The
removal of sin (Zechariah 3:4,9) and the restoration of glory: Here, we
have a great description of salvation, wiping out the sin of the past,
giving an anticipatory glimpse of the glory to come. The past is
forgiven. The future is promised. What about the present - "Not by
might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord" (Zechariah 4:6).
This life in the Spirit - lived between the forgiven sin (the past) and
the glory to come (the future) - is to be a life of "working together
for the truth" (3 John 4). As we live this life in the Spirit, we enjoy
the "peace" of God (3 John 14). This peace arises in our hearts as we
learn to praise God. we praise Him for His work of creation - "I praise
You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." This praise - "Your
works are wonderful" - causes us to reflect also on His works of
providence - "All the days ordained for me were written in Your book
before one of them came to be" (Psalm 139:14,16). It also causes us to
reflect on God's work of redemption. The thought of creation leads on to
the thought of re-creation: "If any man is in Christ, he is a new
creation" (2 Corinthians 5:17). The thought of providence also leads us
to think of redemption: God's "book" (Psalm 139:16) turns our thoughts
to "the book of life" - the book of eternal life which we receive
through faith in "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world"
(John 1:29).
What God did for His people, Israel, was very great. There is a striking contrast between their slavery in Egypt and their abundance in the promised land. God had multiplied His blessing upon them, just as Jesus did when He turned water into wine (John 2:1-11). If the blessing is to be maintained and increased, we must honour the Lord. We must cry to Him for blessing: "Hear my prayer, O God, listen to the words of my mouth." We must call upon Him with faith: "Surely God is my help; the Lord is the One who sustains me" (Psalm 54:2,4).
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