Readings for today: Zechariah 1-4, Psalms 60
Walls were incredibly important in the ancient world. They marked out the boundaries of a particular city. They provided security for those living within them. They protected the water supply and food stores. In fact, your community didn’t qualify as a “city” unless it was surrounded by a wall. If you were to set out to build a city in the ancient world, the very first thing you would do is build your wall. Often made of sun-dried mud and brick, you would try to build it as high and as deep as possible. Jericho, among the oldest cities in the world, has the oldest defensive wall in existence and it was a monster. Thirteen feet high and six feet wide, backed by a twenty-eight foot watchtower. They were sloped in order to make it difficult to scale if you were an opposing army. A few years ago, I stood on those walls and looked out over the modern day city of Jericho. Truly amazing.
Perhaps that’s why a line in today’s reading stuck out to me. Zechariah 2:4-5. “The angel said to him, “Run and tell this young man: Jerusalem will be inhabited without walls because of the number of people and animals in it.” The declaration of the Lord: “I myself will be a wall of fire around it, and I will be the glory within it.” At first blush, this is not a message Zechariah wants to hear. A city without walls? A city laid vulnerable before her enemies? A city without protection? No thanks! It wouldn’t matter how large it was or how many people lived within it, if she didn’t have a wall, they would be an easy target for their enemies. But the Lord isn’t done. He will be their wall. He will be their protection. He will be their security. They have nothing to fear for He will keep out their enemies. Not only that but He will be their glory. This image will be echoed later on the final Book of Revelation where the Apostle John talks about there not being a need for a sun or a moon for the glory of the Lord will be the light of the heavenly Jerusalem.
What does God want us to learn here? He wants us to lean on Him for our security. Lean on Him for protection. Lean on Him when we are anxious or afraid. As powerful as they were, the walls of Jericho were destroyed and rebuilt many times over. The same was true for every single city in the ancient near east. No matter how big your army or how technologically advanced your weaponry or how wealthy your nation might be, all of them fell into ruin. All of them are eventually overcome by an enemy more powerful and more advanced. The same is true for us. We can do all we can to keep ourselves safe. Protect our health and wealth and those we love. We can store up millions in retirement accounts. Exercise every single day. Get enough sleep. Eat well. Take supplements. Utilize our access to the best doctors and medical care in the world. None of it will extend our lives a single day longer than what God has already ordained. Much better to trust the Lord. To let God take care of our lives. To let Him be the wall of fire that surrounds us and the glory that lives inside us. With God providing our eternal security, we are set free to live completely and fully for Him.
Readings for tomorrow: Zechariah 5-8, Psalms 61