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Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the LORD: for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished.–Jeremiah 46:28
Verse by verse study in Zechariah 14
Zechariah was one of the prophets of Israel after their return from the Babylonian captivity. His message deals with the future of the nation, their further travails and their final exaltation to the position God had planned for them.
The prophecy can be divided into four sections. It opens with a series of eight visions which many feel can be interpreted in chronological order and which outline the future of Israel in highly symbolic language. After a short description of the crowning of the priest (Zechariah 6:9-15) the prophet spends two chapters dealing with questions concerning the observation of religious feasts after their return from Babylon.
The balance of the book contains two “burdens” or oracles from the Lord. The first (chapters 9-11) relates to the first advent of the Messiah while the second “burden” (chapters 12-14) speaks of events concerning his second advent.
It is the last chapter of this closing oracle which forms the basis for this verse by verse study.
There will be no literal battle for Jerusalem. (I have no doubt that there will be wars in that region; so what else is new) These are NOT the events that Jesus [the] Christ told us to be watchful for.
Yet, time and time again, persons keep on referring to the thing that the prophets of old said. Those prophets are dead and were not sent to us. Any of their utterances were not intended for us today.
The Most High God has instructed us to listen to one: His Son, Jesus [the] Christ. (Luke 9:35)
The nation of Israel plays NO part in the end times. It is simply “another” hotspot in the world.
What does one think fighting over a piece of real estate is going to do? Nothing. It is the “entire” earth that will be transformed and that will become a Holy Place when God’s Kingdom comes down to it.
Additionally, Israel – as are the supporting “so-called” Christian allies are warlike.
If the supporting Western Bloc of nations as well as Israel were REALLY faithful and trusting of God, why war with anyone? Do they NOT trust that God Himself “we do battle FOR THEM?”
The answer to this question is, No. Neither the United States (a so-called Christian nation) and the other allies as wellas Israel are faithless. They take matters into their “own hands” and do not trust that God will do battle FOR THEM.
They make battle and then claim God was with them. That is faithlessness. None of these nations really believe or trust in The Most High God and are hypocrites.
I can appreciate “why” many persons attempt to apply the utterances of the prophets of old to our time today, but I think they are barking up the wrong tree; and for one reason alone: Jehovah did not send them to us; he sent His Son. And, it is to that Son he told us to listen to.
It should be a simple matter: Trust in what Jesus has said or not trust in it. If one puts their trust in the prophets of old then they are effectively saying that God said, “Listen to THEM.”
You are being misled in a very large way.
This is no different from the “2012 End of World” prophecy. It was false.
I am afraid that many of you are not listening to the one God told you to listen to.
You listen to everyone else but the one who is “The Truth.” These prophets of old – who were not sent to us – do not bear that title. So why are many of you listening to them instead of Jesus [the] Christ, who is “The Truth?”
Jerome,
Do you believe that Jehovah permanently cast the Jews out of Israel? If so, have they returned against God’s will and power to stop them?
I admire your tenacity, but I would like to continue to encourage you to open you mind to what the scriptures say. Let’s focus on Jesus words since this is all you will accept:
Acts 1:6-7 (AV) When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons…”
So Jesus affirmed the Apostles belief that the kingdom would be restored to Israel by telling them that if was not for them to know when it would take place.
Luke 21:24 (NASV) “Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”
Here Jesus speaks of a time future from his own when Jerusalem would no longer be ruled by the Gentile governments.
Matt 9:28 (NASV), “And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
Clearly from Jesus words, he spoke of a future Israel of the restored twelve tribes over which the Apostles would govern.
Matt 23: 38-39 (NASV) “Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!’”
Although Jesus pronounces Judgment on Jerusalem, he speaks of a future time when they will welcome him.
Luke 22:29-30 (Rotherham) “And, I, covenant unto you––as my Father hath covenanted unto me––a kingdom, That ye may eat and drink, at my table, in my kingdom, and sit upon thrones, judging, the twelve tribes of Israel.”
Jesus here again indicates that Israel will be in the Kingdom.
John 12:13-15 (NASV) “”Hosanna! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, even the King of Israel.” Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written, “FEAR NOT, DAUGHTER OF ZION; BEHOLD, YOUR KING IS COMING, SEATED ON A DONKEY’S COLT.”
Here Jesus is described in prophecy and by the people as King of Israel. Therefore, there must be a time when he will reign over Israel as their king. This is further confirmed in the Old Testament where Jesus is referred to as sitting upon David’s throne. David was the King of Israel.
“Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the THRONE OF DAVID, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this” (Isaiah 9:7).
Jerome – I can continue on with countless scriptures promising a future kingdom to natural Israel, but you would not accept any of those scriptures as God’s word to us. So do you believe these Old Testament prophets were false prophets?
Once again EVERYONE except the one Jehovah says we should be listening to is being listened to.
Why are we turning to the Prophets of old such as Zechariah or Jeremiah? Jehovah DID NOT send them to us. He sent His Son and told us to listen to Him.
Are the Prophets called “The Word of God.” Has Jehovah given them this title? No! This is given exclusively to Jesus [the] Christ.
People today are confused because someone is really going out of their way to stand up “The Bible” as “The Word of God” so that people will consider “it” and all in “it” as The Word of God.
This is a grave mistake, a misleading and act of defiance to the Most High God who told us to listen to the one that he sent and chose.
“And a voice came out of the cloud, saying: “This is my Son, the one that has been chosen. Listen to him.”
What has been occurring in front of all of you is that you think you MUST study “The Bible.” If you believe this, then that makes you a “Student of the Bible” or a “Disciple of the Bible.”
Jesus’ call to us was to become “his” disciples. In other words, his students; taught by “him.”
What is this Student of the Bible stuff?
I declare before you that you are committing acts of idolatry and blasphmemy. You have mocked God and you either elevate above Christ or make equal to him a book and you call it The Word of God and something YOU make yourselves students of.
I tell you: Only Christ can be in that holy place. You put a book there.
The Watch Tower and International Bible Students quickly claim that the Trinity teaching or Christendom is false. I agree, it is false. But YOU have done the same thing with regard Jesus [the] Christ as Christendom has done with regard God and the Trinity.
You have stationed next to the ONLY Word of God – Jesus [the] Christ – a book called the Bible ALSO as The Word of God. It is even considered by you something to be a student of! This implies you hinge on what a book says and not what Christ says. You are Bible Students, aren’t you. Then the Bible is your Master then. You are it’s student. Christ cannot be your Master if something of someone else is.
“No one can slave for two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stick to the one and despise the other. YOU cannot slave for God and for Riches.”
You will either cling the Bible as your Master or Christ as your Master. You will either despise Christ teachings or stick to them. Since you are “Bible Students” you mark yourself as being slaves or students of the Bible and not Jesus [the] Christ, whose teachings I am certain you despise – not in an outwardly sense – but in the sense you fight them. I have seen this resistance and defiance to what Christ teaches as opposed to what you and the JWs are teaching. And I see the preference you have to “The Bible” as teaching something as opposed to saying “Christ” teaching something.
That you do not call yourselves Students of Christ or Christ’s Students or Disciples of Christ identify who your true master is.
Yet, you arrogate yourselves to get people to become “Bible Students” rather than Students of Christ with Christ as their teacher.
You do not know what you are doing.
May God be obeyed and Christ held as the one He sent to us and may be be listened to.
Jerome – You won’t answer my question, if Jesus and the apostles quoted the Old Testament scriptures as authorities, why shouldn’t we?
I wonder if you are not reading my responses. I guess this is your one comment for today.