14. Gracious Eternal Covenant

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Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church

Adult Sunday School

13 May 2018

A GRACIOUS ETERNAL COVENANT

Zechariah 9:11-17 (KJV)

11 As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein isno water. 12 Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare thatI will render double unto thee; 13 When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man. 14 And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord GOD shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south. 15 The LORD of hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour, and subdue with sling stones; and they shall drink, andmake a noise as through wine; and they shall be filled like bowls, andas the corners of the altar. 16 And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be asthe stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land. 17 For how great ishis goodness, and how great ishis beauty! corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids. 

  • A GRACIOUS ETERNAL COVENANT 

11 As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein isno water.

Genesis 15:17-18 (KJV) 17And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. 18 In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:

This gracious eternal covenant with Israel is sealed by blood. It is a covenant that cannot be broken for God does not lie, although Israel proved unfaithful. By this covenant is the promise of deliverance for His people, Israel. They were like prisoners or bondmen confined in a dried-up pit or well where there is no water, doomed to perish. Remember Joseph, called the dreamer by his jealous and angry brothers, who was thrown into a pit with no water (Gen 37:24). God’s promise to Israel is traced back to the covenant sealed by the blood of broken animals. He promised Abram in Genesis 15:17-18 to give his seed the Promised Land that would span from the river of Egypt unto the great river Euphrates. At that time, Abram was old and childless. God promised to make his seed as numerous as the stars in the heaven. 

At this juncture of Israel’s history, she was likened to a nation that was at the brink of collapse by the sheer weakness of her position in the Promised Land – only 50,000 returnees, surrounded by idolatrous, hostile and wealthy Gentile world powers. The first person “I” was God Himself, who spoke in the past tense what He will do in the future to send forth deliverance. We saw in verse 9 the scene of the first advent of Messiah as a lowly King and in verse 10 a dramatic change of scene to the time of Messiah’s second coming establishing world peace and dominion. In verse 11 is described His deliverance of Israel out of every perilous situation. I have a map showing the aerial threat of surrounding nations to Israel during the Gulf War of 1991. Iraqi missiles fell on Israel. Jerusalem was 400 km and 35 minutes away from Iraq by air. Although 4,000 Israeli apartments were totally destroyed, only one civilian was killed. The God of Israel is the Almighty Creator Jesus Christ who will continue to fulfil His promise of deliverance even to unbelieving Israel. Recall also the deliverance of the Jews from the holocaust of the Second World War that exterminated 6 million of them but failed to annihilate Israel. 

Once saved, always saved. O Lord, be merciful to Your people Israel that still reject You. 

  • A GRACIOUS CALL TO REPENTANCE 

12 Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare thatI will render double unto thee;

Israel was commanded by an urgent entreaty to return to “the strong hold.” This “strong hold” released them from their bondage. The word “hope” has a definite article attached. The hope of Israel is in their Messiah prophesized in verses 9 and 10. 

When God’s people repent of their sins, He will graciously and immediately pardon. Israel will be recompensed with double blessings. Job was restored all that he had before the afflictions befell him, only after he forgave his three friends who falsely charged him. God’s wrath on his friends was averted only after Job prayed for them. Job prayed for his friends after he first forgave them for falsely accusing him. This is our privilege as God’s children. We are instructed to pray for those who spitefully afflict us. An unforgiving heart causes us no rest and our prayers are not received by God. What comfort for God’s people to know that we have a God who is most willing and eager to bless His repentant and obedient children. 

The call to repentance is sounded throughout the book of Zechariah. It is still the greatest need today for God’s people to forsake every form of idolatry and to give Him our wholehearted devotion by a life of self-control and honesty. The hope of the Christian is a sanctifying hope (Tit 2:11-14). Salvation is in Jesus Christ alone. Messiah will come again to settle accounts with His creation. May we be found watching and working for His Kingdom! 

“ …denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.” (Titus 2:12) Help me, Lord, to come back to You today. 

“Our great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” 

  • ISRAEL IN TRIUMPHANT CONQUEST 

13 When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man. 14 And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord GOD shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south. 15 The LORD of hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour, and subdue with sling stones; and they shall drink, andmake a noise as through wine; and they shall be filled like bowls, andas the corners of the altar. 16 And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be asthe stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land. 17 For how great ishis goodness, and how great ishis beauty! corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids. 

Job 42:4-10 (KJV) 4Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. 5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. 6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. 7 And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that isright, as my servant Job hath.8 Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after yourfolly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which isright, like my servant Job. 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite andZophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also accepted Job. 10 And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. 

The scenario is somewhat startling for the weak and ailing people of Israel to imagine that God would armed them and enable them to do battle. Israel was to become an aggressor, a nation armed with God’s strength in unity (a description of Judah and Ephraim going forth to battle side by side). Judah was ready and Ephraim’s quivers full – “as a sword of a mighty man.” “The LORD shall be seen over them” – God shall be fighting Israel’s battle as the commander-in-chief, drawing out the battle plan. Israel would strike with such swiftness and speed at the behest of her commander’s trumpet. Greece (“Javan”), race of the Ionian, the nation that plagued Israel and the surrounding nations would themselves be attacked by Israel. 

God would defend Israel from every counter-attack causing them to triumph – “they shall devour.” Safety did not lie in their innate strength but in God Almighty. Sling stones provided the catapult that subdued the enemy, not sophisticated but effective for her purpose as did David with Goliath. Fighting the Lord’s battle is indeed one of courage, yet it is humble dependence upon Him that gives the victory. Then is described the scene of celebration of victory by way of eating and drinking alluding to the fullness of God’s blessing. The image of abundance in the very presence of God – “as the corners of the altar,” is a fitting picture of temperance in the midst of rejoicing – “make a noise as through wine.” It is not a picture of over indulgence. 

The figure of God as shepherd and His people as His flock is a loving picture of care and protection. The foolish sheep is every bit dependent upon His shepherd. Jesus’ disciples were described as lambs going forth with the gospel (Lk 10:3) among wolves. Alas, the labourers are few, but they are the precious few – precious stones of a crown. As an ensign, the gospel upon His land must be lifted up! The goodness and the greatness of His ability to make our life beautiful for all who serve Him must be experienced. Will you not give your life for Him? 

“… the labourers are few.” (Lk 10:2) Lord of the harvest, please send forth Your labourers.