Daily Reader's Bible - Flipbook - Page 13
Then the angel showed me Jeshua the high
priest standing before the angel of the LORD.
The Accuser, Satan, was there at the angel’s
right hand, making accusations against
Jeshua. And the LORD said to Satan, “I, the
LORD, reject your accusations, Satan. Yes, the
LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you.
This man is like a burning stick that has been
snatched from the fire.”
Jeshua’s clothing was filthy as he stood
there before the angel. So the angel said to
the others standing there, “Take off his filthy
clothes.” And turning to Jeshua he said, “See,
I have taken away your sins, and now I am
giving you these fine new clothes.”
Then I said, “They should also place a
clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean
priestly turban on his head and dressed him
in new clothes while the angel of the LORD
stood by.
Then the angel of the LORD spoke very solemnly to Jeshua and said, “This is what the
LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: If you follow
my ways and carefully serve me, then you
will be given authority over my Temple and
its courtyards. I will let you walk among these
others standing here.
“Listen to me, O Jeshua the high priest, and
all you other priests. You are symbols of things
to come. Soon I am going to bring my servant,
the Branch. Now look at the jewel I have set
before Jeshua, a single stone with seven facets.
I will engrave an inscription on it, says the
LORD of Heaven’s Armies, and I will remove
the sins of this land in a single day.
“And on that day, says the LORD of Heaven’s
Armies, each of you will invite your neighbor
to sit with you peacefully under your own
grapevine and fig tree.”
3
Then the angel who had been talking with me
returned and woke me, as though I had been
asleep. “What do you see now?” he asked.
I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand
with a bowl of oil on top of it. Around the bowl
are seven lamps, each having seven spouts
with wicks. And I see two olive trees, one on
each side of the bowl.” Then I asked the angel,
“What are these, my lord? What do they mean?”
“Don’t you know?” the angel asked.
“No, my lord,” I replied.
Then he said to me, “This is what the LORD
says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by
strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of
Heaven’s Armies. Nothing, not even a mighty
mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel’s way;
it will become a level plain before him! And
when Zerubbabel sets the final stone of the
Temple in place, the people will shout: ‘May
God bless it! May God bless it!’”
Then another message came to me from
the LORD: “Zerubbabel is the one who laid the
foundation of this Temple, and he will complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of
Heaven’s Armies has sent me. Do not despise
these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices
to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in
Zerubbabel’s hand.”
(The seven lamps represent the eyes of the
LORD that search all around the world.)
Then I asked the angel, “What are these two
olive trees on each side of the lampstand, and
what are the two olive branches that pour out
golden oil through two gold tubes?”
“Don’t you know?” he asked.
“No, my lord,” I replied.
Then he said to me, “They represent the two
anointed ones who stand in the court of the
Lord of all the earth.”
4
I SET MY KING ON THE THRONE IN JERUSALEM
Why are the nations so angry?
Why do they waste their time with futile plans?
The kings of the earth prepare for battle;
the rulers plot together
against the LORD
and against his anointed one.
“Let us break their chains,” they cry,
“and free ourselves from slavery to God.”
2
But the one who rules in heaven laughs.
The Lord scoffs at them.
Then in anger he rebukes them,
terrifying them with his fierce fury.
For the Lord declares, “I have placed my chosen king on the throne
in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain.”
8
[PSALM 2]
