Readings for today: Zechariah 1-7
It was hard waking up this morning to the gross injustice suffered by yet another African-American. The death of Breonna Taylor is not just tragic it is evil and unjust. It should never happen. The rioting and violence in the wake of the decision is also not just tragic. It cannot be justified in any way. It is evil and unjust and hurts the innocent. Whether it is the police officers or bystanders caught in the crossfire or it is the homes and businesses that suffer damage as people vent their outrage. Violence only begets more violence. Hatred only leads to more hate. Anger cannot bring about the righteousness of God.
Perhaps you’re like me and you’ve wondered why in the world God would ever want to make His home on earth? Why would God want anything to do with us? Why would God not just wipe us out and start all over? He’s certainly justified. Man’s inhumanity to man knows no bounds. Evil seems to run amok. Sin corrupts all it touches. The history of the human race is a violent one and little, if any, progress seems to have been made. Ultimately, I have no idea what motivates God to continue to reach our in faithfulness to the creature He made in His own image. I only know it is true. It is what the Bible clearly teaches. From the opening pages of Scripture, God’s desire is clear. He longs to walk with humanity. He longs to work in and through us to bring blessing to all He has made. He has given us dominion - not so we will “dominate” - so much as we will serve and care for all of creation. It is why God planted a Garden at the dawn of time. It is why God builds a Tabernacle in the wilderness. It is why God constructs a Temple in Jerusalem. It’s why God rebuilds that Temple when the exiles return.
Listen to how the prophet Zechariah describes it, “Cry out, Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion. And I am exceedingly angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was angry but a little, they furthered the disaster. Therefore, thus says the Lord, I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; my house shall be built in it, declares the Lord of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem. Cry out again, Thus says the Lord of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem…And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand! Then I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.” And behold, the angel who talked with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him and said to him, “Run, say to that young man, ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and livestock in it. And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the Lord, and I will be the glory in her midst.” (Zechariah 1:14-17, 2:1-5)
God will dwell with His people. Of that we can be sure. We see it so clearly in the Old Testament. We see it even more clearly in the New Testament. Jesus Christ. The Eternal, Only Begotten Son of God. The Incarnate Word Himself. Leaves His home in the heavenly dimension and comes to earth. He becomes flesh and blood and makes His dwelling among us. The original Greek literally says Jesus “tabernacles” among us! It takes your breath away. God with us. God for us. God drawing near to us. Even in our sin. Even as we wallow in violence and evil and suffering and pain. God draws near. Now matter what we have done or where we have been or what mess we find ourselves currently in. God draws near. No matter how unjust or oppressive or divided or broken our nation becomes. God draws near. Even in Breonna Taylor’s apartment. God drew near. Even in the courtroom where a miscarriage of justice took place. God drew near. Even in the streets in the midst of the riots and protests. God draws near. While we were still enslaved to sin, God drew near. He spread out His hands. He was nailed to a cross. He took all the sin and evil of the world on His shoulders. Our only hope, friends, in this broken and messed up and unjust world in which we live is that God is near.
Readings for tomorrow: Zechariah 8-14