Babylon

Our Faithful God

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A Song of Ascents.

1 Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion,
    which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
    so the LORD surrounds his people,
    from this time forth and forevermore.
3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
    on the land allotted to the righteous,
lest the righteous stretch out
    their hands to do wrong.
4 Do good, O LORD, to those who are good,
    and to those who are upright in their hearts!
5 But those who turn aside to their crooked ways
    the LORD will lead away with evildoers!
    Peace be upon Israel! – Psalm 125:1-5 ESV

In this song of ascent, the psalmist uses Mount Zion as a symbol of Israel’s unique status as God’s chosen people. But his focus is on those who “trust in the LORD.” He describes the faithful and trustworthy as being like Mount Zion, the location of Jerusalem. This spot on earth was sacred to the Israelites because it housed Yahweh’s Temple and was considered His dwelling place on earth. After Solomon had dedicated the newly built Temple, he received a word from Yahweh, assuring him that the LORD’s presence would always abide there.

“I have heard your prayer and your plea, which you have made before me. I have consecrated this house that you have built, by putting my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time.” – 1 Kings 9:3 ESV

So, when the psalmist states, “Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion,” he is reminding them of their status as Yahweh’s “treasured possession” (Exodus 19:5). Throughout their history, the Israelites had heard Yahweh affirm their unique status as His covenant people.

For you are a holy people, who belong to the LORD your God. Of all the people on earth, the LORD your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure. – Deuteronomy 7:6 NLT

For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel for his own special treasure. – Psalm 135:4 NLT

“The LORD has declared today that you are his people, his own special treasure, just as he promised, and that you must obey all his commands. And if you do, he will set you high above all the other nations he has made. Then you will receive praise, honor, and renown. You will be a nation that is holy to the LORD your God, just as he promised.” – Deuteronomy 26:18-19 NLT

But notice Moses’ emphasis on obedience. They were to be a covenant-keeping people. That is what the psalmist means by “those who trust in the LORD.” Trust requires faith, and faith demands obedience. Moses instructed the Israelites to obey all of Yahweh’s commands, not just some of them. They were to be faithful to Him alone and faithfully live up to His holy standards, and if they did, they would “receive praise, honor, and renown.”

The Israelites were to be holy and set apart, just as Yahweh’s Temple was. In fact, the only thing that made the Temple unique was the faithful adherence of Yahweh’s covenant people as they obeyed His commands concerning the sacrificial system. The Temple was holy, but could only remain so as long as the people who worshiped there lived holy, set-apart lives. However, the Israelites had a track record of disobedience, and, at one point, God accused them of going through the motions when it came to their worship.

“I hate all your show and pretense—
    the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies.
I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings.
    I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings.
Away with your noisy hymns of praise!
    I will not listen to the music of your harps.
Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice,
    an endless river of righteous living.” – Amos 5:21-24 NLT

During the reign of Josiah, God warned the people of Judah that He was weary of their apostasy and idolatry. Even though Josiah had instituted many reforms aimed at restoring the faithfulness of God’s people, Yahweh warned, “I will also banish Judah from my presence just as I have banished Israel. And I will reject my chosen city of Jerusalem and the Temple where my name was to be honored” (2 Kings 23:27 NLT).

Yet, during the days of Isaiah, Yahweh spoke of redeeming His disobedient people and restoring the glory of Jerusalem.

“And they will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of The LORD; and you will be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.” – Isaiah 62:12 NLT

And that is the point of this psalm. While the Israelites were directly linked to Mount Zion and the city of Jerusalem, Yahweh is compared to the mountains that surrounded the City of David.

Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem,
    so the Lord surrounds his people, both now and forever. – Psalm 125:2 NLT

“Mount Zion is not the highest peak in the mountain range around Jerusalem. To its east lies the Mount of Olives, to its north Mount Scopus, to the west and south are other hills, all of which are higher than Mount Zion. Surrounded by mountains, Mount Zion was secure, by its natural defensibility. So the psalmist compares the Lord to the hills around Jerusalem and the people to Mount Zion.” – Willem A.  VanGemeren, “Psalms.” In Psalms-Song of Songs. Vol. 5 of The Expositor’s Bible Commentary

As significant as Mount Zion was, it would be nothing without the terrain that surrounded it. What made it so impregnable was its location. In the same way, the people of Israel were significant because of their relationship with Yahweh. Without Him, they would be just another people group. What set them apart was Yahweh’s strength and stability. Like the mountains surrounding Jerusalem, the God of Israel was an immovable and reliable source of security for His people. In one of his psalms, Asaph described Yahweh as more resiliant and dependable than the mountains themselves.

God is our refuge and strength,
    always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not fear when earthquakes come
    and the mountains crumble into the sea.
Let the oceans roar and foam.
    Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!  – Psalm 46:1-3 NLT

At one point in Israel’s history, God allowed the Temple to be destroyed by the Babylonians. It was part of His cleansing of the land, as He purged the wickedness from Judah. Yahweh used the Babylonians to destroy the city of Jerusalem, desecrate His House, and deport His disobedient people into captivity. Yet, despite their unfaithfulness, Yahweh remained faithful.

Long before the fall of Jerusalem, the psalmist optimistically wrote, “The wicked will not rule the land of the godly, for then the godly might be tempted to do wrong” (Psalm 125:3 NLT). But he would be proved wrong. The day came when God allowed the wicked to rule the land of the godly. The Babylonians conquered Judah and placed its people under their dominion. For 70 years, the Israelites would be subjected to the whims of their Babylonian overlords. The land would become desolate, and the city of Jerusalem would be uninhabitable and inhospitable to life, all because the chosen people of God had chosen to be unfaithful. 

Unaware of the dark events that lie in Israel’s future, the psalmist begs God to spare them from tragedy.

O LORD, do good to those who are good,
    whose hearts are in tune with you.
But banish those who turn to crooked ways, O LORD.
    Take them away with those who do evil. – Psalm 125:4-5 NLT

In a way, the psalmist’s prayer was answered. God did banish those who turn to crooked ways. Yahweh purged the land of wickedness when He ordained the fall of Jerusalem. This was in keeping with the warning He gave to Moses and the people of Israel before they entered the Promised Land.

“You must obey all my decrees and regulations. You must not commit any of these detestable sins. This applies both to native-born Israelites and to the foreigners living among you.

“All these detestable activities are practiced by the people of the land where I am taking you, and this is how the land has become defiled. So do not defile the land and give it a reason to vomit you out, as it will vomit out the people who live there now.” – Leviticus 18:26-28 NLT

Yahweh, the faithful One, was forced to deal with His unfaithful people. The powerful protector became their judge, jury, and executioner.

“You made me furious by worshiping idols you made with your own hands, bringing on yourselves all the disasters you now suffer. And now the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Because you have not listened to me, I will gather together all the armies of the north under King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, whom I have appointed as my deputy. I will bring them all against this land and its people and against the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy you and make you an object of horror and contempt and a ruin forever.” – Jeremiah 25:7-9 NLT

But despite Yahweh’s judgment and punishment of His disobedient people, He would not abandon them forever. In the Book of Jeremiah, the prophet records Yahweh’s promise to keep His covenant commitment to His people. He will one day return them to the land and restore His relationship with them.

“When I bring Israel home again from captivity
    and restore their fortunes,
Jerusalem will be rebuilt on its ruins,
    and the palace reconstructed as before.
There will be joy and songs of thanksgiving,
    and I will multiply my people, not diminish them;
I will honor them, not despise them.” – Jeremiah 30:18-19 NLT

This promise was partially fulfilled when a remnant of Israelites returned from captivity in Babylon under the leadership of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah. But the final phase of its fulfillment lies in the future.

The prophet Isaiah foretold of this event when he delivered this message from Yahweh concerning Israel’s future redemption and restoration.

Go out through the gates!
    Prepare the highway for my people to return!
Smooth out the road; pull out the boulders;
    raise a flag for all the nations to see.
The LORD has sent this message to every land:
    “Tell the people of Israel,
‘Look, your Savior is coming.
    See, he brings his reward with him as he comes.’”
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.” – Isaiah 62:10-12 NLT

The Savior is coming. Jesus Christ, the Messiah of Israel and the Savior of the world, will one day return to earth and complete the redemptive plan of His Heavenly Father. That will include the restoration of Israel and the redemption of His covenant people. At the second coming of Jesus, the fate of Israel will be finalized, and it will answer the psalmist’s prayer for God to “do good to those who are good” and “banish those who turn to crooked ways” (Psalm 125:4-5 NLT). 

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” – Revelation 21:1-4 ESV

Father, You are like the mountains surrounding Mount Zion. You are firm, unchanging, reliable, and trustworthy. You provide protection and security to those You call Your own, and while we so often prove unfaithful and disobedient, You remain unchanging in Your commitments to us. You love us unconditionally. You provide for us abundantly. You put up with us patiently. And You keep Your promises to us faithfully. Thank You. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Repentance Must Precede Restoration

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A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.

1 I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever;
    with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
2 For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever;
    in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.”
3 You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
    I have sworn to David my servant:
4 ‘I will establish your offspring forever,
    and build your throne for all generations.’” Selah

5 Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD,
    your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!
6 For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord?
    Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord,
7 a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones,
    and awesome above all who are around him?
8 O LORD God of hosts,
    who is mighty as you are, O LORD,
    with your faithfulness all around you?
9 You rule the raging of the sea;
    when its waves rise, you still them.
10 You crushed Rahab like a carcass;
    you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
11 The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours;
    the world and all that is in it, you have founded them.
12 The north and the south, you have created them;
    Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name.
13 You have a mighty arm;
    strong is your hand, high your right hand.
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
    steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
15 Blessed are the people who know the festal shout,
    who walk, O LORD, in the light of your face,
16 who exult in your name all the day
    and in your righteousness are exalted.
17 For you are the glory of their strength;
    by your favor our horn is exalted.
18 For our shield belongs to the LORD,
    our king to the Holy One of Israel.

19 Of old you spoke in a vision to your godly one, and said:
    “I have granted help to one who is mighty;
    I have exalted one chosen from the people.
20 I have found David, my servant;
    with my holy oil I have anointed him,
21 so that my hand shall be established with him;
    my arm also shall strengthen him.
22 The enemy shall not outwit him;
    the wicked shall not humble him.
23 I will crush his foes before him
    and strike down those who hate him.
24 My faithfulness and my steadfast love shall be with him,
    and in my name shall his horn be exalted.
25 I will set his hand on the sea
    and his right hand on the rivers.
26 He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father,
    my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’
27 And I will make him the firstborn,
    the highest of the kings of the earth.
28 My steadfast love I will keep for him forever,
    and my covenant will stand firm for him.
29 I will establish his offspring forever
    and his throne as the days of the heavens.
30 If his children forsake my law
    and do not walk according to my rules,
31 if they violate my statutes
    and do not keep my commandments,
32 then I will punish their transgression with the rod
    and their iniquity with stripes,
33 but I will not remove from him my steadfast love
    or be false to my faithfulness.
34 I will not violate my covenant
    or alter the word that went forth from my lips.
35 Once for all I have sworn by my holiness;
    I will not lie to David.
36 His offspring shall endure forever,
    his throne as long as the sun before me.
37 Like the moon it shall be established forever,
    a faithful witness in the skies.” Selah

38 But now you have cast off and rejected;
    you are full of wrath against your anointed.
39 You have renounced the covenant with your servant;
    you have defiled his crown in the dust.
40 You have breached all his walls;
    you have laid his strongholds in ruins.
41 All who pass by plunder him;
    he has become the scorn of his neighbors.
42 You have exalted the right hand of his foes;
    you have made all his enemies rejoice.
43 You have also turned back the edge of his sword,
    and you have not made him stand in battle.
44 You have made his splendor to cease
    and cast his throne to the ground.
45 You have cut short the days of his youth;
    you have covered him with shame. Selah

46 How long, O LORD? Will you hide yourself forever?
    How long will your wrath burn like fire?
47 Remember how short my time is!
    For what vanity you have created all the children of man!
48 What man can live and never see death?
    Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah

49 LORD, where is your steadfast love of old,
    which by your faithfulness you swore to David?
50 Remember, O Lord, how your servants are mocked,
    and how I bear in my heart the insults of all the many nations,
51 with which your enemies mock, O LORD,
    with which they mock the footsteps of your anointed.

52 Blessed be the Lord forever!
Amen and Amen. – Psalm 89:1-52 ESV

The author of this psalm was Ethan the Ezrahite, who, according to 1 Kings 4:31, was a wise member of King David’s royal administration. He and his brother Heman, the author of Psalm 88, also served together as Levitical musicians and singers. His song begins by praising Yahweh (the LORD) for His unfailing love and faithfulness.

I will sing of the LORD’s unfailing love forever!
    Young and old will hear of your faithfulness.
Your unfailing love will last forever.
    Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens. – Psalm 89:1-2 NLT

His psalm includes a reminder of the covenant promises that Yahweh made to David.

“Now I will make you as famous as the great men of the earth. I will establish a place for my people Israel and settle them there; they will live there and not be disturbed anymore. Violent men will not oppress them again, as they did in the beginning and during the time when I appointed judges to lead my people Israel. Instead, I will give you relief from all your enemies. The LORD declares to you that he himself will build a dynastic house for you.” – 2 Samuel 7:9-11 NLT

For 25 verses, Ethan sings Yahweh’s praises, declaring His supremacy and incomparability. Yahweh has no equal, and His power is limitless. The Creator of heaven and earth rules over all with justice and righteousness, displaying His glory for all to see.

But Ethan knew that God had His limits. Despite His unfailing love and faithfulness, Yahweh would not tolerate spiritual infidelity and disobedience in His people. His covenant with David was intended to be ongoing, extending to future generations of David’s descendants.

“When the time comes for you to die, I will raise up your descendant, one of your own sons, to succeed you, and I will establish his kingdom. He will build a house for my name, and I will make his dynasty permanent.” – 2 Samuel 7:12-13 NLT

But Ethan knew Yahweh would hold each succeeding generation accountable for their actions. He would demand obedience to His law and submission to His will, and if they failed to do so, they would experience His judgment and wrath.

But if his descendants forsake my instructions
    and fail to obey my regulations,
if they do not obey my decrees
    and fail to keep my commands,
then I will punish their sin with the rod,
    and their disobedience with beating. – Psalm 89:30-32 NLT

Yahweh warned David that this would be the consequence of future unfaithfulness. David’s heir to the throne would experience God’s love, but he would also come under God’s loving discipline if he refused to follow his father’s example of faithfulness.

“I will become his father and he will become my son. When he sins, I will correct him with the rod of men and with wounds inflicted by human beings. But my loyal love will not be removed from him…” – 2 Samuel 7:14-15 NLT

Ethan went out of his way to recall the covenant Yahweh made with David, almost as if to remind Him of its binding promises. He repeats Yahweh’s words back to Him in an attempt to hold Him to His word.

“No, I will not break my covenant;
    I will not take back a single word I said.
I have sworn an oath to David,
    and in my holiness I cannot lie:
His dynasty will go on forever;
    his kingdom will endure as the sun.
It will be as eternal as the moon,
    my faithful witness in the sky!” – Psalm 89:34-37 NLT

And Ethan has a purpose behind the rather lengthy opening to his psalm. The first 37 verses have served as the preface to his opening remarks in what appears to be a trial of Yahweh. In verse 38, he accuses God of violating the terms of His covenant agreement.

But now you have rejected him and cast him off.
    You are angry with your anointed king.
You have renounced your covenant with him;
    you have thrown his crown in the dust. – Psalm 89:37-38 NLT

Ethan provides no hints as to which descendant of David he has in mind or what event has caused his concern. Obviously, something tragic has taken place, forcing Ethan to draw the conclusion that Yahweh has broken His covenant promise. Whoever the king is, his reign is at risk and the future of the kingdom is in jeopardy. It seems likely that Ethan is recounting the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem. Over a period of years, King Nebuchadnezzar and his forces had threatened to destroy the southern kingdom of Judah. A series of Davidic kings had attempted to hold off the Babylonian threat and failed. Jehoiachin’s father, Jehoiakim, had reigned for 11 years, but it all came to an end when Nebuchadnezzar took him back to Babylon in chains. Jehoiachin ascended to his father’s throne at the age of 18, but he only lasted three months before he too was taken captive to Babylon.

Ethan describes the scene of Jehoiachin’s fall and places the blame on Yahweh.

You have ended his splendor
    and overturned his throne.
You have made him old before his time
    and publicly disgraced him. – Psalm 89:44-45 NLT

But he conveniently leaves out an important part of the narrative. Both Jehoiakim and Jehoiachin had been guilty of sinning against Yahweh.

Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem. He did evil in the sight of the LORD his God. – 2 Chronicles 36:5 NLT

Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem. He did evil in the sight of the LORD. – 2 Chronicles 36:9 NLT

Ethan doesn’t seem to remember that Yahweh had promised to punish David’s descendants for their sin. His judgment was inevitable but it was never to be taken as a sign that God had reneged on His covenant promises. In fact, God’s judgment was in keeping with His covenant commitment.

But speaking on behalf of the fallen king, Ethan writes, “LORD, where is your unfailing love? You promised it to David with a faithful pledge. Consider, LORD, how your servants are disgraced! I carry in my heart the insults of so many people. Your enemies have mocked me, O LORD; they mock your anointed king wherever he goes” (Psalm 89:49-51 NLT). 

There is no evidence of brokenness or repentance. The king displays no remorse and offers no confession of his sins. It must have been demoralizing for Jehoiachin to leave Jerusalem draped in chains and treated like a common slave. The city must have mourned as they watched yet another king led away in defeat and ignominy. The Babylonians had arrested their king and plundered their Temple, and Yahweh seemed to be AWOL.

But Yahweh was there and simply waiting for someone to take ownership for the sins of His covenant people. He wanted someone to have the attitude that David had.

The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
    You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
Look with favor on Zion and help her;
    rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit—
    with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings.
    Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar. – Psalm 51:17019 NLT

But all Ethan could muster up was a weak line of praise at the end of his somber song.

Praise the Lord forever!
    Amen and amen! – Psalm 89:51 NLT

He expects God to do something. In fact, he conveys the idea that God is obligated to fix their problem because He has broken His covenant commitment. But where is the broken spirit? What evidence of repentance does Ethan give? He wanted to experience Yahweh’s deliverance, but is unwilling to admit that their suffering had been self-inflicted. A whole succession of kings had led Judah to disobey Yahweh, and now they were paying the consequences for their actions. But the faithful, always loving Yahweh stood ready to restore His people when they were ready to confess their sins.

“If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT

Confession is the key to experiencing God’s deliverance. Repentance must precede restoration. David knew that, and so did his son Solomon. The promise recorded in 2 Chronicles 7:14 was spoken by God at the dedication of the Solomonic Temple. And God had warned His people that disobedience would bring discipline in the form of their nation’s fall and the Temple’s destruction.

“If you or your descendants abandon me and disobey the decrees and commands I have given you, and if you serve and worship other gods, then I will uproot the people from this land that I have given them. I will reject this Temple that I have made holy to honor my name. I will make it an object of mockery and ridicule among the nations” – 2 Chronicles 7:19-20 NLT

But Yahweh was ready and willing to forgive their sins and restore their land — as soon as they were ready to humble themselves and turn from their wicked ways.

Father, we love the idea of forgiveness and count on the reality of Your unfailing love. But we take these gracious gifts for granted and treat them with contempt because we fail to acknowledge our sinfulness. We fully expect You to keep Your covenant promises, but seem to believe we are under no obligation to do our part. Somehow, we have determined that faithfulness is Your responsibility, not ours. But You still expect Your people to display humble hearts and a willingness to take ownership for our sins. Your love for us came at a high price; You sacrificed Your Son on our behalf. So, forgive us for making Your grace cheap and our faith as if its optional. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Salvation is Near to Those Who Fear Him

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To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.

1 LORD, you were favorable to your land;
    you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2 You forgave the iniquity of your people;
    you covered all their sin. Selah
3 You withdrew all your wrath;
    you turned from your hot anger.

4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
    and put away your indignation toward us!
5 Will you be angry with us forever?
    Will you prolong your anger to all generations?
6 Will you not revive us again,
    that your people may rejoice in you?
7 Show us your steadfast love, O LORD,
    and grant us your salvation.

8 Let me hear what God the LORD will speak,
    for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;
    but let them not turn back to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,
    that glory may dwell in our land.

10 Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;
    righteousness and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs up from the ground,
    and righteousness looks down from the sky.
12 Yes, the LORD will give what is good,
    and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness will go before him
    and make his footsteps a way. – Psalm 85:1-13 ESV

The opening lines of this psalm appear to be speaking of God’s deliverance of a remnant of Israelites from their captivity in Babylon. After 70 years in exile, God sovereignly orchestrated their return under Ezra and Nehemiah.

This plan for their restoration had been in place from the very beginning and was announced to the exiled Israelites in a letter written by the prophet Jeremiah.

This is what the Lord says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.” – Jeremiah 29:10-14 NLT

God kept His word and brought His chosen people home to the land of promise. But their homecoming was anything but joyful. They returned to find Jerusalem in ruins, the Temple completely demolished, and their former homes destroyed. In their absence, other people groups had taken over the land and did everything in their power to stop any plans for resettlement.

When the first wave of Israelites returned to Canaan, word was sent back to Nehemiah in Babylon describing the sorry state of affairs.

“Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.” – Nehemiah 1:3 NLT

Under the leadership of Zerubbabel, the remnant of Israelites who returned to the land of promise attempted to rebuild the Temple but were met with fierce opposition.

…the local residents tried to discourage and frighten the people of Judah to keep them from their work. They bribed agents to work against them and to frustrate their plans. – Ezra 4:4-5 NLT

This organized resistance was relentless and long-term. Years later, a contingent of Israel’s enemies wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes, attempting to portray the Israelites as insurrectionists and a threat to his kingdom.

“The king should know that the Jews who came here to Jerusalem from Babylon are rebuilding this rebellious and evil city. They have already laid the foundation and will soon finish its walls. And the king should know that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, it will be much to your disadvantage, for the Jews will then refuse to pay their tribute, customs, and tolls to you.”

“Since we are your loyal subjects and do not want to see the king dishonored in this way, we have sent the king this information. We suggest that a search be made in your ancestors’ records, where you will discover what a rebellious city this has been in the past. In fact, it was destroyed because of its long and troublesome history of revolt against the kings and countries who controlled it. We declare to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, the province west of the Euphrates River will be lost to you.” – Ezra 4:12-16 NLT

The psalmist sees this persistent opposition as a sign of God’s displeasure and calls on Yahweh to relent from His anger and restore His people to favor once again. 

Now restore us again, O God of our salvation.
    Put aside your anger against us once more.
Will you be angry with us always?
    Will you prolong your wrath to all generations? – Psalm 85:4-5 NLT

His assumption was that God remained angry over Israel’s past disobedience and was using their enemies to punish them. So, he pleads with Yahweh to pour out His ḥeseḏ, His unfailing love. This Hebrew word is most often translated as “mercy” and reflects a need for God’s undeserved favor. The psalmist knew the Israelites had done nothing to deserve God’s love and forgiveness. Their days in exile were not marked by repentance or faithful worship of God. Yahweh had returned them to the land in keeping with His promise and as proof of His faithfulness.

But the psalmist understood that their return to the land would be incomplete and unproductive if their relationship with Yahweh remained unrestored. A rebuilt city, restored Temple, and a revitalized local economy would mean nothing without a revived relationship with God. The psalmist knew that spiritual revival would be an important part of Israel’s renewal.

I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying,
    for he speaks peace to his faithful people.
    But let them not return to their foolish ways.
Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,
    so our land will be filled with his glory. – Psalm 85:8-9 NLT

Their return to the land could not be marked by the same spiritual apathy and apostasy that led to their fall. Things would need to be different this time around. They had experienced a location change, but God expected heart change. Yahweh desired His people to serve Him willingly and faithfully, not out of coercion or compulsion, but out of love.

Long before the Israelites entered the land of Canaan, God had given them His expectations concerning their behavior. If they obeyed Him, they would experience His blessings.

“If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world. You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God:

Your towns and your fields
    will be blessed.
Your children and your crops
    will be blessed.
The offspring of your herds and flocks
    will be blessed.
Your fruit baskets and breadboards
    will be blessed.
Wherever you go and whatever you do,
    you will be blessed.

“The Lord will conquer your enemies when they attack you. They will attack you from one direction, but they will scatter from you in seven!

“The Lord will guarantee a blessing on everything you do and will fill your storehouses with grain. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.” – Deuteronomy 28:1-8 NLT

And the psalmist reveals that he understood that this relationship between God and His covenant people remained unchanged. If the people wanted to experience God’s unfailing love and enjoy the fruits of a relationship with Him, they would need to be faithful. Love, peace, truth, and righteousness were theirs if only they would keep their covenant commitments to Yahweh.

Unfailing love and truth have met together.
    Righteousness and peace have kissed!
Truth springs up from the earth,
    and righteousness smiles down from heaven.
Yes, the LORD pours down his blessings.
    Our land will yield its bountiful harvest.
Righteousness goes as a herald before him,
    preparing the way for his steps. – Psalm 85:10-13 NLT

But God’s blessings would accompany obedience. Rebuilding the city and the Temple would not be enough. The Israelites would need to rebuild their relationship with Yahweh and make Him a non-negotiable priority for their lives.

Father, it’s always been about a relationship with You. Our behavior is important and our actions do matter, but You have always focused on the heart. The things we do for You mean nothing if we do them for the wrong reasons or with a hardened heart. Show me how to make You the top priority in my life, not the things You do for me. I want to be faithful whether things are going well or not. I want to remain committed even when my circumstances don’t make sense and my hope begins to waver. Show me how to fear You so that I might remain faithful to You. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Our Gracious God

/ kdmiller55 / 2 Comments

To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Testimony. Of Asaph, a Psalm.

1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
    you who lead Joseph like a flock.
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.
2     Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,
stir up your might
    and come to save us!

3 Restore us, O God;
    let your face shine, that we may be saved!

4 O LORD God of hosts,
    how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears
    and given them tears to drink in full measure.
6 You make us an object of contention for our neighbors,
    and our enemies laugh among themselves.

7 Restore us, O God of hosts;
    let your face shine, that we may be saved!

8 You brought a vine out of Egypt;
    you drove out the nations and planted it.
9 You cleared the ground for it;
    it took deep root and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered with its shade,
    the mighty cedars with its branches.
11 It sent out its branches to the sea
    and its shoots to the River.
12 Why then have you broken down its walls,
    so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?
13 The boar from the forest ravages it,
    and all that move in the field feed on it.

14 Turn again, O God of hosts!
    Look down from heaven, and see;
have regard for this vine,
15     the stock that your right hand planted,
    and for the son whom you made strong for yourself.
16 They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down;
    may they perish at the rebuke of your face!
17 But let your hand be on the man of your right hand,
    the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!
18 Then we shall not turn back from you;
    give us life, and we will call upon your name!

19 Restore us, O LORD God of hosts!
    Let your face shine, that we may be saved! – Psalm 80:1-19 ESV

Like the psalm that precedes it, this is a national psalm of lament, but it is difficult to determine the exact context surrounding its message. Some scholars believe Asaph is addressing the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC. But if Asaph was a resident of the southern kingdom of Judah, his prayer in verse 3 would appear to place the timing of this psalm after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC.

Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,
stir up your might
    and come to save us! – Psalm 80:3 ESV

Asaph seems to indicate that something has happened to the people of Judah, the residents of the southern kingdom. In verses 5 and 6, he describes the extent of their suffering, which he attributes to God’s divine punishment.

You have fed us with sorrow
    and made us drink tears by the bucketful.
You have made us the scorn of neighboring nations.
    Our enemies treat us as a joke. – Psalm 80:5-6 NLT

Asaph’s reference to Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh is intended as a not-so-subtle reminder that the nation of Israel used to be a unified whole. There had been a time under the reigns of David and Solomon when the 12 tribes of Israel were unified and dominated the political landscape of Canaan. Ephraim was the primary tribe in the north, the Benjamites lived in the south, and the tribe of Manasseh was located east of the Jordan River in the Transjordan. So it makes more sense to see this psalm lamenting Israel’s abysmal condition after the northern and southern kingdoms had fallen to the Assyrians and Babylonians.

It is interesting to note that Asaph opens his psalm with a reference to Joseph, the son of Jacob, who had been sold into slavery by his brothers. Under God’s sovereign hand, this young man ended up in Egypt and rose to the second-highest position in the land. His miraculous and meteoric rise to prominence was God-ordained and for the sole purpose of providing a place of refuge for his family when a famine struck the land of Canaan.

Asaph opens his psalm by addressing Yahweh as the “Shepherd of Israel” (Psalm 80:1 ESV), who leads Joseph like a flock. Joseph’s two sons, born to him in Egypt, were adopted by his father Jacob, and their descendants became heirs of the land of promise. Ephraim and Manasseh, two of the tribes mentioned in verse 2, were the descendants of Joseph’s two sons and, at one time, enjoyed a place within the unified nation of Israel alongside the tribe of Benjamin.

But sin had disrupted Israel’s peace and prosperity. King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, behaved like a fool by fostering idolatry and apostasy in the kingdom. His actions resulted in God splitting the kingdom in half. From that point, the downward spiritual spiral continued in the north, south, and east, as all the tribes exhibited a penchant for unfaithfulness and a stubborn refusal to repent and return to Yahweh.

So, Asaph calls on God to step in and fix the problem.

Show us your mighty power.
    Come to rescue us! – Psalm 80:3 NLT

Asaph attributes their fate to God’s displeasure with them, but he never acknowledges their complicity and guilt. At no point does Asaph attempt to confess the sins of his fellow Israelites. Instead, he questions why God remains so angry and unwilling to answer their prayers for deliverance.

Asaph attempts to remind God of His past acts of kindness by chronicling how He had delivered the Israelites from their slavery in Egypt and established them in the land of Canaan.

You brought us from Egypt like a grapevine;
    you drove away the pagan nations and transplanted us into your land.
You cleared the ground for us,
    and we took root and filled the land.
Our shade covered the mountains;
    our branches covered the mighty cedars.
We spread our branches west to the Mediterranean Sea;
    our shoots spread east to the Euphrates River. – Psalm 80:8-11 NLT

Those were the good old days, when the Israelites enjoyed the blessings of God. They had been fruitful and filled the land of Canaan. Under the leadership of David and Solomon, their numbers grew and their kingdom spread, making them a force to be reckoned with in the region. But all that had changed. The conditions in Israel were markedly different when Asaph penned this psalm because sin had brought the judgment of God.

Yet, Asaph never mentions their sin. He fails to acknowledge their complicity in their own demise, choosing instead to blame God.

But now, why have you broken down our walls
    so that all who pass by may steal our fruit?
The wild boar from the forest devours it,
    and the wild animals feed on it. – Psalm 80:12-13 NLT

While God had brought judgment upon the people of Israel, it had been as a result of their rebellion against Him. Asaph obsesses over the consequences they suffered and demands remediation, but he refuses to confess their guilt. He begs God to intervene and appears to try to shame God into action.

Take care of this grapevine
    that you yourself have planted,
    this son you have raised for yourself. – Psalm 80:14-15 NLT

Asaph freely admits that God had chosen Israel to be His treasured possession, but he couldn’t understand why they were suffering so greatly. It made no sense. As the nation that bore His name, the Israelites should have been prospering and enjoying all the benefits of their privileged position. But, according to Asaph, they were like a vineyard that had been “chopped up and burned by” (Psalm 80:16 NLT) by their enemies.

So, Asaph asks God to reverse the trend and restore His people to greatness.

May you give support to the one you have chosen,
to the one whom you raised up for yourself. – Psalm 80:17 NET

In response to God’s miraculous deliverance, Asaph promises the renewed allegiance of the people of Israel.

Then we will never abandon you again.
    Revive us so we can call on your name once more. – Psalm  80:17 NLT

By referring to God’s name, Asaph appeals to God’s reputation. He knows that Yahweh holds His name in high regard and will not allow it to be tarnished by those privileged to bear it. He had warned the Israelites that their behavior reflected on His character.

“You must worship no other gods, for the Lord, whose very name is Jealous, is a God who is jealous about his relationship with you.” – Exodus 34:14 NLT

He would not allow them to drag His name through the mud by their repeated acts of apostasy and idolatry, and that is the reason for their current state of deprivation and despair. All 12 tribes were guilty of worshiping other gods and had angered Yahweh with their refusal to heed His warnings and repent of their sins. But Asaph longs to see God redeem and restore them.

Turn us again to yourself, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies.
    Make your face shine down upon us.
    Only then will we be saved. – Psalm 80:19 NLT

He was right. God was the only solution to their problem. Their cities lay in ruins, and their economy was devastated. They had no king or army and no hope of improving their fortunes unless God stepped in. Asaph’s reliance upon God was commendable, but he failed to recognize the corporate need for repentance. The prophets made it clear that redemption and restoration were available but required repentance.

Seek the Lord while you can find him.
    Call on him now while he is near.
Let the wicked change their ways
    and banish the very thought of doing wrong.
Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them.
    Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously. – Isaiah 55:6-7 NLT

God would later inspire Jeremiah to deliver the following message to the Israelites living in exile in Babylon. He wanted them to know that their captivity had an expiration date, but to enjoy His deliverance, they must exhibit repentant hearts.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.” – Jeremiah 29:11-14 NLT

Asaph was right to call on God, but neglected to call the people to repentance. God had promised to hear their prayers and restore their fortunes, but He required that they look for him “wholeheartedly.” God demanded their sold-out devotion to Him alone, instead of their usual brand of half-hearted, going-through-the-motions, on-again-off-again worship.

Yet, despite their failure to repent and return to Him in wholehearted devotion, God eventually released them from their exile in Babylon and restored them to the land of Canaan. Their covenant-keeping God graciously ended their captivity and arranged for a remnant to return to Jerusalem under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah. Yahweh proved to be faithful even when His people refused to keep their end of the covenant agreement. And, according to the Book of Ezekiel, God is far from done with His chosen people. The day is coming when He will perform a miracle of transformation that will ensure their unwavering devotion to Him.

“For I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you home again to your land.

“Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.

“And you will live in Israel, the land I gave your ancestors long ago. You will be my people, and I will be your God. I will cleanse you of your filthy behavior.” – Ezekiel 36:24-29 NLT

Father, You truly are amazing. Your love never fails. You always keep Your word. Your grace is always undeserved. Your mercy never runs out. Your patience is inexhaustible. And Your plan for Your people is unstoppable. Despite us, You continually pour out Your blessings through Jesus Christ. You have made a way where there was no way. You do the impossible and accomplish the improbable. And we don’t deserve it. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

God Doesn’t Need to Earn Our Worship

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A Psalm of Asaph.

1 O God, the nations have come into your inheritance;
    they have defiled your holy temple;
    they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.
2 They have given the bodies of your servants
    to the birds of the heavens for food,
    the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the earth.
3 They have poured out their blood like water
    all around Jerusalem,
    and there was no one to bury them.
4 We have become a taunt to our neighbors,
    mocked and derided by those around us.

5 How long, O Lord? Will you be angry forever?
    Will your jealousy burn like fire?
6 Pour out your anger on the nations
    that do not know you,
and on the kingdoms
    that do not call upon your name!
7 For they have devoured Jacob
    and laid waste his habitation.

8 Do not remember against us our former iniquities;
    let your compassion come speedily to meet us,
    for we are brought very low.
9 Help us, O God of our salvation,
    for the glory of your name;
deliver us, and atone for our sins,
    for your name’s sake!
10 Why should the nations say,
    “Where is their God?”
Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants
    be known among the nations before our eyes!

11 Let the groans of the prisoners come before you;
    according to your great power, preserve those doomed to die!
12 Return sevenfold into the lap of our neighbors
    the taunts with which they have taunted you, O Lord!
13 But we your people, the sheep of your pasture,
    will give thanks to you forever;
    from generation to generation we will recount your praise. – Psalm 79:1-13 ESV

The context for this psalm of lament appears to be the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 586 BC. Asaph describes the devastating impact of the years-long Babylonian siege, the subsequent breach of the city’s walls, and the brutally violent destruction. This psalm reflects the imagery and impassioned petition found in Psalm 74, as the author questions God’s failure to protect His people from their enemies.

O Lord, how long will you be angry with us? Forever?
    How long will your jealousy burn like fire? – Psalm 79:5 NLT

Asaph serves as a spokesman for the rest of the covenant community that is reeling from the unprecedented breach of Jerusalem’s defenses and the unfathomable destruction of human life and property. Asaph addresses Yahweh as if He is ignorant of the details surrounding Judah’s fall and the city’s decimation.

O God, pagan nations have conquered your land,
    your special possession.
They have defiled your holy Temple
    and made Jerusalem a heap of ruins. – Psalm 79:1 NLT

But God is not surprised and caught off guard by this news because He is the one who ordained it to happen. For years, Yahweh had warned His chosen people that their days were numbered unless they repented of their spiritual adultery and apostasy and returned to Him in humble contrition.

“You made me furious by worshiping idols you made with your own hands, bringing on yourselves all the disasters you now suffer. And now the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Because you have not listened to me, I will gather together all the armies of the north under King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, whom I have appointed as my deputy. I will bring them all against this land and its people and against the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy you and make you an object of horror and contempt and a ruin forever. I will take away your happy singing and laughter. The joyful voices of bridegrooms and brides will no longer be heard. Your millstones will fall silent, and the lights in your homes will go out. This entire land will become a desolate wasteland. Israel and her neighboring lands will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.” – Jeremiah 25:7-11 NLT

God had spoken through His prophets, declaring His dissatisfaction with His people’s blatant rejection of their covenant relationship with Him.

“For my people have done two evil things:
They have abandoned me—
    the fountain of living water.
And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns
    that can hold no water at all!” – Jeremiah 2:13 NLT

The southern kingdom of Judah had witnessed the fall and destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel nearly 150 years earlier. But they had learned nothing from their northern neighbor’s demise.

“Plow up the hard ground of your hearts!
    Do not waste your good seed among thorns.
O people of Judah and Jerusalem,
    surrender your pride and power.
Change your hearts before the Lord,
    or my anger will burn like an unquenchable fire
    because of all your sins.

“Shout to Judah, and broadcast to Jerusalem!
    Tell them to sound the alarm throughout the land:
‘Run for your lives!
    Flee to the fortified cities!’
Raise a signal flag as a warning for Jerusalem:
    ‘Flee now! Do not delay!’
For I am bringing terrible destruction upon you
    from the north.” – Jeremiah 4:3-8 NLT

So, Yahweh wasn’t surprised by Asaph’s vivid description of Judah’s epic fall. Not only was Yahweh aware, but He had ordained every aspect of their demise, including the desecration and demolition of the Temple that bore His name. Asaph and the remnant of Jews who remained in Judah couldn’t understand how God had failed to protect them. They were shocked as they surveyed the carnage left by the Babylonian invaders. Everywhere they looked, they saw the bodies of murdered neighbors and friends. Their homes had been destroyed, and the city had been plundered. Those who had not been taken captive were either dead or little more than the walking dead, who were tasked with the unpleasant responsibility of restoring order to the chaos.

They have left the bodies of your servants
    as food for the birds of heaven.
The flesh of your godly ones
    has become food for the wild animals.
Blood has flowed like water all around Jerusalem;
    no one is left to bury the dead. – Psalm 79:2-3 NLT

Asaph put words to the people’s confusion and consternation, begging God to step in and do something.

Pour out your wrath on the nations that refuse to acknowledge you—
    on kingdoms that do not call upon your name. – Psalm 79:6 NLT

But there is no admission of guilt or semblance of a confession on Asaph’s part. In fact, Asaph appears to pass the buck, blaming their predicament on a previous generation of unfaithful Israelites.

Do not hold us guilty for the sins of our ancestors!
    Let your compassion quickly meet our needs,
    for we are on the brink of despair. – Psalm 79:8 NLT

In a sense, Asaph is informing God that their judgment was undeserved. They had done nothing to merit such unjust treatment from Him. The closest he gets to an admission of guilt is when he states, “Save us and forgive our sins for the honor of your name” (Psalm 79:9 NLT). But he provides no specifics regarding what sins they may have committed. His plea is generic in nature and focuses more on God’s responsibility to forgive and protect the holiness of His name.

Asaph is under the impression that God is somehow obligated to step in and rescue his unjustly maligned and mistreated people, but he never offers up any semblance of an apology for their past actions.

Show us your vengeance against the nations,
    for they have spilled the blood of your servants. – Psalm 79:10 NLT

At the dedication of the Temple hundreds of years earlier, God made a promise to Solomon and the people of Israel, committing to forgive and restore them, but it came with a caveat.

“…if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT

And God added an addendum to His promise, stating what would happen if they failed to humble themselves, seek His face, and repent.

“But if you or your descendants abandon me and disobey the decrees and commands I have given you, and if you serve and worship other gods, then I will uproot the people from this land that I have given them. I will reject this Temple that I have made holy to honor my name. I will make it an object of mockery and ridicule among the nations. And though this Temple is impressive now, all who pass by will be appalled. They will ask, ‘Why did the Lord do such terrible things to this land and to this Temple?’” – 2 Chronicles 7:19-21 NLT

That fateful day came because the people of God failed to uphold their end of the covenant agreement. Asaph even alludes to the mocking questions that people were asking about the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple. He states that their pagan neighbors ridiculed their faith in Yahweh by asking, “Where is their God?” (Psalm 79:10 NLT). But God was there all along. He had not abandoned them; He was simply punishing them for their refusal to worship Him alone. Their spiritual infidelity and blatant apostasy had finally caught up with them, and now they were suffering the consequences.

And, amazingly, Asaph has the gall to make a conditional promise to Yahweh.

O LORD, pay back our neighbors seven times
    for the scorn they have hurled at you.
Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture,
    will thank you forever and ever,
    praising your greatness from generation to generation. – Psalm 79:12-13 NLT

Don’t miss the word “then.” Asaph is demanding that God pay back the Babylonians for their actions. That is the non-negotiable clause in his proposed contract with the Almighty. Essentially, he says, “If you will rescue us, we will worship you.” But as Asaph has made clear in his other psalms, God had already proven His faithfulness over the years. He didn’t need to earn their worship, and He didn’t need to do anything to deserve their praise, honor, and thanksgiving.

Asaph should have called his fellow Israelites to humble themselves, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from their wicked ways. Confession and contrition would have gone a long way toward seeing God’s compassion and deliverance. If they would do those things, God had promised to hear from heaven, forgive their sins, and restore their land.

Father, I love to call of Your power in times of need. But sometimes I tend to overlook my own sin and fail to acknowledge the role I played in my own predicaments. I don’t want to be like Asaph, bringing all my burdens to You but refusing to acknowledge my sins against You. Your faithfulness is not in question. Your justice is not up for debate. Your goodness has been proven time and time again. But, like Asaph, I sometimes find myself making unjustified bargains with You. I offer my worship and adoration in exchange for Your rescue the difficulties of life. But You don’t have to prove Yourself to me. You don’t need to earn my adoration. Your are a great God and greatly to be praised – no matter what is happening in and around my life. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

No Restoration Without Repentance

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A Maskil of Asaph.

1 O God, why do you cast us off forever?
    Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?
2 Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old,
    which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage!
    Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt.
3 Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins;
    the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary!

4 Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place;
    they set up their own signs for signs.
5 They were like those who swing axes
    in a forest of trees.
6 And all its carved wood
    they broke down with hatchets and hammers.
7 They set your sanctuary on fire;
    they profaned the dwelling place of your name,
    bringing it down to the ground.
8 They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”;
    they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.

9 We do not see our signs;
    there is no longer any prophet,
    and there is none among us who knows how long.
10 How long, O God, is the foe to scoff?
    Is the enemy to revile your name forever?
11 Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?
    Take it from the fold of your garment and destroy them!

12 Yet God my King is from of old,
    working salvation in the midst of the earth.
13 You divided the sea by your might;
    you broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters.
14 You crushed the heads of Leviathan;
    you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.
15 You split open springs and brooks;
    you dried up ever-flowing streams.
16 Yours is the day, yours also the night;
    you have established the heavenly lights and the sun.
17 You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth;
    you have made summer and winter.

18 Remember this, O LORD, how the enemy scoffs,
    and a foolish people reviles your name.
19 Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild beasts;
    do not forget the life of your poor forever.

20 Have regard for the covenant,
    for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence.
21 Let not the downtrodden turn back in shame;
    let the poor and needy praise your name.

22 Arise, O God, defend your cause;
    remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day!
23 Do not forget the clamor of your foes,
    the uproar of those who rise against you, which goes up continually! – Psalm 74:1-23 ESV

In the previous psalm, Asaph sought help and hope in the sanctuary of God, where his disgruntled outlook about the prosperity of the wicked was altered by a glimpse of God’s goodness and glory.

I tried to understand why the wicked prosper.
    But what a difficult task it is!
Then I went into your sanctuary, O God,
    and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked. – Psalm 73:16-17 NLT

Now, in Psalm 74, Asaph is no longer talking about the prosperity of the wicked; he is questioning the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the sanctuary. This unexpected and inexplicable tragedy has left Asaph shaken and questioning God’s presence and power. Israel’s beloved sanctuary, the dwelling place of Yahweh, has been destroyed, leaving Asaph and his fellow Israelites in a state of shock and dismay. Still reeling from this devastating calamity, Asaph calls on God to remedy the situation.

Remember that we are the people you chose long ago,
    the tribe you redeemed as your own special possession!
    And remember Jerusalem, your home here on earth.
Walk through the awful ruins of the city;
    see how the enemy has destroyed your sanctuary. – Psalm 74:2-3 NLT

While no timeline or details are provided that might explain what Asaph is describing, it seems safe to assume he is writing about the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 586 BC. The Book of Jeremiah provides graphic details concerning this fateful event, and its record corroborates Asaph’s description of Jerusalem’s fall.

On August 17 of that year, which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard and an official of the Babylonian king, arrived in Jerusalem. He burned down the Temple of the Lord, the royal palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem. He destroyed all the important buildings in the city. Then he supervised the entire Babylonian army as they tore down the walls of Jerusalem on every side. Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, took as exiles some of the poorest of the people, the rest of the people who remained in the city, the defectors who had declared their allegiance to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the craftsmen. But Nebuzaradan allowed some of the poorest people to stay behind to care for the vineyards and fields. – Jeremiah 52:12-16 NLT

The Babylonians were methodical in their plunder and destruction, using axes to completely obliterate the Temple’s ornate interior. Anything of value was carted off to fill the treasury of the Babylonian king. Then, Asaph states, “they burned down all the places where God was worshiped” (Psalm 74:8 NLT). With the Temple’s destruction, the sacrificial system was effectively eliminated, leaving the people of Israel with no way to receive atonement for their sins and reconciliation with God. And as if that was not bad enough, Asaph informs God that the news just kept getting worse.

We no longer see your miraculous signs.
    All the prophets are gone,
    and no one can tell us when it will end.
How long, O God, will you allow our enemies to insult you?
    Will you let them dishonor your name forever?
Why do you hold back your strong right hand?
    Unleash your powerful fist and destroy them. – Psalm 74:9-11 NLT

It was as if God had completely abandoned His people, leaving them without a place for His presence to dwell and providing them with no communication as to when their fate would improve. Asaph can’t fathom why the sovereign, all-powerful God of Israel would allow their enemies to destroy the Temple, defame His name, and turn His chosen people into chattel.

In verses 12-17, Asaph reminisces about God’s past displays of power and deliverance. He uses creation imagery to describe Yahweh’s victory over the chaos that ruled over the universe.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. – Genesis 1:1-3 NLT

But Asaph seems to be using the creation account as a metaphor for God’s victory over the Egyptians when He parted the waters of the Red Sea and destroyed the army of Pharaoh.

You split the sea by your strength
    and smashed the heads of the sea monsters.
You crushed the heads of Leviathan
    and let the desert animals eat him.
You caused the springs and streams to gush forth,
    and you dried up rivers that never run dry. – Psalm 74:13-15 NLT

Yahweh was all-powerful and fully capable of destroying Israel’s enemies, but in this case, Asaph felt as if God was doing nothing. He not only allowed the Babylonians to invade and destroy Jerusalem, but He also did nothing to pay them back for their actions. Asaph and his fellow Israelites waited for God to remember His covenant promises and act. He couldn’t understand God’s apparent apathy and inactivity. What was He waiting for? Why wouldn’t He avenge His people and defend the holiness of His name?

See how these enemies insult you, Lord.
    A foolish nation has dishonored your name.
Don’t let these wild beasts destroy your turtledoves.
    Don’t forget your suffering people forever. – Psalm 74:18-19 NLT

In his desire to see God intervene, Asaph conveniently overlooked Israel’s role in their own destruction. God had repeatedly warned them that their destruction was imminent and could only be avoided if they would repent of their idolatry and faithfully serve Him alone.

The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, “Go to the entrance of the Lord’s Temple, and give this message to the people: ‘O Judah, listen to this message from the Lord! Listen to it, all of you who worship here! This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says:

“‘Even now, if you quit your evil ways, I will let you stay in your own land. But don’t be fooled by those who promise you safety simply because the Lord’s Temple is here. They chant, “The Lord’s Temple is here! The Lord’s Temple is here!” But I will be merciful only if you stop your evil thoughts and deeds and start treating each other with justice; only if you stop exploiting foreigners, orphans, and widows; only if you stop your murdering; and only if you stop harming yourselves by worshiping idols. Then I will let you stay in this land that I gave to your ancestors to keep forever.

 “‘Don’t be fooled into thinking that you will never suffer because the Temple is here. It’s a lie! Do you really think you can steal, murder, commit adultery, lie, and burn incense to Baal and all those other new gods of yours, and then come here and stand before me in my Temple and chant, “We are safe!”—only to go right back to all those evils again? Don’t you yourselves admit that this Temple, which bears my name, has become a den of thieves? Surely I see all the evil going on there. I, the Lord, have spoken!” – Jeremiah 7:1-11 NLT

But the people had failed to heed God’s warnings, and He sent the Babylonians to carry out His judgment. While Asaph is persistent in his pleas for God’s mercy and intervention, he makes no mention of Israel’s sin and their need to repent. There are no words of confession or signs of contrition. He wants God to keep His covenant promises, but never admits that the Israelites had failed to hold up their end of the agreement.

Arise, O God, and defend your cause.
    Remember how these fools insult you all day long.
Don’t overlook what your enemies have said
    or their growing uproar. – Psalm 74:22-23 NLT

Asaph seems to have conveniently forgotten the words that God spoke to Solomon at the dedication of the Temple hundreds of years earlier. Yahweh made it painfully clear that His presence, power, and provision would be tied to the Israelites’ covenant faithfulness. He would dwell among them as long as they remained faithful to Him and Him alone.

“But if you or your descendants abandon me and disobey the commands and decrees I have given you, and if you serve and worship other gods, then I will uproot Israel from this land that I have given them. I will reject this Temple that I have made holy to honor my name. I will make Israel an object of mockery and ridicule among the nations. And though this Temple is impressive now, all who pass by will be appalled and will gasp in horror. They will ask, ‘Why did the Lord do such terrible things to this land and to this Temple?’” – 1 Kings 9:6-8 NLT

Asaph wanted to see God work. He longed for the Almighty to use His vast power to rectify their problem, but he never acknowledged their role in their own destruction. He wanted deliverance without confession and restored fellowship without repentance. But God had made His requirements known. At the dedication of the Temple, He told Solomon what the people would need to do if they wanted to receive forgiveness and experience restoration.

“…if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT

Father, what a sobering reminder that my sin has consequences and while I am free to call on Your to deliver me from the suffering sin produces, You demand my contrition and confession. You have told us that if we confess our sins, You are faithful and just to forgive them and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. But we tend to want the cleansing without confession. We want restoration without repentance. Help me to understand that my sins, while forgiven, can never be overlooked or treated as irrelevant. You still demand faithfulness. You still require humility of Your people. And when we take ownership for our sin, You always keep Your promise to restore and renew us. Thank you! Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

You Can Count On God

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1 Again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four chariots came out from between two mountains. And the mountains were mountains of bronze. 2 The first chariot had red horses, the second black horses, 3 the third white horses, and the fourth chariot dappled horses—all of them strong. 4 Then I answered and said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” 5 And the angel answered and said to me, “These are going out to the four winds of heaven, after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth. 6 The chariot with the black horses goes toward the north country, the white ones go after them, and the dappled ones go toward the south country.” 7 When the strong horses came out, they were impatient to go and patrol the earth. And he said, “Go, patrol the earth.” So they patrolled the earth. 8 Then he cried to me, “Behold, those who go toward the north country have set my Spirit at rest in the north country.” – Zechariah 6:1-8 ESV

In this final vision, Zechariah is shown what appears to be four chariots pulled by teams of red, black, white, and dappled horses. As Zechariah looks on, these instruments of war pass between two bronze mountains without the aid of any charioteers. They appear to be driverless but are not without a sense of direction or purpose. In fact, the angel asserts that they have come from the presence of the LORD and are on a mission. There are obvious similarities between this last vision and the first one Zechariah was shown. Both include horses of different colors.

“I saw in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen, and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses.” – Zechariah 1:8 ESV

In this opening vision, Zechariah was shown a heavenly messenger sent by Yahweh “to patrol the earth” (Zechariah 1:10 ESV). The mission had been completed because Zechariah heard the announcement, “We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth remains at rest” (Zecharaiah 1:11 ESV). Their work was done and they rested in a grove of myrtle trees. But in the last of the eight visions, the horses have left the presence of Yahweh and just beginning their mission.

“These are the four spirits of heaven going out after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth.” – Zechariah 6:10 NET

They are described as rûaḥ, a Hebrew word that can be translated as “winds” or “spirits.” Given the context, it makes sense to view these chariots as divine emanations from God. They have been sent by Yahweh and commanded to “Go, patrol the earth” (Zechariah 6:7 ESV). As Zechariah looks on, the chariots head north and south. The chariots pulled by the black and white horses head to the north country, while the chariot pulled by the team of dappled horses makes its way to the south country.

The nation of Israel occupied a narrow sliver of land between the Mediterranean Sea on the west and the Arabian Desert on the east. Over the centuries, Israel’s enemies had invaded its borders from one of these two directions. So, the chariots were sent to the north and south but were expected to extend their mission beyond Israel’s borders. Their “patrol” would eventually take them to Egypt, Babylon, and Assyria, all sworn enemies of Israel. The mission of the horseman in Chapter 1 resulted in a pronouncement of peace. All was well in the land of Judah. But the chariots of the eighth vision appear to be on a mission of a different sort. They will bring peace but only after divine judgment is carried.

The angel describes the horses as strong and “impatient to go and patrol the earth” (Zechariah 1:7 ESV). They are literally chomping at the bit. In antiquity, the horse was revered for its power and ferocity in battle. These beautiful creatures could transform into devastating weapons of mass destruction, wreaking havoc against enemy infantry. Harnessed to a chariot, horses were the equivalent of a tank in modern warfare. 

The Book of Job records God’s eloquent description of the horse’s unique affinity and disposition for combat.

“Have you given the horse its strength
    or clothed its neck with a flowing mane?
Did you give it the ability to leap like a locust?
    Its majestic snorting is terrifying!
It paws the earth and rejoices in its strength
    when it charges out to battle.
It laughs at fear and is unafraid.
    It does not run from the sword.
The arrows rattle against it,
    and the spear and javelin flash.
It paws the ground fiercely
    and rushes forward into battle when the ram’s horn blows.
It snorts at the sound of the horn.
    It senses the battle in the distance.
    It quivers at the captain’s commands and the noise of battle.” – Job 39:19-25 NLT

That these horses and their chariots were intended to carry out God’s judgment is made clear by verse 8.

“Look, those who went north have vented the anger of my Spirit there in the land of the north.” – Zechariah 6:8 NLT

Twenty years earlier, in 539 B.C., the Babylonians had fallen to the Persians. God had already meted out His wrath against the nation that had invaded and destroyed Judah. But His judgment was not yet complete. The Egyptians and Medo-Persians would also have to pay for their constant harassment of God’s people.

It’s interesting to note that the black, white, and dappled horses convey their chariots on their assigned routes but the chariot pulled by the red horses is not mentioned. The angel doesn’t announce its destination. There has been much speculation as to the meaning of the horses’ colors. Some have suggested that the red horses stand for war and bloodshed, while the black horses symbolize death. The white horses represent victory and the dappled horses stand for plague and disease. Together, these horses and their chariots display the multifaceted and devastating nature of God’s pending judgment against the nations.

As Zechariah looks on, the chariots and their horses are just beginning their assignments. They have passed between the two bronze mountains on their way to their final destinations. Some have speculated that these mountains represent Mount Zion and the Mount of Olives. But the more logical explanation is found in chapter 14 of Zechariah’s prophecy.

Watch, for the day of the Lord is coming when your possessions will be plundered right in front of you! I will gather all the nations to fight against Jerusalem. The city will be taken, the houses looted, and the women raped. Half the population will be taken into captivity, and the rest will be left among the ruins of the city.

Then the Lord will go out to fight against those nations, as he has fought in times past. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem. And the Mount of Olives will split apart, making a wide valley running from east to west. Half the mountain will move toward the north and half toward the south. You will flee through this valley, for it will reach across to Azal. Yes, you will flee as you did from the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all his holy ones with him. – Zechariah 14:1-7 NLT

The Mount of Olives was where Jesus ascended back into heaven after His final post-resurrection appearance to His disciples (Acts 1:9-12). The angels assured the disciples that Jesus would one day return to that very same spot and complete the mission He had been given by His Heavenly Father. While His departure from earth had been in relative obscurity with only His disciples as witnesses, His return will be so impactful that the Mount of Olives will split in two. His second coming will bring judgment to the earth as God’s heavenly army dispenses divine wrath on all those who rejected His Son’s offer of salvation and opposed His right to rule and reign.

Zechariah was given a glimpse into the distant future when God will send His Son to earth a second time. On this occasion, Jesus will not come as an innocent baby in a manger, but as a conquering King riding a white horse and meting out judgment against the enemies of God. Centuries later, the apostle John was given a vision of this end times event.

Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords. – Revelation 19:11-16 NLT

Zechariah was not privileged to know all the details concerning God’s coming judgment. The explanations he received from the angel were cryptic and incomplete but he could rest assured that God had a plan in place that would be fulfilled in a timely manner. Later in this book, Zechariah will receive and record a powerful promise from God concerning the nation of Israel and the city of Jerusalem.

And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day there will be one Lord—his name alone will be worshiped.

All the land from Geba, north of Judah, to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem, will become one vast plain. But Jerusalem will be raised up in its original place and will be inhabited all the way from the Benjamin Gate over to the site of the old gate, then to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s winepresses. And Jerusalem will be filled, safe at last, never again to be cursed and destroyed. – Zechariah 14:9-11 NLT

The Temple still needed to be completed. The land of Judah remained under foreign control. Jerusalem was still a relative ghost town with a small population and no protective walls. Yet, God was at work because He had plans for His people.

“I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.” – Jeremiah 29:11-14 NLT

They were back in the land but God had far more in store for them than they could ever have imagined. The days ahead would be fraught with difficulty but God wanted Zechariah to know that the future was bright because His will would be done. His plan promises would be fulfilled and His plans for the people of God would be carried out just as He had said.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

I Will Dwell In Your Midst

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6 Up! Up! Flee from the land of the north, declares the Lord. For I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heavens, declares the Lord. 7 Up! Escape to Zion, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon. 8 For thus said the Lord of hosts, after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye: 9 “Behold, I will shake my hand over them, and they shall become plunder for those who served them. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me. 10 Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the Lord. 11 And many nations shall join themselves to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people. And I will dwell in your midst, and you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. 12 And the Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem.”

13 Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord, for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling. – Zechariah 2:6-13 ESV

God calls on the remaining exiles in Babylon to return to Judah. He references having scattered them abroad “as the four winds of heaven” (Zechariah 2:6 ESV), along with the citizens of the northern kingdom of Israel. The prophet Isaiah recorded God’s intention to return all of His exiled children to the land of promise.

“Do not be afraid, for I am with you.
    I will gather you and your children from east and west.
I will say to the north and south,
    ‘Bring my sons and daughters back to Israel
    from the distant corners of the earth.
Bring all who claim me as their God,
    for I have made them for my glory.
    It was I who created them.’” – Isaiah 43″5-7 NLT

When the Assyrians and Babylonians invaded Israel and Judah, many of the people fled to neighboring countries like Egypt, Moab, Ammon, and Edom. God had warned the people of Judah not to try and escape His judgment by running to Egypt.

“Stay here in this land. If you do, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you. For I am sorry about all the punishment I have had to bring upon you. Do not fear the king of Babylon anymore,” says the Lord. “For I am with you and will save you and rescue you from his power. I will be merciful to you by making him kind, so he will let you stay here in your land.” – Jeremiah 42:10-12 NLT

Yet they refused Jeremiah’s message and went to Egypt despite God’s warning.

“If you are determined to go to Egypt and live there, the very war and famine you fear will catch up to you, and you will die there. That is the fate awaiting every one of you who insists on going to live in Egypt. Yes, you will die from war, famine, and disease. None of you will escape the disaster I will bring upon you there.” – Jeremiah 42:15-17 NLT

Now, decades later, God calls all His people to return to the land He gave them as their inheritance. The gracious and compassionate God of Judah and Israel promised to keep His covenant promise and restore them to their former homeland – despite their disobedience and apostasy. He also affirmed the message given to Zechariah in the third vision: “Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and livestock in it” (Zechariah 2:4 ESV). God wanted to repopulate the promised land with the people of the promise: The descendants of Jacob.

Verses 8-9 pose a difficult problem when it comes to interpretation. It isn’t clear who is speaking or who is being referred to in these verses.

For thus said the Lord of hosts, after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye: “Behold, I will shake my hand over them, and they shall become plunder for those who served them. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me.” – Zechariah 2:8-9 ESV

Who was being sent to the nations? Was it Zechariah? Is he referring to yet another vision? Or are these the words of another angelic messenger who will serve as God’s agent of judgment against the nations that plundered Judah and Israel? There is no indication that Zechariah played any kind of disciplinary role against the enemies of Israel. He was a messenger and not a warrior.

These verses are prophetic in nature and refer to the end times when Jesus the Messiah will fulfill them at His second advent. In verse 5 God promises to be a wall of fire around Jerusalem and to reveal His glory among its people. Verse 10 reiterates this promise. 

“Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the Lord.” – Zechariah 2:10 ESV

But before this can happen, the Messiah must return and complete the work He began with His first advent. Jesus will return to earth a second time, not as a baby in a manger, but as a conquering King leading the heavenly host. The apostle John was given a vision of this future event which he recorded in the Book of Revelation.

Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords. – Revelation 19:11-16 NLT

Chapter 2 of Zechariah provides a look into the far-distant future when God will culminate His covenant promises to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. When God says, “Come away, people of Zion, you who are exiled in Babylon” (Zechariah 2:7 NLT), He refers to the end times when His chosen people will be oppressed by a future Babylon that will be far more powerful and wicked.

“Come away from her, my people.
    Do not take part in her sins,
    or you will be punished with her.
For her sins are piled as high as heaven,
    and God remembers her evil deeds.
Do to her as she has done to others.
    Double her penalty for all her evil deeds.
She brewed a cup of terror for others,
    so brew twice as much for her.
She glorified herself and lived in luxury,
    so match it now with torment and sorrow.
She boasted in her heart,
    ‘I am queen on my throne.
I am no helpless widow,
    and I have no reason to mourn.’
Therefore, these plagues will overtake her in a single day—
    death and mourning and famine.
She will be completely consumed by fire,
    for the Lord God who judges her is mighty.” – Revelation 18:4-8 NLT

This future empire, ruled over by the Antichrist, will make Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon pale in comparison.

“Babylon is fallen—that great city is fallen!
She has become a home for demons.
She is a hideout for every foul spirit,
a hideout for every foul vulture
and every foul and dreadful animal.
For all the nations have fallen
because of the wine of her passionate immorality.
The kings of the world
have committed adultery with her.
Because of her desires for extravagant luxury,
the merchants of the world have grown rich.” – Revelation 18:2-3 NLT

During the Great Tribulation, the Antichrist will rise to power and prominence, ruling over a one-world government that stands in opposition to God and uses its vast power to persecute Jews and Christians alike. John was given a frightening vision of this future world power. It appeared as “a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that had seven heads and ten horns, and blasphemies against God were written all over it. The woman wore purple and scarlet clothing and beautiful jewelry made of gold and precious gems and pearls. In her hand she held a gold goblet full of obscenities and the impurities of her immorality” (Revelation 17:3-4 NLT).

On her forehead was inscribed “Babylon the Great, Mother of All Prostitutes and Obscenities in the World” (Revelation 17:5 NLT. John writes, “I could see that she was drunk—drunk with the blood of God’s holy people who were witnesses for Jesus. I stared at her in complete amazement” (Revelation 17:6 NLT).

In his vision, John received an explanation for the strange sights he had seen.

“The ten horns of the beast are ten kings who have not yet risen to power. They will be appointed to their kingdoms for one brief moment to reign with the beast. They will all agree to give him their power and authority. Together they will go to war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will defeat them because he is Lord of all lords and King of all kings. And his called and chosen and faithful ones will be with him.” – Revelation 17:12-14 NLT

The Antichrist, empowered by Satan himself, will lead a multi-nation coalition against Jesus and His heavenly host. This epic battle will end in defeat when Christ conquers Satan and his forces once and for all.

Then I saw the beast and the kings of the world and their armies gathered together to fight against the one sitting on the horse and his army. And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast—miracles that deceived all who had accepted the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue. Both the beast and his false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. Their entire army was killed by the sharp sword that came from the mouth of the one riding the white horse. And the vultures all gorged themselves on the dead bodies. – Revelation 19:19-21 NLT

With His victory complete, Jesus will set up His earthly Kingdom in Jerusalem, where He will rule in righteousness for a thousand years. This millennial kingdom will be the home of Jews and Gentiles alike and they will have the joy of living under the reign of the King of kings and Lord of Lord.

“I am coming to live among you. Many nations will join themselves to the Lord on that day, and they, too, will be my people. I will live among you, and you will know that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies sent me to you.” – Zechariah 2:10-11 NLT

Jesus referred to this day when He told His disciples, “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne” (Matthew 25:31 NLT). The prophet Daniel was also given a vision of this coming day.

I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed. – Daniel 7:13-14 NLT

And God told Zechariah that the day would come when He would fulfill all His promises to His chosen people.

“The land of Judah will be the Lord’s special possession in the holy land, and he will once again choose Jerusalem to be his own city. Be silent before the Lord, all humanity, for he is springing into action from his holy dwelling.” – Zechariah 2:12-13 NLT

Zechariah never got to see the fulfillment of this promise. Thousands of years have passed and the events predicted in this passage still remain unfulfilled. But God keeps His word. Every promise He had made regarding the people of Judah and their return to the land had come about just as He said. The people had been released from captivity. The Temple was being restored. The walls would soon be rebuilt. The city of Jerusalem would be repopulated. However, two major promises remained unfulfilled: The incarnation of Jesus and His second coming. The return of God’s people to the land of Judah and the rebuilding of Jerusalem were the first steps in God’s plan of redemption and future restoration. Little did Zechariah and his fellow Jews know that they were laying the groundwork for a much grander plan that God had in store for His chosen people and the rest of humanity. Paul speaks of this plan in his letter to the Galatians.

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. – Galatians 4:4-7 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Plans for the Future

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18 And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four horns! 19 And I said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these?” And he said to me, “These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.” 20 Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen. 21 And I said, “What are these coming to do?” He said, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no one raised his head. And these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it.”

1 And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand! 2 Then I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.” 3 And behold, the angel who talked with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him 4 and said to him, “Run, say to that young man, ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and livestock in it. 5 And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the LORD, and I will be the glory in her midst.’” – Zechariah 1:18-2:5 ESV

Verses 18-21 describe Zechariah’s second vision. In the Hebrew Bible, these verses are included at the beginning of chapter 2. This difference in chapter layouts seems to be due to the nature of the vision and its similarity to the third vision contained in chapter 2.

As the sequence of visions began, Zechariah was given a word of hope to share with the people of Judah.

“Shout this message for all to hear: ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: My love for Jerusalem and Mount Zion is passionate and strong.” – Zechariah 1:14 NLT

Despite their God-imposed exile of 70 years, a remnant of the people of Judah had returned to the land of Judah. But their arrival in the land had been met with opposition and their attempts to rebuild the Temple and restore some semblance of normalcy to the city of Jerusalem had been anything but easy. Yet, Zechariah was to tell the disheartened people of Judah, “The towns of Israel will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem as his own” (Zechariah 1:17 NLT).

Not only was God going to bless His chosen people, but He would deal with the nations that had done them harm.

“I am very angry with the other nations that are now enjoying peace and security. I was only a little angry with my people, but the nations inflicted harm on them far beyond my intentions.” – Zechariah 1:15 NLT

Verse 18 reveals the details of God’s plans for those nations that “inflicted harm” on His people. Two nations had done irreparable harm to the people of God. The first was Assyria which God used to punish the northern kingdom of Israel for their idolatry and blatant disregard for His Law. The Assyrians invaded Israel in 732 B.C., destroying the capital city of Samaria and taking tens of thousands of Israelite citizens as captives. At that time, Israel was comprised of 10 of the 12 tribes. The remaining two tribes, Judah and Benjamin, constituted the southern kingdom of Judah. While they fared better and lasted longer, they eventually fell to the Babylonians in 586 B.C. They two saw their capital city destroyed, the Temple demolished, and tens of thousands of their people deported back to Babylon as slaves.

In his vision, Zechariah sees four horns. Since there is no mention of animals, the horns likely appeared alone and in pairs. In ancient Near Eastern literature, horns symbolize power and authority. These two sets of horns represent the two nations God used to punish His disobedient people: The Assyrians and Babylonians. But God indicates that both nations were guilty of taking things too far. They overreached their God-ordained authority and “furthered the disaster” (Zechariah 1:15 ESV). In other words, they made matters worse. Now they would pay.

As Zechariah looked, he saw four “craftsmen.” The Hebrew word is ḥārāš, and it carries a wide range of meanings. It can refer to everything from a carpenter or engraver to a blacksmith. But it can also be used figuratively to refer to someone “skillful to destroy,” like a warrior. When Zechariah asks who these men are, he is told, “…these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it” (Zechariah 1:21 ESV).

These individuals may represent kings or nations, but Zechariah is given no further details as to their identity. Some have speculated that they symbolize Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and the future Kingdom of God under the rule of the Messiah. The text provides no insight into the identities of these “craftsmen,” but simply states that they will “cast down” the four horns as payback for their role in the fall of Israel and Judah.

Before Zechariah can gather his thoughts and form any more questions, he is shown a third vision. This time, he sees “a man with a measuring line in his hand” (Zechariah 2:1 ESV). The tool the man carried would have been recognizable to Zechariah as a common construction implement. He would have seen it used by the workmen rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem. Like a modern-day ruler or measuring tape, this simple device carried markings that ensured precise measurements when cutting wood or stone. It was also used to lay out the foundations of a building before beginning construction. When Zechariah asked the man where he was going, he responded, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length” (Zechariah 2:2 ESV).

It’s important to remember that Jerusalem was in a state of dilapidation and disrepair at this time. It had been abandoned for decades and was little more than a pile of rubble and ruins. But Zechariah and his fellow exiles had returned to restore the city to its former glory. They had begun with the Temple, but it remained in a half-finished state. It would be years before Nehemiah showed up to supervise the rebuilding of the walls. So, when the man stated that he was preparing to measure the city, Zechariah must have been confused. What was he going to measure?

God had already told Zechariah of His intention to rebuild and restore Jerusalem.

“I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; my house shall be built in it, declares the Lord of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem.” – Zechariah 1:16 ESV

This agent or surveyor was tasked with making all the appropriate measurements so that the construction could begin. God was signaling that the work of rebuilding Jerusalem was His alone. He would make it happen. Not only that, He had plans for Jerusalem’s future that had been carefully crafted according to His exacting standards. These verses are not simply a reference to building a city; they indicate that God has spiritual standards by which He measures His people. A restored and repopulated city means nothing if its residents don’t measure up to God’s righteous standards.

In the Book of Revelation, John has a vision in which he is told to measure the Temple.

“Go and measure the Temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers.” – Revelation 11:1 NLT

This Temple is already constructed, so what is John measuring? It would seem that he is checking to see if the Temple meets God’s standards. Does it measure up? Was it built according to God’s specifications? He is also told to count the number of worshipers. Is the building up to divine code and is it filled with the right kind of people? Are they true worshipers or do they worship in vain (Matthew 15:9; Isaiah 29:13)?

God was interested in far more than a well-built city with beautiful buildings, strong walls, and a well-crafted Temple. He wanted people who worshiped Him in spirit and in truth. He was looking to build a city that would be filled with citizens who loved Him and lived in obedience to His will. As God wrapped up this third vision, He gave Zechariah the following message of assurance.

“Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and livestock in it. And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the Lord, and I will be the glory in her midst.” – Zechariah 2:4-5 ESV

This promise carries future overtones. In time, Nehemiah would show up and help the people of Judah rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. But God describes something completely different in this message to Zechariah. He assured His prophet that the day will come when the city of Jerusalem will be protected by Him alone. He will be “a protective wall of fire around Jerusalem” (Zechariah 2:5 NLT). No stones will be necessary. No gates will be needed. No watchmen will need to remain vigilant and ready to report the presence of enemies. God will be the source of Jerusalem’s safety and strength. Not only that, He will be “the glory inside the city” (Zechariah 2:5 NLT).

Once again, the apostle John provides a stunning description of this future Jerusalem in the Book of Revelation.

I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the city in all their glory. Its gates will never be closed at the end of day because there is no night there. And all the nations will bring their glory and honor into the city. Nothing evil will be allowed to enter, nor anyone who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty—but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. – Revelation 21:22-27 NLT

God had plans for His people and the city of Jerusalem. Some of those plans were short-term and involved the rebuilding of the Temple and the walls during the lives of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Zechariah. But God had things in store for His chosen people and their beloved capital that would take place long after they were gone. His future plans were filled with promise and a certainty of outcome that could not be questioned.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” – Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

I Have Returned

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7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying, 8 “I saw in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen, and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses. 9 Then I said, ‘What are these, my lord?’ The angel who talked with me said to me, ‘I will show you what they are.’ 10 So the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered, ‘These are they whom the Lord has sent to patrol the earth.’ 11 And they answered the angel of the LORD who was standing among the myrtle trees, and said, ‘We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth remains at rest.’ 12 Then the angel of the LORD said, ‘O LORD of hosts, how long will you have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which you have been angry these seventy years?’ 13 And the LORD answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me. 14 So the angel who talked with me said to me, ‘Cry out, Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion. 15 And I am exceedingly angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was angry but a little, they furthered the disaster. 16 Therefore, thus says the LORD, I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; my house shall be built in it, declares the LORD of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem. 17 Cry out again, Thus says the LORD of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.’” – Zechariah 1:7-17 ESV

Zechariah, which means “Yahweh remembers,” was common among the Jews but perfectly suits the author of this book that bears his name. As a post-exilic prophet, Zechariah receives a message from Yawheh intended to encourage the generation of Jews who have returned to Judah from their exile in Babylon. Despite all the 70 years of captivity their fathers and mothers endured, this remnant of Israelites has not been forgotten by God. The LORD of Hosts had graciously restored them to the land and was calling them to repent and renew their covenant commitment to Him.

Part of the message Zechariah will deliver is God’s call to complete the rebuilding of the Temple. But while this task will be completed in Zechariah’s lifetime, much of what he has to say to the citizens of Judah involves the distant future. This book is primarily eschatological in nature, dealing with events that neither Zechariah nor his readers will ever see. One such event is described in Chapter 12.

Watch, for the day of the Lord is coming when your possessions will be plundered right in front of you! I will gather all the nations to fight against Jerusalem. The city will be taken, the houses looted, and the women raped. Half the population will be taken into captivity, and the rest will be left among the ruins of the city.

Then the Lord will go out to fight against those nations, as he has fought in times past. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem. And the Mount of Olives will split apart, making a wide valley running from east to west. Half the mountain will move toward the north and half toward the south. You will flee through this valley, for it will reach across to Azal. Yes, you will flee as you did from the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all his holy ones with him. – Zechariah 12:1-5 NLT

The Book of Zechariah contains numerous references to the end-time fate of the nation of Israel and the role of a divine redeemer who rescues and restores them to prominence and favor with God. As the returned exiles labored to rebuild the Temple destroyed by the Babylonians, Zechariah and his fellow prophet, Haggai, were commissioned by God to encourage the demoralized people of Judah to complete the Temple. But their primary message was that of future blessing.

“For this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: In just a little while I will again shake the heavens and the earth, the oceans and the dry land. I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will be brought to this Temple. I will fill this place with glory, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. And in this place I will bring peace. I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!” – Haggai 2:5-9 NLT

God had plans for the people of Judah that extended beyond their immediate context and far into the future.

“Particularly prominent in the book is the Messianic element. With the exception of Isaiah, there is no other prophet whose book contains such a wealth and variety of this element, not only in proportion to the total amount of material offered, but also as a sum total of passages.” – H. C. Leupold, Exposition of Zechariah

For Zechariah, these messages came on a single night in the form of eight apocalyptic visions. These rather bizarre and disturbing dreams gave Zechariah a glimpse into the distant future and were meant to assure the struggling people of Judah that God had not forgotten them. He had plans for the future of Jerusalem that were far beyond anything they could have imagined. Their job was to rebuild the Temple. God would do the rest.

Three months after his commission, Zechariah received the first of his eight visions from God. In the darkness of night, an angel visited Zechariah. As Zechariah and his divine guest talked, he saw a vision of a man seated upon a horse among a grove of evergreen trees. This rider was accompanied by others who sat upon horses of varying colors. Curious to know the meaning of this vision, Zechariah asked his angelic messenger for an explanation, but the answer came from one of the riders. He claimed they had been sent by God to “patrol the earth” (Zechariah 1:10). The other riders spoke up and declared that they had faithfully completed their assignment.

“We have been patrolling the earth, and the whole earth is at peace.” – Zechariah 1:11 NLT

This message must have sounded strange to Zechariah. He was living among the returned exiles in the devastated remains of Jerusalem. The walls around the city were little more than rubble. All the homes remained uninhabitable. Despite their return to the land, the people of Judah remained the unwilling servants of the Persian empire. And they were surrounded by hostile nations that constantly thwarted their efforts to rebuild and repopulate Jerusalem. From Zechariah’s perspective, the world was anything but peaceful.

Even the angel seemed to contradict the optimistic report of the riders.

“O LORD of Heaven’s Armies, for seventy years now you have been angry with Jerusalem and the towns of Judah. How long until you again show mercy to them?” – Zechariah 1:12 NLT

His prayer echoed the sentiments of the people. They continued to labor at rebuilding the Temple, but the work was slow, tedious, wearying, and seemingly unfruitful. The deck was stacked against them and their joy at returning to the land of promise had been anything but promising. The future looked bleak. They had no king, no army, a city with no walls or residential housing, and the ever-present threat of future invasion by Persia or some other world superpower.

But Zechariah heard Yahweh speak “kind and comforting words to the angel” (Zechariah 1:13 NLT). God reassured His angelic messenger and told him to deliver an assignment to Zechariah.

“Shout this message for all to hear: ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: My love for Jerusalem and Mount Zion is passionate and strong. But I am very angry with the other nations that are now enjoying peace and security. I was only a little angry with my people, but the nations inflicted harm on them far beyond my intentions.

“‘Therefore, this is what the LORD says: I have returned to show mercy to Jerusalem. My Temple will be rebuilt, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, and measurements will be taken for the reconstruction of Jerusalem.” – Zechariah 1:14-16 NLT

The mounted horsemen appear to represent the host of heaven. They are angelic warriors who patrol the earth and ensure that God’s will is carried out. They appeared to Zechariah to let him know that all was well because God was in control. Despite the Babylonians and Persians, the LORD of Hosts remained in power and was ready to extend mercy to His people by assisting them in rebuilding their city and the Temple.

The Jews would complete the Temple five years later (Nehemiah 7:4), but it would be another 71 years before the city walls were restored (Nehemiah 11:1). Yet, God kept His word. It would be a slow and plodding process but, eventually, the city of Jerusalem would be restored.

Zechariah was to deliver this message of hope to the disheartened people of Judah. He had heard the words of the riders, declaring a time of peace. He had received God’s promise that the work on the Temple and the rebuilding of Jerusalem would not be in vain. The LORD of Hosts was on their side. Yahweh was no longer angry and was ready to bless them once again. God had not forgotten them. He had also not forgotten the role the Assyrians and Babylonians had played in the demise of His chosen people. He assured Zechariah that these nations would pay dearly for their wanton destruction of Israel and Judah. While they had served as His instruments of judgment on the disobedient people of God, the Babylonians and Assyrians did not have to be coerced to carry out their duties. They did their jobs willingly and with great pleasure. Now it was time for divine payback.

But as the visions will reveal, God had far more in store for His chosen people than a Temple that was a shadow of its former glory and a wall hastily built in 52 days. He was looking to make Jerusalem the greatest city on earth and restore the people of God to power and prominence under a King who would reign in righteousness and bring peace to the world.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.