Psalm 41, 52; Zech. 1:7-17; Rev. 1:4-20; Matt. 12:43-50
Zechariah sees a vision of first a man on a red horse, a symbol of war and the sword and then other horses, presumably with riders of their own. The prophet inquires who are these and is told that they are those who patrol the earth and they have found the rest of the earth at peace. The angel of the Lord, not the prophet, cries out to the Lord for justice for Jerusalem, how can it be that all the nations of the earth are at peace and Jerusalem and God’s chosen people are not. They are rebuilding both the city and the temple which were in ruins, a depressing state particularly when the rest of the world is resting and at peace. The Lord gives assurance that the time is coming when His people will enjoy peace and prosperity, He is angry with the nations, the nation remains His chosen people and He will give them justice.
Jesus gives no comfort to the people of His own day, things will only get worse for them, they are an evil generation. When His mother and brothers come, Jesus says that those who does the will of the Father are His mother and brothers and sisters. In the Kenyan liturgy we use on Sundays in our worship, we say that we await the coming of our brother, Jesus. It makes some people uncomfortable to use that language because it feels wrong to presume to such a relationship that feels more like equals. It makes me uncomfortable also, even though it is Biblical language. The reality is that He is the perfect older brother of the one God and Father of us all. He is the only begotten Son of the Father but He gives us the right to be children of that Father as well. Now, we have to be busy with doing the will of the Father as our brother has done if we are truly children of the Father.
Like Zechariah, John sees a vision but his vision is not of the spirits sent out to patrol the earth. John sees the glorified Jesus and is truly in awe and reacts the only possible way he could to this vision, he falls at the feet of Jesus as though dead. If this is the same John the beloved disciple, then this reaction is amazing. He lived with Jesus as a brother and teacher for three years, spoke with Him, ate with Him, requested that he and his brother James be at His right and left in the kingdom. Now, seeing Jesus in all His glory, undimmed in any way by the earthly body, John worships and fears. A popular worship song wonders what will be our reaction to Jesus, Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel, Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still, Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall, Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all. I believe this passage tells us the answer to those questions. Our first reaction will be to fall to our knees and wait for Him to tell us to rise and then we will primarily listen a while.
God Himself is with us: Hear the harps resounding!
See the crowds the throne surrounding!
“Holy, holy, holy,” hear the hymn ascending,
Angels, saints, their voices blending!
Bow Thine ear to us here: Hear, O Christ, the praises
That Thy church now raises.
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