Zechariah 10:1-12

There are blessings that are associated with obedience and there are consequences that are associated with disobedience.  Israel and Judah have experienced both of these realities throughout their history.  They had experience both poverty and prosperity; captivity and liberty as a result of their willingness to follow the law of the Lord or not.  As Zechariah writes the people have recently returned from a season of captivity and the nation is in a phase of rebuilding.  However, they are very far from being at peace of prosperous and they are also not being very faithful to the Word of God.  In this passage Zechariah looks forward to a time where there will be a much more complete restoration; not only in the physical realm, but more specifically in the spiritual realm.  We see here a great contrast between the consequences of sin and the blessings of obedience.

POVERTY AND PROSPERITY: God’s people are pictured in this opening figure as a people who pray to the Lord for rain and it comes at the right time.  Any society that depends on agriculture for its existence understands the importance of rain; especially in a very dry part of the planet.  When the people were living in idolatry because of their leaders rebellion all of the people suffered under poverty because the rulers of the nation were praying to idols instead of the Lord.  When leaders are corrupt all of the people suffer because they are simply like sheep without a shepherd to provide for them and protect them.  This has been the experience of Israel on repeated occasion.  They have lived in poverty because they have abandoned praying to the Lord and trusting Him.  All of that will one day be greatly changed.  The leaders and the people will trust in the Lord and make their requests be made know to Him.  He will answer their prayers, care for them and gather them once again in His presence.  It is a very wise thing to trust in the Lord.

CAPTIVITY AND COMMUNITY: One of the most difficult aspects of being taken into captivity is the isolation from community.  Families are torn apart and relationships that have been forged throughout many years are simply not taken into consideration.  Slaves and captives have no rights.  They are forced to live where they are told and to work where they work.  This is a consequence that the children of Israel faced for their rebellion.  They fell in defeat to their enemies and were hauled off to the various nations of the world.  They had no freedom to practice their religion and no sense of community or belonging.  God promises to change that reality for the nation.  A day is coming when both Israel and Judah will be gathered together in a community once again.  They will be victorious warriors who will vanquish all of their enemies and they will be free to live in their homes, neighborhoods and cities once again.  The freedom to form community is one of the great promises of God for the children of Israel.  Today many of them are still spread throughout the world but a day is coming when they will return to their land to live in freedom from captivity.

WAR AND WORSHIP: From the time of the conquest to the present day, with very few exceptions the nation of Israel has been under the threat of or engaged directly in war.  Peace has been a very rare commodity for this nation.  Because of this constant fear of attack, the nation has not been secure and has not had freedom.  This time of war has been a result of their disobedience and failure to worship God and God alone.  One day all of that will change.  Both Judah and Israel will recognize Jesus as Messiah and they will repent of their idolatry and rejection of Him.  They will gather as one nation to worship the Lord who has redeemed them, forgiven them and gathered them to worship Him.  This is a reality that is still in the future but it is a promise that will take place.  There is great hope for the nation of Israel.  There is great hope for all who trust Christ and live their lives as an act of worship to Him.  One day all who trust Him will be completely free of poverty, captivity and war.  We will be in His presence and experience the joy of prosperity, community and eternal worship.