Zechariah certainly saw some horrible things. The plague that would strike the enemies of
Israel was extreme "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." This plague would
also fall on the horses, the mules, the camels, the donkeys, and whatever
beasts may be in those camps. Not surprisingly a great panic will fall upon
them at this time. After these things,
after the utter defeat and despoliation of their enemies, Jerusalem will become
a place of worship for all nations and those who do not will suffer from their
neglect. Everything in Jerusalem will be
holy to the Lord, there will be no sin, no corruption, no disease there. Zechariah certainly sees in the wealth of the
nations being gathered into the nation after the plagues in a way that echoes the
Exodus and the result being that final, eternal glory will be in the city of
God. All the world will see and know Him
as the one, true, living God.
Jesus weeps over Jerusalem because of what has been, what
might have been, and what will be. They have
acclaimed Him as king but ultimately the day has simply passed away with nothing
more than a memorable parade. What will
be is destruction by her enemies and this is the cause of sadness, but the
future is a result of past and present. All
He can do is cleanse the temple of the moneychangers and sellers of sacrificial
animals as a sign of what they have done to the temple, the House of the
Lord. It was intended that it might be a
house of prayer for all nations but they have, instead, reduced it to nothing
more than yet another way to make money, by overcharging the pilgrims there for
Passover. The people hung on His words and
the leaders plotted to destroy Him. Some
things never change.
Of all that Jesus did, what was the greatest act of
humility? The incarnation itself, the
divine condescension to become like one of us, something He created from dust,
the leftover stuff after all else was created, is a shocking reality. That He gave up His perfect, unbroken
fellowship with the Father that He had enjoyed since before our time began is
an act of love for that creation that should bring us to our knees. That He made Himself subject to the same
things we are subject to, the physical and emotional pain, the temptation to sin,
is breath-taking. That He emptied
Himself of all He might have known in radical dependence on the Father is
amazing. His baptism in identification with
sinners from the start of His ministry caused John the Baptism alarm. His arguing with mere mortals over anything,
particularly interpretation of the Word of God, amusing. His death on the cross, preceded by the
mocking, flogging, cursing, the crown of thorns, the walk of shame to Golgotha,
and the spear thrust into His side, soul-crushing. His greatest act of humility in my mind,
however, is the prayer for those who crucify Him. The love of God is immeasurable and we are
called and equipped by the Holy Spirit to share it with others in utter
humility. Where does Christ weep over
the church today?29 November 2014
Zechariah certainly saw some horrible things. The plague that would strike the enemies of
Israel was extreme "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." This plague would
also fall on the horses, the mules, the camels, the donkeys, and whatever
beasts may be in those camps. Not surprisingly a great panic will fall upon
them at this time. After these things,
after the utter defeat and despoliation of their enemies, Jerusalem will become
a place of worship for all nations and those who do not will suffer from their
neglect. Everything in Jerusalem will be
holy to the Lord, there will be no sin, no corruption, no disease there. Zechariah certainly sees in the wealth of the
nations being gathered into the nation after the plagues in a way that echoes the
Exodus and the result being that final, eternal glory will be in the city of
God. All the world will see and know Him
as the one, true, living God.
Jesus weeps over Jerusalem because of what has been, what
might have been, and what will be. They have
acclaimed Him as king but ultimately the day has simply passed away with nothing
more than a memorable parade. What will
be is destruction by her enemies and this is the cause of sadness, but the
future is a result of past and present. All
He can do is cleanse the temple of the moneychangers and sellers of sacrificial
animals as a sign of what they have done to the temple, the House of the
Lord. It was intended that it might be a
house of prayer for all nations but they have, instead, reduced it to nothing
more than yet another way to make money, by overcharging the pilgrims there for
Passover. The people hung on His words and
the leaders plotted to destroy Him. Some
things never change.
Of all that Jesus did, what was the greatest act of
humility? The incarnation itself, the
divine condescension to become like one of us, something He created from dust,
the leftover stuff after all else was created, is a shocking reality. That He gave up His perfect, unbroken
fellowship with the Father that He had enjoyed since before our time began is
an act of love for that creation that should bring us to our knees. That He made Himself subject to the same
things we are subject to, the physical and emotional pain, the temptation to sin,
is breath-taking. That He emptied
Himself of all He might have known in radical dependence on the Father is
amazing. His baptism in identification with
sinners from the start of His ministry caused John the Baptism alarm. His arguing with mere mortals over anything,
particularly interpretation of the Word of God, amusing. His death on the cross, preceded by the
mocking, flogging, cursing, the crown of thorns, the walk of shame to Golgotha,
and the spear thrust into His side, soul-crushing. His greatest act of humility in my mind,
however, is the prayer for those who crucify Him. The love of God is immeasurable and we are
called and equipped by the Holy Spirit to share it with others in utter
humility. Where does Christ weep over
the church today?
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