gods-glory

Snatched from the Fire, Zechariah 3

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Now, this is a great chapter. A great vision by prophet Zechariah of high priest Joshua, who is said to be wearing dirty clothes, with Satan next to him, but God responds that Joshua is a burning stick snatched from the fire, awesome… I’d like God to say that of me, wouldn’t you?

Snatched from the fire. 

Prophet Zechariah is motivating the return of the people who’ve been exiled in Babylon, now rebuilding Jerusalem, God’s chosen place. It’s time for the people to listen.

The vision of Zechariah of Joshua brings in great symbolism: fire-burned to saved, dirty to clean, sinful to saved, walking in obedience, the Lord’s house and court, and the best line “I will bring my servant, the Branch ” (ah yes, Jesus, Who speaks of Himself as the Vine in the new testament), and speaking of the removal of sin… ah yes salvation…

Joshua also is a name symbolizing Jesus, from Joshua with Moses, to this Joshua, the names Joshua and Jesus, from the same root, both mean “the one who saves” and “the Lord is salvation”…

When we think of ourselves, may we realize that we are snatched from the fire when we call Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We can’t get out of the fire ourselves but be snatched by God, we can’t change our dirty sins but we can be covered over by Jesus’s recovering, saved as seen clean. 

And the Lord says to Satan: “NOT this one…” So grateful…

Snatched from the Fire. Covered in Glory.

Amen

—

Zechariah 3 NIV

Clean Garments for the High Priest

Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?”

Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.”

Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you.”

Then I said, “Put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the Lord stood by.

The angel of the Lord gave this charge to Joshua: “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘If you will walk in obedience to me and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here.

“‘Listen, High Priest Joshua, you and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua! There are seven eyes on that one stone, and I will engrave an inscription on it,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will remove the sin of this land in a single day.

“‘In that day each of you will invite your neighbor to sit under your vine and fig tree,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

Jeremiah and Baruch Still Alive in Chapter Forty Five

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If you need a short word FROM the LORD, this is the perfect one: “I GOT YOU.“.

OH BARUCH, hired writer scribe for Jeremiah, was swept away in the turmoil of the day. The news writer and cameraman with a PRESS vest, the canary in the coal mine, and BARUCH. All God-gifted reporters.

Baruch was scared, cried out, and God specifically called him back, called to him through the prophet. God said: ‘I will give your life to you as a prize in all places, wherever you go.’ WOW!

God did give the best advice, which He tells us all the time: “Don’t seek great things for yourself!” Don’t get swept away with material flesh-serving lifestyles. Yes. God wants to bestow the goodness on us. And if God is doing correction to a situation (as He was to Israelites sneaking off to think they would prosper in Egypt rather than be captive to Babylon), then yes, let God protect you before He has to correct you. 

Let God protect you before He has to correct you.

Let God bless you and keep you.

Let God be the Glory.

Let God write YOUR (and HIS)STORY. 

AMEN

.

Assurance to Baruch -Jeremiah 45

The word that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch the son of Neriah, when he had written these words in a book at the instruction of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to you, O Baruch:  ‘You said, “Woe is me now! For the Lord has added grief to my sorrow. I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest.” ’

“Thus you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Behold, what I have built I will break down, and what I have planted I will pluck up, that is, this whole land. And do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I will bring adversity on all flesh,” says the Lord. “But I will give your life to you as a prize in all places, wherever you go.” ’ ”