Resources: Gospel of John

by Rev. Blane Young [DCXA at AU]

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1-Page Book Intro: Malachi [Blog]

by Alexis Faubel [DCXA at AU]

Malachi served as a prophet from around 430 BC. He was the last Old Testament prophet, and was one of the post-exilic (post exile) prophets to Judah - the southern kingdom of Israel divided after King Solomon’s death. Malachi’s role was to confront the people of Judah in Jerusalem with their sins, and to help restore their relationship with God.

Malachi confronted the people because of their neglect of the temple, and their false worship. He wrote this account with questions dramatically asked by God and His people, showing us that literary styles add to our overall experience, and help our understanding of different books of The Bible.

The main themes of this book can be divided between: God’s Love - even when His people ignore or disobey Him. The sin of the priests - they knew what God required, but their service was insincere and their sacrifices unworthy. The sin of the people - they had not learned the lesson of the Exile, or listened to the prophets because pride hardened their hearts. And the faithful few/ The Lord’s coming - The Messiah will come, and on that day it will be a day of comfort and healing for a faithful few.

Malachi fits in the larger narrative of the Bible giving us a testament of Israel’s unfaithfulness (and our own) that clearly shows the people to be worthy of punishment. However, throughout this message is hope - the possibility of forgiveness through the promise of the Messiah.

A key verse in Malachi is, “Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace… But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves.” (Malachi 4:1-2) This verse reminds us that there will be a day of judgment, but for those who choose to faithfully follow Him, the sun (Son) will provide healing, and freedom, and satisfaction. 

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Devotional: Zechariah 9-10 [Blog]

by Rev. Natalie Hill [DCXA at AU]

MONDAY STAFF DEVOTIONALS

Zechariah was written to Judah after they’d just returned from their exile.  They’d been prisoners in a foreign land for 70 years and were now looking for the promised Messiah and the rebuilding of their temple that had been destroyed.  Because of their pride, self-reliance, idol worship, and all around walking away from their Creator, God had punished them and allowed them to be captured by Babylon.  But He also said He’d remain faithful to the promise He made with them, that the temple would be rebuilt, and that the Savior of the world would come through Judah’s line.  Now that they’d returned to their homeland, they anxiously awaited this promised Messianic Kingdom

Chapters nine and ten give a glimpse of this Kingdom.  Some of the images were probably a bit cryptic to them:  “See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (9:9);  “He will proclaim peace to the nations.  His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth” (9:10); “From Judah will come the cornerstone, from him the tent peg, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler” (10:4).  They were looking for a great temple made from the richest resources and a ruler who’d govern the people from an earthly throne, but Zechariah was talking about their king riding in on a donkey and being Himself the cornerstone of the temple.

I imagine hearing these words, the people didn’t know what to think, expect, or even pray for.  Would their Messiah come as a warrior king like they expected?  Would He establish the earthly peace and prosperity of Jerusalem?  Spoiler:  He didn’t.  He came just as Zechariah said, riding into Jerusalem on a little donkey, only to be crucified a few days later.  There was no establishment of an earthly kingdom, and certainly no peace for the city of Jerusalem or the world for that matter.

In my own pride, I can create an image of the God I want in my own head.  I expect Him to show up a certain way or do something how I think it should be done (and then get upset when He doesn’t).  I wonder how many times I miss Him because I’m looking for the wrong thing.  Generations later, the ancestors of the very people who read Zechariah’s words ended up being the ones to kill their promised Messiah and miss out on the fulfillment of the covenant God made with them.

Maybe Zechariah’s point wasn’t about what it’d exactly look like (although the donkey thing is pretty darn specific), but the greater point that Jesus would bring hope for the world.  That they were prisoners to the Babylonians, and even more prisoners to their sin, but through Jesus they were now prisoners of hope (9:12).  That the Messiah wouldn’t necessarily shield us from earthly arrows but from the even more dangerous spiritual arrows of the enemy (9:15).  That more than earthly peace, we get to experience a peace that passes all understanding (9:10).

How often do I limit my understanding of the goodness of God and His promises because I’ve become satisfied with seeing through earthly eyes?  Thank you, Lord, that you know what’s best, in spite of me and my human mind.

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1-Page Book Intro: Zechariah [Blog]

by Rev. Toby Amodeo [DCXA at GU]

The book of Zechariah is a prophetic book written after the exile to Babylon. It deals with an important question the Israelites must have been asking: "Now what?"

Zechariah is a Levite born in Babylon during the exile. Once the Babylonian empire falls to the Persians, the new rulers allow the Jews to return home to Israel. Zechariah, along with the prophet Haggai, are among the first wave to go back. Together, they encourage the people to repent and rebuild the temple.

Earlier, the prophets told the people that though the exile would be longer than they anticipated (see Daniel), one day God would gather the Jews back to Israel. Then, God would restore the temple and send the messiah, a new King David, to lead a new Israel. Yet once the Israelites get back to Jerusalem, they're met with hardship. It seems as if none of God's promises come to pass. Zechariah clarifies what God is doing, while challenging the people to live differently than their ancestors and be faithful to Yahweh alone.

The book contains visions and prophecies likely written from around 520 BC until near the end of Zechariah's life. The book begins with eight visions, plus a bonus at the end. The visions begin with Zechariah encountering a messenger of God (an angel). The angel shows him a world that is quiet under the new Persian empire. Yet it won't stay that way - God is displeased with the superpowers of the world. He allowed them to conquer Israel to punish them for their disobedience, but God says they took it too far. Now, he'll send others to tear down Israel's oppressors.

Zechariah then goes on to describe Jerusalem being scrubbed clean by a scroll, transformed by God's Word. It will become a beacon to the nations, pointing them to the forgiveness and love of God, should they choose to humble themselves and receive it.

Next, Zechariah describes the role of two key leaders among the exiles. The first is Joshua, the high priest. He is called to point the people to God's forgiveness and lead them in purity. If he is faithful, Zechariah says, he'll lead the people as a symbol of the coming messianic king . The second ruler is Zerubbabel, heir to David's throne. Zechariah says the coming kingdom won't be a result of political maneuvering . Instead, the new kingdom will come as a result of God's Spirit moving in the world.

Zechariah avoids any mention of a timeline. He refuses to say exactly when this will happen, simply saying that the current generation of Israelites must be faithful to Yahweh. It's not about when the messiah will arrive, but how the people live until he does. God answers their question of "when?" with his own question: "When will you repent and put aside the ways of your ancestors and be faithful?

The end of the book clarifies this promise of the messiah. God will once again show care for Israel. Soon, He'll send his faithful servant to restore His kingdom. This servant-king will arrive humbly, riding on a donkey. He'll be rejected by God's people, but after that, will be adored. God will lead the people himself, sending on them a spirit of grace and repentance. The prophecies end by describing how, in the new kingdom, God's presence surrounds and infuses everything.

Interestingly, Zechariah indicates that this whole messianic kingdom won't come unless the people remain faithful to God. This comes as a surprise to followers of Jesus - it sounds scandalous. How can God allow the Israelites, with their terrible track record of faithlessness, to have such a huge responsibility? And if we fast-forward in the story, Israel really doesn't remain faithful for very long. So why does the messiah ultimately come?

There's a lot to ponder here, and there are some things that take time to understand. However, when we examine the life of Jesus, we see him fulfill the covenant God made with Israel. Jesus himself perfectly lives out God's commands by loving the Lord with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength, and by loving his neighbor as himself. Though the Israelites stumble over and over again, God remains committed to sending the savior. The Messiah doesn't come in the way the people expected. But Jesus' life and work began the growth of this new kingdom. In the already-not-yet nature of our faith, we know Jesus is already King. Now, he is implementing through us the kingdom Zechariah envisioned.

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