Much of the work of God's prophets is in the proclamation of judgments and the promise of redemption, but sometimes they foretell the future, and Zechariah more than many. It is a future of God's glory reflected in his people, "On that day the Lord their God will save them, as the flock of his people; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land" (Zechariah 9:16).
That day speaks of Jesus Christ, and 500 years before God's son rode into Jerusalem, Zechariah saw it coming. "Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey" (Zechariah 9:9). Just as Zechariah foretold, Luke describes, "Throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it, saying, 'Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!'" (Luke 19:35, 38).
When Zechariah said, "They weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver" (Zechariah 11:12), is it possible he knew it was the price of betrayal? "Then Judas went to the chief priests and said, 'What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?' And they paid him thirty pieces of silver" (Matthew 26:14-15). Of those thirty pieces, Zechariah prophesied, "'Throw it to the potter'-the lordly price at which I was priced by them" (Zechariah 11:13), and they did, "So they took counsel and bought with them the potter's field as a burial place for strangers" (Matthew 27:7).
While hanging on the cross, God's only son (John 3:16), the firstborn of all creation (Colossians 1:15), "one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear" (John 19:34); and Zechariah prophesied, "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn" (Zechariah 12:10).
"This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified" (Acts 2:23). Right on schedule.
Daily Prayer
All knowing, Almighty God, You are my salvation. You have rescued me from sin, through the blood and the love of Your Son, Jesus Christ. You have brought me into Your family, clothed me in righteousness, and set me apart to be a witness of Your grace.
You have shown me the future, a great future, a future I can be sure of, with Your Son on the throne and all the world subject to Him. In peace He reigns. I will follow You. Thank You for so great a salvation.
Amen
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