SCRIPTURE: ZECHARIAH 10
THE LORD WILL CARE FOR JUDAH (vs. 1-12)
GOD’S PROMISES TO JUDAH:
- I will strengthen the house of Judah, save the house of Joseph and answer them. (v. 6)
- The Ephraimites will become like mighty men, and their hearts will be glad. Their children will be joyful and their hearts will rejoice in the Lord. (v. 7)
- I will signal for them and gather them in. I will redeem them and they will be as numerous as before. (v. 8)
- They and their children will survive and they will return. (v. 9)
- I will bring them back from Egypt and gather them from Assyria. I will bring them to Gilead and Lebanon.(v. 10)
- As they passed through the sea of trouble, the surging sea will be subdued and all the depths of the Nile will dry up. (v. 11a)
- Assyria’s pride will be brought down and Egypt’s scepter will pass away. (v. 11b)
- I will strengthen them in the Lord and in his name they will walk. (v. 12)
- Fire will devour the cedars of Lebanon (11:1)
- Pine trees of Lebanon are ruined. (11:2a)
- Oaks at the dense forest of Bashan has been cut down. (11:2b)
- Rich pastures of the shepherds are destroyed. (11:3a)
- The lush thicket of the Jordan is ruined. (11:3b)
THOUGHTS:
The flock was in trouble because it had no shepherd to care for them. But the Lord will return to be their shepherd. He will rescue the people, strengthen them and establish them with peace.
When we stay away from God, our power source will be cut off. But when we stay close to God, His spirit will enable us to do His will.