September 12
Zechariah 6:1-15; Ezra 5:3-6:14; Zechariah 7:1-8:23
As we go through the One Year Chronological Bible one of the biggest criticisms that I hear is that you don't get to the New Testament until September 24th. But this is exactly why going through the entirety of the Old Testament is so important. Jesus is throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, but if we rush through, we miss Him. He didn't just pop up. He was discussed, predicted, promised, etc. We read in Zechariah 6:11-13, "Take the silver and gold, make an elaborate crown, and set it on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Then speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, saying: "Behold, the Man whose name is Branch! From His place He shall branch out, And He shall build the temple of the Lord; Yes, He shall build the temple of the Lord. He shall bear the glory, And He shall sit and rule on His throne; So He shall be a priest on His throne, And the counsel of peace shall be between them both." Remember, the name Joshua in Hebrew, which means "Yahweh is salvation" in Greek, is "Jesus". Joshua at the time of Zechariah's writing was the high priest, while Zerubbabel was the national leader. The priest would wear a linen turban, while a king or leader would wear an elaborate crown as described here.
This is a picture of the coming Christ. The term BRANCH, used here, along with Isaiah 11, Jeremiah 23, and Zechariah 3, always alludes to the Messiah. Interestingly, the Hebrew word for Branch is "Netzer", also means of "Nazareth". Look at the choice of words used, "Behold, the Man whose name is BRANCH!" We will see those words once again, from the lips of Pontius Pilate as he presents the beaten Christ just prior to crucifixion to the crowds, stating, "Ecce homo!" or Behold, the Man. The high priests from the line of Levi and the kings from the line of Judah could not meet, until they met in the Person of Jesus Christ, where we read that He is the Lion of Judah but serves as High Priest in the order of Melchizidek (Hebrews 7).
What is missed when one reads devotionals (a verse or two with commentary), or if one remains in their favorite portions of Scripture, or only reads the New Testament, is God's complete story. Jesus didn't just drop on the scene in the manger that Christmas night. He always existed, as we read in John 1:1-3, " In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made." He was The Angel of the Lord throughout the Old Testament. His first and second coming were prophesied about on multiple occasions with elaborate descriptions. Then, of course the incarnation, a miracle which is so hard to grasp, so astounding when one considers the depth of His love, described in Philippians 2:5-8, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." Reading through God's word in it's entirety brings so much fullness to the event that we celebrate every year, called Christmas.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: