don't get skewed

The Word for today:
Zechariah 9, 10

mark this: Zechariah 9:9-11

We must be careful not to limit Jesus to the Jesus we think we know. Towards that end, let's think about donkeys and charging white stallions.

In Zechariah 9:9, we see a picture of the Jesus we're accustomed to. He comes riding into town on a donkey, bearing salvation through a blood covenant. This is Jesus of the Gospels, who died to save our souls from the consequences of our sin. It is an astonishingly vivid prophecy:

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion!
Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and having salvation,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Then, without transition, in the next verse we see another side of the same person:

I will take away the chariots from Ephraim
and the war-horses from Jerusalem,
and the battle bow will be broken.
He will proclaim peace to the nations.
His rule will extend from sea to sea
and from the River to the ends of the earth.

That is Jesus of Revelation, the conquering King:

Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (Revelation 19:11-16)

Jesus is a man of peace, one way or the other.  The first time he arrived, he purchased peace with God:

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.  (Romans 5:1)

The second time he arrives, he will enforce the peace amongst men:

The hand of the LORD will be made known to his servants,

but his fury will be shown to his foes.

See, the LORD is coming with fire,

and his chariots are like a whirlwind;

he will bring down his anger with fury,

and his rebuke with flames of fire.

For with fire and with his sword

the LORD will execute judgment upon all men,

and many will be those slain by the LORD.  (Isaiah 66:14-16)

There might be too much donkey--and not enough war horse-- in your concept of Jesus. That skewed view is held by many in the church today.

Or there might be too much war horse and not enough donkey.  The church has, in other centuries, held that skewed view.

Don't get skewed by whatever age you live in or whatever church you attend.  Mount up, and travel all the way through scripture with the servant Jesus, with the conqueror Jesus.  From day to day, you will know his intentions by his ride.

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