Friday 14 December 2012

Background

Ouch! That is certainly a valid response to today's passages.The words written and the ideas expressed can make you wince.

If you are struggling to begin to understand the passage, thenyou are not alone. This chapter has troubled writers andtheologians down the years. Even Martin Luther said, "In thischapter, I surrender, for I am not certain of what the prophettreats."

One way to approach apocalyptic writings such as this is to letits images become a set of moving pictures in your mind, howeverdisturbing they might be. You can then get a sense of the broadsweep of the passage, instead of the minutae of details.

Looking at the passage in this way, everything is portrayed ingrand terms, being larger than life.

The Mount of Olives is one of three peaks of a mountain ridgejust to the east of Jerusalem, with a view over the city. (It wason this ridge that Jesus talked about the end times in Matthew 24.) Yet, according to Zechariah, thiswill be split in two (verse 4). To accompany that there will be nocold or frost, and no darkness either (verses 6-7).

And there's more - living water will flow out from Jerusalemboth to the east and to the west, which will continue throughoutthe year. Ezekiel writes about this water in chapter 47, showingboth its size and its living giving qualities.

And then the Lord will be king over the whole earth.

Background

• What are the small things of your faith, that trouble you?

• How might you be able to focus on the greater things that canground your faith?

• What does it mean for you that "the Lord will become king overall the earth" (v. 9)?