Year of the Bible: Part Eight of TwelveÀpẹrẹ

The Spotlight on God

Released from captivity, the Israelites returned to Jerusalem's desolate land and scarce resources. It may have seemed that they went from a bad situation into a worse one; they remembered God but questioned if He remembered them. The prophet Zechariah gave an encouraging message from God, who remembered His love for His people. In this prophecy, Israel was reassured that one day the spotlight would be on God as He humbles the surrounding nations by establishing the Messiah as the everlasting King.

Zechariah's name means "God remembers," which may have been intentional by God. God remembers His love for all His people regardless of the circumstances. At the time, plenty of prideful and greedy kingdoms needed to be humbled for the Israelites to recognize God's loving provisions of everlasting peace.

Matthew's gospel quoted a portion of this prophecy because it had been fulfilled when Jesus rode the donkey triumphantly into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:5). The portion Matthew deliberately left out had not been fulfilled. Zechariah's prophecy didn't just speak of Jesus coming as the Messiah but also described the Messiah being established as King over all, from everlasting to everlasting. God remembers us today and has not forgotten His plan for salvation. When Jesus returns for us, there will be a humbling of the prideful; on that day, God will be in the spotlight, and everyone will notice His divine royalty.

Question: What part of Zechariah's prophecy are you glad God will remember?

Prayer: Ask the Lord to remind you that He does not forget your prayer requests and will never forget His love for you. Also, ask God to keep pride from your heart and give you a new perspective of humility. Then let the joy of His promises bring out your deepest gratitude.