1A prophecy:
The word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrak
and will come to rest on Damascus—
for the eyes of all people and all the tribes of Israel
are on the Lord—
2and on Hamath too, which borders on it,
and on Tyre and Sidon, though they are very skillful.
3Tyre has built herself a stronghold;
she has heaped up silver like dust,
and gold like the dirt of the streets.
4But the Lord will take away her possessions
and destroy her power on the sea,
and she will be consumed by fire.
5Ashkelon will see it and fear;
Gaza will writhe in agony,
and Ekron too, for her hope will wither.
Gaza will lose her king
and Ashkelon will be deserted.
6A mongrel people will occupy Ashdod,
and I will put an end to the pride of the Philistines.
7I will take the blood from their mouths,
the forbidden food from between their teeth.
Those who are left will belong to our God
and become a clan in Judah,
and Ekron will be like the Jebusites.
8But I will encamp at my temple
to guard it against marauding forces.
Never again will an oppressor overrun my people,
for now I am keeping watch.
The Coming of Zion’s King
9Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
10I will take away the chariots from Ephraim
and the warhorses from Jerusalem,
and the battle bow will be broken.
He will proclaim peace to the nations.
His rule will extend from sea to sea
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
11As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you,
I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit.
12Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope;
even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.
13I will bend Judah as I bend my bow
and fill it with Ephraim.
I will rouse your sons, Zion,
against your sons, Greece,
and make you like a warrior’s sword.
The Lord Will Appear
14Then the Lord will appear over them;
his arrow will flash like lightning.
The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet;
he will march in the storms of the south,
15and the Lord Almighty will shield them.
They will destroy
and overcome with slingstones.
They will drink and roar as with wine;
they will be full like a bowl
used for sprinkling the corners of the altar.
16The Lord their God will save his people on that day
as a shepherd saves his flock.
They will sparkle in his land
like jewels in a crown.
17How attractive and beautiful they will be!
Grain will make the young men thrive,
and new wine the young women.
What does it say?
The Sovereign Lord keeps watch and defends Israel against enemy forces. Her king brings righteousness, salvation, and peace, saving His people as His flock.
What does it mean?
Some of the prophecies in Chapter nine were fulfilled before Christ’s first Advent, while some foretell events in His earthly ministry, and others are still future. Each one points to God’s ability to save, both physically and spiritually. The descriptions of the Lord also run the gamut. He is pictured as Israel’s defender, watchman, king, warrior, and shepherd. The reactions to His second coming, however, are narrowed to two emotions: fear or hope. Only those who have made peace with God by accepting His salvation and righteousness will rejoice when the trumpet announces His arrival.
How should I respond?
What is your first reaction to Jesus’ return to Earth? Your response to His first coming likely determines it. If you’ve received Christ as your King, you can look forward to His return with joyful anticipation. Followers of Christ have the sure hope of salvation, righteousness, and peace with God. Look back over the words describing the Lord in today’s passage. Which one brings you the most comfort in your present circumstances? Until He returns, take hope in His role as the Shepherd who will defend and watch over you.
We would like to thank Thomas Road Baptist Church for providing this plan.
Every Day With God 