Zechariah 10:1-12
“Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.” (Zechariah 10:1)
Almost a thousand years before, in Leviticus 26:3-4, God had promised Moses and the Children of Israel, “If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.” His promise still stood in Zechariah’s day and continues to the present time.
“For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd.” (Zechariah 10:2)
A shepherd has two primary duties, to see that the sheep are fed, and to keep them out of danger. The false prophets and idol worshippers taught the people it was not important to walk in God’s statutes or do his commandments. The shepherds or leaders had not done their job by warning them of the danger or trying to keep them away from it, so it was as if they had no shepherd.
“Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the LORD of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle.” (Zechariah 10:3)
While it was the shepherds who allowed them to get into these things, it was the goats who refused to come out when God tried to lead them to the proper place and they had to be punished to get them to follow. God has had to teach them like a person training good roping horse.
“Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together. And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the LORD is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded.” (Zechariah 10:4-5)
The horse has to learn to trust his rider and ignore distractions like a swinging rope or a falling hat. He has to learn to pay attention to what the target animal is doing, and react accordingly. In order to teach him, it is necessary to expose him to the common situations and teach him not to panic, even when he doesn’t like what is happening. Sometimes you have to punish him or allow him to be hit to learn that while it may be painful, it is not unbearable. A well trained horse will do things totally contrary to their natural instincts that amaze even other horsemen.
“And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the LORD their God, and will hear them.” (Zechariah 10:6)
The problems are not toe destroy but to strengthen and train Israel, He has not rejected them but is preparing them for a future purpose, and like a good trainer, he is monitoring them closely to see that they are not harmed by his efforts.
“And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the LORD. I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased. And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again.” (Zechariah 10:7-9)
It is a pleasure to watch a well trained horse with a skilled rider because they so obviously enjoy what they are doing and work so well together they seem to almost read each other’s minds. That is the kind of relationship God wants to produce with his people, enjoyed by both sides.
“I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them. And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away. And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the LORD.” (Zechariah 10:10-12)
A trainer will often farm out horses out to different trainers they feel will be best able to teach a particular horse for his basic training, before returning them to the main yard for finishing. In a similar fashion, god has farmed out groups of Jews to other nations for training. The time will come when they are all returned to Jerusalem for finishing. When that time comes there will not be room enough in Israel for them all, and god will have to enlarge the area for them, reaching across the Jordan into present say Jordan, and northward into Lebanon. Those who have ruled them in the past will no longer be a threat, and they will be recognized as God’s people.
“Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.” (Zechariah 10:1)
Almost a thousand years before, in Leviticus 26:3-4, God had promised Moses and the Children of Israel, “If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.” His promise still stood in Zechariah’s day and continues to the present time.
“For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd.” (Zechariah 10:2)
A shepherd has two primary duties, to see that the sheep are fed, and to keep them out of danger. The false prophets and idol worshippers taught the people it was not important to walk in God’s statutes or do his commandments. The shepherds or leaders had not done their job by warning them of the danger or trying to keep them away from it, so it was as if they had no shepherd.
“Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the LORD of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle.” (Zechariah 10:3)
While it was the shepherds who allowed them to get into these things, it was the goats who refused to come out when God tried to lead them to the proper place and they had to be punished to get them to follow. God has had to teach them like a person training good roping horse.
“Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together. And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the LORD is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded.” (Zechariah 10:4-5)
The horse has to learn to trust his rider and ignore distractions like a swinging rope or a falling hat. He has to learn to pay attention to what the target animal is doing, and react accordingly. In order to teach him, it is necessary to expose him to the common situations and teach him not to panic, even when he doesn’t like what is happening. Sometimes you have to punish him or allow him to be hit to learn that while it may be painful, it is not unbearable. A well trained horse will do things totally contrary to their natural instincts that amaze even other horsemen.
“And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the LORD their God, and will hear them.” (Zechariah 10:6)
The problems are not toe destroy but to strengthen and train Israel, He has not rejected them but is preparing them for a future purpose, and like a good trainer, he is monitoring them closely to see that they are not harmed by his efforts.
“And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the LORD. I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased. And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again.” (Zechariah 10:7-9)
It is a pleasure to watch a well trained horse with a skilled rider because they so obviously enjoy what they are doing and work so well together they seem to almost read each other’s minds. That is the kind of relationship God wants to produce with his people, enjoyed by both sides.
“I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them. And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away. And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the LORD.” (Zechariah 10:10-12)
A trainer will often farm out horses out to different trainers they feel will be best able to teach a particular horse for his basic training, before returning them to the main yard for finishing. In a similar fashion, god has farmed out groups of Jews to other nations for training. The time will come when they are all returned to Jerusalem for finishing. When that time comes there will not be room enough in Israel for them all, and god will have to enlarge the area for them, reaching across the Jordan into present say Jordan, and northward into Lebanon. Those who have ruled them in the past will no longer be a threat, and they will be recognized as God’s people.
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