Return to me, says the LORD of hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts.

 Zechariah 1:1-6

Return to me, says the LORD of hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. Zechariah 1:3

I resume my study of the last four books of the OT (complete: Zephaniah, Haggai; to complete: Zechariah, Malachi) - using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book.  For today, my focus is an unassisted review of Zechariah 1:1-6, which the commentary explores with a chapter entitled Go Home! and three divisions (1:1-3, 1:4-6a, 6b).  Darius is mentioned in v1 and we can recall him also playing a role in Haggai and his God-directed decree (see also this background and Ezra 1) to support Judah's return to Jerusalem from exile to rebuild the temple. The broader message of vv1-6 emphasize a common and very important theme in scripture - repentance and to remain near to God.  God is gracious (amazingly so!) and scripture is replete with examples of this grace with the Old Testament in its near entirety standing out as an example of this grace.  Zechariah delivers a message to Judah to not be like so many of its ancestors who wicked and turned away from God, and as a result they went into captivity and exile.  Judah is called to repent and turn to God, and course to stay close to God.  V6 indicates "they repented." I am immediately drawn to James 4:8a where it says: "[d]raw near to God, and he will draw near to you."  The parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15 also emphasizes the theme of coming home to God.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who is always full of grace and compassion, pouring out such grace daily and ceaselessly - thank You Jesus.  Of course I am undeserving of my salvation and for the grace You pour out for me.  My sin continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

Zephaniah 3:9-20

The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17

I continue my study of Zephaniah using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book.  For this morning, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Zephaniah 3:16-20, which is the text for the sixth and final division for the commentary's chapter on 3:9-20. Here the text concludes with great encouragement for the faithful remnant in Judah:

• God is with us - v17
  
• He saves - v17
• He rejoices over us with gladness - v17
• He quiets us with His love - v17
• He exults over us with loud singing - v17
• We no longer suffer reproach - v18
• He protects us from our enemies and oppressors - v19
• He saves the lame and gathers the outcast; their shame will turn into renown - v19
• His people will be renown and praised among all peoples of the earth - v20
• He will restore our fortunes - v20

 Excerpts from the commentary:

• "The vast majority of this book has been filled with condemning language. By the time the reader gets halfway through chapter 3 it feels as if we have been beaten up, along with Judah, over and over again. This is not to suggest that they did not deserve the judgment, because they did, but this book levels the judgment in ways no other book does. It is swift, it is intense, and it is certain. On the heels of that comes the end of the book, particularly verses 17 and following. God is with them. God is for them. God is celebrating over them. These would seem the most unlikely of thoughts after the vast majority of the book, but these are exactly what God communicates through Zephaniah here."
• "[O]ur salvation, like the salvation of Israel, is not just a gift of grace (though it is), but is a hard fought victory over the forces of evil."  See also Ephesians 6:12
• "Salvation is accompanied by a bloody price tag. Forgetting that can make it easy to dismiss or diminish salvation."
• "The disobedient people of God have repented, so God celebrates with rejoicing. Israel dishonors God by living as if He does not exist but they turn back, so God pours out His love on them. The people of Judah chase after their own happiness, trusting only in themselves, but then become humbled and contrite before God, so God shouts with joy over their return."  See also the story of the Prodigal Son - Luke 15:20.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God indeed and Your grace is amazing as well - Your mercies are new every morning and they never cease!  Thank You Jesus for Your amazing grace and for my salvation.  I am not deserving.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

“Peace to you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has put treasure in your sacks for you. I received your money.”

Genesis 42-44

“Peace to you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has put treasure in your sacks for you. I received your money.” Genesis 43:23

I maintain a pause on my study of Ecclesiastes to focus on Joseph, in particular Genesis 42-44, and I lean on the Christ-Centered Exposition Series volume for this book. Based on the commentary's breakdown of the divisions and subdivisions of this text (see post from Monday, 24JUN), I move on to the second division, which explores Genesis 43.  Here, after much consternation and hesitation about letting his remaining sons (less Simeon who remains detained in Egypt) return to Egypt with Benjamin, Jacob (Israel) relents to Judah's pleading (v11) as the famine is severe and they are in dire need of food (v1).  Upon the sons return to Egypt, they are warmly greeted by Joseph and invited in to dine (v16).  Not expecting such a warm greeting, the sons are fearful (v18) that they are being lulled into an ambush whereby they also will be taken captive just as Simeon is.   The steward of Joseph's house, apparently also a man of God as Joseph is, remarkably offers a message "do not be afraid" (v23) that calls to mind the same message from the angel Gabriel to Mary from Luke 1:30.  Joseph sees Benjamin and then weeps as he has yet to reveal his true identity to his brothers that do not recognize him - Joseph yearns to be reunited with his family (v30). At the meal they share, Joseph and his other brothers share pleasantries and conversation as the occasion is described as "merry" (v34).   

The commentary highlights a number of passages in the text, including (but not limited to)

• Judah's pleading in more detail: "[t]he brothers must take Benjamin so that the family of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob “may live and not die” (v. 8; cf. 42:2). Indeed, Judah’s insistence in this matter is important because he is essentially pleading with his father to empower him to rescue their family from death by starvation. This foreshadows what Judah’s ultimate offspring, Jesus Christ, the bread of life, does for all those found in him (John 6:35; Hebrews 2:14-15)." Judah is then described in the commentary as taking full responsibility and becoming fully accountable for Benjamin (v9). 
• Jacob's (Israel) recognition (v14) that God's favor is what is sought and this of course requires faith and trust in God
• The reunion of all the brothers is described and compared to the parable of the prodigal son: "[a]t play in this moment are parallels with the parable Jesus would tell about the prodigal son (Luke 15). But rather than the runaway son knowingly coming home from a far country to his father to pursue reconciliation, here the wayward brothers leave their home unknowingly to enter a far-off country to reconcile with the son who was lost. Fittingly, it is Joseph—the one who was mistreated and suffered harm—who initiates reconciliation."
• The dinner itself is portrayed as symbolic of the gospel message: "the dinner is a glimpse of the gospel. Think about what happens in this moment: a favored son who endured hardship as a righteous sufferer prepares a table before him in the presence of his enemies (Psalm 23:5). The brothers, of course, do not deserve to be at a feast because they are enemies of this royal figure at whose table they sit. Nevertheless, in his grace and kindness, Joseph welcomes undeserving sinners to dine alongside him and gives them a generous portion as an act of reconciliation and restoration. Isn’t that what God does for us in Christ?...In the gospel, Jesus mirrors the grace of Joseph by welcoming undeserving sinners to the table to receive a generous portion of his Spirit as an act of reconciliation and restoration. In Christ we are invited to his table so that we might taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8; 1 Pet 2:3).

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You SO much for going to cross, shedding Your blood, so that I can be reconciled to God.  I am undeserving of such blessing and my salvation.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

O Lord, be gracious to us; we wait for you. Be our arm every morning, our salvation in the time of trouble. At the tumultuous noise peoples flee; when you lift yourself up, nations are scattered, and your spoil is gathered as the caterpillar gathers; as locusts leap, it is leapt upon.

Isaiah 33-36:10

O Lord, be gracious to us; we wait for you. Be our arm every morning, our salvation in the time of trouble. At the tumultuous noise peoples flee; when you lift yourself up, nations are scattered, and your spoil is gathered as the caterpillar gathers; as locusts leap, it is leapt upon. Isaiah 33:2-4

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series. Today, I begin Lesson 13, starting with Day 1, which starts with a read of a high level read of all chapters/verses in the lesson, a prompting for our initial thoughts on these chapters, including how Isaiah chapters 1-35 come to a close.  My commentary discusses how Judah's attempts to save itself by leaning on its own efforts (tributes and alliances with both Assyria and Egypt) have failed, leaving Judah no where else to turn except to God. The commentary states: "[h]ow greatly does turning to God as a last resort dishonor the one who should be our first and only Savior! But God lowers himself and accepts it." There are times in our lives when we feel so broken and abandoned, sapped of strength, etc. God seeks for all of us to seek refuge in Him - of course He wants us to seek Him first.  But God is full of grace and compassion and just like with the prodigal son, God welcomes those back who repent and seek Him. 

Comment and discuss this post. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion - You loved me while I was still sinning, You love me despite my ongoing sin, and You never leave or forsake me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love.  My sin is daily and it continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord, and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel. For the ruthless shall come to nothing and the scoffer cease, and all who watch to do evil shall be cut off, who by a word make a man out to be an offender, and lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate, and with an empty plea turn aside him who is in the right.

Isaiah 28-29

The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord, and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel. For the ruthless shall come to nothing and the scoffer cease, and all who watch to do evil shall be cut off, who by a word make a man out to be an offender, and lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate, and with an empty plea turn aside him who is in the right. Isaiah 29:19-21

I resumed my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series. Today, looking at Isaiah 28-29, I move along to Lesson 11, Day 4, which focuses on Isaiah 29 and God's judgement of spiritual hypocrisy. My commentary uses a very helpful analogy to see how God cures such spiritual hypocrisy - surgery. "All surgeries involve cutting through healthy tissue to reach the unhealthy....In a similar way, the Great Physician of Souls must often hurt his people in order to heal them."  The commentary then goes on to state the "common themes" of heart issues that "arise in every generation":

• spiritual blindness (v29:9-12)
  
• cold-hearted worship (v29:13)
  
• worldly wisdom (v29:14-16)

We cannot fully understand God's thoughts or ways (Isaiah 55:8), but we should know that God is always at work, and that "for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).  In Isaiah 29, we should view God's judgement and punishment of Israel as an example of how harsh discipline is often needed for our own good, but that does not mean that God does not love His people and for those that return to Him, He will welcome them just as He does with the Prodigal Son.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Heavenly Father - what a great God You are that You welcome us back, even as we sin.  You punish and discipline us out of love - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of the second chances You provide - the amazing grace - particularly the salvation You provide.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’ The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit.

Jonah 2

I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’ The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit. v4-6

Jonah, like the Prodigal Son, ran from God, and yet God still welcomed him back.  We need to be restored daily...and our confession and repentance, like Jonah's and that of the Prodigal Son will facilitate this.  We may, by sins of either commission or omission, separate ourselves from God...but God gives us freedom from the sting of sin and death through reconciliation with His Son.

Greatest gift of all time.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You offer the greatest gift of all time - freedom from the sting of sin and death and reconciliation through Your Son.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such a sacrifice - such love.  I miss the mark daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love Him.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For the Israelites will live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred stones, without ephod or household gods. Afterward the Israelites will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the Lord and to his blessings in the last days.

Hosea 3

For the Israelites will live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred stones, without ephod or household gods. Afterward the Israelites will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the Lord and to his blessings in the last days. v4-5

All of us sin (Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8) and turn to other Gods from time to time.  Yet we have a God who welcomes us back with open arms – we must first repent and ask for His forgiveness.  God is full of grace and mercy and He will forgive us.  However, even though God forgives us, we will all be held accountable for our actions – either in this life or on the Day of Judgement when we die or when Jesus returns. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace, mercy and second chances – You forgive even though I am undeserving.  Thank You Jesus!  Yet I am undeserving of such forgiveness.  I worry.  Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Please help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.

Isaiah 57

I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. v15

God wants all of His children to return to Him...to turn from their sinful ways towards Him.  We must be willing to acknowledge that we all sin and are in need of a savior...that we are poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3).

See also the Parable of the Lost or Prodigal Son.  

God loves us so much that He offers forgiveness and second (and third, etc.) chances.

However, God's patience is not unlimited and we must act with a sense of urgency.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has welcomed me back SO many times.  Thank You Jesus! I am not worth such love.  I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Please help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to accept You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The Lord will restore the splendor of Jacob like the splendor of Israel, though destroyers have laid them waste and have ruined their vines.

Nahum 2

The Lord will restore the splendor of Jacob like the splendor of Israel, though destroyers have laid them waste and have ruined their vines. v2

Scripture this morning reminds me that because sin entered the world through the first Adam, "we will have trouble in this world" (John 16:33).  Just as the Israelites has trouble (Assyrians, etc.) , we will have trouble.  But God promises those who live by faith (and return to faith - see posts here) that they will be restored in this world or in heaven.

Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. Hosea 6:1-2

 

For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5

   

Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. Joel 2:13

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a gracious God full of love and compassion for all of Your children, regardless of their sin.  You are slow to anger and abounding in love...I am grateful to have a God such as You because I desperately need a God like You.  I continue in my sin...often grumbling and complaining.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.