All the Saints With Him – Zechariah 14:5

 “Thus the LORD my God will come, and all the saints with Him.”

These last chapters of Zechariah describe ‘that day’ when the Lord is coming.  It describes how Jerusalem will be attacked by an international force and that at some point, the Lord says He will step in and fight against those nations.  “Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle.  And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east.  And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west, making a very large valley.” (Zechariah 14:4)  This valley is described in scripture as a way of escape. 

In the midst of this description of the Lord’s coming, we get a glimpse of who comes with Him.  Glory be to God that He will bring His saints with Him!  It is so good to know – whether we die and go to be with Jesus, or are raptured to be with Jesus – once we are with Jesus we will ALWAYS be with Jesus.  “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”  (1 Thessalonians 4:17)

Jesus loves us so much that He wants us with Him all the time.  He died for our sins so that He could clothe us in His righteousness.  Why?  Because He wants us to be with Him for eternity.  Whether Jesus is in Heaven or He comes to make His claim on the earth, He wants us with Him.  Here are some other scriptures of this beautiful picture of the Lord coming to earth with His saints:

“When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”  (Colossians 3:4)

“And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.”  (Revelation 19:14)

“Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints,” (Jude 14)

“Christ will appear again. He is now hid; and the heavens must contain him; but he will appear in all the pomp of the upper world, with his holy angels, and in his own glory and his Father’s glory.  We shall then appear with him in glory. It will be his glory to have his redeemed with him; he will come to be glorified in his saints; and it will be their glory to come with him, and be with him for ever.  At the second coming of Christ there will be a general meeting of all the saints; and those whose life is now hid with Christ shall then appear with Christ in that glory which he himself enjoys.  Do we look for such a happiness, and should we not set our affections upon that world, and live above this?”  (Matthew Henry)  We are to encourage each other with the future that Jesus has for us.  A victorious future with Him.  There is a time coming when our Righteousness King will reign, and this gives us great hope.

But Jesus is not keeping us at arm’s length in the meantime.  Through His Holy Spirit, He is right here with us.  Jesus sees all and misses nothing.  He hears every prayer and knows all of our troubles.  While we are currently limited by our unglorified bodily form, or earthly tabernacle as the apostle Paul called it, we do not have to wait until we die or are raptured to start spending eternity with Jesus.  “We are told to seek those things which are above, and set our mind on things above. But how do we practically seek and set?  By spending time in the Word of God.  By spending time in prayer.  By spending time with things that build us up in God instead of merely entertaining us.  By gathering with others in the Lord.” (David Guzik)

One of the wonders of spending more time in prayer, the Word, worship, thanksgiving and serving is that you will long even more for the coming of our Savior.  You will lose your desire for the things of this world and you will desire the things of God. “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”  (2 Corinthians 5:8)  Furthermore, it will help make you ready for the day you meet Jesus.  “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”  (Matthew 24:44)

Are you ready?  Is your family ready?  Are your friends ready?  “He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.”  Amen.  Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”  (Revelation 22.20)  “When will Jesus return?  No one can say.  Maybe today.  Maybe tonight.  Maybe tomorrow.  Maybe next century.  No one knows the hour He will descend from the clouds in great glory.  But make no mistake.  He is coming!”  (Charles Stanley)

If you are not sure you are ready for Jesus to come, leave us a comment with a phone number.  We will keep your comment and contact information private.

May you make yourself ready for the next coming of Jesus, and then may you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Be Silent, All Flesh – Zechariah 2:13

“Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD, for He is aroused from His holy habitation!”

The prophets Zechariah and Haggai both prophesied regarding the unfinished temple to the people that returned to Israel from captivity in Babylon.  The general approach by Zechariah was to encourage the people to continue in God’s work by reminding them of the coming Messiah.  In the book of Zechariah, the descriptions of the coming Messiah cover both the first and second coming.  Can you think of a better way to encourage God’s people to return to passionately serving God than to remind them of our Redeemer’s imminent return? 

In this particular passage, the description of the joyful coming of the Messiah also includes instructions for silence.  One would expect that we, His people, would be reverently silent and in awe as God comes to the earth to complete His mighty work.  But this instruction is to “all flesh.”  Such a momentous occasion is this that God’s enemies will be silenced.  “before God and his providence; the enemies of the church shall be silenced; all iniquity shall stop her mouth. The friends of the church also must be silent. Leave it to God to take his own way, and neither prescribe to him what he should do nor quarrel with him whatever he does. Be still, and know that he is God.  Stand still, and see his salvation.  Silently acquiesce in his holy will, and patiently wait the issue, as those who are assured that when God is raised up out of his holy habitation he will not retreat, nor sit down again, till he has accomplished his whole work.” (Matthew Henry)

The word ‘silence’ used here is NOT used in a descriptive sense such as we see following the opening of the seventh seal: “When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.” (Revelation 8:1)  Rather, this word in Zechariah is used as a command and is directed to all humans and animals (flesh) who dwell on earth.  It is the same word (Strong’s 02013, to hush, hold your peace, hold your tongue) used in Zephaniah when the day of the LORD is at hand.  “Be silent in the presence of the Lord GOD; For the day of the LORD is at hand, for the LORD has prepared a sacrifice; He has invited His guests.” (Zephaniah 1:7)  It is the same word used in Habakkuk, when the LORD is in His holy temple.  “But the LORD is in His holy temple.  Let all the earth keep silence before Him.”  (Habakkuk 2:20)

On that glorious day of our Lord’s return, of His second coming, there will be no arguing with Jesus.  There will be no ‘presenting your case’ in defense of rejecting His Way of salvation.  There will be no words worthy to be spoken to a holy God, in His holy temple in His holy land.  All flesh will be silenced in the presence of pure truth.  For those who have not been justified by the blood of Jesus Christ, His return will be a time of great fear and holy judgment.   

Friends, we plead with you to surrender to Jesus, receive His gift of eternal salvation, before it is too late.  Once Jesus leaves heaven to inhabit His holy temple on earth, it will be pencils down, exam over. 

If you are already God’s child, then we encourage you to quicken your work in His service.  Be diligent that your service will speak multitudes to Christ in the form of saved souls.   For those who have been justified by the blood of Jesus Christ, His return will be a time of awe and joy.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

(Matthew 5:8)

May you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.