The Coming of Zion’s King
Open Your Bible
Zechariah 9:1-17, Psalm 100:1-5, Isaiah 62:3
BY Rebecca Faires
I like to be right. But it’s not always enough to be right.
As a child, I would pertly correct my little sister with bits of wisdom such as, “Frankenstein is actually the name of the doctor, so the monster could more accurately be called ‘Frankenstein’s monster.’” After that, my mom patiently explained to me that there is a difference between being right and being obnoxiously right. It’s important to know the difference, because even if the proper pluralization of “cul de sac” is actually “culs de sac,” you still kinda want to roll your eyes at someone for pointing it out. We’ve probably all been on the receiving end of someone else’s unsolicited commentary that is so obnoxiously right that they’re just wrong.
Christ, on the other hand, is always right. He is the definition of right. But—and this is the amazing part—He is graciously right. The Lord conquers graciously. He does not conquer us and then commence with trash talk or years of making us feel inadequate. To be conquered by Him is to win the greatest victory of all time. Remember Jacob, wrestling the angel of the Lord at Peniel—he was injured but that was the only way to win the victory (Genesis 32:22–31).
In Zechariah 9, we see how the word of the Lord promises to come against the lands that surround His people, places renowned for their wickedness, like Tyre and Sidon. Though these nations and peoples have gathered temporal wealth, God will strip it all away. Though they have amassed the might of violent arms, their pride will be destroyed. Their wealth will be cast into the sea, and they will be “consumed by fire” (v.4). This is the language of God’s judgment against the wicked.
But a striking thing happens: when their kings have been removed, their strength has been destroyed, and their hope has failed, then God will turn and be gracious. He will even make of them a remnant, as He had with the clan of Judah.
The image of the great King of Zion, riding on the colt of a donkey is the perfect depiction of Christ, who wages war with an offer of peace, and destroys His enemies with His own death. He confounds the wisdom of the world, and undoes the reasoning of our own hearts.
“Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout in triumph, Daughter Jerusalem!
Look, your King is coming to you;
he is righteous and victorious.”
–Zechariah 9:9
All too often, the Old Testament judgments of God are misunderstood and characterized as vindictive and punitive. But Zechariah 9 is a reminder of the true nature of His judgment. While He does indeed detest idolatry and wickedness, His judgments cannot be separated from His love.
I am reminded of C.S. Lewis’s statement in The Problem of Pain: “If God were proud He would hardly have us on such terms: but He is not proud, He stoops to conquer, He will have us even though we have shown that we prefer everything else to Him, and come to Him because there is ‘nothing better’ now to be had.”
The Creator of the universe has donned the garb of a servant to humbly wash the filth from our feet. As He did with Saul on the road to Damascus, our God comes to convert enemies into beloved children.
He stoops to conquer our hearts. Amen.
26 thoughts on "The Coming of Zion’s King"
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He stoops to conquer our hearts! What a beautiful vision. I am broken in the best way letting that sink in.
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16The Lord their God will save them on that day
as the flock of His people;
for they are like jewels in a crown,
sparkling over His land.3You will be a glorious crown in the Lord’s hand,
and a royal diadem in the palm of your God.I have spent several weeks this summer shopping for a dress for an upcoming gala. “I would like something that sparkles!” I told each saleswoman. Some of the dresses had a beautiful color or shape but were missing the sparkle. Some the dresses had sparkle on only a portion of the dress. Some of the sparkle was just shiny not sparkly. So I was moved today when I read how God sees us as jewels sparkling over his land. God wants us to sparkle. Why? I hunk it is because sparkles reflect light and the twinkling draws our attention. We look harder to see the shimmer. Think about fireworks, a diamond ring, a beautiful lake with just a slight ripple at sunset. The world will look more intently at us in awe and wonder when we sparkle reflecting God’s Son. He chose each of us to sparkle in this land and holds us as His precious jewels—-so valuable and cherished by Him. Let me sparkle so others seek the His light not just shine so the attention is on me. Let me seek to sparkle not conform to the fit or color of this world. “Lord, I want to be someone who sparkles for You!”
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This is so good!
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I absolutely love this! I chose sparkly dresses for each of my children’s weddings and I have lots of sparkly jewelry. I love the sparkle. But I have a Savior King I should be sparkling for!
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Amen and Amen – you could not have said it any better! Let God’s brilliant light shine on us sparkies.
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Thank you Lord for loving me enough to stop down and create a way for me to come back into eternal community with you. You loved me so much that you sacrificed Jesus to bridge the gap. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
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I love this study!!! Going through the books of the Bible is my favorite thing to do. It’s so encouraging to learn from God’s Word at the beginning of my day!
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Where is the value of things?
Are they as they seem?
Heaped up silver and gold can appear to have power and value, but where does it really lie?I am amazed continually at the greatness of our God and how He has gone before and has everything worked out.
A piece of bread is merely, a piece of bread…
except when we place the prayed over pbj in the lunchbox of the child God has given us,
or make it into a sandwich for the neighbor who is lonely or struggling with illness.
A too-tight shirt or pair of pants, hangs in the closet – the owner hoping to fit into it again, someday
unless it is taken out and given to the girl who sits in the balcony at church who needs it.
Muscles weaken and become tight, losing strength and purpose
until kneeling in prayer stretches them out,
or bowing before the King extends our reach
and lifting them up, offers Him praise.This morning I rejoice greatly, shout in triumph, and am in humble awe that
my King CAME into this world,
righteous and victorious,
humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
The bringer of peace
giving prisoners hope,
restoring, Lord of Armies-defendingHe lives in me TODAY and allows me to be like a jewel in His crown
making what I have,
what he has given,
valuable
as it is used for Him.And He WILL COME again
to take us home,
to the place He has prepared.I am like the bread, clothing, muscles
valuable
in my use for Him.-
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The NLT of Zechariah 9:12:
“Come back to the place of safety, all you prisoners who still have hope! I promise you this very day that I will repay two blessings for each of your troubles.”Israel had been oppressed and conquered be several nations and now those pagan nations would be conquered themselves. The Lord would avenge His people. But it is always God’s desire to set people free. Just as He would free Israel time and time again, so He would offer freedom to the Gentile nations as well. There is a place of safety and Jesus is it. He provides safety and blessings for those who turn to Him. There is still hope!
Our chains may not be like those that imprisoned conquered peoples as they were led out from their land. Our chains may be our past or poor decisions or habitual sin or an unbecoming attitude. These chains are every bit as confining and limiting as if we were physically shackled. Yet there is hope! We turn to Jesus and He sets us free. His promises are true and He delights in blessing His children. Let us be quick to run to the place of safety, the arms of Jesus. They are open wide.
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Amen! Thank you for sharing your insight !
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Amen
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Amazing to think of all Jesus did for us when we choose other things or people over Him! Oh God, please take all pride, let me see my faults and be overwhelmed by Your Holiness and Goodness! Thank You that You never leave or forsake us, You are a Good, Good Father as the song says! https://youtu.be/CqybaIesbuA
All Glory, Honor, Praise , and Dominion to You that are exceedingly and abundantly able to do more than we can hope or imagine!-
“Let me see my faults” amen. I pray God will reveal my sin to me too and humble. I struggle so much with pride and I constantly ask God to humble me and never leave me in my sin!
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