Chasing Truth™: Read the Bible Cover to CoverSample

The Hope of the Believer

Zechariah 9-14; Revelation 21

Our readings this week bring us to the conclusion of both the Old and New Testaments. Though they were written centuries apart, both conclude by giving us hope for the future.

Zechariah’s earlier prophecies concerning the Messiah were accurately fulfilled by Jesus’ first coming: 

• Riding into Jerusalem on a donkey: “Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey . . .” (Zechariah 9:9, ESV)
• Judas’ betrayal for 30 pieces of silver: “And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver” (11:12, ESV).
• Jesus’ crucifixion: “when they look on me . . . whom they have pierced” (12:10, ESV). 

These fulfilled prophecies gives us hope that the prophecies of his second coming will also be fulfilled: 

• Jesus will stand on the Mount of Olives: “On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem . . . ” (Zechariah 14:4, ESV).
• Jesus will be King over the whole earth: “And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day the Lord will be one and his name one” (14:9, ESV). 

Similarly, the Book of Revelation records events that occurred in the past and those yet to happen in the future. After messages to the seven existing churches, John wrote what he had seen of “the things that are to take place later” (Revelation 1:19, ESV). After vivid descriptions of coming judgments of the whole earth, he concludes with a graphic description of  “. . . a new heaven and a new earth” (Revelation 21:1, ESV). 

Revelation concludes with promised blessing to all who “keep the words of the prophecy of this book” (Revelation 22:7, ESV). Because we have found all the other words of the Bible to be true, we believe this final statement.

This is the hope of the believer!