On Saturday I attended an alumni event for staff members of the summer camp where I used to work. It was a great time to reconnect with friends I hadn’t seen in a while. During the evening, the speaker made reference to Zechariah chapter 8. This passage is the vision passage for that organization. While hearing it I thought about how it relates to Christian Horizons and our ministry.
Zechariah 8:1-5 (NIV) 1 Again the word of the LORD Almighty came to me. 2 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her." 3 This is what the LORD says: "I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain." 4 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with cane in hand because of his age. 5 The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.
Zechariah used these words in around 520 BC. This was during the Persian empires’ reign. Years before, the Babylonian Empire had captured Jerusalem, torn down its walls, burned its gates and took the Hebrew people into captivity. When the Persians overthrew the Babylonians under King Cyrus, he allowed some of the exiles to return. When God gave the above words to Zechariah, Nehemiah had not yet rebuilt the walls. The city was in ruins. The idea of people living to old age would have seemed next to impossible to the Hebrews living in the land. The idea of children playing in the streets of the city was unthinkable in its condition. God was jealous for his city.
We don’t live in Jerusalem but we do live in God’s kingdom. He still has plans for His kingdom and His subjects. Zechariah’s prophesy makes me think of the people we serve, and thank God that they are living much longer lives than ever before due to the quality of their lives and advances in medicine. I have been to many Christian Horizons homes and seen many happy seniors on their porches, just as the seniors would have been in the rebuilt Jerusalem. I think of the children that are sponsored through Christian Horizons Global all around the world. It is amazing that we are able to provide them with the necessities of life and a safe place to play.
God’s vision for Jerusalem is that those who need others to advocate for them are living well, that his children are taking care of each other. It is not that there will be a great palace or that it will have a small group of the most successful people in the world. God’s Kingdom is a place where no one is marginalized, where there is safety, where people who need advocacy find a voice. The greatness of a king is how the least of his subjects are doing, not the nobles. I am honoured to work for an organization that is able to do work for the God’s Kingdom.
As this week goes on we will look at Zechariah chapter 8 further and see some more aspects of living out His Kingdom.
Mark Wallace
Zechariah 8:1-5 (NIV) 1 Again the word of the LORD Almighty came to me. 2 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her." 3 This is what the LORD says: "I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain." 4 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with cane in hand because of his age. 5 The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.
Zechariah used these words in around 520 BC. This was during the Persian empires’ reign. Years before, the Babylonian Empire had captured Jerusalem, torn down its walls, burned its gates and took the Hebrew people into captivity. When the Persians overthrew the Babylonians under King Cyrus, he allowed some of the exiles to return. When God gave the above words to Zechariah, Nehemiah had not yet rebuilt the walls. The city was in ruins. The idea of people living to old age would have seemed next to impossible to the Hebrews living in the land. The idea of children playing in the streets of the city was unthinkable in its condition. God was jealous for his city.
We don’t live in Jerusalem but we do live in God’s kingdom. He still has plans for His kingdom and His subjects. Zechariah’s prophesy makes me think of the people we serve, and thank God that they are living much longer lives than ever before due to the quality of their lives and advances in medicine. I have been to many Christian Horizons homes and seen many happy seniors on their porches, just as the seniors would have been in the rebuilt Jerusalem. I think of the children that are sponsored through Christian Horizons Global all around the world. It is amazing that we are able to provide them with the necessities of life and a safe place to play.
God’s vision for Jerusalem is that those who need others to advocate for them are living well, that his children are taking care of each other. It is not that there will be a great palace or that it will have a small group of the most successful people in the world. God’s Kingdom is a place where no one is marginalized, where there is safety, where people who need advocacy find a voice. The greatness of a king is how the least of his subjects are doing, not the nobles. I am honoured to work for an organization that is able to do work for the God’s Kingdom.
As this week goes on we will look at Zechariah chapter 8 further and see some more aspects of living out His Kingdom.
Mark Wallace
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