HE THAT IS FEEBLE
Zechariah 12:7 The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah. 8 In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them.
We have previously looked at The Tents of Judah in verse seven, so we come now to look at the eighth verse. And we would be reminded that these things are issues designated to happen In that day! That is, these things are spiritual properties of the then, coming church age! These shall happen after the Lamb of God has finished the transgression and established his Lordship over all the world! (Daniel 9:24; Hebrews 1:3).
In the first part of verse eight we find that the Lord shall triumph FOR them! This is also carried forth in verse nine. And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
Psalm 41:11 By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me. The Lord designed the sheep to represent his people, for it has no claws like the bear, biting poison like the serpent, striking tails like the scorpion, nor crushing jaw like the lion! The only protection for the sheep is their shepherd! His determination to protect them, seen in the very experiences of their lives, is of great assurance of his favor.
Then in the latter part of verse eight we find that the Lord will triumph IN them! And this is also extended in verse ten! And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
And both of these are works of the Holy Spirit! For he is said to be both with, to protect, and in the individual believers, to purge, cleanse and guide! John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Now the King James Bible uses a word of translation that doesn’t give the strength of the next statement from the LORD, concerning his dealings with them in this church age. For it reads, and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; It’s that Hebrew word, here translated feeble to which we refer. For it is first mentioned in our Bibles in Leviticus 26:37, and translated as, and they shall fall. Then in 1 Samuel 2:4 we find it in English as, and they that stumbled.
Therefore we do not find the meaning to be, “Your weak guys shall be as strong as David!” That would be as if David was the image into which we all should be formed! And that would imply that David was strong in himself!
But since we see it not as just feeble, but as those who stumble, we find it to really have meaning of the wonderful and gracious forgiveness and cleansing of sin by the Lord, as when David fell! The spiritual kingdom of Lord Christ shall provide a perfect redemption, by his blood, that the bloods of bulls and goats could never sustain! Hebrews 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Revelation 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
For in Christ there is not merely forgiveness, but cleansing! 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. For the atonement having then been accomplished, shall to them all be applied! And it includes the imputing to God their sin, and the imputing to them of the very righteousness of God Himself! 2 Cor. 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Revelation 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
But why should they be allowed to stumble if they are the Lord’s elect? Listen to Daniel 11:35, which uses that exact same Hebrew word, which we will underline for you. And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.
Dear Reader, make no mistake about it; sin is used of God to cause grace to abound! Romans 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: Sin is, of itself damning, and destroys! Sin, of itself, is not good! But the Sovereign Lord causes it to work together for good! (Rom. 8:28).
For the ability to stumble causes the necessity of God’s chastisement! And that chastisement is of great evidence of the love of the Father! Hebrews 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Listen to the Psalmist after he sees the benefit of his chastisements. Psalm 119:67 Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. 75 I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. (Read also Psalm 32.)
Now we come in our verse to read, the house of David shall be as God! The Lord Jesus Christ is said to be the son of David (Matt. 1:1). That is, he was born of woman. He is as much the Son of man as he is the Son of God! Therefore the LORD is revealing to the Prophet Zechariah that in the new kingdom there shall not only be stumbling sinners given the benefits of forgiveness like David, but there shall also be a human, in the line of David, that actually shall be God Himself!
Consider these verses: John 10:30 I and my Father are one.14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Phil. 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Jesus Christ is very man and very God! And he is as the angel of the LORD before them. He is God manifested in the flesh! And that angel of the LORD was seen to rule over all in Zechariah 1:11. He was seen to intercede in Zechariah 1:12. He was seen to rebuke Satan and cloth his people in righteousness in Zechariah 3:1-5.
The Apostle Paul reveals that the angel of the LORD is none other than Christ Jesus! Galatians 4:14 And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
Revelation 5:12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
Pastor Gene Breed
June 17, 2011
