Fleeing the Shepherd

All the times in my life where I feel I have been absent from God are where I can confirm I have betrayed Him. Just as Peter denied Christ at the time when his own life was at stake, often when confronted with fear despair and the unknown we fall back into comforts and attempt to protect ourselves.

Vulnerable Sheep

God knows this about us and understands we are vulnerable to temptation. We are often in our lives vulnerable to the temptations we have set for ourselves.

Zechariah ministered during the restoration period after the exile of the Israelites. During this time the people of Israel were vulnerable to attacks and were not at the height of power as when David or Solomon were king.

When a country is vulnerable they will make alliances with others to protect themselves. How often does this compromise get Israel into trouble?

How did that work against Peter when he was offered the ability to prophecy to who was being crucified?

When we are vulnerable or in fear, our temptation is to protect our family and ourselves. When do we realize we have strayed away from our protector because we are incapable of protecting ourselves?

Zechariah 13:1 NKJV

“In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.

Zechariah 13:2 NKJV

“It shall be in that day,” says the Lord of hosts, “that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they shall no longer be remembered. I will also cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to depart from the land.

Zechariah 13:3 NKJV

It shall come to pass that if anyone still prophesies, then his father and mother who begot him will say to him, ‘You shall not live, because you have spoken lies in the name of the Lord.’ And his father and mother who begot him shall thrust him through when he prophesies.

Zechariah 13:4 NKJV

“And it shall be in that day that every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies; they will not wear a robe of coarse hair to deceive.

Zechariah 13:5 NKJV

But he will say, ‘I am no prophet, I am a farmer; for a man taught me to keep cattle from my youth.’

Zechariah 13:6 NKJV

And one will say to him, ‘What are these wounds between your arms?’ Then he will answer, ‘Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.’

Zechariah 13:7 NKJV

“Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, Against the Man who is My Companion,” Says the Lord of hosts. “Strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered; Then I will turn My hand against the little ones.

Zechariah 13:8 NKJV

And it shall come to pass in all the land,” Says the Lord, “That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, But one-third shall be left in it:

Zechariah 13:9 NKJV

I will bring the one-third through the fire, Will refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; And each one will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’ ”

Are You among the Scattered?

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. You may say that you would stand up to the Romans during the crucifixion or that you would stand up to the religious leaders but when confronted with your own life, will you prophesy the words of God about the true Shepherd?

The scattered sheep are the ones who were once following the Shepherd. You cannot be scattered from the Shepherd if you were not once near to Him.

The great apostasy spoken of is coming.

When confronted by others of whom you are following will you stand firm for your faith?

Bring in the Sheep

God declares that He will bring a remnant through the fire to be tested and refined. Why does God lead us through this fire? Through the testing only does a free willed person truly show their hearts content. When we knew we were fallen away from God, we searched for His grace. We searched for a way back to His love and understanding.

God’s message is for the world. He knows there will be many who turn away from that message. But for those who stay the course and return their mouths and utterances to serving God, He refines them to be the image of His son, Jesus Christ.