When the shepherd stops guarding the flock, there is calamity. Israel had a good shepherd, especially under King David. Then, as prophesied in chapter 11 of Zechariah, the shepherds would actually devalue God’s greatest gift to the nation (Messiah). Instead they sold him for 30 pieces of silver to buy the Potter’s field.

For the price of some real estate, the nation of Israel entered disgrace. God was faithful, however, by choosing a descendant of David to sit on His eternal throne. All the suffering that Jesus endured was not in vain. In fact, the glory at the end of this age will be like none other. #peoplefromeverytribenationandtongue

My prayer is that we would live by the truth, not in fanciful hopes of building temporal wealth for generations. There is nothing so valuable as a godly heritage, clinging to God’s Word. #truth

Let’s honor those pastors and shepherds who have gone before us. They kept us safe from the “dogs” by teaching God’s word faithfully. They also served faithfully without fleecing the flock (for their generational wealth or earthly kingdom).

Most of all, let’s honor the ONE who gave all, even when we were still sinners…Christ Jesus, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. -Teresa #receiveHim

Zechariah 10:3-5 (ESV)

 “My anger is hot against the shepherds,
    and I will punish the leaders;^[a]
for the Lord of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah,
    and will make them like his majestic steed in battle.
⁴ From him shall come the cornerstone,
    from him the tent peg,
from him the battle bow,
    from him every ruler—all of them together.
⁵ They shall be like mighty men in battle,
    trampling the foe in the mud of the streets;
they shall fight because the Lord is with them,
    and they shall put to shame the riders on horses….

Zechariah 11:1-14 (ESV)

11 Open your doors, O Lebanon,
    that the fire may devour your cedars!
² Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen,
    for the glorious trees are ruined!
Wail, oaks of Bashan,
    for the thick forest has been felled!
³ The sound of the wail of the shepherds,
    for their glory is ruined!
The sound of the roar of the lions,
    for the thicket of the Jordan is ruined!

⁴ Thus said the Lord my God: “Become shepherd of the flock doomed to slaughter.⁵ Those who buy them slaughter them and go unpunished, and those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the Lord, I have become rich,’ and their own shepherds have no pity on them. ⁶ For I will no longer have pity on the inhabitants of this land, declares the Lord. Behold, I will cause each of them to fall into the hand of his neighbor, and each into the hand of his king, and they shall crush the land, and I will deliver none from their hand.”

⁷ So I became the shepherd of the flock doomed to be slaughtered by the sheep traders. And I took two staffs, one I named Favor, the other I named Union. And I tended the sheep. ⁸ In one month I destroyed the three shepherds. But I became impatient with them, and they also detested me. ⁹ So I said, “I will not be your shepherd. What is to die, let it die. What is to be destroyed, let it be destroyed. And let those who are left devour the flesh of one another.” ¹⁰ And I took my staff Favor, and I broke it, annulling the covenant that I had made with all the peoples.¹¹ So it was annulled on that day, and the sheep traders, who were watching me, knew that it was the word of the Lord. ¹² Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver. ¹³ Then the Lordsaid to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord, to the potter. ¹⁴ Then I broke my second staff Union, annulling the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

Here is an excerpt from BibleHub.com:

2. The Role of True Shepherds

Zechariah 11 highlights the importance of genuine leadership. God appoints shepherds to guide His flock, but when these leaders fail, the people suffer. “Woe to the worthless shepherd who deserts the flock!” (Zechariah 11:17). This lesson encourages us to seek leaders who are committed to God’s truth and to be discerning in whom we follow.

Becoming a grandparent for the first time was nothing short of joyful. You all can understand or at least imagine the preciousness of this time of life. I saw a meme on FB this week showing the superpower of grandparents to those they influence. It’s a miraculous connection.

Yet, our thoughts toward our grandchildren are nothing compared with Creator God’s thoughts toward us (see the verses from David in Psalm 139). 👇🏻

When Zerubbabel was chosen by God to rebuild the former temple, the prophet Haggai revealed a future glory spoken of in Revelation. Yes, the Messiah, Christ Jesus the LORD will reign forever and ever. I can imagine Handel’s Messiah reverberating throughout this scene.

Whether God’s choice was David (for King), Haggai (for prophet), or Joshua (for priest)- we can imagine the culmination of this foreshadowing as being summed up in Christ (Prophet, Priest and King of Kings).

This quote was taken from the BibleHub website about the passage in Haggai.

“Zerubbabel—Signet of Choice (vv 20–23)

Jeremiah 22:24 stripped Jehoiachin (Zerubbabel’s grandfather) of the signet. God now reinstates the symbol, whispering that the Davidic line remains valid. Though Zerubbabel never reigned as king, the Gospels trace Messiah’s lineage through him (Luke 3:27).”https://biblehub.com/haggai/2.htm

Just picture the silver and gold of God’s temple in Heaven as “treasure” from every people group on earth. Those who come to faith in Christ are the “treasure” in God’s kingdom.

Yes, remember that you are precious to Him. Never doubt His thoughts toward you. #beforebirth

As we celebrate Jesus’ birth this week, we should continue praying for God’s kingdom to come (His thoughts and intentions toward us). -Teresa #PeaceonEarth #setapartforHim

(Bold added for emphasis)

Haggai 2: 1-9, 20-23 ESV

The Coming Glory of the Temple

2 In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet: ² “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people, and say, ³ ‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes? ⁴ Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the Lord. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord. Work, for I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts, ⁵ according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not. ⁶ For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. ^{7 And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts.8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts. 9 The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace,} declares the Lord of hosts.’”

²⁰ …The word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month,²¹ “Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I am about to shake the heavens and the earth, ²² and to overthrow the throne of kingdoms. I am about to destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations, and overthrow the chariots and their riders. And the horses and their riders shall go down, every one by the sword of his brother. ²³ On that day, declares the Lord of hosts, I will take you, O Zerubbabel my servant, the son of Shealtiel, declares the Lord, and make you like a^[c] signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the Lord of hosts.”

Footnotes

1. Haggai 2:15 Or backward; also verse 18
2. Haggai 2:16 Probable reading (compare Septuagint); Hebrew Lord, since they were. When
3. Haggai 2:23 Hebrew the

Revelation 11:15-19 ESV

The Seventh Trumpet

¹⁵ Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” ¹⁶ And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, ¹⁷ saying,

“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,
    who is and who was,
for you have taken your great power
    and begun to reign.
¹⁸ The nations raged,
    but your wrath came,
    and the time for the dead to be judged,
and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints,
    and those who fear your name,
    both small and great,
and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.”

¹⁹ Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings,^[c] peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.Read full chapter

Footnotes

1. Revelation 11:7 Or the abyss
2. Revelation 11:8 Greek spiritually
3. Revelation 11:19 Or voices, or sounds

Psalm 139: 13-18 ESV

13 For you formed my inward parts;
    you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.^[a]
Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
    the days that were formed for me,
    when as yet there was none of them.

¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
    I awake, and I am still with you.

Footnotes

1. Psalm 139:14 Or for I am fearfully set apart

Our daughters literally glow because of God’s beauty in their lives. It reminds me of the scene in heaven described by the Apostle John.

Our Creator and Lord sitting on the throne of authority is a beautiful scene because it depicts all that is right in God’s eyes. His presence is beautiful and holy.

The offerings of glory, honor and thanks to Him who is, who was and who is to come are beautiful because of the truth in worship.

Who is worthy to receive glory, honor and power? Only our Creator is worthy, He also is the One who provides righteousness to all He created.

Now, that is truly beautiful!!- Teresa #reflectingHisglory

Revelation 4 (New Living Translation)

Worship in Heaven

4 Then as I looked, I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me like a trumpet blast. The voice said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” ² And instantly I was in the Spirit,^[a] and I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it. ³ The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow. ⁴ Twenty-four thrones surrounded him, and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads. ⁵ From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. And in front of the throne were seven torches with burning flames. This is the sevenfold Spirit^[b] of God. ⁶ In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal.

In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back. ⁷ The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight. ⁸ Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying,

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—
    the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”

⁹ Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever), ¹⁰ the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say,

¹¹ “You are worthy, O Lord our God,
    to receive glory and honor and power.
For you created all things,
    and they exist because you created what you pleased.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

1. 4:2 Or in spirit.
2. 4:5 Greek They are the seven spirits.

Some days are meant for full speed ahead.

Like today, I was making a hot drink at 3:15 am, helping with my mom’s medical care (via telephone) by 4:30 am, walking to Peet’s and chatting with friends all drinking coffee at 6:30 am, walking with my husband and praying at 0730 am, picking out Christmas trees with our grandkids by 0900 am, finishing the decorating and eating fresh baked banana bread by 10:30 am! Now, I’m wondering why my usual energetic brain is taking a little siesta while writing my blog. 🥱

Getting ready for a big event means we need to pace ourselves. The more ritual or routine we involve, means more time that our hearts and minds are freed up to ponder God’s goodness.

This Psalm was such a representation. At every feast day, the children of Israel would ascend to Jerusalem and recite these words.

How comforting to know they were surrounded by God as the mountains surrounded their beloved city. Talk about a visual aid!

What visual aid or beautiful song is helping you to center around God’s truth?

Dan Hill’s “Sometimes When We touch”

This song helped me this week to remember the honesty of my “first love”, when the gospel of Christ’s love touched my teenage soul. #heartfelt

Remember how valuable you are to our Father God, because of His gift at Christmas. #HisSon- Teresa

Psalm 125 (NLT)

A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.

¹ Those who trust in the Lord are as secure as Mount Zion;
    they will not be defeated but will endure forever.
² Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem,
    so the Lord surrounds his people, both now and forever.
³ The wicked will not rule the land of the godly,
    for then the godly might be tempted to do wrong.
⁴ O Lord, do good to those who are good,
    whose hearts are in tune with you.
⁵ But banish those who turn to crooked ways, O Lord.
    Take them away with those who do evil.

May Israel have peace!