We experienced a traumatic event a few weeks ago when an oncoming car demolished ours in a “head on” collision Every airbag in the car was deployed, transmission fluid ran red, steam and hissing alerted the bystanders to urge the driver to move, “you must get out of your car since it could explode”. The oncoming car’s driver may have had a medical emergency (causing her to speed past and clip another vehicle, then spin out of control into the path of our car). She was taken to the hospital via ambulance with a seizure. Sometimes we don’t understand why bad things happen to good people.

When bad things happen for wickedness, we can somehow understand it. The stone and timber of the house (in the passage below) were consumed as a payback for stealing and lying. In contrast, lovingly (and surprisingly)…the solid structure of the church is established and built well by the capable hands of the Savior, in spite of the sinners included in this house (from every people group on earth).

God does not allow wickedness to remain once discovered. It must be removed. Who better to care for this than the One, who makes all things new: Jesus Christ the Lord, both King and Priest.

In regards to the passage below, Matthew Henry’s commentary provides these thoughts:

“It is a comfort to us that the same all-wise, almighty Providence, which governs the earth, is in particular conversant about the church. All that have the plummet in their hands, must look up to the eyes of the Lord, have constant regard to Divine Providence, act in dependence on its guidance and submission to its disposals. Let us fix our faith on Christ, and view Him carrying on his work according to his own glorious plan, and daily bringing his spiritual building nearer to completion. Verses 11-14 Zechariah desires to know what are the two olive trees. Zerubbabel and Joshua, this prince and this priest, were endued with the gifts and graces of God’s Spirit. They lived at the same time, and both were instruments in the work and service of God. Christ’s offices of King and Priest were shadowed forth by them. From the union of these two offices in his person, both God and man, the fullness of grace is received and imparted. They built the temple, the church of God. So does Christ spiritually. Christ is not only the Messiah, the Anointed One himself, but he is the Good Olive to his church; and from his fulness we receive. And the Holy Spirit is the unction or anointing which we have received. From Christ the Olive Tree, by the Spirit the Olive Branch, all the golden oil of grace flows to believers, which keeps their lamps burning. Let us seek, through the intercession and bounty of the Saviour, supplies from that fulness which has hitherto sufficed for all his saints, according to their trials and employments. Let us wait on him in his ordinances, desiring to be sanctified wholly in body, soul, and spirit.”

Our sanctification is a painful process of remembering we are crucified with Christ, nevertheless we live. When His gift of love (on the cross) becomes our central focus, nothing else seems quite as important (ie. Whose fault is my suffering caused by?)

No matter how many good or bad things happen this Christmas, may we always remember His ultimate gift. He took care of wickedness by paying the price. He is the hope of the world, to build up this house, His church, which is solidly built.- Teresa #Hispromiseinarainbow #Hislovemakesallthingsnew

Zechariah 4:6-5:11(ESV)**

6Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. ⁷ Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. And he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’”

⁸ Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,⁹ “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. ¹⁰ For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.

“These seven are the eyes of the Lord, which range through the whole earth.” ¹¹ Then I said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?” ¹² And a second time I answered and said to him, “What are these two branches of the olive trees, which are beside the two golden pipes from which the golden oil^[a] is poured out?” ¹³ He said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.” ¹⁴ Then he said, “These are the two anointed ones^[b] who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”

A Vision of a Flying Scroll

5 Again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a flying scroll! ² And he said to me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a flying scroll. Its length is twenty cubits, and its width ten cubits.”^{[c] 3} Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole land. For everyone who steals shall be cleaned out according to what is on one side, and everyone who swears falsely^[d] shall be cleaned out according to what is on the other side.⁴ I will send it out, declares the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter the house of the thief, and the house of him who swears falsely by my name. And it shall remain in his house and consume it, both timber and stones.”

Footnotes

1. Zechariah 4:12 Hebrew lacks oil
2. Zechariah 4:14 Hebrew two sons of new oil
3. Zechariah 5:2 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
4. Zechariah 5:3 Hebrew lacks falsely (supplied from verse 4)
5. Zechariah 5:6 Hebrew ephah; also verses 7–11. An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters
6. Zechariah 5:6 One Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint, Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts eye

**OneyearBibleonlinehttp://oneyearbibleonline.com/daily-oyb/?version=47&startmmdd=0101