An Appropriate Proverb

There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.
Proverbs 21:30

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

December 26

OT -- Zechariah 9:1-17
There are times when in this Bible study I have decided that parts of the OT are not applicable. And I started off reading that way tonight. But then I bump up against something that is so descriptive, so back-story Jesus that I wish I had read it long ago.
Look at verse 9:
Regjoice greatly O Daughter of Zion!
Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!
See your king comes to you,
righteous and having salvation,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Ever read that story of Jesus entering into Jerusalem? Ever wondered why he sent two of his disciples to get the donkey? Oh, I have heard the whole tale about how kings ride up to Jerusalem on war horses. Chargers of the finest. And this is true. But this part of Jesus' story is lifted straight out of Zechariah. John and Matthew even quote the scripture! This is one of the all 4 gospel stories.

So then I had to stop my cursory reading and start all over again.
Remember that Zechariah was written AFTER the return of the exiles and during the reconstruction of the Temple and Jerusalem. Approximately at the time of Ezra and Nehemiah. So, technically, they weren't at war with the Philistines or Damascus or Tyre. But this 'oracle' of Zechariah plots really doom and destruction on all those city states. Which brings the question -- why?
And for that we have to look back at Ezra and Nehemiah to realize that just because all those folks were part of an empire did not stop them from jockeying for position, plotting revenge and taking it out, undercutting and thieving from one another.
The old hatreds do not go away just because some is conquered.

But back to the scripture -- when the king does come into Jerusalem, and the savior, not the 'real' king, look at what all he is doing to do:
peace to the nations
rouse the sons of Zion
The Lord will appear over them
they will triumph over all

But that is not exactly what happened.
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