jehovah. Zach 6:12 "name is the BRANCH". This is prophetic. Jesus as the son of God, son of man, our Saviour. The measuring line is to measure the city, so as to rebuild the city and the temple. God is our architect of our salvation and life. He will protect and provide for us.

Verse 4 - there will come a time where Jerusalem will be without walls, and have peace. The multiple of men and cattle will stay in this city, there will be prosperity.

Verse 5 - God will be in the midst of his people when He comes again. The wall of fire is for our protection and warmth, similar to the one that protected the Israel people when they come out of Egypt.

Verse 8 - God will protect the apple of His eye. He is jealous and zealous for His people.

Verse 12 - God will still choose Jerusalem even though the people has sinned against Him again and again. Once God has chosen us, He will still choose us again even though He will chastise us for our sins.

We are saved purely by God's grace and we should avoid sinning because we love Him. In return, He will be faithful to provide us with peace, prosperity and protection.

Women of the Reformation - Anna Reinhard Zwingli

Faith, Quiet but Strong as Steel



Ulrich Zwingli, the great forefather of the Reformation, addressed her as his dearest housewife, and such she was, a useful helpmeet in his work. She was a model minister's wife, the foster mother of the poor, and the visitor of the sick. She was called "the apostolic Dorcas." Her care for her husband was greater even than for the parish. She brightened his cares and sympathized with him in his sorrows. When her husband, with the other ministers of Zurich, began translating the Bible (1525) and published it (1529) complete several years before Luther's complete Bible appeared (1534) it was his custom to read to her its proof sheets every evening before retiring. She afterwards spoke of the eager interest she felt in the story of the gospel as it was thus translated into her own Swiss tongue by her husband. When it was published he presented her with a copy of it. The Bible thus became her favorite book.

The most prominent scene in her life, and also the most impressive, is at the time of her husband's death on the battlefield at Cappel. Bullinger says that at the news of that awful defeat there arose in Zurich a loud and horrible cry of lamentation, and tears, bewailing and groaning. But her weeping was greater, her sorrow was deeper. The greater her husband, the greater her grief. She had had sorrows before, but this eclipsed them all. For his death was not her only sorrow then. With her husband there died on the battlefield her bright, beautiful son, Gerold. Nor was this all her sorrow. With her beloved husband and son there lay dead on that battlefield her brother and her brother-in-law, while a son-in-law was wounded unto death. The sadness of death compassed her about in all directions. And then came the news that her husband's body was quartered and burned and its ashes desecrated. Was there ever sorrow like hers? Yes, there was One, of whom the prophet speaks: "Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow." To that Savior from sorrow she went in her sorrow, and He comforted her soul and raised up helpers to her.

Excerpts taken from:
Leban, a Journal of Reformation Life
http://leben.us/index.php/component/content/article/46-issue-01-02/114-anna-reinhard
 

New Year Study - Zechariah

Zechariah 1:1-6

Jehovah Remembers

Zechariah means Jehovah remembers, it is a good name. It is very comforting to know that God remembers us.

Verses 2-4: God remembers to punish His people. He is a holy God; He punishes the evil and the unjust. It should cause fear in our hearts, and yet we should rejoice, for this lead us to holiness. God chose the people of Israel to bless them if they follow Him. Verse 3 - Turn ye unto me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. God will bless so long as the people turn towards Him. However He must punish and judge if the people disobeyed Him (Deut 8). In the history of the kingdom of Israel, the kingdom flourished when there were godly kings to lead the nation to God. The nation declined when they turned away from God.

God will also keep His promise; He sent His words to the nation through His prophets. he promised to restore Israel and He did when He lead His people out of Babylon after 70 year. His prophet Jeremiah had prophesied on God's good word to the nation. God's promise was very precise in the boom of Isaiah, including the number of years and the name of the King that will release the people to go back to their land. This prophesy was delivered 150 years before the events happened.

How can we take God's words lightly? Should we not have the highest regard for His words, and study it diligently?