IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

God Works for His People

Date: Oct. 22, 2024

Passage

Zechariah 5:1-6:15 (ESV)

Again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a flying scroll! And he said to me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a flying scroll. Its length is twenty cubits, and its width ten cubits.” Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole land. For everyone who steals shall be cleaned out according to what is on one side, and everyone who swears falsely shall be cleaned out according to what is on the other side. I will send it out, declares the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter the house of the thief, and the house of him who swears falsely by my name. And it shall remain in his house and consume it, both timber and stones.”

Then the angel who talked with me came forward and said to me, “Lift your eyes and see what this is that is going out.” And I said, “What is it?” He said, “This is the basket that is going out.” And he said, “This is their iniquity in all the land.” And behold, the leaden cover was lifted, and there was a woman sitting in the basket! And he said, “This is Wickedness.” And he thrust her back into the basket, and thrust down the leaden weight on its opening.

Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, two women coming forward! The wind was in their wings. They had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and heaven. 10 Then I said to the angel who talked with me, “Where are they taking the basket?” 11 He said to me, “To the land of Shinar, to build a house for it. And when this is prepared, they will set the basket down there on its base.”

Again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four chariots came out from between two mountains. And the mountains were mountains of bronze. The first chariot had red horses, the second black horses, the third white horses, and the fourth chariot dappled horses—all of them strong. Then I answered and said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” And the angel answered and said to me, “These are going out to the four winds of heaven, after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth. The chariot with the black horses goes toward the north country, the white ones go after them, and the dappled ones go toward the south country.” When the strong horses came out, they were impatient to go and patrol the earth. And he said, “Go, patrol the earth.” So they patrolled the earth. Then he cried to me, “Behold, those who go toward the north country have set my Spirit at rest in the north country.”

And the word of the LORD came to me: 10 “Take from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon, and go the same day to the house of Josiah, the son of Zephaniah. 11 Take from them silver and gold, and make a crown, and set it on the head of Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. 12 And say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD. 13 It is he who shall build the temple of the LORD and shall bear royal honor, and shall sit and rule on his throne. And there shall be a priest on his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”’ 14 And the crown shall be in the temple of the LORD as a reminder to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen the son of Zephaniah.

15 “And those who are far off shall come and help to build the temple of the LORD. And you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. And this shall come to pass, if you will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.”

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 5:6:13

And I said, “What is it?” He said, “This is the basket that is going out.” And he said, “This is their iniquity in all the land.”

Zechariah saw a huge flying scroll. One side pronounced judgment against thieves. The other side pronounced judgment on those who swear falsely. God would cleanse his people from stealing and lying (5:4). In fact, God would send the iniquity and wickedness of his people far away (5:5-11). The Israelites who had returned to Jerusalem had external political oppressors, but God also saw the internal, corrupted condition of their hearts.

In the vision of the four chariots (6:1-8), God sent chariots in the three directions where the enemies resided. The chariots represent God’s armies which would rule throughout the earth. God’s Spirit would rest in the north country, Babylon (6:8).

Zechariah was commanded to make a crown for Joshua, the high priest. The LORD Almighty used this image of a priestly king to point to the Branch, who would rebuild the true temple, be clothed in majesty, and rule on his throne. The priest ruling on his throne is Jesus, our great High Priest (Heb 4:14) and King (Jn 18:37). Jesus alone cleanses us from stealing, lying, wickedness, and all our sins. Jesus alone removes our sins far from us (Ps 103:12). Let us come to Jesus in repentance and worship him.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we praise you for taking away our sins and ruling over the world. Please be our priest and king today.

One Word: Jesus, our high priest and king

Daily Bread

The Lamb Will Triumph

Revelation 17:1-18

Key Verse: 17:14

They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”

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