Salvation Surely Flows

Read Zechariah 9-14
 
Zechariah 14:3-4 Then the LORD will go out to fight against those nations, as he has fought in times past. 4 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem. And the Mount of Olives will split apart, making a wide valley running from east to west. Half the mountain will move toward the north and half toward the south…7 yet there will be continuous day! Only the LORD knows how this could happen. There will be no normal day and night, for at evening time it will still be light. 8 On that day life-giving waters will flow out from Jerusalem, half toward the Dead Sea and half toward the Mediterranean, flowing continuously in both summer and winter. 9 And the LORD will be king over all the earth. On that day there will be one LORD—his name alone will be worshiped.
 
AS Zechariah concludes, this follows the common prophetic pattern. It begins with two very difficult verses of God’s judgment on Jerusalem. But then God graciously directs us to his salvation. This is sin’s severity and salvation’s power of God’s final victory over sin.
   Indeed, what wondrous images we have of God’s triumph for our souls. First is the magnificent image of Jesus standing on Olivet to declare his kingship. This mount just east of Jerusalem’s Temple is likely the place from where Jesus ascended. This is Jesus’ visual fulfillment: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” (Revelation 22:13)
   Water, from first to last, is God’s image and source of life. Water covers the earth in the first creation. As declared in Ezekiel 37, Living Water then flows through the new creation. Jesus said it would: John 7:38 “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”
   Third is God’s eternal light to cover his city. Light was the revelation of God’s presence in the new earth: Genesis 1:2-3 The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
    How surely and plainly the gospel’s life message moves throughout the earth. The truth of God comes through the law, the prophets, the gospels and the epistles. Prophet to prophet, testament to testament, apostle (messenger) to apostle the Holy Spirit moves life to the human mind. How is it possible the gospel can be so distorted or ignored?
   Be eager each day to drink of God as the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. (Psalms 42:1) Might there be something that dies your soul and weakens your view of God? Then be assured: The LORD is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalms 27:1)