Ask rain from the LORD in the season of the spring rain, from the LORD who makes the storm clouds, who gives showers of rain to you, the vegetation in the field to everyone. For the terraphim utter nonsense, and the diviners see lies; the dreamers tell false dreams, and give empty consolation. Therefore the people wander like sheep; they suffer for lack of a shepherd. My anger is hot against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders; for the LORD of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah, and will make them like his proud war-horse. Out of them shall come the cornerstone, out of them the tent peg, out of them the battle bow, out of them every commander. Zechariah 10: 1-4, NRSV.
We are grateful dear God, that we can come to You in the day of adversity, or in the day of prosperity, and You will help us, in our need. Please continue to teach us Your will, as we meet to study today. This we pray in the holy name of Jesus. Amen.
Today, as we continue our conversation, we will look with more detail, at what the Word of the LORD has to say about who we should look to, not only for a message, but for what we need. There is a lot of symbolic language in our Scripture; we will look at them, and seek their application for our own spiritual well-being.
Rain! Rain symbolizes God’s favor. The lack of it, or His witholding of it, is seen as His displeasure (1 Kings 8: 35, 36). During the reign of wicked king Ahab, and his wife Jezebel, the land was plagued with a drought that lasted for three and a half years (17: 1; James 5: 17)! Rain is vital in securing a harvest; it is needed to begin and end the growth process. Therefore, the Bible makes mention of the former, and the latter, rain. When the former, and the latter, rain fall in their season, the result is an abundant harvest which represents prosperity.
Spiritually speaking, it is the same premise. God has promised the former and the latter rain. The former rain was received by the early believers on the day of Pentecost and the results were glorious! The power it supplied enabled the apostles to take the message of the Savior to the ends of the then known world (Acts 17: 6; 24: 5)! It enabled them to speak in the languages of the people who needed to hear the gospel story. The results of that out-pouring has reached down to our day! The gospel seed is still being planted, and is still sprouting; awaiting the latter rain which will produce the final harvest. We are already seeing “mercy drops” falling around us, “but for the showers we plea!”
Proud war-horse! When a soldier went to war, he made sure that he took his best horse. The grooming of this horse was not achieved in a day, or a week, or a month. I believe that it was a year round preparation. The people lived in a state of readiness! We have been in a spiritual warfare for many centuries now. There is no “time-out” in this war. God has the power to keep us in tip-top shape for the daily battles we fight, as well as the final battle ahead of us!
The cornerstone! Yesterday we mentioned that this was a symbol of Jesus, the Messiah (Ephesians 2: 20; 1 Peter 2: 6,7). Out of a nation that had been split into two kingdoms, God preserved His Chief Cornerstone!
The tent peg!I am almost certain that we all know the functions, and value, of, a sturdy tent peg. It is fastened to a rope, that is attached to the tent, and hammered into the ground. It has more or less, the same funtion as that of an anchor – to keep a boat grounded. In the case of a tent, the peg keeps the tent standing, even in the midst of boisterous, and raging winds.
The battle bow! I do not know how many have seen a battle bow. I am sure that it is used by expert warriors. The Christian is exhorted to clothe him or her(self) with the complete armor of God. Because we are in the midst of a supernatural warfare, we must possess not only defensive armament, but offensive, as well.
Every commander! In the original the word for commander carries a negative connotation that implies oppression. Out of Judah would also emerge oppressive leaders. When the children of Israel, asked for a king, that they could be like the other nations, God, through His prophet Samuel, warned them of the oppressive practices that he would introduce (1 Samuel 8: 10-18).
Friends, in God’s hands is the power to give to His children all that they want, or need. He knows all that is, and is to come. Everything in the world belongs to Him. So in your need there is no better place to go, but to the LORD!