Read To Me Daily Semester 4Sample

ZECHARIAH 10-11:
As we have seen before, the Lord loves names and delights to give new names. In Zechariah 8 He said,

Zec. 8:3 NLT Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City; the mountain of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will be called the Holy Mountain.

In Zechariah 9 we read the verse Matthew quotes in chapter 21 about Jesus coming riding on the foal of a donkey. The verse is also alluded to in John 12:15. And we heard this verse about the New Jerusalem:

Zec. 9:16 NLT On that day the LORD their God will rescue his people,
just as a shepherd rescues his sheep.
They will sparkle in his land
like jewels in a crown.

ISAIAH 63:
In Isaiah chapter 62 we read promises like what I shared above about the Lord giving names:

Is. 62:4 NLT Never again will you be called “The Forsaken City”
or “The Desolate Land.”
Your new name will be “The City of God’s Delight”
and “The Bride of God,”
for the LORD delights in you
and will claim you as his bride.

And similarly at the end of that chapter:

Is. 62:11b NLT Look, your Savior is coming.
See, he brings his reward with him as he comes.’”
12 They will be called “The Holy People”
and “The People Redeemed by the LORD.”
And Jerusalem will be known as “The Desirable Place”
and “The City No Longer Forsaken.”

We will see the fulfillment of all this in the last chapters of Revelation.

REVELATION 17:
In Revelation chapter 16 we heard all seven of the Bowl Judgments. At the time this judgment happens and the bowls are poured out on the earth, it seems that 100% of the people are opposed to God. No one repents when the judgments happen, but instead curse God. And there are preparations for a final battle of Armageddon with God. However God’s voice from the throne says, “It is finished.” This seems to refer to the punishment against Babylon. In John’s day, Babylon was a code word among Christians for the city of Rome— the capital city of the empire, which was built on seven hills. In our day Babylon pictures the united evil world system supported by immoral commerce. 

Let’s pray.
Our sovereign God and everlasting Father, again and again You have repeated the words Zechariah recorded, “I will rescue my people.” “I will bring them back from east and west to live in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their God.” Isaiah prophesied that Jerusalem would be given a new name. He wrote your words when You promised, “The Lord is announcing to all the earth: “Tell the people of Jerusalem that the Lord is coming to save you, bringing with him the people he has rescued.” You will be called “God’s Holy People,” and, “The People the Lord has Saved.” Jerusalem will be called “The City that God Loves,” and, “The City That God Did Not Forsake.” 

Lord, after giving your Son to redeem and rescue a people and provide a way that they could be accepted as your holy people, it is rather unlikely that You would change your mind and say, “It’s OK, you can come to me by other doors. There are many ways to heaven. It doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you are sincere.” O Lord, help the people of this world to understand how much trouble You have gone to in order to teach the human race that there is only one who can rescue us, and his name is Jesus. There is only one way, and Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Help us to tell people that it matters very much what we believe. Because, Lord, one way You show your glory is by never changing your mind. There will be a New Jerusalem and those who are privileged to live there because of your grace. And there will be those who experience the seven final plagues poured out upon them.