Read 1 Chronicles 15, Zechariah 8, and John 21.
This devotional is about Zechariah 8.
Are you the only Christian in your family? In your neighborhood? In your workplace?
Maybe your answer to all three of these questions is, “No.” If so, you are a blessed person to have so many other believers in your life. You also live in a small neighborhood, I guess.
But most of us are in a Christian minority in most areas of life, maybe in all areas of your life. It is hard to imagine living in a place where nearly everyone is a believer and where people from other countries are begging you to lead them to the Lord. But that is exactly what God promised here in Zechariah 8. In verse 23 we read, “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, “Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.”‘” Can you imagine traveling abroad and having ten people ask you to show them how to worship the One True God, YHWH? it seems impossible, but that’s what God promised here in Zechariah 8. So, let’s take a closer look at this chapter.
It opens in verse one with, “The word of the LORD Almighty came to me.” Everything in the Bible is “the word of the LORD Almighty” but Zechariah is telling us here that he received a prophetic oracle from YHWH God himself.
And, what was God’s message? First, it focused on Jerusalem. Eight times YHWH God directly mentioned Jerusalem or Zion in this passage. So God’s message here is that Jerusalem will play a big role in God’s plans for the future. In fact, you would be correct to say that Jerusalem is the geographic center of God’s plans for the future.
Because Jerusalem was going to play a key role in the future God prophesied, he encouraged the Jewish people returning to Jerusalem to keep rebuilding it. We read about that in verse 8. Specifically, God wanted his returning Jewish people to rebuild the temple. Verse 9 told us, “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Now hear these words, “Let your hands be strong so that the temple may be built….”‘” God also promised to prosper them in verse 12 and he charged them to trust him and live righteous lives. Verses 16-17 say, “‘….These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; 17 do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this,’ declares the Lord.” Eventually, then, at the end of this chapter, God promised that Israel’s worship festivals would be happy occasions (v. 19) and that other nations would come to Jerusalem to find and worship the Lord with God’s people (vv. 20-22).
So, to recap, God has promised that his people Israel will enjoy a bright future in Jerusalem where civilization will thrive, the people in that city will love and worship God, and people from other nations will beg every Jewish person to take them to worship because, as verse 23 says, “…we have heard that God is with you.” All of these promises have yet to be fulfilled, but they await us in the Millennium, when Christ will establish his kingdom on the earth.
Going back to my opening words for this devotional, though: Are you the only Christian in your family? In your neighborhood? In your workplace? If you are, please know that this will not always be the case! God is saving people all over the world today, making them citizens of that coming kingdom. When Jesus establishes his kingdom, we will live in a Christian society surrounded by people who already know and love the Lord like we do and by people who want to know that Lord.
And, how will this happen? It seems impossible, doesn’t it, in a world like ours were believers are a minority? Well, yes, and it felt impossible back then, too. That’s why God said in verse 6, “This is what the Lord Almighty says: “It may seem marvelous to the remnant of this people at that time, but will it seem marvelous to me?” declares the Lord Almighty. So, God is able to keep this promise and he will do it!
So, be faithful to God and be bold about telling others about him! This is how God is preparing for that kingdom to come. As a believer, you have the opportunity to be part of preparing for that day. So, trust in the Lord today and look for ways to tell others about Jesus. The salvation Jesus bought for us when he died and rose again is the only way for people in this age to enter the amazing kingdom that is coming.