COME HOME

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

“Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the Lord, “for I have scattered you to the four winds of heaven,” declares the Lord.

“Come, Zion! Escape, you who live in Daughter Babylon!” For this is what the Lord Almighty says: “After the Glorious One has sent Me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye—I will surely raise My hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent Me.”

“Shout and be glad, Daughter Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you,” declares the Lord.

“Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become My people. I will live among you and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent Me to you. The Lord will inherit Judah as His portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem. Be still before the Lord, all mankind, because He has roused Himself from His holy dwelling.”

Zechariah 2:6-13

This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

In yesterday’s devotion, we looked at the opening verses of Chapter 2 of Zechariah and the third of prophet’s eight visions within this book. You’ll recall the news was good for the people of Israel for the Lord was not only going to restore them to their homeland but He promised to place His hedge of protection around them and envelop them in His glory.

As the chapter finishes, the Lord, after the assurances of prosperity and safeguarding, send a message to all the people of Israel, no matter where they had gone.

What was the message?

It was simply, “Come home.”

Look again at today’s scripture passage:

“Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the Lord, “for I have scattered you to the four winds of heaven,” declares the Lord.

“Come, Zion! Escape, you who live in Daughter Babylon!” For this is what the Lord Almighty says: “After the Glorious One has sent Me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye—I will surely raise My hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent Me.”

“Shout and be glad, Daughter Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you,” declares the Lord.

“Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become My people. I will live among you and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent Me to you. The Lord will inherit Judah as His portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem. Be still before the Lord, all mankind, because He has roused Himself from His holy dwelling.” Zechariah 2:6-13

The first call for homecoming was addressed to all the Israelites, no matter where they ended up after God’s judgment.

“Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the Lord, “for I have scattered you to the four winds of heaven,” declares the Lord.

The devastation and destruction of Israel resulted in the people being driven away in all directions as the Lord scattered them to the “four winds of heaven”. But now, we find God calling the Israelites to come home, to return to Israel and dwell once again as His people and He their God.

Following this, we find God appealing to a specific location, to the Israelites still living in Babylon.

“Come, Zion! Escape, you who live in Daughter Babylon!”

You see, not everyone decided to return to Israel after the seventy year exile. Some of God’s people had settled in and were comfortable with their new home. There was no demand from The Lord that they return. Rather, He left it as an option for the Israelites but now we see God urging the people to leave Babylon and come home.

Why?

Because as we know, God was readying judgment for Babylon. In other words, the empire the Lord used as an instrument of His judgment would now face judgment themselves. God did not wish for those Israelites in Babylon to experience punishment again and so He urged them to return home to avoid it.

This brings us to the final call to come home, a call that is not looking toward to present but the future.

For this is what the Lord Almighty says: “After the Glorious One has sent Me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye—I will surely raise My hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent Me.”

“Shout and be glad, Daughter Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you,” declares the Lord.

“Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become My people. I will live among you and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent Me to you. The Lord will inherit Judah as His portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem. Be still before the Lord, all mankind, because He has roused Himself from His holy dwelling.”

Note the language used here as it is important. For who else would say that they were being sent by the “Glorious One” than the One, Jesus, who God sent and gave authority over all creation. Jesus was coming as the Great Deliverer of God’s people and not just the Jew but the Gentile was welcome in His company. Indeed, the Messiah was coming to rescue and save God’s people, no matter what nation they live in. For if a person believes in Jesus as Savior, they will be saved and joined together as one people at the time of Christ’s return and the subsequent eternal life that will follow.

Of interest, where is Jesus taking those who placed their faith and trust in Him on the day of His return?

Isn’t it Jerusalem? Not the Jerusalem of Zechariah’s time or ours but rather a new Jerusalem which will exist upon the new earth that will come into being with the new heavens as God hits the reset button on creation and starts over (Revelation 21). It will be a new holy land, a land pristine and rid of sin and suffering and hardship and affliction. Obviously, it will be the best home ever to come to.

This begs the question:

Will you be able to come home and abide with God and Jesus forever when this worldly life is over?

If you believe in Jesus as Savior, you will.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark
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