Author Archives: gonelikeashadowatevening

Abiding, Altars, Bible, Provision, Restoration, Sacrifice, Scripture, Temple

A BRANCH

ZECHARIAH 6:12

“‘Then say to him, “The LORD of armies says this: ‘Behold, there is a Man whose name is Branch, for He will branch out from where He is; and He will build the temple of the LORD.’”’”

When I hear the word “branch” I think of a couple of things – a small stream or creek and a tree limb. Let’s stick with the second idea for today’s verse. Tree limb or branch – can’t you just see that right now? It reaches out to bear fruit or provide shade, depending on the type of tree it is.

But the word used here in Zechariah 6:12 for branch is the Hebrew word tsemach. It means a bud or a sprout. The same word is used in Jeremiah 23:5. “‘Behold, the days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch;’” We all know Who that is pointing to, don’t we? Jesus, our Messiah.

APPLICATION

The Hebrew meaning really changes how I look at this verse. Jesus started as a lowly, little sprout – a baby. But He grew into a man – the God Man. He is the one referred to here in verse 12, not Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, as some think. Sure, Zerubbabel was the one lauded for rebuilding the physical temple in Jerusalem. But it did not last, did it? It was destroyed.

Jesus built the spiritual temple, which can never be destroyed. This Branch of David is the one responsible for the eternal stones that were laid. I love how Peter describes us as part of this structure. 1 Peter 2:5 says, “you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

Because of my acceptance as Jesus as my Branch, my Savior, My Lord, I have been made a part of the spiritual house. My sacrifices to Him are daily. I offer myself upon the altar daily to be used as He sees fit. A sacrifice’s job is to just lay on the altar, not to give input on how it is used. The High Priest – Jesus – decides that. He is our Branch.

You are my Branch, O God. You delivered me through Your sacrifice.

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Bible, Crowns, Forgiveness, High Priest, Kings, Prophesy, Scripture

PRIEST AND KING

ZECHARIAH 6:11

“‘Also take silver and gold, make an ornate crown, and set it on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest.’”

I am neither a Catholic, who are accustomed to a Priest, or living in a monarchy where there is a king (or queen). I live in the U.S. where we elect a President and Vice President every four years. We have never seen our President as king or priest. To even suggest such a thing would be ridiculous, whatever political party is in power.

So, when we see this act performed in verse 11, it can be kind of confusing. The crowing of Joshua, the high priest, was meant to show that he would serve as both priest and king. Why do I say that? Because this vision was a prophecy of the Messiah. We know Jesus is our High Priest and our King. Joshua was symbolizing their future Messiah, the one who had all power.

APPLICATION

I need to ask you if you have accepted Jesus as your High Priest and King. I love the book of Hebrews. In it, we see Jesus in those roles, especially as High Priest. Hebrews 4:14-16 beautifully describes this. “14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let’s hold firmly to our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.”

The picture here of Jesus as our High Priest sitting on His throne should encourage us in our daily walk. He is not idly sitting by, just watching us mess up and then extending mercy and grace. No! He is walking right beside us through His Holy Spirit, and He is interceding on our behalf.

That’s what a High Priest does – he intercedes for the people for their sins. In our case, Jesus is the supreme ruler of the universe since He is part of the Godhead. He rules and reigns perfectly. He did not sin and cannot sin. We can always trust His will to be in our favor – ALWAYS.

I worship You, my High Priest and King. I lay any crowns I will receive at Your feet.

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Abiding, Advocate, Attitude, Bible, Blessing, Glory, God's Will, Promises, Scripture

LOOK AT WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE

ZECHARIAH 6:10

“‘Take an offering from the exiles, from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah; and you shall go the same day and enter the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, where they have arrived from Babylon.’”

Too often we overlook the work of the Lord in our lives. We either don’t think He is working, or we think we have somehow accomplished this ourselves. How foolish! I am guilty of this. I know you are shocked, right? I want the credit, or I want to complain. I needed to be reminded of the Lord’s faithfulness today in this verse.

Take a look at the names mentioned in today’s verse. Heldai means “the Lord’s world.” Tobijah means “the Lord is my good.” Jedaiah means “God knows.” Josiah means “the Lord supports.” And Zephaniah means “the Lord hides.” Aren’t those great reminders that the Lord is active and working? These instructions the Lord gives Zechariah all relate to these five individuals whose names all point back to God.

APPLICATION

How is the Lord working in your life? Well Carl, I just don’t see the Lord doing anything in my life. Really? Did you wake up this morning? Psalm 3:5 says, “I lie down to sleep, I awake again because the Lord sustains me.” Hmmm. Did you eat yesterday? How about your health? Is it good? All these are signs the Lord is working.

The Lord has a vested interest in our daily lives. He wants us to live in such a way that points back to Him. Why? To glorify His name and bring others into the kingdom. 1 Thessalonians 2:12 tells us this. “…so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.” Are you doing that? I ask myself that question each day.

Will you live today in a manner that reflects that this is the Lord’s world, that He is your good, that He knows, that He supports, and that He hides His Word in your heart? He wants that for you. I want that for you. Decide right now to do that. That will definitely please the Father.

You are at work in my heart today, O Lord. Help me show others the way.

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Bible, Conversation, Listening, Messages, Promises, Scripture

ANOTHER MESSAGE

ZECHARIAH 6:9

“The word of the LORD also came to me, saying,”

Have you ever been in a text conversation with someone that would not end? Just when you think it’s over, they send another message. Do you answer or not? Do you just send an emoji? You keep asking yourself how you can get out of this conversation without seeming abrupt. Am I right? You’ve been there.

Zechariah may have felt like that at times. It seems he gets through one vision, and before he knows it, God is calling his name again. But that was Zechariah’s calling. He was called to be God’s mouthpiece, to tell forth the words of the Lord. Notice it says, “the word of the Lord also came to me.” These weren’t the words of his neighbors or his friends. These came straight from God.

APPLICATION

We sit back and think that only Pastors hear from God. I know some people in my family who feel that way. I only hear from Him because I am in the ministry. That’s hogwash. We can all hear Him. He is speaking to all of His children. They just aren’t listening.

I shared a quote from A.W. Tozer a while back that said, “People don’t want to hear from God because they don’t want to hear what He has to say.” That’s probably more of a paraphrase than an actual quote, but you get the picture. Do you want to hear Him? Luke 11:27-28 says, “27 While Jesus was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, ‘Blessed is the womb that carried You, and the breasts at which You nursed!’ 28  But He said, ‘On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and follow it.’” Jesus was always pointing us to hear His Father’s voice.

For me, it’s a matter of if I want to hear what He has to say. Honestly, there are days when I want to say, “God, I’m taking a day off and am going to handle things my way.” I don’t do that anymore because I have enough scars from attempting that. The school of hard knocks is real, folks. Just listen and avoid all those bumps and bruises.

You are calling my name again, Lord. My ears are in tune with Your words. Send me Your message.

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Asking, Attention, Bible, Blessing, Calling, God's Will, Hearing, Holy Spirit, Inspirational, Listening, Scripture

WHO IS CALLING MY NAME?

ZECHARIAH 6:8

“Then He called out to me and spoke to me, saying, ‘See, those who are going to the land of the north have appeased My wrath in the land of the north.’”

I was walking through an airport recently and could have sworn I heard someone call my name. It was so clear. I quickly turned my head and scanned the terminal I was walking through. I thought perhaps there was a fellow traveler who knew me. I never did see that person. Maybe it was God calling me.

Zechariah once again hears the angel call his name. Zechariah, listen up. You don’t want to miss this. He is told very clearly that “those who are going to the land of the north” are going to settle things. God had had enough of Babylon’s irreverence. They had taken the sacred vessels from the temple and were using them in their idol worship. Yes, they had been God’s weapon to bring judgment on Israel, but they had gone too far.

APPLICATION

Have you heard the voice of God lately? It takes a trained ear. Most people don’t hear God because they are not listening. Isaiah 6:8 is a pretty famous verse about hearing God. “Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” Isaiah heard because he was listening.

I love the message we get from Psalm 95:7b-9. “7b Today, if you will hear His voice, 8 Do not harden your hearts as at Meribah, as on the day of Massah in the wilderness, 9 “When your fathers put Me to the test, they tested Me, though they had seen My work.” You see, the danger of hearing God’s voice is ignoring it because His commands or directions do not line up with what you want.

Are you listening? Better yet, are you obeying? When He calls your name, are you saying as Isaiah did, “Here I am, send me”? Get alone in a quiet place and listen. Ask God to speak to you. Ask Him to show you your sins and confess them to Him. Allow Him to speak deep in your hearts. Then, and this is the most important part, do what He says.

Speak to my heart, Lord Jesus. There’s room in my heart for You,

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Abiding, Bible, Dominion, Fighting, God's Will, Indwelling, Love, Protection, Scripture

DOMINATION

ZECHARIAH 6:7

“When the strong ones went out, they were eager to go to patrol the earth. And He said, ‘Go, patrol the earth.’ So they patrolled the earth.”

When I was in high school, I played football. We were a small school and normally only had 25-30 players. I usually played both offense and defense, only getting off the field at half-time or the end of the game. We played one school from Alabama that was probably three times our size. Needless to say, we were completely dominated by this team. Their size, strength numbers just overwhelmed us.

The same is true for the “strong ones” mentioned here in verse 7. These “strong ones” represented the Roman Empire, which we know dominated the known world. They were a force that most nations had no chance against. Their numbers and the force of their fighting were too much. So, the mention of them patrolling the earth is a reference to this domination.

APPLICATION

Before you get worried about being dominated, let me put your mind at ease. As a child of the King, we know He has complete domination. The difference between His domination and Rome’s is God dominates with love. You can’t discuss God’s love without referring to 1 Corinthians 13. “4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant. 5 It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered, 6 it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails;…”

When we give our hearts to Jesus, God sends His Holy Spirit to fill us. That Spirit reminds us over and over about God’s amazing love. On those days when you are feeling low, remember just how much He loves you. Listen to the Word of God again in Romans 8:38-39. “38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

God’s dominating love! It gives us hope. It conquers fears. It brings us peace. I pray you know His love today. If you don’t, ask Him to come into your life today as you confess your sins and accept Jesus as your Savior. You will never be the same.

Love lifted me, love lifted me. When nothing else could help, love lifted me.

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Abiding, Appointed, Bible, Bondslaves, Direction, Following, Scripture

DIRECTION

ZECHARIAH 6:6

“with one of which the black horses are going out to the north country; and the white ones are to go out after them, while the spotted ones are to go out to the south country.”

Following a map is a skill everyone needs to learn. With the emergence of Mapquest and Google Maps, people have no idea how to use a map. But maps don’t require a smart phoneor a data plan. Could you read a paper map if you needed to? We need to know where we are going if we hope to get there.

In verse 6, we see the white, black and speckled horses going north and south. This was a message to the people about their conquerors. Two are going north (Babylon and the Greeks.) The Roman empire would go south to conquer Egypt. It’s not so important where they are going. It was more about who is sending them. The Lord God is controlling them and sending them where he wishes.

APPLICATION

If the Lord told you today to load up your “chariot” and head to some other city or country, would you go? There is no mention of these empires rebuffing God’s direction. They probably were not even aware that He was using them. God can use you the same way. These words from Eliphaz the Tenamite to Job holds true for us. “‘Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you.’”

When we submit to His will, we become a useable vessel. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be put on a shelf. I want to be used. That may mean that I pack my chariot and follow where He leads. I am not guaranteed anything. We are just told to yield to His authority. He decides what direction is best for us.

Back in the 1980’s, I was called to serve an agency in another state. Let me just say, it wasn’t what we expected. But looking back now after almost 40 years, I can see how the Lord used this in my life. Is God trying to get you to go somewhere? Just say yes and follow.

Where You lead me I will follow. Where You lead me I will follow.

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Abiding, Appearance, Bible, End Times, Following, God's Will, Messages, Scripture

SENT BY THE LORD

ZECHARIAH 6:5

“The angel replied to me, “These are the four spirits of heaven, going out after taking their stand before the Lord of all the earth,”

Years ago, I used to go to Washington, D.C. to lobby for issues that involved children. I was sent by the agency I worked with or another childcare agency. My role was to represent the group that sent me. I was to argue for their needs, not my own.

These four spirits (which we saw in the horses and chariots) had been “taking a stand before the Lord.” So, we must believe that they were receiving their orders. Why was this important? Because the people needed to know that God was aware of what had been happening and what would happen. These four spirits could only do what He allowed.

APPLICATION

Just like those four spirits, we may be sent by the Lord to accomplish His mission. Now, we don’t physically stand before the Lord in heaven, but we do stand before Him, don’t we?  Ephesian 6:14 says, “Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,” Who do you think is dressing you for battle?

We come to the Lord and stand before His holy throne every day as we pray and study His Word. You may be seated at your table or physically laying prostrate on the floor, but you are spiritually standing before His throne. Listen closely. You don’t want to miss His order. He wants to send you out.

I have received lots of orders in my lifetime from various bosses or supervisors. Some I did not like. Others I was okay with. But what I thought really didn’t matter. When I stand before my Lord, I will receive whatever He gives me. I will do my best to follow His command. I don’t always do it well, but I am trying. What is the order you have from the Lord? Can you hear Him?

I will serve only You, O Lord. It is You I want to follow.

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Answers, Asking, Bible, Faithfulness, Questions, Scripture

SAME QUESTION, DIFFERENT ANSWER

ZECHARIAH 6:4

 “So I responded and said to the angel who was speaking with me, ‘What are these, my lord?’”

Asking the same question over and over again may seem ridiculous. After all, if you have asked the question once, why should you keep asking it? If you have asked someone something and received an answer, is there a need to ask it again? But as the saying goes, inquisitive minds want to know.

Zechariah asks the same question to the angel. Of course, there is a different vision this time, so Zechariah has more questions. Why would he ask again? Because the angel has proven trustworthy to answer him. Zechariah knew the only reason he was seeing these visions was to tell the nation of Israel. They weren’t his secrets to keep. Just the opposite, he was to warn the people. How could he warn them properly if he didn’t understand what he was seeing?

APPLICATION

I cry out to God, just about every day, a couple of requests. I have been asking these requests over and over and over. So far, God has not answered those questions. At least, He has not answered them for me to understand them. So, I keep asking. I am like that man who stood at the door and knocked. Luke 11:5-8 says, “5 Then Jesus said to them, ‘Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, “Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.” 7 And suppose the one inside answers, “Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.” 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.’”

The word for “shameless audacity” is also translated as persistence. It is only used right here in the whole New Testament. This parable is told by Jesus right before He gives us that famous statement of seeking and finding. Persistence is the key. Zechariah was persistent in asking the same question each time he was shown a vision. We should be persistent in our questions to God.

I know the Lord hears my prayers. I don’t doubt that. I know His timing is always perfect. I don’t offend God by asking questions, even the same question over and over. The Psalmist says God remembers how we are formed. He knows that we are but dust (Psalm 103). God wants to educate us. We just have to wait on Him. Keep asking!

Lord, I cry out to You daily. I know You are listening. Hear my cry, O Lord.

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Affection, Bible, Crying, Joy, Scripture, Sorrow, Tears

THE REST OF THESE HORSES

ZECHARIAH 6:3

“with the third chariot white horses, and with the fourth chariot strong spotted horses.”

Emotions – they get the best of us, don’t they? I’m a crier. I’ve shared that before. I can cry at the slightest thing. Hallmark commercials make me cry. That old Maxwell House coffee commercial with the young man coming home at Christmas and slipping through the kitchen door, surprising everyone – oh man – waterworks for me, lol.

Why am I talking about crying? Because these last two horses – white and spotted – could cause tears to fall. The white horse can represent joy and victory, two things that bring about tears. It also represented the empire of Alexander the Great, who for the most part was gentle to the Jews. The spotted horse means a mixture of emotions, both good and bad. It also stood for Rome, who in itself was a mixture of all the nations it had conquered.

APPLICATION

What drives your emotions, your tears? When was the last time you cried over a lost soul? The western society manhood card says men cannot cry. Excuse me, but that is just plain baloney. Real men are not afraid to cry. They aren’t afraid to get vulnerable. But we can also cry for those joyous moments. We don’t have it recorded in Scripture, but can’t you just imagine those disciples around the campfire with Jesus after His resurrection? There had to be some tears of joy going on.

Our emotions range from sadness to joy, and both can be expressed through tears. Jesus wept in sorrow over Jerusalem. We know He wept at the tomb of Lazarus (John 11:35). Do you want to be like Jesus? Then be willing to show your emotions. Cry a little. Laugh a lot. (I just believe Jesus had a great sense of humor.)

Joy and mixed emotions were portrayed by those two horses. That must be important for us. Will you join me in crying tears of joy in knowing all that Christ has done for us? Will you join me in crying tears of sorrow at the estate of our world right now? But let’s not just cry. When we are done and have wiped our eyes and nose, let’s put those tears into action. Let’s tell the greatest story every told to everyone. Let’s get a response out of them. Hopefully, that will bring even more tears of joy!

Tears of joy flow down my cheeks as I think of all You have done for me, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

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