I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them. I hope that the Spirit is moving in others through these posts as the Spirit has definitely been convicting me.

     Zechariah prophecies the downfall of the countries surrounding Israel. He says that they think they are well defended, but they will be destroyed. The Philistines will be so terrified by the coming destruction that they will join with the people of Israel in order to enjoy the protection of God. God will watch over His people and will ensure that no more foreign oppressors overrun their land. God will send their king and He will come riding on a donkey. The King will come to bring peace. God will destroy the weapons of war and free the captives. God will rescue His people and bring peace to the world.

     The writer describes how in his vision he saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns. He was told that she was a prostitute who rules over many waters. The kings of the world had committed adultery with her and the people who belonged to this world had become drunk on the wine of her immorality. The heads and the horns represent kings who will give their power to the beast. The kings will give their power to the beast and together they will go to war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will defeat them. The horns and the scarlet beast will turn on the woman and destroy her.
     There is a lot of symbolism in this passage, most of which I have no idea how to interpret. However, there is one message that I see that some people should take to heart. The woman represents a nation that has ruled over the world by trade and negotiation. She has gained her power, at least in part, by giving to the peoples of the world things that they desire. Nevertheless, they hate her. I am not a big fan of attempting to apply these prophetic passages to modern politics. I generally believe that God does not call us to be involved in politics. However, I think there is a message here that applies to the modern U.S.. If any country in the world today were to qualify as the prostitute from this vision, it would be the U.S.. The U.S. has spread immorality throughout the world in the form of our culture. Despite the fact that many throughout the world have (from a worldly perspective) benefited from their relationship with the U.S., they still hate the U.S.. Ultimately the lesson to be learned from this is that we was Christians are not to be in the business of building up kingdoms in this world. We are instead to put our energy into building up the kingdom of the One who said, “My kingdom is not of this world.”

     I will praise the Lord. I will meditate on God’s majestic splendor and wonderful miracles. I will be one of His faithful followers and praise Him. I will speak of the glory of His Kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven. I will not give my loyalty to any kingdom or nation of this world, but only to God Himself and His Kingdom. The Lord lifts those bent under the burden of their loads and helps the fallen. The Lord is righteous and I will call on Him. He will protect me and provide for me.

     Forgive me Lord for my pride and the evil I have plotted.