Today you should read: Zechariah 10
The first main section of the book of Zechariah consisted of a series of visions. We have now entered into a section consisting of two different oracles. The ESV Study Bible says, “The twin themes of the purity of God’s people and the fidelity of their leaders—often termed “shepherds”—run throughout these oracles. The community and its leaders suffer turmoil: this turn to the Lord faces opposition, tearing at the fabric of society and the natural world.” Our verses today are looking at the unfaithfulness of the current leaders and the need for God to remove them.
The end of verse 2 and verse 3 helps put the predicament in context:
“So my people are wandering like lost sheep;
they are attacked because they have no shepherd.
My anger burns against your shepherds,
and I will punish these leaders.
For the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has arrived
to look after Judah, his flock.
He will make them strong and glorious,
like a proud warhorse in battle.”
The leaders of the people of Israel have failed, and God is beginning a process to correct them. God says in verse 6:
“I will strengthen Judah and save Israel;
I will restore them because of my compassion.
It will be as though I had never rejected them,
for I am the Lord their God, who will hear their cries.”
God cares about the people of Israel and shows the value of good and godly leadership and how it affects the every day lives of people. This passage can certainly relate to the need for godly leadership in the church today, but even more points to our need for Christ, who is the head of the church. Even the best and mostly godly leaders must rely on the Chief Shepherd who has the true and great power that we all need.
By: Graham Withers — Pastoral Ministry Associate
God is honored when we intentionally seek Him in prayer. As a church, we want dependent prayer to be something that marks us. Use the comment section to post prayer requests and experiences of how God has answered prayer and/or changed you through prayer! If you would like to be enrolled to get weekly prayer reminders, text @cpclex to 81010.
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Thanks Graham – and thanks to all of our faithful JumpStart readers. How are you doing with your commitment to pray every day? Remember, I challenged you to pray – in your own way – but every day faithfully. Please take a moment and share about how God has been revealing Himself through your prayer or an answer you’ve seen from God. Let’s encourage each other to flourish in our time of prayer.
Thank you Tim for encouraging us to pray every day. I have been more faithful in my alone time with Him and am seeing Him move more and more each day.
I just left a meeting with someone who shared how God answer 2 specific prayers for people that they were praying for along with their connect group with the “Connect to Reach” initiative. How awesome is that? And what a great reminder to stay faithful in those prayers for others.