OUR FATHER WHO KNOWS THE SECRET WORDS AND HEARTHS OF MEN

The book of Malachi chapter 3 verses 13 - 18 says this;

13 “Your words have been harsh against Me,” Says the Lord, “Yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against You?’

14 You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God; What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, And that we have walked as mourners Before the Lord of hosts?

15 So now we call the proud blessed, For those who do wickedness are raised up; They even tempt God and go free.’ ”

16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, And the Lord listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the Lord And who meditate on His name.

17 “They shall be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts, “On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them As a man spares his own son who serves him.”

18 Then you shall again discern Between the righteous and the wicked, Between one who serves God And one who does not serve Him.

In this passage, the prophet Malachi  recorded the Lordˋs response to the attitude that His people had where they had concluded that serving God and heeding His word was not different from disregarding the things of God. Those who were righteous were not blessed while those who did wickedness went unpunished and the people concluded from this that they could do whatever they wanted.

But the Lord revealed through His prophet Malachi that in such times, He listens to conversations between people and when He heard them speaking of their fear of the Lord and their meditation on His name, He records their names and considers these people to be His gems and He spares them even as a man spares his own son who serves him. This differential between the people treats as His jewels and those who disregarded the Lord results in the return of clarity between righteousness and wickedness.

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHO PROVIDES FOR HIS PEOPLE

The book of Malachi chapter 3 verses 8 - 12 says this;

8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings.

9 You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation.

10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.

11 “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” Says the Lord of hosts;

12 “And all nations will call you blessed, For you will be a delightful land,” Says the Lord of hosts. 

The Lord sets a principle in place where those who live surrendered to him in such a way that they are used to support the kingdom of God, the Lord will open a channel of blessing on them that they wonˋt be able to contain it.

 Amen.

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 OUR FATHER WHO SENT HIS SON INTO THE WORLD

The book of Malachi chapter 3 verses 1 -  7 says this;

1 “Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,” says the Lord of hosts.

2 “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire And like launderers’ soap.

3 He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, And purge them as gold and silver, That they may offer to the Lord An offering in righteousness.

4 “Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem Will be [b]pleasant to the Lord, As in the days of old, As in former years.

5 And I will come near you for judgment; I will be a swift witness Against sorcerers, Against adulterers, Against perjurers, Against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans, And against those who turn away an alien—Because they do not fear Me,” Says the Lord of hosts.

6 “For I am the Lord, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.

7 Yet from the days of your fathers You have gone away from My ordinances and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” Says the Lord of hosts. “But you said, ‘In what way shall we return?’

In this passage, the prophet Malachi foretells the advent of John the Baptist who would be sent to prepare the way of the Lord Himself and during that time, the Lord, for whom all the ages had waited and yearned for would suddenly appear in His temple. 

Malachi described the Lordˋs arrival as a time of purging and refining and that an offer would be made to the children of Israel to return to the Lord and if they did, He would return to them.  The question that would arise would be how to return to the Lord for whom they had offended by neglecting and even exploiting the weaker people.

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHO IS OUR CREATOR AND TO WHOM THE LOYALTY OF LOVE IS OWED

The book of Malachi chapter 2 verses 10 -  17 says this;

10 Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously with one another By profaning the covenant of the fathers?

11 Judah has dealt treacherously, And an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem, For Judah has profaned The Lord’s holy institution which He loves: He has married the daughter of a foreign god.

12 May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob The man who does this, being awake and aware, Yet who brings an offering to the Lord of hosts!

13 And this is the second thing you do: You cover the altar of the Lord with tears, With weeping and crying; So He does not regard the offering anymore, Nor receive it with goodwill from your hands.

14 Yet you say, “For what reason?” Because the Lord has been witness Between you and the wife of your youth, With whom you have dealt treacherously; Yet she is your companion And your wife by covenant.

15 But did He not make them one, Having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, And let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.

16 “For the Lord God of Israel says That He hates divorce, For it covers one’s garment with violence,” Says the Lord of hosts. “Therefore take heed to your spirit, That you do not deal treacherously.”

17 You have wearied the Lord with your words; Yet you say, “In what way have we wearied Him?” In that you say, “Everyone who does evil Is good in the sight of the Lord, And He delights in them,” Or, “Where is the God of justice?”

Through the prophet Malachi, the Lord God rebukes Judah for attending to another god whicle at the same time paying to the God of Israel.

In this rebuke, the institution of marriage is brought up as a model for the fealty that the spouses should have for one another. The commitment is permanent such that a man is not permitted to deal treacherously with his wife.  Similarly, the covenant between the Lord and Israel does not allow for Israel to pursue other gods.

This passage contains the famous phrase in verse 16 that is rendered, ˋThe Lord God of Israel say that He hates divorceˋ which has very different translations in different versions for example in one case it is was translated to say;  “The man who hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,” says the Lord Almighty.

Amen.

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 OUR FATHER WHOSE PRIESTS MUST BE SINCERE AND HOLY

The book of Malachi chapter 2 verse 1 -  says this;

1 “And now, O priests, this commandment is for you.

2 If you will not hear, And if you will not take it to heart, To give glory to My name,”Says the Lord of hosts, “I will send a curse upon you, And I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have cursed them already, Because you do not take it to heart.

3 “Behold, I will rebuke your descendants And spread refuse on your faces,The refuse of your solemn feasts; And one will take you away with it.

4 Then you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you, That My covenant with Levi may continue,” Says the Lord of hosts.

5 “My covenant was with him, one of life and peace, And I gave them to him that he might fear Me; So he feared Me And was reverent before My name.

6 The law of truth was in his mouth, And injustice was not found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and equity, And turned many away from iniquity.

7 “For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, And people should seek the law from his mouth; For he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.

8 But you have departed from the way; You have caused many to stumble at the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,” Says the Lord of hosts.

9 “Therefore I also have made you contemptible and base Before all the people, Because you have not kept My ways But have shown partiality in the law.”

The priests were to represent God to man and man to God but they had failed to glorify the name of the Lord and had earned the Lord's rebuke. They did not attend to the word of God and caused many to stumble 

In contrast, the priest with whom the Lord had covenant was just, peaceful and equitable and reverenced the Lord. 

He also knew the words of the law and people sought Him for He was the messenger of the Lord of Hosts and He rightly guided many people to righteousness.

The priests who neglected their calling would be abased while the priest who fulfilled His calling would be exalted.

Amen.

4

OUR FATHER WHO IS WORTHY OF THE HIGHEST HONOR AND IS TO BE FEARED BY THE NATIONS

The book of Malachi chapter 1 verses 6 - 14 says this;

6 “A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the Lord of hosts To you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’

7 “You offer defiled food on My altar, But say, ‘In what way have we defiled You?’ By saying, ‘The table of the Lord is contemptible.’

8 And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, Is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, Is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you?Would he accept you favorably?” Says the Lord of hosts.

9 “But now entreat God’s favor, That He may be gracious to us. While this is being done by your hands, Will He accept you favorably?” Says the Lord of hosts.

10 “Who is there even among you who would shut the doors, So that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain? I have no pleasure in you,” Says the Lord of hosts, “Nor will I accept an offering from your hands.

11 For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles; In every place incense shall be offered to My name, And a pure offering; For My name shall be great among the nations,” Says the Lord of hosts.

12 “But you profane it, In that you say, ‘The table of the Lord is defiled; And its fruit, its food, is contemptible.’

13 You also say, ‘Oh, what a weariness!’ And you sneer at it,” Says the Lord of hosts. “And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick; Thus you bring an offering! Should I accept this from your hand?” Says the Lord.

14 “But cursed be the deceiver Who has in his flock a male, And takes a vow, But sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished—or I am a great King,” Says the Lord of hosts, “And My name is to be feared among the nations.

Malachi transcribes the list of devolutions that Israel had fallen to that resulted from their forgetting the preeminence of God in their life and so 

• Honor as a Father not offered 
• Reverence not given as a Lord
• Name despised by the priests
• Defiled offerings by the priests 
• Offerings presented to God that would not be accepted by men
• Preparations for ceremonies are not fully staffed
• Ceremonies are attended to with weariness and disdain
• Offerings for the altar are rotten, stolen, damaged, diseased

The Lord underscores that He is a Great King and is to be honored is a manner fitting for an awesome King and that we are not to be deceptive in evading the proper honor of God.

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHO LOVES JACOB AND HATES ESSAU (LOVE OUR BORN AGAIN SPIRIT AND HATES OUR FALLEN NATURE

Starting in the book of Malachi in chapter 1 verses 1 - 5, we read this,

1 The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.

2 “I have loved you,” says the Lord.

“Yet you say, ‘In what way have You loved us?’ Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?”

Says the Lord. “Yet Jacob I have loved;

3 But Esau I have hated,

And laid waste his mountains and his heritage For the jackals of the wilderness.”

4 Even though Edom has said, “We have been impoverished,

But we will return and build the desolate places,” Thus says the Lord of hosts:

“They may build, but I will throw down; They shall be called the Territory of Wickedness,

And the people against whom the Lord will have indignation forever.

5 Your eyes shall see, And you shall say,  ‘The Lord is magnified beyond the border of Israel.’

This passage is quoted in Romans chapter 9 verse 13 where Paul discusses how the calling on individuals is not self-determined but rather a divine determination that occurs before the birth of the person.

As well, in as far as the twins Jacob and Essau are metaphores for the duality of a believer, Jacob, who is the younger one and represents the born again spirit of the believer, is destined to rule over the older Essau who represents the flesh oor the corrupted spirit. The phrase ´Jacob I loved and Essau I hatedˋ illustrates the reality that the fallen nature is contraty to God while the born again spirit loves the  things of God and is loved by God,

The passage goes on to foretell that the fortunes and holdings of the flesh would be destroyed by the Lord in the work that is ongoing in believers to make them complete.

Amen,

1

OUR FATHER WHOSE SON WILL REIGN IN JERUSALEM AND ALL HIS ENEMIES WILL BE SUBDUED

The book of Zachariah chapter 14 verses 16 -  21 says this;

 16 And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 17 And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, on them there will be no rain. 18 If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the Lord strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.

20 In that day “HOLINESS TO THE LORD” shall be engraved on the bells of the horses. The pots in the Lord’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar. 21 Yes, every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holiness to the Lord of hosts. Everyone who sacrifices shall come and take them and cook in them. In that day there shall no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts.

This last passage of the book of Zachariah foretells a time when the remnant people of the nations that fought against the Lordˋs people will be required to attend the annual feats of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. Any nation or people who refuse to appear in Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles will be struck with drought and a plague shall be released on them.

All of humanity will be required to participate in the Feast of Tabernacles and tribute to the Holiness of the Lord will be universal and such that every accoutrement  from the bells on horses to domestic utensils will be engraved with acknowledgement of the Lordˋs holiness.

Amen.

1

 OUR FATHER WILL STRIKE THOSE WHO STRUCK  HIS PEOPLE

The book of Zachariah chapter 14 verses 10 - 15 says this;

10 All the land shall be turned into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be raised up and inhabited in her place from Benjamin’s Gate to the place of the First Gate and the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s winepresses.

11 The people shall dwell in it; And no longer shall there be utter destruction, But Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.

12 And this shall be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the people who fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet, Their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets, And their tongues shall dissolve in their mouths.

13 It shall come to pass in that day That a great panic from the Lord will be among them. Everyone will seize the hand of his neighbor, And raise his hand against his neighbor’s hand;

14 Judah also will fight at Jerusalem. And the wealth of all the surrounding nations Shall be gathered together: Gold, silver, and apparel in great abundance.

15 Such also shall be the plague On the horse and the mule, On the camel and the donkey, And on all the cattle that will be in those camps. So shall this plague be.

In  this passage, the prophet Zachariah provides some details of the renovations that were going to occur in Jerusalem and surrounding area. The region would be brought to grade so that the city would be surrounded by a flat platform. The city itself would be raised above the platform.

The nations that attacked Jerusalem and remained a threat to Jerusalem would be struck by what appears to be a nuclear blast where the population would dissolve where they stood. The animals of the hostile nations would also be struck by the plague that would be visited on them.

Amen.

1

OUR FATHER WHO WILL GATHER THE NATIONS 

The book of Zachariah chapter 14 verse 1 - 9  says this; 

1 Behold, the day of the Lord is coming, And your spoil will be divided in your midst.

2 For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; The city shall be taken, The houses rifled, And the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city.

3 Then the Lord will go forth And fight against those nations, As He fights in the day of battle.

4 And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, From east to west, Making a very large valley;

Half of the mountain shall move toward the north And half of it toward the south.

5 Then you shall flee through My mountain valley, For the mountain valley shall reach to Azal. Yes, you shall flee As you fled from the earthquake

In the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Thus the Lord my God will come, And all the saints with You.

6 It shall come to pass in that day That there will be no light; The lights will diminish.

7 It shall be one day Which is known to the Lord— Neither day nor night.

But at evening time it shall happen That it will be light.

8 And in that day it shall be That living waters shall flow from Jerusalem, Half of them toward the eastern sea And half of them toward the western sea; In both summer and winter it shall occur.

9 And the Lord shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be— “The Lord is one,” And His name one.

This passage speaks of a time when Jerusalem would be overrun be her enemies leaving only a remnant of people within it but the Lord was going to appear at the Mount of Olives that stands east of Jerusalem and He will arrive with His saints and fight against the enemies of Jerusalem. 

That day will be distinguished by a day of darkness where the whole globe would be plunged into darkness. On that day, in the evening,  the sky will be emblazoned with a light show that will be visible throughout the earth.

This prophecy is parallel to the prophey that the Lord Jesus gave regarding the the same event in Matthew chapter 24 verse 26 - 30 which, interestingly, He gave while sitting with His disciples on the Mount of Olives.

26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

29 “Immediately after the distress of those days “‘the sun will be darkened,  and the moon will not give its light; he stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’

30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 

The Lord Jesus adds to the milieu the desceptive political realm that will be actively working to deceive people and mislead them into following false messiahs in order to entrap them and eliminate them.

When the Lord arrives in great power and glory, the deception will immeadiately revealed and people will weep for the one whom they rejected.

The Lordˋs single unified  kingdom will be establish over the entire earth and from His headquarters in Jerusalem, springs of living water carrying life and healing will flow to all the places on earth.

Amen.

1

 OUR FATHER WHO OPENED A FOUNTAIN TO CLEAN AWAY SIN AND UNLCEANNESS

The book of Zachariah chapter 13 verses 1 - 9 says this;

1 “In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.

2 “It shall be in that day,” says the Lord of hosts, “that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they shall no longer be remembered. I will also cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to depart from the land. 3 It shall come to pass that if anyone still prophesies, then his father and mother who begot him will say to him, ‘You shall not live, because you have spoken lies in the name of the Lord.’ And his father and mother who begot him shall thrust him through when he prophesies.

4 “And it shall be in that day that every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies; they will not wear a robe of coarse hair to deceive. 5 But he will say, ‘I am no prophet, I am a farmer; for a man taught me to keep cattle from my youth.’ 6 And one will say to him, ‘What are these wounds between your arms?’ Then he will answer, ‘Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.’

7 “Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, Against the Man who is My Companion,”

Says the Lord of hosts. “Strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered;

Then I will turn My hand against the little ones.

8 And it shall come to pass in all the land,” Says the Lord,

“That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, But one-third shall be left in it:

9 I will bring the one-third through the fire,

Will refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested.

They will call on My name, And I will answer them.

I will say, ‘This is My people’; And each one will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’ ”

In this passage, the prophet Zachariah records a prophecy about a time that would come when the shepherd would be struck and the sheep under His care would scatter. This foretells the night that Jesus was arrested by the authorities in the garden of Gethsemene and the disciples who were with Him all fled to escape the clutches of the soldiers who had come for them. This is noted by the Lord Jesus Himself on the night that He was betrayed as recorded in Matthew chapter 26 verse 31 that says;

31 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:

“ ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 

Zachariah also foretells the dispensation where only a remnant is left behind and these who are refined as silver and tested as gold are the ones who will call God their Lord and He would call them His people.

Amen.

1

OUR FATHER WHO GAVE THE SPIRIT OF GRACE AND SUPPLICATION TO OPEN THE EYES OF THOSE WHO DO NOT SEE

The book of Zachariah chapter 12 verses 10 - 14 says this;

10 “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn. 11 In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning at Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. 12 And the land shall mourn, every family by itself: the family of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves; 13 the family of the house of Levi by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of Shimei by itself, and their wives by themselves; 14 all the families that remain, every family by itself, and their wives by themselves.

The Prophet Zachariah, looking into the distant future from his time, saw a time when the Spirit of grace and supplication would be poured out on the children of Israel and a  deep mourning would settle in the land where the children of Israel would look upon the One they pierced and realize whom it was that they rejected and each individual would grieve for Him the way one would grieve at the death of a first born son.

This passage is referenced in the book of John chapter 19 verses 36 - 37 where the Lord Jesus, while on the cross, had to be taken down because the next day was the Sabbath day and in order to do so, they  pierced Him in the chest to verify that He was dead. The apostle John wrote that this event was the fufilment of the prophecy found in Zachariah chapter 12 verse 10.

 36 These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” 37 and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”

Amen.

1

 OUR FATHER WHO WILL STRENGTHEN HIS PEOPLE AGAINST THEIR ENEMIES

The book of Zachariah chapter 12 verses 1 -  9 says this;

1 The burden of the word of the Lord against Israel. Thus says the Lord, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him: 2 “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. 3 And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it. 4 In that day,” says the Lord, “I will strike every horse with confusion, and its rider with madness; I will open My eyes on the house of Judah, and will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. 5 And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, ‘The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in the Lord of hosts, their God.’ 6 In that day I will make the governors of Judah like a firepan in the woodpile, and like a fiery torch in the sheaves; they shall devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left, but Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place—Jerusalem.

7 “The Lord will save the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall not become greater than that of Judah. 8 In that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the one who is feeble among them in that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the Angel of the Lord before them. 9 It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

The prophet Zachariah, seeing ahead into the deep future, described the geopolitical pressure that would surround Jerusalem against which the Lord would directly intervene to strengthen Judah in the face of her enemies. 

Amen.

1

OUR FATHER WHOSE SON WAS TO BE BETRAYED

The book of Zachariah chapter 11 says this;

1  Open your doors, O Lebanon,That fire may devour your cedars.

2 Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen, Because the mighty trees are ruined.

Wail, O oaks of Bashan, For the thick forest has come down.

3 There is the sound of wailing shepherds! For their glory is in ruins.

There is the sound of roaring lions! For the pride of the Jordan is in ruins.

4 Thus says the Lord my God, “Feed the flock for slaughter, 5 whose owners slaughter them and feel no guilt; those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the Lord, for I am rich’; and their shepherds do not pity them. 6 For I will no longer pity the inhabitants of the land,” says the Lord. “But indeed I will give everyone into his neighbor’s hand and into the hand of his king. They shall attack the land, and I will not deliver them from their hand.”

7 So I fed the flock for slaughter, in particular the poor of the flock. I took for myself two staffs: the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bonds; and I fed the flock. 8 I dismissed the three shepherds in one month. My soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me. 9 Then I said, “I will not feed you. Let what is dying die, and what is perishing perish. Let those that are left eat each other’s flesh.” 10 And I took my staff, Beauty, and cut it in two, that I might break the covenant which I had made with all the peoples. 11 So it was broken on that day. Thus the poor of the flock, who were watching me, knew that it was the word of the Lord. 12 Then I said to them, “If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain.” So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.

13 And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord for the potter. 14 Then I cut in two my other staff, Bonds, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

15 And the Lord said to me, “Next, take for yourself the implements of a foolish shepherd. 16 For indeed I will raise up a shepherd in the land who will not care for those who are cut off, nor seek the young, nor heal those that are broken, nor feed those that still stand. But he will eat the flesh of the fat and tear their hooves in pieces. 

17 “Woe to the worthless shepherd, Who leaves the flock!

A sword shall be against his arm And against his right eye;

His arm shall completely wither, And his right eye shall be totally blinded.”

This chapter was referenced concerning the return of the payment of thirty pieces of silver to Judas when he gave the priests information leading to the arrest of the Jesus. The priests used the money that Judas returned to them to buy the potterˋs field to make a graveyard that they could use to bury unclaimed foreigners.

Amen.

1

OUR FATHER WHOSE SON WAS SENT TO VISIT THE FLOCK

The book of Zachariah chapter 10 foretells the visitation of the Lord and speaks for the in-gathering of the people of God and the enemies of the Judah shall be weakened.

1 Ask the Lord for rain In the time of the latter rain. The Lord will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, Grass in the field for everyone.

2 For the idols speak delusion; The diviners envision lies, And tell false dreams; They comfort in vain. Therefore the people wend their way like sheep; They are in trouble because there is no shepherd.

3 “My anger is kindled against the shepherds, And I will punish the goatherds. For the Lord of hosts will visit His flock, The house of Judah, And will make them as His royal horse in the battle.

4 From him comes the cornerstone, From him the tent peg, From him the battle bow, From him every ruler together.

5 They shall be like mighty men, Who tread down their enemies In the mire of the streets in the battle. They shall fight because the Lord is with them, And the riders on horses shall be put to shame.

6 “I will strengthen the house of Judah, And I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back, Because I have mercy on them. They shall be as though I had not cast them aside; For I am the Lord their God, And I will hear them.

7 Those of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, And their heart shall rejoice as if with wine. Yes, their children shall see it and be glad; Their heart shall rejoice in the Lord.

8 I will whistle for them and gather them, For I will redeem them; And they shall increase as they once increased.

9 “I will sow them among the peoples, And they shall remember Me in far countries; They shall live, together with their children, And they shall return.

10 I will also bring them back from the land of Egypt, And gather them from Assyria. I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon, Until no more room is found for them.

11 He shall pass through the sea with affliction, And strike the waves of the sea: All the depths of the River shall dry up. Then the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, And the scepter of Egypt shall depart.

12 “So I will strengthen them in the Lord, And they shall walk up and down in His name,” Says the Lord.

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHOSE SON WAS GOING TO ARRIVE IN JERUSALEM RIDING ON FOAL OF A DONKEY

The book of Zachariah chapter 9 verses 11 - 17 says this,

9“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation,

Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.

10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim And the horse from Jerusalem;

The battle bow shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to the nations; 

His dominion shall be ‘from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth.’

11 “As for you also, Because of the blood of your covenant,

I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.

12 Return to the stronghold, You prisoners of hope.

Even today I declare That I will restore double to you.

13 For I have bent Judah, My bow,

Fitted the bow with Ephraim, And raised up your sons, O Zion,

Against your sons, O Greece, And made you like the sword of a mighty man.”

14 Then the Lord will be seen over them,

And His arrow will go forth like lightning. The Lord God will blow the trumpet,

And go with whirlwinds from the south.

15 The Lord of hosts will defend them;

They shall devour and subdue with slingstones. They shall drink and roar as if with wine;

They shall be filled with blood like basins, Like the corners of the altar.

16 The Lord their God will save them in that day,

As the flock of His people. For they shall be like the jewels of a crown, Lifted like a banner over His land—

17 For how great is its goodness And how great its beauty! Grain shall make the young men thrive, And new wine the young women.

Amen.

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 OUR FATHER WHOSE SON WILL JUDGE THE ENEMIES OF HIS PEOPLE

The book of Zachariah chapter 9 verses 1 - 8 says this; 

1 The burden of the word of the Lord Against the land of Hadrach,

And Damascus its resting place (For the eyes of men And all the tribes of Israel Are on the Lord);

2 Also against Hamath, which borders on it, And against Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise.

3 For Tyre built herself a tower, Heaped up silver like the dust,

And gold like the mire of the streets.

4 Behold, the Lord will cast her out; He will destroy her power in the sea,

And she will be devoured by fire.

5 Ashkelon shall see it and fear; Gaza also shall be very sorrowful;

And Ekron, for He dried up her expectation. The king shall perish from Gaza,

And Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.

6 “A mixed race shall settle in Ashdod, And I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.

7 I will take away the blood from his mouth, And the abominations from between his teeth. But he who remains, even he shall be for our God, And shall be like a leader in Judah, And Ekron like a Jebusite.

8 I will camp around My house Because of the army, Because of him who passes by and him who returns. No more shall an oppressor pass through them, For now I have seen with My eyes.

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHOSE SON IS ZEALOUS FOR ZION AND HE WILL BRING HIS PEOPLE TO DWELL WITH HIM THERE

The book of Zachariah chapter 8 says this;

1 Again the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying, 

2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘I am zealous for Zion with great zeal;

With great fervor I am zealous for her.’

3 “Thus says the Lord: ‘I will return to Zion, And dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.

Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, The Mountain of the Lord of hosts,

The Holy Mountain.’

4 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Old men and old women shall again sit

In the streets of Jerusalem, Each one with his staff in his hand Because of great age.

5 The streets of the city Shall be full of boys and girls Playing in its streets.’

6 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, Will it also be marvelous in My eyes?’

Says the Lord of hosts.

7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Behold, I will save My people from the land of the east And from the land of the west;

8 I will bring them back, And they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. They shall be My people And I will be their God, In truth and righteousness.’

9 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Let your hands be strong, You who have been hearing in these days These words by the mouth of the prophets, Who spoke in the day the foundation was laid For the house of the Lord of hosts, That the temple might be built.

10 For before these days There were no wages for man nor any hire for beast; There was no peace from the enemy for whoever went out or came in; For I set all men, everyone, against his neighbor.

11 But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ says the Lord of hosts.

12 ‘For the [h]seed shall be prosperous, The vine shall give its fruit, The ground shall give her increase, And the heavens shall give their dew— I will cause the remnant of this people To possess all these.

13 And it shall come to pass That just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, So I will save you, and you shall be a blessing.

Do not fear, Let your hands be strong.’

14 “For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Just as I determined to punish you When your fathers provoked Me to wrath,’ Says the Lord of hosts, ‘And I would not relent,

15 So again in these days I am determined to do good To Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not fear.

16 These are the things you shall do: Speak each man the truth to his neighbor;

Give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace;

17 Let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor; And do not love a false oath. For all these are things that I hate,’ Says the Lord.”

18 Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, 

19 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:

‘The fast of the fourth month,

The fast of the fifth,

The fast of the seventh,

And the fast of the tenth,

Shall be joy and gladness and cheerful feasts

For the house of Judah.

Therefore love truth and peace.’

20 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:

‘Peoples shall yet come, Inhabitants of many cities;

21 The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying,

“Let us continue to go and pray before the Lord, And seek the Lord of hosts.

I myself will go also.”

22 Yes, many peoples and strong nations

Shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, And to pray before the Lord.’

23 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” ’ ”

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHOSE WORD WAS REJECTED BY THOSE TO WHOM HE WAS SENT

Zachariah chapter 7 verses 8 - 14 says this;

8 Then the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying, 9 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:

‘Execute true justice,

Show mercy and compassion

Everyone to his brother.

10 Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, The alien or the poor.

Let none of you plan evil in his heart Against his brother.’

11 “But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear. 12 Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the Lord of hosts. 13 Therefore it happened, that just as He proclaimed and they would not hear, so they called out and I would not listen,” says the Lord of hosts. 14 “But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations which they had not known. Thus the land became desolate after them, so that no one passed through or returned; for they made the pleasant land desolate.”

This passage, continuing on from the previous text describing the Branch who would be sent from heaven,  gives a command from the Lord that required mercy and compassion as the true justice. Widows and orphans were not to be oppressed and evil schemes should not plotted in the hearts of men.

The Lord Jesus, who was telling the pharisees to show mercy rather than slavishly execute legal injunctions, was met by stopped ears and He was not heeded.

After Israel rejected the Branch, they were scattered by the whirlwind into many nations they did not know and the once pleasant  land was left desolate.

Have mercy O Lord.

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OUR FATHER WHO SEEKS SINCERITY AMONG HIS PEOPLE

Zachariah chapter 7 verses 1 - 7 says this;

1 Now in the fourth year of King Darius it came to pass that the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, on the fourth day of the ninth month, Chislev, Now in the fourth year of King Darius it came to pass that the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, on the fourth day of the ninth month, Chislev, 2 when the people sent Sherezer, with Regem-Melech and his men, to the house of God, to pray before the Lord, 3 and to ask the priests who were in the house of the Lord of hosts, and the prophets, saying, “Should I weep in the fifth month and fast as I have done for so many years?”

4 Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, 5 “Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me—for Me? 6 When you eat and when you drink, do you not eat and drink for yourselves? 7 Should you not have obeyed the words which the Lord proclaimed through the former prophets when Jerusalem and the ciities around it were inhabited and prosperous, and the South and the Lowland were inhabited?’ ” 

The Israelite captives sent a representative to ask the priests at the temple which fasting and  mourning months they needed to observe.

In response, the Lord gave a word to Zacharia that questioned why they were bothering to ask these questions. The Lord said to them that they would have better off following the ways of the in their own land when they were prosperous rather than waiting till the judgement was upon them before the sought to please the Lord.

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Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHOSE SON IS OUR KING AND PRIEST

The book of Zachariah chapter 6 verses 9 - 15 records a Messianic prophecy that the prophet Zacharia received.  Zacharia was told to take an offering from the Israelites who had been in bondage and now had returned back to the promised land.

Immediately, Zacharia was to take the silver and gold he received and he was to make an elaborate (or an ornate) crown. This crown was then to be set upon the head of Joshua      ( the priest who had been given clean garments ) and while doing this, Zachariah was to say that Joshua was the Man named the 'BRANCH' and that He would build the temple of the LORD and the glory of God would be upon Him an he would be a priest but would be a king ruling from His throne.

9 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: 10 “Receive the gift from the captives—from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have come from Babylon—and go the same day and enter the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah. 11 Take the silver and gold, make an elaborate crown, and set it on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. 12 Then speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, saying:

“Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH!

From His place He shall  branch out,

And He shall build the temple of the Lord;

13 Yes, He shall build the temple of the Lord.

He shall bear the glory,

And shall sit and rule on His throne;

So He shall be a priest on His throne,

And the counsel of peace shall be between them both.” ’

14 “Now the elaborate crown shall be for a memorial in the temple of the Lord for Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen the son of Zephaniah. 15 Even those from afar shall come and build the temple of the Lord. Then you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you. And this shall come to pass if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.”

This enactment of the placement of an ornate crown upon the head of a priest represented the coming Messiah who would be the high priest representing the people to God interceding for us and He would also be our King representing God and His will to the people.

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHOSE SPIRIT IS GIVEN REST WHEN HIS SERVANTS ARE EAGER TO PATROL THE TERRITORIES

The book of Zachariah chapter 6 verses 1 - 8 records another vision that Zachariah saw as he talked to the Angel of the Lord.

1 Then I turned and raised my eyes and looked, and behold, four chariots were coming from between two mountains, and the mountains were mountains of bronze. 2 With the first chariot were red horses, with the second chariot black horses, 3 with the third chariot white horses, and with the fourth chariot dappled horses—strong steeds. 4 Then I answered and said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?”

Zachariah saw four chariots coming from between two bronze mountains with each chariot harnessed to horses of distinct colors (red, black, white, dappled). These chariots were being driven by the four spirits of heaven.

5 And the angel answered and said to me, “These are four spirits of heaven, who go out from their station before the Lord of all the earth. 6 The one with the black horses is going to the north country, the white are going after them, and the dappled are going toward the south country.” 7 Then the strong steeds went out, eager to go, that they might walk to and fro throughout the earth. And He said, “Go, walk to and fro throughout the earth.” So they walked to and fro throughout the earth. 8 And He called to me, and spoke to me, saying, “See, those who go toward the north country have given rest to My Spirit in the north country.”

The configuration of the chariots was as follows

• Chariot 1     Red horses            
• Chariot 2     Black Horses        North Country
• Chariot 3     White Horses       North Country
• Chariot 4     Dappled Horses   South Country

The Angel of the Lord said to Zachariah that the chariots that had gone North (Black and White) were the ones who had given rest to His Spirit in the North country. The four chariots were eager to patrol the earth and they were granted this wish and they travelled back and forth across the territories.

Amen.

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 OUR FATHER WHO REVEALS MYSTERIES TO HIS PROPHETS

The book of Zachariah chapter 5 verses  5 - 11 continues with another vision that the prophet Zachariah saw. 

The Angel of the Lord told Zachariah to lift his eyes and look at what was appearing. Zacharia described seeing a basket (for measuring grain) and he told the Angel of the Lord what he was seeing and he asked the Angel what the basket was. The Angel of the Lord replied that the basketˋs appearance was universally found throughout the land.  (Alternately, the Angel of the Lord replied that basket contained the inquity of the land).

The basket had a round lid made of lead and when the lid was lifted, Zachariah saw a woman inside the basket who tried to get out of the basket whan the lid was lifted. The Angel of the Lord told Zacharia that the woman was ˋwickednessˋand the Angel of the Lord pressed the woman back into basket and closed the lid over her.

Zachariah then saw two women with large wings flying up to them and the women grabbed the basket and flew up with it into the atmosphere.

 Zachariah asked the Angel of the Lord where they were taking the basket and was told that the two women were taking the basket to the land of Shinar where they were going to build a house for it and once the house was completed, they would set the basket on a pedestal in the house. 

5 Then the angel who talkeed with me came out and said to me, “Lift your eyes now, and see what this is that goes forth.”

6 So I asked, “What is it?” And he said, “It is a basket that is going forth.” He also said, “This is their resemblance throughout the earth: 7 Here is a lead disc lifted up, and this is a woman sitting inside the basket”; 8 then he said, “This is Wickedness!” And he thrust her down into the basket, and threw the lead over over its mouth. 9 Then I raised my eyes and looked, and there were two women, coming with the wind in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and heaven.

10 So I said to the angel who talked with me, “Where are they carrying the basket?”

11 And he said to me, “To build a house for it in the land of Shinar; when it is ready, the basket will be set there on its base.”

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHO IS THE JUDGE

The book of Zachariah chapter 5 reecords the prophet Zachariahˋs  visions with verses 1 - 4 describing a vision of a huge flying scroll that was twenty cubits by ten cubits (roughly 10 meters by 5 meters). The Angel of the Lord explained to Zachariah that the scroll served as a curse against two kinds of people. People who were thieves were cursed by one side of the scroll and likewise, the other side of the scroll contained a curse against those who swore falsely by the name of God. The curses were curses of displacement and both the thief and the perjurer would be expelled from their dwelling places.

The Lord of hosts said that He would send out this scroll and it would enter the house of the thief and the house of the perjurer and it would remain in their houses and consume the wood and stone alike. 

1 Then I turned and raised my eyes, and saw there a flying scroll.  2 And he said to me, “What do you see?” So I answered, “I see a flying scroll. Its length is twenty cubits and its width ten cubits.”

3 Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole earth: ‘Every thief shall be expelled,’ according to this side of the scroll; and, ‘Every perjurer shall be expelled,’ according to that side of it.”

4 “I will send out the curse,” says the Lord of hosts; “It shall enter the house of the thief

And the house of the one who swears falsely by My name. It shall remain in the midst of his house And consume it, with its timber and stones.”

Amen.

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