Daily Devotional Monday 18th September 2023

by William Moody

Zechariah 10

The Restoration for Judah and Israel

10:1   Ask rain from the LORD
    in the season of the spring rain,
  from the LORD who makes the storm clouds,
    and he will give them showers of rain,
    to everyone the vegetation in the field.
  For the household gods utter nonsense,
    and the diviners see lies;
  they tell false dreams
    and give empty consolation.
  Therefore the people wander like sheep;
    they are afflicted for lack of a shepherd.
  “My anger is hot against the shepherds,
    and I will punish the leaders;1
  for the LORD of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah,
    and will make them like his majestic steed in battle.
  From him shall come the cornerstone,
    from him the tent peg,
  from him the battle bow,
    from him every ruler—all of them together.
  They shall be like mighty men in battle,
    trampling the foe in the mud of the streets;
  they shall fight because the LORD is with them,
    and they shall put to shame the riders on horses.
  “I will strengthen the house of Judah,
    and I will save the house of Joseph.
  I will bring them back because I have compassion on them,
    and they shall be as though I had not rejected them,
    for I am the LORD their God and I will answer them.
  Then Ephraim shall become like a mighty warrior,
    and their hearts shall be glad as with wine.
  Their children shall see it and be glad;
    their hearts shall rejoice in the LORD.
  “I will whistle for them and gather them in,
    for I have redeemed them,
    and they shall be as many as they were before.
  Though I scattered them among the nations,
    yet in far countries they shall remember me,
    and with their children they shall live and return.
10   I will bring them home from the land of Egypt,
    and gather them from Assyria,
  and I will bring them to the land of Gilead and to Lebanon,
    till there is no room for them.
11   He shall pass through the sea of troubles
    and strike down the waves of the sea,
    and all the depths of the Nile shall be dried up.
  The pride of Assyria shall be laid low,
    and the scepter of Egypt shall depart.
12   I will make them strong in the LORD,
    and they shall walk in his name,”
      declares the LORD.

Footnotes

[1] 10:3 Hebrew the male goats

(ESV)

The people of God are encouraged to pray to the Lord for needed rain (v1). The Lord alone can deliver, not like the false gods the people chase after (v2). The embracing of these false gods has meant the people have been like wandering sheep and the Lord is particularly angry at the failure of their leaders to give better direction (v3).

It is crucial to pray for the elders both teaching and ruling within our churches to be faithful to the Lord as they lead.

There is a lovely promise here of a new leader to come from the tribe of Judah (v3b) who is described as a cornerstone (v4). This leader of course is Jesus who would bring proper guidance and security for His people.

There is a wonderful promise here for the people of the tribes of Judah and Joseph (v6). Ephraim being mentioned is very interesting (v7). This was the main tribe in norther Israel which had been taken into captivity by the Assyrians. At this time of Zechariah’s prophecy, they had not returned. It was only a remnant of the tribe of Judah that returned, but the promise is made here of a future return for the people of Ephraim (v8-12). God is always far more gracious than any of us ever deserve and he deserves all of our praise.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®),
copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.