The King Is Here!
In boxing, as the champion is on his way to the ring, his entourage walks ahead of him to hype up the crowd. They exuberantly shout phrases like “the champ is here!”, to let people know that what they’ve been waiting for is about to go down and he will be victorious. In Zechariah 9:9-13;16-17, the prophet lets the people of God know that the Lord Jesus is on His way! And He’s coming back to reign as the victorious and righteous king! I pray that God will bless you with the anticipation and joy of knowing that Jesus is coming back again! Amen
Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
I will take away the chariots from Ephraim
and the warhorses from Jerusalem,
and the battle bow will be broken.
He will proclaim peace to the nations.
His rule will extend from sea to sea
and from the River to the ends of the earth. (Zechariah 9:9-10) The Lord will bring peace such that there will be no more need for chariots or warhorses (see Isaiah 2:4). His people will shout and rejoice as the Lord comes in victory and He rules in righteousness. And He will reign as king over all the earth. Certainly this passage was partially fulfilled with Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem (see Mt 22:5; Jn 12:15), but there is also a future fulfillment anticipated in His second coming and millennial rule.
As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you,
I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit.
Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope;
even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.
I will bend Judah as I bend my bow
and fill it with Ephraim.
I will rouse your sons, Zion,
against your sons, Greece,
and make you like a warrior’s sword. (Zechariah 9:11-13) God entered into a blood covenant with Abraham that through him all nations would be blessed. God promised that He would free the exiles from Babylonian captivity, but also looking forward to the Lords millennial reign, he promised even greater blessings to His people. He would free them from being prisoners in “waterless pits” that they are in. And He called on all of His people to return to the fortress of protection and hope that they have in Him. Israel/Ephraim (northern kingdom) and Judah (southern kingdom) are also promised to be reunited in the day of the Lord’s victorious return.
The LORD their God will save his people on that day
as a shepherd saves his flock.
They will sparkle in his land
like jewels in a crown.
How attractive and beautiful they will be!
Grain will make the young men thrive,
and new wine the young women. (Zechariah 9:16-17)
The Good Shepherd will come on that day and will rescue His flock from all hurt, harm and danger. God’s people will be renewed and shine like the jewels in the crown of the Lord. And God’s people will give the Lord praise for the prosperity and blessings (grain and new wine) they will enjoy under the Lord’s reign.
Jesus came the first time to be with us and to offer us salvation. He came lowly and humble. But when He comes back, the prophet Zechariah tells us that He will come as the victorious king and ruler over all nations. In place of the evil, chaos, confusion, fear, injustice and oppression that marks this world under Satan, the Lord’s reign will usher in peace, joy and righteousness. We who have longed to see Him will shout and rejoice at His coming. And we will be made new to sparkle as the Crown Jewels of His kingdom. Through Zechariah, God reassures us that we won’t always have to endure as prisoners of this sinful world. We who live in faith, know that our hope is not in the Supreme Court or the President, it isn’t in our jobs or our bank accounts. Our hope is in Christ Jesus who will come back as a victorious and righteous ruler and King. Zechariah is among the many prophetic voices in the Lord’s entourage. Zechariah tells us that the King is on His way and The day is coming when there will be shouts of joy, saying “The King is here!”… Are you ready?
Blessings, Rev. Glenn
