Monthly Archives: September 2023

Abuse, Bible, Confrontation, Enemies, Harm, Humiliation, Insults, Mockery, Ransom, Salvation, Scripture

WHAT AN INSULT!

ZECHARIAH 11:12

“And I said to them, ‘If it is good in your sight, give me my wages; but if not, never mind!’ So they weighed out thirty shekels of silver as my wages.”

Have you ever been truly insulted? It is not a good feeling. It’s embarrassing and humiliating. If it is done in front of others, that insult is magnified. That probably happened to me the last time while I was working with a fellow who disliked me because of my ministry. He called me a rather nasty name right in the middle of a staff meeting.

In today’s verse, we find Zechariah writing about his proposed wages from those he asked it – thirty shekels of silver. What you may not know is the standard price for a good servant was twice that. This price of thirty was what was paid for a servant that had been gored by an ox (see Exodus 21:32) and was therefore damaged goods. But you must remember that Zechariah was acting on behalf of Jehovah. The people were spurning God, not just Zechariah.

APPLICATION

Before Christ, we were all guilty of spurning God. We figuratively spit in His face and refused the gift He offered us in His Son, Jesus Christ. But after we become believers, we see the value of the gift. We offer all we have to be one with Him. I am reminded of Matthew 13:45-46. “45 ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, 46 and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold everything that he had and bought it.’”

What price can you place on your gift of salvation? If we don’t offer Him everything, we are insulting the God of creation. We are saying we don’t value His gift to us. He laid down His life in the form of Jesus. He shed divine blood for us. He suffered and bled for all mankind. Why would we not give Him everything?

I can’t think of a single thing right now in my life that I place above that. I couldn’t have always said that. In the past I took my salvation for granted. I made it look cheap. Not now! I see its value in my life. Can you say the same? Is it worth everything to you? Lay it all down at His feet and watch what He does with it. I won’t spoil the surprise!

O Lord, my God, You are so good to me. I praise You for paying the ultimate price for my salvation.

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Abiding, Admonished, Advocate, Affliction, Belief, Bible, Choices, Commands, Danger, Deliverance, Escape, God's Will, Remembering, Scripture

THEY KNEW

ZECHARIAH 11:11

“So it was broken on that day, and so the afflicted of the flock who were watching me realized that it was the word of the LORD.”

Sometimes you just know! Right? Call it a gut thing or something just didn’t feel right. Perhaps you remembered something you had been told earlier. A situation jogged your memory and you said, “Aha, I remember that.” Whatever the reason, you have that “Spidey sense” that warns you about something. You heed the advice you have been given and avoid a catastrophe.

“The afflicted of the flock” referred to in today’s verse had done just that. They had heard the warnings from Zechariah and fled Jerusalem before it was surrounded and destroyed. They escaped into the mountains. How did they know this? Because Zechariah had forewarned, and they had believed him. These were the humble and devoted ones who were still seeking to follow Jehovah. Their devotion was rewarded.

APPLICATION

How can we escape terrible situations in our lives? By listening to and obeying the Lord. His Word gives us ample warning of the things we should and should not do. Before you freak out, it is not a book of rules. It’s a guidebook for life. 1 Corinthians 10:11 says, “Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.”

Here’s a verse you probably know. Romans 6:23 tells us, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” I could go on listing verse after verse, passage after passage about God’s warnings to us. The warnings, in and of themselves, mean nothing unless you are willing to listen and obey. Just because we read it or hear it doesn’t mean we are delivered. We have to obey.

I have discovered that if you stay close to Jesus, if you read His Word regularly, if you memorize and meditate on it, if you apply His Word to your life and spend time with Him daily in prayer, then you will be quick to hear and obey all those warnings. Or will you be like the other Israelites who heard but did not heed the warnings? It’s your choice.

I hear You, Lord, and I will obey.

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Abiding, Advocate, Battles, Bible, Blessing, Choices, Consequences, Danger, Evil, God's Will, Obedience, Protection, Scripture

YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN

ZECHARIAH 11:10

“‘And I took my staff Favor and cut it in pieces, to break my covenant which I had made with all the peoples.’”

I have had numerous experiences dealing with youth who refused any correction, who refused any counsel. They were determined to do their own thing. When these youth would threaten to run away, I always told them that I could not stop them from doing that. But if they did, I would not be able to protect them. They would be on their own, susceptible to all the evil that was in the world just waiting to attack.

Today’s verse has God saying about the same thing to Israel. His staff of favor was being cut in pieces. He would not continue to protect and show favor to them because they were choosing to go after other gods. They were forsaking Him. How horrible that must have sounded to the people. They had crossed the line with God. They would now feel the wrath of their enemies which had been shielded by God up to now.

APPLICATION

You may have heard it explained this way. As believers, as long as we abide in Him, as long as we follow the Master, His “umbrella of protection” is over us. Nothing can touch us unless it goes past Him first. This is not to say we won’t face hard times or tragedies. But knowing He allowed it should give us faith to carry on.

Read these words of Peter in 1 Peter 4:12-13. “12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though something strange were happening to you; 13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that at the revelation of His glory you may also rejoice and be overjoyed.”

That is the key. We need to stay close to Him to receive His protection. We do not want that staff of Favor to be lifted. But also, when we do face hardships, remember He is there. If you have wandered from the Truth, return to Him. If you are abiding but going through a hard time, trust Him. He is there. Don’t forget that. He is there.

Lord God, I praise You for Your abundant grace and mercy. Forgive me when I wander from Your embrace.

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Accountability, Accused, Admonished, Belief, Bible, Choices, Consequences, Following, God's Will, Obedience, Restoration, Scripture

I’M DONE

ZECHARIAH 11:9

“‘Then I said, “I will not pasture you. What is to die, let it die, and what is to perish, let it perish; and let those who are left eat one another’s flesh.”’”

There have been very few times when I have given up on someone, when I finally gave them up to the Lord. It’s a hard feeling. I have a hard time giving up like that. I want to fix them. I want to bring them around. I faced that a few times working with young people. Some of them, no matter how hard we tried, refused to change their behaviors. It’s heartbreaking.

In verse 9 today, we find God finally saying He has had enough. These rebellious children of His would have to suffer what comes. As He told Moses in Deuteronomy 31:17, “‘Then My anger will be kindled against them on that day, and I will abandon them and hide My face from them, and they will be consumed, and many evils and troubles will find them; so they will say on that day, “Is it not because our God is not among us that these evils have found us?”’”

APPLICATION

Oh wow! I don’t want to ever hear those words spoken to me by The Almighty. Do you? That would be horrible. I want to stay close to Him. I want to please Him. I want to serve Him and never disappoint Him. Paul says it well in Colossians 3:10. “so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;”

God can reach a point of no return with us. In Romans 1:26, we read, “Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.” This happened due the people’s love of other gods. We have the same problem. We may not call them gods, but those things we hold so dearly (other than God) are just that.

Let me encourage you today. Focus on Him. Let Jesus be your center. Let Him be your goal each day. Strive to be more and more like Him and watch what happens. You will grow closer and closer to the God who brought you into His family through His Son. Come close. Savor the smell of His garments.

I want to be so close to You, Lord, that I can indeed smell the very robe You wear.

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Abiding, Passion, Satisfaction, Scripture, Separation, Thirsting

IMPATIENCE

ZECHARIAH 11:8

“‘Then I did away with the three shepherds in one month, for my soul was impatient with them, and their soul also was tired of me.’”

I have never been accused of being the most patient man. However, in the past few years that has gotten better. Chalk it up to old age, right? Impatience with people or with situations always gave me fits. I just couldn’t tolerate slackness in work or a lack of care about how things were done. Like I said, though, age will build your patience.

The three shepherds in today’s verse are explained well by Theodoret. He says, “He speaks of the kings of the Jews, and prophets and priests; for by the three orders they were shepherded.” God had lost His patience with them because of the way they had led the people astray. But they had also grown “tired” of Him. Actually, the Hebrew word there for “was tired” is much stronger. It means to abhor. That word is only used one other time in the Old Testament, in Proverbs 20:21.

APPLICATION

Do you ever get the feeling that God is tired of you? Honestly, I have had that feeling in the past. Do you want to know when I felt that way? When I wasn’t spending time with Him. Our hearts wander if we aren’t careful. We can get self-absorbed or busy with other things. Before we know it, we too have grown tired of God. What an awful feeling.

So, how do you combat that feeling? Psalm 143:6 says it well.
“I spread out my hands to you; I thirst for you like a parched land.” That’s how you deal with that feeling. You must thirst for God like a parched land. You can’t get enough of Him. You must long to spend time with Him and bask in His presence.

Now, let me say something quickly. God never tires of you. He is always ready to receive you. But He won’t beg you to spend that quality time with Him. If you are feeling distant from God, guess who moved. You did. So, stop and get close to Him. Snuggle up next to the God of the universe.

I am so thankful to know You are always ready to receive me, O Lord.

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Abiding, Bible, Covenant, Discipline, Favor, Scripture, Union

TWO STAFFS

ZECHARIAH 11:7

“‘So I pastured the flock doomed to slaughter, therefore also the afflicted of the flock. And I took for myself two staffs: the one I called Favor, and the other I called Union; so I pastured the flock.’”

I have been married almost thirty-eight years. My wife and I are stuck with each other, lol. Neither of us has time to “train” somebody else. Just kidding. We are bound together in a covenant relationship. We are also bound together in love. Those two parts work together to help us succeed in this relationship. On the days when our love seems to drop (and those days are few and far between), our covenant to each other holds us fast.

The Lord is still addressing His unruly children in today’s verse. He mentions two staffs – Favor and Union. The one staff named Favor is just that – it is a symbol of His love and mercy in their lives. Time and time again He had shown them favor. The other staff – Union – is a reminder that they are bound together. They are His children. Nothing is going to change that.

APPLICATION

As a believer, we have a covenant relationship with the Lord that can never be severed. We are bound through the blood of Jesus. God also shows His favor to us over and over. He showers us with blessings. He forgives our sins. He protects us from harm. He sees us through trials that He allows to make us more like His Son.

Favor and Union are still real today in the Christian’s life. Don’t forget that! Don’t let Satan rob you from the promises you have in Jesus. You are His favorite child. You are His prized possession. You are His heir to all He has. You are special. Why? Because He chose you.

I love John 15:16 which says, “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.” He chose me. He chose you. Live like it.

O Father, thank You for Your staffs of Favor and Union. I know I can depend on You always.

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Accountability, Affliction, Bible, Captivity, Compassion, Consequences, Enemies, Forgiveness, God's Will, Judgment, Punishment, Restoration, Scripture

NO COMPASSION

ZECHARIAH 11:6

“‘For I will no longer have compassion for the inhabitants of the land,’ declares the LORD; ‘but behold, I will let the people fall, each into another’s power and into the power of his king; and they will crush the land, and I will not rescue them from their power.’”

It is hard to have compassion for people who willingly make bad decisions. At least, it is for me. When people fall into hard times due to no fault of their own, I want to reach out and lend a helping hand. But someone who time and time again chooses to satisfy their own flesh at the expense of themselves and others seems to deserve whatever comes their way. Does that seem hard? Well, look at today’s verse.

The Lord is saying He was going to allow His chosen people to suffer because of their willful disobedience. When He says He will show no compassion, He is saying there is no pity for their plight. He was, in fact, going to send another nation to punish them. Babylon would rise up and defeat them and carry them off into exile, just like the Lord said.

APPLICATION

Unlike the Israelites, we have mercy and grace through the blood of Jesus to cover our sins. That does not give us freedom to live as we want, though. We still must follow the Lord. Paul says in Romans 6:1, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?” The answer to that question is obvious, isn’t it?

I really love what the Apostle John writes in 1 John 1:9. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” That’s it. That’s the secret. Confession! We need to stay “confessed up.” Unlike the Israelites, who were taken into captivity for 70 years, we can have immediate forgiveness.

I have to confess something to you. I have to confess my sins daily, sometimes more than that. I have learned how important that is. I start my mornings doing that. It’s the first thing I do right after I have a short time of worshipping the Lord. I do my best to humble myself before His throne and ask Him to forgive me of any impure thought or unkind deed. I want His cleansing. Don’t you? It’s there, for the asking.

Cleanse me with hyssop and I shall be clean. Wash me and I will be whiter than snow.

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Abiding, Accountability, Bible, Commands, DUTY, God's Will, Obedience, Scripture, Service

MY DUTIES

ZECHARIAH 11:5

“‘Those who buy them slaughter them and go unpunished, and each of those who sell them says, “Blessed be the LORD, for I have become rich!” And their own shepherds have no compassion for them.’”

I have shared how I served for over thirty years working with children and youth in the foster care system. For the most part, the very people who were supposed to protect these children, abused or abandoned them. I could share dozens of stories where the parents chose drugs or alcohol over their own babies. Others saw their children as objects to be used rather than loved and cared for.

In much the same way, the very people who were supposed to care for the children of Israel had left them unprotected. The religious leaders who were instructed to teach the Law to the people had abandoned their duties. The people of Israel saw defeat and exile, all because of their refusal to obey the One who had given them their land.

APPLICATION

Jeremiah talks about this as well. In Jeremiah 50:6-7 we read, “‘6 My people have become lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray. They have made them turn aside on the mountains.

They have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their resting place. 7 All who found them have devoured them; and their adversaries have said, “We are not guilty, since they have sinned against the LORD who is the habitation of righteousness,

the LORD, the hope of their fathers.”’”

I need to ask you something. Have you been given a duty and responsibility by God which you are not fulfilling? Perhaps, it is in the care of your children. You know that care also involves teaching them about the Lord and His love for them. Not teaching them that is neglect in His eyes. They have been given to you as a gift. You should cherish these gifts.

I do not want to arrive in heaven with uncompleted tasks. I want to work each day to accomplish each and every duty I have been assigned by Jesus. Loving your neighbor is a good one to practice. Submission to elders is another. How are we doing with those two? Ask the Lord to reveal to you what He would have you do and then do it.

Father, I do not want to be like the leaders of Israel who abandoned their posts. Give me strength to serve well.

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Affliction, Altars, Belief, Bible, Death, Faithfulness, God's Will, Judgment, Offering, Sacrifice, Scripture

JUST FOLLOWING ORDERS

ZECHARIAH 11:4

“This is what the LORD my God says: ‘Pasture the flock doomed to slaughter.’”

There have been times in my ministry career that I have been asked to do something that I knew was doomed to fail. I had tried to give good counsel, but the person in charge had given strict orders. They wanted it done their way. They also knew the chances of success were slim to none, but their order still stood. As a subordinate, I had to follow through on their instructions.

Here in Zechariah 11, we are entering into a prophetic statement where Zechariah is represented as carrying out a future event. Many scholars believe here Zechariah is representative of Christ offering Himself to Israel, whom He knew would reject Him. This flock was doomed to slaughter, but they were to be fed anyway. Christ offered the children of Israel His kingdom first, remember.

APPLICATION

Psalm 44:22 says, “But for Your sake we are killed all day long; We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” The difference between this verse and today’s verse in Zechariah is huge. In Zechariah, they are sheep for the slaughter because of their disobedience. In Psalm 44, we are sheep to be slaughtered for the Lord. We are His martyrs for the kingdom.

I don’t know about you, but I had rather be slaughtered for the Lord, not by the Lord. I willingly lay down my life for Him each and every day. As I travel around the globe, I am often asked if I fear for my life. I tell them I do not because the Lord holds me in His righteous right hand. My life is His to do with as He sees fit.

Do you have that peace today? Are you a sheep slaughtered because of your sins? Or are you a sheep slaughtered for the kingdom. One will take your peace away. The other gives you peace. If you have not repented of your sins and given your life to Jesus, do it today. Experience real peace.

Thank You, Father, for giving me that life ending peace. I am okay with facing my last day on this earth knowing my next day will be with You.

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