The Lord speaks today of restoring His people. He is compassionate toward them and will strengthen and save them.
"I will strengthen Judah and save the tribes of Joseph." (Zechariah 10:6a) By Zechariah's day the nation of Israel had been split apart for about four hundred years. Ten tribes seceded and formed the northern kingdom during the days of King Rehoboam, the son of Solomon. The other two tribes became the southern kingdom. The Lord, however, still views Israel as a whole. He promises to strengthen Judah (the southern kingdom of Judah and Benjamin combined) and to save the tribes of Joseph (the ten northern tribes combined). Judah remained loyal to the Lord longer than the northern kingdom of Israel did; this is why Judah did not fall to Babylon until about one hundred years after Israel fell to Assyria. Judah also remained more faithful to God during captivity than Israel, so God has returned her to the land to rebuild. Her faith has been small at times, but the Lord promises to rebuild it as surely as He intends to rebuild the temple and the city. I am reminded of what the Lord Jesus said to the church at Philadelphia, "I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept My word and have not denied My name." (Revelation 3:8b) The Lord is saying something similar to Judah, "I know you are feeling weak and discouraged. I know you have little strength, but I will be your strength!"
The Lord also vows to save the tribes of Joseph, meaning the ten northern tribes. The northern kingdom fell away from God faster than the southern kingdom and she fell farther from God than the southern kingdom. But nothing is impossible for God. His arm is never too short to save. (Numbers 11:23) This should be an encouragement to us about our loved ones who are living far from the Lord. Their situation may look impossible to us, and it may be impossible for any human help to do any good, but nothing is too hard for God.
Why is God going to do so much good for Judah and Israel? Because of His great love! "I will restore them because I have compassion on them. They will be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the Lord their God and I will answer them." (Zechariah 10:6b) At one time the Lord had to say to His people, "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear." (Isaiah 59:2) For a time the Lord had to take His protective hand off the people and allow them to be defeated and taken captive. But God did not intend to reject them forever. He shut His ears until the season of correction was finished. Like a responsible parent, God had to discipline bad behavior. But like a good and loving parent, God placed a limit on the time of discipline. He's not going to leave Israel and Judah in "time out" forever.
"The Ephraimites will become like warriors, and their hearts will be glad as with wine. Their children will see it and be joyful; their hearts will rejoice in the Lord. I will signal for them and gather them in. Surely I will redeem them; they will be as numerous as before. Though I scatter them among the peoples, yet in distant lands they will remember Me. They and their children will survive, and they will return." (Zechariah 10:7-9) This promise echoes the one given through the prophet Jeremiah prior to the fall of Jerusalem, "'So do not be afraid, Jacob My servant; do not be dismayed, Israel,' declares the Lord. 'I will surely save you out of a distant place, your descendants from the land of their exile. Jacob will again have peace and security, and no one will make him afraid. I am with you and will save you,' declares the Lord." (Jeremiah 30:10-11a) This prophecy has been fulfilled in part. The ancient return to the land in Zechariah's day began the fulfillment of it. In modern times the recreation of the sovereign nation of Israel in 1948 fulfilled even more of it. But the final restoration and glory of the nation of Israel will occur when her King comes to reign over her.
"I will bring them back from Egypt and gather them from Assyria. I will bring them to Gilead and Lebanon, and there will not be room enough for them. They will pass through the sea of trouble; the surging sea will be subdued and all the depths of the Nile will dry up. Assyria's pride will be brought down and Egypt's scepter will pass away. I will strengthen them in the Lord and in His name they will live securely,' declares the Lord." (Zechariah 10:10-12) The Lord is using the names of these nations as symbols for sin and idolatry and bondage. By Zechariah's day the slavery in Egypt was long past and the nation of Assyria had already fallen. The Lord mentions Egypt and Assyria to represent all He has saved Israel from and all He will save Israel from. Who can release us from the power of sin? Who can set the captive free? Who can remove the idols from our lives and make His name the only name? No one but the Lord Almighty! He vows to do for Israel what she has not been able to do for herself, just as He promises to do for you and me what we have not been able to do for ourselves.
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