REMEMBER WHO HE IS
- Jan 14
- 11 min read
DAY 10 - January 14
Today’s passage continues with the 8 visions given to Zechariah. On Monday, we discussed visions 1 and 8; yesterday, we discussed visions 2 and 7; and today, we will be discussing visions 3 & 6. So go ahead, grab your Bible, and read Zechariah 2:1-13 (vision #3) and we will tackle Zechariah 5:1-4 (vision # 6) together here in just a little bit.
First, as we have done before, let’s identify our key players. In this vision, that is a pretty straightforward task.
A man with a measuring line in his hand: An angelic being measuring Jerusalem’s width and length.
The Interpreting Angel: The angel that explains the meaning of the vision to Zechariah.
Another Angel: The “other angel” introduced in verse 3.
Second, let’s quickly summarize the vision itself. In short, Zechariah sees a man with a tape measure and asks, “Where are you going?”, to which the man replies, “To measure Jerusalem.” That’s when the “other angel” steps forward and says to the interpreting angel:
“Run, say to that young man, ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls,
because of the multitude of people and livestock in it!’” Zechariah 2:4 (ESV)
Basically, the second angel is saying, “Put that tape measure down because what God has in store cannot be contained within the confines of what you could measure or understand. In fact, it can’t even be contained within the city walls! What He is going to do is better than anything you have ever thought of or could ever dream up!
When I think about the vastness of God and the greatness of His plan, I am immediately reminded of Isaiah 55:8-9 and Ephesians 3:20:
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And My ways are far beyond anything
you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than
your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9 (NLT)
“Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish
infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)
At the time, this whole idea that Jerusalem would be so full of people and livestock that they spread far beyond the city walls seemed ridiculous. God’s people were exiled and scattered, and though some were returning, many were happy with the lives they now lived and chose to remain in foreign lands, not returning to the Promised Land. From a simple logical perspective, it looked pretty positive that there would be plenty of room for those returning.
But God doesn’t work in the logical. Now that doesn’t mean He is illogical. In fact, God is a God of structure and order. However, where we operate in the natural (what we can see, touch, and smell for ourselves), He operates in the supernatural. Which, in essence, simply means “beyond the natural” or “beyond what our physical eyes can see.” And in all of His supernatural wisdom, He saw something different. When he looked at the seemingly desolate land of the present, He saw what was to come in the future.
“...Jerusalem will some day be so full of people and livestock that there won’t be enough room for
everyone! Many will live outside the city walls.” Zechariah 2:4 (NLT)
Take a moment to think on the words of that verse for a minute! God promised to bring so many people to Jerusalem that the city's walls would literally not be able to hold them all! Which, when looked at practically, could be quite the problem, as walls were an important safety measure in those days.
But God, being the all-knowing God that He is, addressed those concerns before they were even raised by saying, “And don’t you worry about those people being unprotected! For I will be their protection. And with that pronouncement, the Lord calls His people to return (verses 6-7), promises to protect them once again (verses 8-9), and reminds them that His presence will always be with them (verses 10-13).
You, like me, may be wondering, “But how? How is God going to protect people living in an 'unwalled city’? Scripture gives us two key ways. The first is found in Zechariah 2:5, where He declares that HE will be their wall of protection.
“And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the Lord…” (ESV)
The Lord is saying to them, those city walls are a temporary protection. They can be torn down, and they are only useful when you remain within them. But I will be your protector within the city walls and beyond! You don’t need to cower in fear of the future or of your enemies, because I am your firewall of protection and I am always with you!
And friends, that same firewall of protection is what the Lord provides for us today! Not just when we are in the safety of our homes or the church walls, but when we go “beyond our city walls”, beyond our comfort zones. And we remain within His protection as long as we remain in Him. And it is from this truth that we get the popular statement, “We are called to be in the world, but not of it.”
This statement has become so common in the church world that most think it is actual scripture. However, it is not. That phrase “in it but not of it” does not appear anywhere in the Bible; however, the concept and its truth definitely do. So where did it come from? The phrase summarizes Jesus’ teaching in John 17. We don’t have time to dive into that whole chapter today, so today we are going to focus on a few key verses (verses 9-12a and 17-19 to be exact). However, I definitely encourage you to make a note to go back and read it and study it in its entirety sometime soon. I promise, you won’t regret it!
Now, let’s read from John 17 together,
“My prayer is not for the world, but for those You have given Me, because they belong to You. All who
are Mine belong to You, and You have given them to Me, so they bring Me glory. Now I am departing
from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to You. Holy Father, You have given me
Your name; now protect them by the power of Your name so that they will be united just as We are.
During My time here, I protected them by the power of the name You gave Me. I guarded them so that
not one was lost…” John 17:9-12a (NLT)
“Make them holy by Your truth; teach them Your word, which is truth. Just as you sent Me into the
world, I am sending them into the world. And I give Myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can
be made holy by Your truth.” John 17:17-19
Did you know that the words you just read are a prayer of Jesus Himself? They are words He prayed over His people, which includes you and me! So, if you rushed through those verses, I encourage you to go back and read them more slowly. Allow the words of Jesus’ prayer over you to sink in!
Notice His prayer isn’t “help them to dream big or accomplish much.” His prayer isn’t for us to simply survive being “in the world but not of it” - which definitely gives vibes of God’s people scurrying to and from their houses as discreetly as possible so as not to be “tainted” by the sinful world in which they are forced to live - biding time until Jesus comes back and takes them to the safety of eternity with Him in heaven.
No, His prayer is so much more powerful than that! His prayer is for us to be protected, unified, and made holy - not so we can come to church and sit and get and not so we can scurry from our front doors to the church lobby - but so that we can boldly walk INTO the world, just as He had done. Remember what verse 18 said?
“Just as You sent Me into the world, I am sending them into the world.”
We see this promise of protection echoed in today's “bookend vision” (vision 6), found in Zechariah 5:1-4 (provided below). Let’s read that together.
“I looked up again and saw a scroll flying through the air. “What do you see?” the angel asked.
“I see a flying scroll,” I replied. “It appears to be about 30 feet long and 15 feet wide.” Then he said to me,
“This scroll contains the curse that is going out over the entire land. One side of the scroll says that those
who steal will be banished from the land; the other side says that those who swear falsely will be banished
from the land. And this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: I am sending this curse into the house of
every thief and into the house of everyone who swears falsely using my name. And my curse will remain in
that house and completely destroy it - even its timbers and stones.”” (NLT)
Friends, when God says He is our protector. He means it! And He has the power and authority to back it up! And it’s not just what He does, it’s who He is! And His protection goes far beyond a wall of fire AROUND us. He also protects with the same authority, power, and fire WITHIN us.
You see, just as this vision depicts for us a cleansing of those within the city walls, sending judgment swiftly on those not living lives surrendered to Him (lives not within His firewall of protection) and removing anything from among His people that doesn’t align with His purpose, His promise, and His plan, the Lord does the same for us. And what at first could appear to be harsh punishment from a God who is said to be kind is actually the grace and sovereignty of a God who IS - removing anything from within our hearts and lives that would serve as a stumbling block for us in our walks with Him.
And yes, though this could mean removing people from our lives (i.e., toxic relationships, those who pull us away from the Lord, etc.), it also means cleansing us of the “hidden” stumbling blocks that could easily cause us to step outside His firewall of protection! Not sure what stumbling blocks to be on the lookout for? Let me give you a hint: God doesn’t leave it up to chance that we figure it out. In fact, He laid it all out plainly and clearly. Anyone know where? If you guessed the 10 Commandments, then give yourself a pat on the back! Because the words written on those stone tablets (and what is believed to have been written on the scroll in the vision) don’t just make for a good Bible story and weren’t just words for God’s people then! They are words of hope, promise, and protection today!
So today, as we remember who God is, we are also going to reflect on our lives personally - asking ourselves this question: How securely am I standing within His walls of protection?
Take a moment to remember who God is. Today, our focus was on Him as our protector, but He is so much more! Take a moment to write down other names you know Him by and even scriptures that reaffirm for you, not just what He’s done but who He IS!
Take a moment to reflect on each of the 10 commandments and ask the Lord to reveal to you any area(s) that are “out of bounds” of the “firewall of protection” He has placed around us.
1. Is God still first in my life or has something (or someone) else stolen the focus of my worship? (These
would include the things that you are not stewarding well. For example, is the mindless scroll on social media
coming before quiet time spent with the Lord? Or maybe your professional and financial goals have
superseded His plan and purpose, leaving you without time to hear HIS voice and follow HIS leading.)
2. Have I allowed any outside influences to “muddy the waters” in my relationship with the Lord, bringing me
to a place where - maybe even unknowingly - I have begun living a life that worships a fake God and not
ONLY the ONE TRUE God? (For example, you have begun to believe the lie that if you DO more, He will LOVE
you more. Remember, God’s love is unconditional. There’s nothing you can do to make Him love you more
or to make Him love you less. The concept of works-based acceptance is a cultural “truth” that is easily
added to the real truth of Jesus. “Muddying the waters” and adding the god of “pride” (the outcome is
dependent on ME) into our worship and relationship with Him.
3. Have I, in any way, taken the Lord’s name in vain? (NOTE: This does solely mean using His name as a “swear
word” as many of us believe. Taking the Lord’s name in vain actually means to misuse or disrespect His
name in any way. That includes using His name for selfish gain (like justifying bad actions) and even living
contrary to His character, essentially treating Him as worthless or trivial. Anyone else feeling more conviction
over this commandment than you did before??)
4. Am I honoring the Sabbath, setting aside one day a week for rest and worship - a day dedicated to God?
NOTE: Where the first 4 commandments are commands about God, the remaining 6 are commands
about people, so we are going to reflect on them as a group today. However, if you have time,
head on over to Exodus 20 and tackle each individually.
5. Am I living a life that reflects the heart and character of God? Respecting others, valuing their lives
physically, spiritually, and emotionally - keeping safe boundary lines around my relationships, living a life
above reproach? Am I living a life of integrity - not taking what is not mine and speaking truth to and about
others? And, finally, am I living life focused on the Lord and not others, not living a life of comparison to
others, but instead, living a life of contentment in Him, knowing He is more than enough for me?
You may have noticed that the daily reflections are getting harder to answer. They are taking more time to reflect on and process through. And that is honestly the point! To go beyond the surface level - that light and dusty top soil -in your walk with the Lord and begin to dig out the layers of hardened clay and rock that have settled into your heart and life, allowing Him to “break up the ground” (Hosea 10:12) and prepare our hearts, removing our “heart of stone” and giving us a “heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26).
So, though you are probably tired of hearing it by now, I am going to say it again… don’t rush through this time with the Lord. These 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting aren’t your life's norm. At the end of these 21 days, you will resume your regular eating habits, and you won’t have a long and difficult devotion to wrestle through and fit into your schedule. But for these 21 days - these days are intended to be different. You’re eating differently, you’re studying differently, you’re prioritizing your time differently - not in the name of legalism or to set fasting food as your new daily norm (I promise you, eventually you will need to eat again or you will be meeting Jesus face to face much sooner than you anticipated!), but so that when this 21 days comes to an end, you live differently from then on, living more at peace in Him and more boldly for Him. And not because of who you are, but because you have been changed from the inside out by Jesus.
"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV)
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