TEN PROMISES
“And it shall come to pass that just as you were a curse among the nations,
O house o, Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you,
and you shall be a blessing. Do not fear, let your hands be strong”
(Zechariah 8:13).
Zechariah was a priest and prophet born into exile, who focused on the reconstruction of the temple. He centered his message on the spiritual transformation of the people. He used difficult language and unusual images, but the central theme of his book is that God has a better future for His faithful children. Zechariah reproached the Israelites for their sins, and he described the restoration as a result of obedience. He assures us that nothing we do for God goes unnoticed.
God is in control of everything; there is nothing to fear if we remain obedient. Honoring his name, which means “God Remembers,” Zechariah assures us that God has not forgotten us, that He keeps His promises, permits tribulation, invites us to have a dialog with Him, and gives us a vision of His coming. The eighth chapter of his book contains ten promises introduced with the phrase “Thus says the Lord,” to certify that they were trustworthy. God watches over us (see verse 2); He lives among us (see verses 4, 5), nothing is impossible for Him (see verse 6), He will save and reunite His people (see verses 7, 8), He will strengthen your hands; you will be a blessing (see verses 8—13), He calls for social justice (see verses 14—17); your mournful fasts will turn to joy (see verses 18, 19), your faith will be attractive to others (see verses 20—22), He will always be with you (see verse 23).
God’s divine plan was for the restored Israel to accept the glorious destiny He had prepared for them. They could have enjoyed material prosperity and spiritual power if they had worked in harmony with Heaven’s plans, but they did not obey the conditions to receiving the promise. God chose you as a spiritual Israel; you are in time to hear His voice, and to mend your ways before the time of grace concludes. “In every age there is given to men their day of light and privilege, a probationary time in which they may become reconciled to God. But there is a limit to this grace. Marcy may plead for years and be slighted and rejected; but there comes a time when mercy makes her last plea. The heart becomes so hardened that it ceases to respond to the Spirit of God. Then the sweet, winning voice entreats the sinner no longer, and reproofs and warnings cease. —The Desire of Ages, ch. 64 p. 587.
Pray that these ten promises might be fulfilled in your life.
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Taken from: Devotional Thoughts for Women 2023
“DAUGHTER OF MINE” Do Not Be Afraid
From: Arsenia Fernandez-Uckele
Collaborators: Angelica Cuate & Esteban Cortes