Thursday: King of the Whole World
Read Zechariah 14. How are we to understand that which is being said there?
Image © Lars Justinen from GoodSalt.com
In the last chapter of his book, Zechariah describes a day when all unrepentant nations will gather themselves against Jerusalem. At the last moment, the Lord will intervene by liberating His people and establishing His eternal kingdom on earth. After all who oppose Him are destroyed, all nations will worship the one true God. The Lord will be king over the whole world. He will be one Lord and His name will be exalted above all names. The great “I AM” expresses all God is and always will be. Though these things were to have happened had Israel remained faithful, they still will be fulfilled but on a grander scale, during the final redemption of God’s people everywhere.
When Zechariah announced the coming of the Messiah, he did not draw a line of separation between His first and second comings. As was the case with other prophets, he saw the coming kingdom of the Messiah as one glorious future. Only in the light of Christ’s first coming can we now distinguish between the two comings. We also can feel gratitude for everything He accomplished for our salvation on Calvary. So, we can look forward with joy in anticipation of God’s eternal kingdom (see Dan. 7:14).
The closing section of this prophetic book describes Jerusalem in its glory, exalted, filled with people, and secure. The saved from all nations will participate in the worship of the eternal King. The entire city of Jerusalem will be filled with the holiness of the temple.
When these glorious promises are studied together with the overall teaching of the Bible, we come to the conclusion that the ultimate fulfillment of these predictions will take place in the New Jerusalem, where God’s people from everywhere will come together and worship Him forever. This all happens only after the second coming of Jesus. The themes of their perpetual praises will be God’s salvation, His goodness and power, just as the famous Song of the Sea concludes: “‘The Lord shall reign forever and ever’” (Exod. 15:18, NKJV). Ancient prophets and faithful people from the past all looked with eager anticipation toward this climactic event.
Dwell on the ultimate redemption that is promised to us—a new heaven and a new earth with no sin, death, suffering, or loss. What are all the reasons you have for this hope, and how can you keep them before you daily, especially in times of trouble, fear, and pain?
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God is our Messiah he gave us his only begotten son to die for our sins... He promised to come back to us for eternal glory all we need to do is believe and have faith in Him.
God's words are true, He promises to redeem us and he will.
One of the reasons for my hope in the Kingdom of God established is the exceeding sinfulness in this world which acts as a sign as the word has revealed it will be the condition of the world.
The other hope is in the blue print of the sanctuary, God way is in the sanctuary and we must not loss sight of it.
My other hope is in the constant voice of the Holy Spirit as the voice I will hear behind me telling me this is the way walk in it, when I turn to the right hand and when I turn to the left. Oh praise the Lord for He is good for not leaving me without these assurances and definite witnesses.
Indeed Thursday's lesson reveals the culmination of the final conflict between good and evil and how the truth will triumph gloriously. God will interpose on behalf of His people when the time of trouble comes. Question is will you and I be in the right camp?
The Bible, even the New Testament, has stood the test of time. I have tasted and seen that the Lord is good, trustworthy and loving. I can trust that all His promises are and will be fulfilled! I look forward to that day when Jesus will be crowned King over all!!!
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Zachariah 14 is great meaning that is being interpreted differently by many religious organization. The lesson did not give an explanation to educate us so we are armed against these other interpretations. Does anyone have a good interpretation reference. I did not find much on EGW writings.
Help me out here fellow pilgrims please, (Zach 14:21 last part) 'In that day there shall no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts'. should this be taken literally of there are other meaning to this?
Dear brother it is literal and this is the meaning. prophet Zechariah in ch. 14:21 was looking forward to the purification of God's church. This is the antitypicalday of atonement (read the type in Lev. 23:27-29; 16:30,33,34)
Being the day of atonement in type for both the dead and the living, this serv ice of the earthly tabernacle therefore projects the cleansing of the sanctuary in Heaven from unworthy names in the books, and the cleansing of the church on earth from its unconverted and unstable members.
probation still lingering while fhis sequence of events takes place, "all they fhat sacrifice" (an act which is performed before the close of probation) shall therefore be holy, and "there shall be no more the canaanite in the house od the Lord".
Ronald, I think the meaning of this book is in the big picture and not in the detail. Sometimes we get bogged down trying to extract meaning out of the detail. Zechariah is painting a picture of the battle between good and evil and its final resolution using imagery that was meaningful to the people at the time. After the conflict there is peace and in that peace, evil no longer makes its presence felt to the people who have put their faith in God.
I think we have to take the whole Bible in context of Zechariah 14. For instance: Zechariah describes a day when all unrepentant nations will gather themselves against Jerusalem. At the last moment, the Lord will intervene by liberating His people and establishing His eternal kingdom on earth.
We know from Revelation that this is talking about after the thousand years in heaven, the New Jerusalem will descend out of heaven onto the earth. We will be in it upon its decent. We will be in it as Satan gathers the unrepentant nations who were raised from the dead to see what they missed, to try to take the Holy City. At the last moment, the Lord will intervene by liberating His people and establishing His eternal kingdom on earth. After all who oppose Him are destroyed, all nations will worship the one true God. The Lord will be king over the whole world. He will be one Lord and His name will be exalted above all names.
This is when it is described God will put an end to sin forever. Sin was chained to this earth for a thousand years, we enjoy wonderful heaven without temptation. Now outside the Holy City, Satan, his angels, and those who have been unrepentant are consumed by the fire with the molten earth that cleanses the earth. And thus we have our new earth, and Holy City to inhabit it with Our King of Kings forever. From what I understand we will have a mansion in the city and a cottage in the county. Christ, heaven, New earth, and life for eternity is our real treasure talked about in Hebrews 10:32-38.
Conditional Prophecy
Zechariah 14 will be ultimately fulfilled in future as it is described in the book of Revelation (Revelation 20:7-8). But it also was the object of hope at the time of Zechariah to be fulfilled already back then. God invited those still remaining in the land of captivity to return home for assisting the rebuilding of temple and city (Zechariah 2:6-7; 8:7-8; 10:6.10). The nations would join them with one accord (Zechariah 8:20-22). In this context Messaiah would come and establish his kindgom of peace (Zechariah 9:9-10). Looking at that wonderful peace of Jerusalem without walls (Zechariah 2:4) and even the whole land with unwalled dwellings (Ezekiel 38:11) other nations, full of jealousy, would attack Jerusalem as described in Zechariah 14 in all details.
Unfortunately, only a remnant of Juda returned. Due to the failure of Israel, these predictions could only be fulfilled in a very limited initial way. While Israel as vehicle of the promises failed, the promise did not. The church of Christ is the heir of salvation and promise now (Galatians 3:29) to be the new vehicle of those promises. For this reason principle elements in the prophecy of Zechariah are marked as fulfilled in the context of Christ`s first coming (Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:4-5; Zechariah 11:12; Matthew 26:14-15; Zechariah 12:10; John 19:34; Zechariah 13:7; Matthew 26:31). The geographical Jerusalem on earth is transposed to the true Jerusalem in the Book of Revelation. As the enemies are trying to conquer the city after the Millenium, they are devoured by fire from heaven (Revelation 20:7-9). With the eradication of evil the eternal kingdom of peace is ushered in. Thus the prophecy of Zechariah is ultimately fulfilled within the scope of Christ`s first and second coming.
Winfried Stolpmann
Exactly Winfried, Thank-you!