Wed.’s Devo - Jeshua, Our High Priest

Read: Zechariah 2:1-3:10; Revelation 12:18-13:18; Psalm 141:1-10; Proverbs 30:18-20 Chapter two is the measuring of Jerusalem. Jerusalem figuratively means the future Jewish nation which would one day include the Gentiles. God said it would one day be so full of people and livestock that there wouldn’t be room enough for everyone. There would be many would would live outside the city walls. God’s fire would be a protective wall around the city and his glory would stay inside the city. In the city was a picture of the “secret place” mentioned in Psalm 91 for God’s people. In Chapter three, the angel showed Zechariah the high priest whose name was Jeshua. He stood for Jesus and the saints. As Jesus, we are taken through what happened when he appeared in heaven after his crucifixion. He was bearing the sins of everyone for all the ages so he was wearing sinful clothes. Satan accused him of the sins of mankind but God rejected Satan’s accusations. God clothed him in clothes of the High Priest of heaven. Then God sent his army to wage war on Christ’s enemies. Jeshua also stood for the ones that found salvation in Jesus. Satan stood to accuse the saints of God and God came to their defense. The saints were given new clothes. All of this is confirmed in the book of Revelation. God even told Zechariah to tell Jeshua, the high priest at the time that he and his priests were symbols of things to come. Soon he would bring the Branch - Jesus with the seven spirits of God to remove the sins of this land in a single day. Each would enjoy the fruit of their own salvation. In Revelation, the dragon took his place on the land and the beast gave his origin to the seas. The beast had seven leaders of ten nations of authority. The beast looked like a leopard, had the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion. It gave the beast its power and position and authority. One of the leaders got wounded fatally but was healed. The whole world were in awe of his miracle and worshiped the beast. They worshiped the dragon who gave the beast its power. The beast spoke great lies against God for 42 months (3 and 1/2 years). He waged war on God’s people and led over everyone on the earth. Those who did not worship God, worshiped the beast. Another beast came out of the earth with two horns like those of a limb but he was of the dragon. He ruled the first beast and required all the earth and its people to worship the first beast. He did astounding miracles to deceive the people. He ordered a statute to be built of the first beast who had come back to life and the statute was given the ability to speak. (This sounds like a clone to me.) He required the people to take his mark in their right hand or in their head. Without it they would not be able to buy or sell anything. The number that represented the beast was 666. Lord, help us to understand the days we are living in so that we are not deceived.