Grace, grace to it!
Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it. (Zec 4:7)
In September, the Jews celebrated Rosh Hashanah, their New year. Rosh Hashanah commemorates the creation of the world and marks the beginning of period of introspection and repentance that culminates in the Yom Kippur Holiday, also known as the Day of Atonement. In one way, this period signifies a new beginning, a change, a time of transformation.
It is my hope and earnest prayer that the dawn of October 2020 would usher new blessings, new break-through, new opportunities in our life. Yes, our God is a God of creation. I am sure, in this new month, God will create new things, open new doors in your life. Hallelujah!
Visionaries, Missionaries!
In history, Israel as a nation, was repeatedly taken captive by its enemies. Temple destroyed, cities routed, walls broken down. Old Testament giants Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, Zerubbabel and prophets like Zechariah and Haggai played a very prominent role in the task of rebuilding the monuments. They all dreamt, desired, prayed and labored much not only for the release but also for the restoration of the city, the nation, its temple, its walls.
Before Zerubbabel
The name Zerubbabel means 'dispersed to Babylon' or 'dispersed to confusion'. The head of the tribe of Judah who led the first band of captives laid the foundation of the temple which had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. Discouraged by enemies, he could not complete the construction. Many years later, encouraged by prophets Haggai and Zechariah, he completed the temple. Zerubbabel was weak and flexible who faltered in the great work and practically had lost his heart. Despite his shortcoming, God used him to accomplish what he wanted to. His spirit was kindled with the divine fire and fed by the grace of the Holy Spirit. A weak covered by the GRACE of GOD was able to accomplish a mountainous task!
Secret of Success
Like Zerubbabel, you and I are also commissioned to build, to rebuild. Not temples, but lives (1 Thess 5:11). Our Lord Jesus Christ, who declared to Peter that he is building his church empowered his disciples in that task. The story of Zerubbabel teaches to us many a life principle in our mission of building people's lives. Through this meditation, I would like to share few prophetic life changing lessons from Zechariah 4. Prayerfully, allow the Spirit of God to speak to you. to transform you, as you follow the whole meditation.
1.The Man
This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. (Zec 4:6)
Zerubbabel was not a great warrior like David, or a man of wisdom like Solomon. An ordinary leader. God has always been in the business of choosing the simple to do the supernatural. Moses, Samuel, Gideon, Peter, Thomas, to name a few. They accomplished great things. As a parent, as a businessman, as a breadwinner or even a minister, you may be standing in the same league as Zerubbabel. What he began he could not complete. Maybe in your family, what you began to do or what you wanted to do or what you wished to build is lying in tatters now! Is your life full of dejection, disappointment and frustration for things undone? The word of the Lord which came to Zerubbabel several hundred years ago is coming to you, coming to me. You are the man; the woman God has chosen to build!
2.The Mission
The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; (Zec 4:9)
Be it our faith walk or family relationship, the journey which began with all fanfare falters in the middle. We get dismayed and even wonder whether we were right in the first place in taking this trip. What seemed God's perfect will, be it in marriage, job, business or any other venture, suddenly when the ship rocks, when relationship rusts, when things do not go as per our plan, we feel it is God's permissive will. When Zerubbabel failed, God did not choose another man for the task. "The hand of the one who laid the foundation shall finish it" says the Lord. It is not a wishful thinking. It is the voice of God. The call of God on Moses was to redeem the Israelites. The flight to Midian did not stop God's purposes. The call of God on Peter was to become fisher of men. His denial did not curtail Jesus's mission concerning him. Maybe you are thinking you are unfit or unworthy for the task. The one who has called you is faithful to help finish the same! Your hand will finish it.
3.The Material
Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it. (Zec 4:7)
Mountain, figuratively, speaks of mammoth task at hand. The prophet says that it shall become a plain ground before Zerubbabel. But is not he a reluctant builder, bogged down by the opposition? It is not how you look at yourself and it is not how others look at you. What matters is how God looks at you. His vision matters. God delivered the land of Canaan to Israelites. They were to just possess it. Spies saw themselves as grasshoppers before their enemies. Caleb and Joshua did not think so. To Saul and his army Goliath was an unassailable giant. David did not think so.
And what was his ammunition? A sling and few stones. Zerubbabel comes, not with a building plan, not with an army, but just with the headstone. To remove the mountains and to resume the work. Your faith in Christ, your identity in Christ, your life in Christ is your top-stone. Move on brother, move on sister, this is the moving day. Move with the top-stone in your hand. Every mountain that is before you will come crashing down. Hallelujah!
4.The Method
This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. (Zec 4:6)
Spirit in Hebrew is ruach, meaning breath or life. The term "Spirit" be it in Old or New Testament, is usually associated with God's supreme power, a force which can cause destruction, as with Samson, unleash supernatural events, as with disciples in the upper room when they were filled with Holy Ghost. The word Spirit has a much more deeper meaning and significance. We try our knowledge, wealth, experience, mental and muscle power to do things. Many a time solution to a problem does not come in the way we want it to. Jehoshaphat's tiny army was asked to face the battle, but the victory was wrought when singers sang. Paul and Silas began to sing in the jail closet, when their hands and legs were tied down. The chains were broken, prison doors opened. The Spirit, is not just a supernatural power, it is the life of Christ, nature of Christ in us that can move mountains. This is perfectly portrayed in the prophecy of Isaiah about our Lord, "Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; and in his name the Gentiles will hope" (Mathew 12:18-21). It is this Spirit which overcame sin, it is this Spirit which conquered satan. Zerubbabel filled with this spirit rebuilt the temple. You and I need to be filled with the Spirit of God, Life of God, Life of Jesus as prescribed above to be able to rebuild.
5.The Message
For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth (Zech 4:10)
A plumb line is a weight suspended from a string used as a vertical reference line to ensure a structure is centered. Zerubbabel not only brought the head-stone, he even held the plumb in his hand to ensure that the specifications are perfect and precise. When God asked Noah to build an ark, he did not leave him to decide on his own specifications. When God asked Moses to build the Tabernacle, he gave him a detailed blue-print. God's glory would descend only after the same has been built as per God's plan. God's plumbline indicates God's standard. What is the standard of God? It is Grace. The people under the old covenant sought to please God by keeping the law, by offering sacrifices. But they miserably failed to realize that God was pleased not with offerings, but he desires mercy (Mathew 9:13). For by GRACE we have been saved through faith. The differentiator was not might, but spirit of God. The enabler was not head-stone, but Grace
Faith, Force, Forgiveness(Mark 11:20-25)
Jesus cursed the fig tree when it did not bear fruit. The tree withered to its -roots. It was an object lesson of speaking in faith. If you say to the mountain, without doubting in your heart, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea' it will so happen. said Jesus. Word of faith is powerful. Jesus also spoke about praying in faith. The underlying condition was that we should forgive others - not carry the hurts - to receive an answer. And forgiveness is the product of grace. Jesus was making a beautiful connection between answered prayer and forgiving nature. Mountain can became plain through the power of the Holy Spirit. For the monument to arise, Zerubbabel must bring the head-stone and people should say Grace, Grace. You could destroy the opposition with the power of the Holy Spirit. But to build, to rebuild your life and the life of others we need Grace! We must say to head-stone "Grace, Grace"! Once discouraged Zerubbabel, filled with the Spirit of God (Life of Christ), armed with the Grace of God (Love of Christ) manages to rebuild the Temple of God (Life of man). What mountain is standing before you? Is it a financial lack, family conflict, failing health or failed business. Whatever it may be, before the Spirit of God it shall become a plain, with the Grace of God the temple will be built. Amen!
Arise O Zerubbabel! You are called to build. Not with bricks or mortar. But with Grace! O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain.
Amen!
Yours sincerely, In Christ
Vinod Kumar
God's Shadow Ministries
9840011374, 9840995057
