Reading from Wednesday, December 29

Post 363.

Reading for December 29
Zechariah 14:1-21
Okay, this sounds like the day of Babylon's invasion and destruction of Jerusalem. Which I thought had already occurred at the time of this writing.

¹ A day of the LORD is coming, Jerusalem, when your possessions will be plundered and divided up within your very walls.  ² I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city.

But then it goes on to talk about another day which appears to be the day of Christ's crucifixion.

Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.
 ⁶ On that day there will be neither sunlight nor cold, frosty darkness. ⁷ It will be a unique day—a day known only to the LORD—with no distinction between day and night. When evening comes, there will be light.
 ⁸ On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it east to the Dead Sea and half of it west to the Mediterranean Sea, in summer and in winter.

Remember when Jesus died, the day turned to night immediately, and that Jesus referred to himself as the living water. Then it closes with the beautiful image of this water flowing in both directions eternally.

Then...it turns kinda nasty...

 ¹² This is the plague with which the LORD will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. ¹³ On that day people will be stricken by the LORD with great panic. They will seize each other by the hand and attack one another. ¹⁴ Judah too will fight at Jerusalem. The wealth of all the surrounding nations will be collected—great quantities of gold and silver and clothing. ¹⁵ A similar plague will strike the horses and mules, the camels and donkeys, and all the animals in those camps.

So Zechariah appears to contain prophecies about present future and way future times - namely the invasion of Jerusalem, the life and death of Jesus and the end times described in Revelation. He had a heavy task indeed.


Revelation 20:1-15
The aftermath of the battle.

So here's what happens. Jesus defeats Satan and throws him into hell. He is bound in hell for 1000 years. Meanwhile, those who died for the name of God during these end times were resurrected and ruled the earth with Jesus for those 1000 years.


After those thousand years, Satan returns to get one last go at causing pain and misery in the world, at this he fails and is once again cast into the "lake of fire" where he will be tortured forever. Then all of the dead who had not yet been resurrected, were placed in judgment before God. If their names were not written in that book of life, they were sent to hell with Satan to be tortured forever as well.

This is the clearest picture of Hell that we have in the Bible and it is a very popular one, though very few other books mention it. Jesus kinda glances over the topic, but focuses more on the kingdom of God which he claims is to come. Zechariah, while fairly accurate about his prophecies of Jesus, had a few errors here and there. I'm not saying not to believe this text, but I'm just trying to put some context around it.

Psalm 148:1-14
We are all meant to praise God and receive his love

¹¹ kings of the earth and all nations,
   you princes and all rulers on earth,
¹² young men and women,
   old men and children.  ¹³ Let them praise the name of the LORD,
   for his name alone is exalted;
   his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.

Although he does mention a special group of people

¹⁴ And he has raised up for his people a horn,^[b]
   the praise of all his faithful servants,
   of Israel, the people close to his heart.

Proverbs 31:8-9

 ⁸ Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
   for the rights of all who are destitute.
⁹ Speak up and judge fairly;
   defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Yes yes and yes.