Week of Monday May 19 - May 25
Warrior’s Sword – Man as Defender
For I have bent Judah as my bow; I have made Ephraim its arrow. I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and wield you like a warrior’s sword. Then the Lord will appear over them, and his arrow will go forth like lightning; the Lord God will sound the trumpet and will march forth in the whirlwinds of the south. The Lord of hosts will protect them, and they shall devour, and tread down the sling stones, and they shall drink and roar as if drunk with wine, and be full like a bowl, drenched like the corners of the altar. On that day the Lord their God will save them, as the flock of his people; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land. - Zechariah 9:13-16 ESV
Years ago, an angry man rushed through the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam until he reached Rembrandt’s famous painting, Nightwatch. He pulled out a knife and slashed it repeatedly before he could be stopped. A short time later, a distraught, hostile man slipped into St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome with a hammer and began to smash Michelangelo’s beautiful sculpture, The Pietà, which depicts Mary holding the body of the crucified Jesus. Over the years, Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa has faced multiple attacks, the most recent being in 2022 when a climate activist smashed cake on the glass protecting the painting. Also in 2022, a duo of “eco-warriors” threw tomato soup on van Gogh’s Sunflowers. I could go on about attacks on famous works of art. In the process, nearly all of these cherished works were severely damaged. Commentator Jack Countryman offers the following spiritual application:
But what did officials do? Throw them out and forget about them? Absolutely not! Using the best experts, who worked with the utmost care and precision, they made every effort to restore the treasures. By His sovereign grace, God can bring good out of our failures, and even out of our sins.
Much like these famous works of art, the Jewish people were defaced and damaged—as a result of their idolatry and immorality, which ultimately led to their defeat and the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. However, by God’s amazing grace, they were allowed to return to their homeland. Indeed, they were restored with a purpose.
By this point in Zechariah’s ministry, the temple had already been rebuilt. God gave him a series of visions about the future, including the coming of Jesus the Messiah and His dramatic entry into Jerusalem (9:9). In the following verses, God revealed His glorious purpose for His people. After their crushing defeat at the hands of foreign foes, the destruction of the temple, and the indignities suffered in exile, God promised to lead them into battle, grant them victory, and make them shine like jewels in a crown! This promise was fulfilled in history when the Maccabee brothers overthrew their overlords.
Although we might find ourselves at different points in the timeline of God's providence, we all experience seasons of spiritual conflict and dark moments of defeat. During these times, it can be tempting to give up or lose hope. The enemy may even try to entice us to walk away from the Lord, who promised us His sufficient grace and abiding presence. That’s when we need to hear God’s Word and hold on to His promises.
The God of heaven desires to restore what is broken. As Zechariah said, “wield you like a warrior’s sword.” God wants to develop us into Defenders who are fully equipped to fight the good fight of faith, standing for righteousness in the battle for biblical truth that rages in our current culture. God created us for moments just like this!
- Are there any unresolved issues in your life that God needs to heal so you can be what He has called you to be? Are you spiritually prepared to support and protect your family and friends in today's challenging culture?
- Do any of your family members or friends feel defeated and need your prayers and support? As a Defender, how can you encourage them today?
- Pray and ask the Lord to restore you, strengthen you, and “wield you like a warrior’s sword.”
Warrior’s Sword – Man as Defender
For I have bent Judah as my bow; I have made Ephraim its arrow. I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and wield you like a warrior’s sword. Then the Lord will appear over them, and his arrow will go forth like lightning; the Lord God will sound the trumpet and will march forth in the whirlwinds of the south. The Lord of hosts will protect them, and they shall devour, and tread down the sling stones, and they shall drink and roar as if drunk with wine, and be full like a bowl, drenched like the corners of the altar. On that day the Lord their God will save them, as the flock of his people; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land. - Zechariah 9:13-16 ESV
Years ago, an angry man rushed through the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam until he reached Rembrandt’s famous painting, Nightwatch. He pulled out a knife and slashed it repeatedly before he could be stopped. A short time later, a distraught, hostile man slipped into St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome with a hammer and began to smash Michelangelo’s beautiful sculpture, The Pietà, which depicts Mary holding the body of the crucified Jesus. Over the years, Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa has faced multiple attacks, the most recent being in 2022 when a climate activist smashed cake on the glass protecting the painting. Also in 2022, a duo of “eco-warriors” threw tomato soup on van Gogh’s Sunflowers. I could go on about attacks on famous works of art. In the process, nearly all of these cherished works were severely damaged. Commentator Jack Countryman offers the following spiritual application:
But what did officials do? Throw them out and forget about them? Absolutely not! Using the best experts, who worked with the utmost care and precision, they made every effort to restore the treasures. By His sovereign grace, God can bring good out of our failures, and even out of our sins.
Much like these famous works of art, the Jewish people were defaced and damaged—as a result of their idolatry and immorality, which ultimately led to their defeat and the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. However, by God’s amazing grace, they were allowed to return to their homeland. Indeed, they were restored with a purpose.
By this point in Zechariah’s ministry, the temple had already been rebuilt. God gave him a series of visions about the future, including the coming of Jesus the Messiah and His dramatic entry into Jerusalem (9:9). In the following verses, God revealed His glorious purpose for His people. After their crushing defeat at the hands of foreign foes, the destruction of the temple, and the indignities suffered in exile, God promised to lead them into battle, grant them victory, and make them shine like jewels in a crown! This promise was fulfilled in history when the Maccabee brothers overthrew their overlords.
Although we might find ourselves at different points in the timeline of God's providence, we all experience seasons of spiritual conflict and dark moments of defeat. During these times, it can be tempting to give up or lose hope. The enemy may even try to entice us to walk away from the Lord, who promised us His sufficient grace and abiding presence. That’s when we need to hear God’s Word and hold on to His promises.
The God of heaven desires to restore what is broken. As Zechariah said, “wield you like a warrior’s sword.” God wants to develop us into Defenders who are fully equipped to fight the good fight of faith, standing for righteousness in the battle for biblical truth that rages in our current culture. God created us for moments just like this!
- Are there any unresolved issues in your life that God needs to heal so you can be what He has called you to be? Are you spiritually prepared to support and protect your family and friends in today's challenging culture?
- Do any of your family members or friends feel defeated and need your prayers and support? As a Defender, how can you encourage them today?
- Pray and ask the Lord to restore you, strengthen you, and “wield you like a warrior’s sword.”