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Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s word on Bibleline, everywhere, every time. Here God’s truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida. Clearly declaring the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the Internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the air. You can reach us till Friday. You can reach us toll free at 1-800-576-3771. One line donations may be made through the Bibleline website at calvaryoftampa.org.

We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ and that today’s first part of this two part message will be a blessing to you and your family. Turn in your Bible to the book, go Zechariah. Zechariah. See, I know where you’re going. Oh, no, you don’t. Zachariah is a good book. Lot of good stuff in it. It talks a little bit about the nations and how they deal with the nation of Israel. Did you know that as you study the Bible, you can know an awful lot about God by how He deals with the nations and how they deal with Israel.

I believe that’s important for us to know because of the times in which we live. I mentioned to you some time back that it wouldn’t surprise me that very soon America will not stand with Israel as they should. And if you listen to anything in the news, you’ll know that that day has arrived. And I believe that there’s going to be some dark things happen. But I feel like you just got to warn people. And even though I may teach on it here and people may listen on the website, I know that eventually it’ll be on radio.

So I’m always concerned about the things that I say. I try to keep as many of my sermons as generic as possible so that you don’t have to edit too much of the stuff out. So I do that purposely. Zechariah, and I want you to look there in chapter 7, Zechariah chapter 7. And look there in verse 8, Zechariah chapter 7 in verse 8. And the word of the Lord came unto Zechariah, saying, Thus speak of the Lord of hosts, say, and execute true judgment, and show mercy and compassion, every man to his brother, and oppressed not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor.

Let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart. but they refused to harken and pulled away the shoulder and stopped their ears that they should not hear. Yea, they made their hearts as adamant stone, lest they should hear the law and the words which the Lord of Host hath sent in his spirit By the former prophets, therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of Host, because people don’t do what God says, and God chases. You know that, I know that.

Also remember that is true in your personal life, as well as concerning nations. promised to bless Israel for their obedience, and he would chase them with their disobedience, and that God would use different nations as a rod to thank His children. So He says here in verse 13, therefore it is come to pass that as He cried, and they would not hear. So they cried, and I would not hear, say, after Lord of Host. But I scattered them with a the world went among all the nations whom they knew not.

Thus the land was desolate after them that no man passed through nor returned, for they laid the pleasant land desolate. So So God says, I am going to Scatter my people about all the nations of the earth. And even to this day, you can find Jewish people in all the nations around the world. They’re in every country, they’re everywhere. God has scattered them. It says, smite the shepherd and the sheep will scatter. That has been done. Now look in verse three of chapter eight.

Thus saith the Lord, I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the mist of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth, and the mountain of the Lord of Host, the holy mountain.” Now God, looking into the future, says the day will come when I will well in Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be at peace. Jerusalem is going to have everything that I promised. So as you go through the book of Zechariah, you find some things mentioned that you have to understand that does pinpoint a couple prophecies in the future.

And it nails it for sure dead giveaways can’t be missed. But I want you to see what he says here first of all, because the Kingdom upon the earth is coming. The church is not Israel. The church is not spiritual Israel. The church is the church. Promises that God made to the nation of Israel will be kept. Don’t notice what he says in verse 4, Thus saith the Lord of Hosts. There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem.

Every man with his staff in his hand for very age and the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof. In other words, there’s going to be a time when they don’t have to worry about somebody lobbing some rockets over into Israel. The Lord is going to be here and the Lord is going to take care of everything. And so he says down there in verse 8, and I will bring them and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.

And this part I really like, and they shall be my people. And I will be their God in truth and in righteousness. Now, there’s a promise that God has made. You see, God is going to deal with the Gentile nations of the world, even the image that Daniel saw of the Gentile nations. God says that he’s going to deal with all the nations according to how they dealt with Israel. And And so are we living at a time when it looks like the majority of the nations of the world are turning against Israel because they are, even America?

Now they may not think that that’s important, but God will curse those that curse Israel and He’ll bless those that bless Israel. Look what he says. He says in verse 13, And it shall come to pass that as you were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel. So will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing. Fear not, let your hands be strong, for thus saith the Lord of hosts, as I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath?

Sayeth the Lord of hosts and I repented not? So again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Fear you not. So God says that I am once again going to establish my vow, my covenant with Israel. I am going to bless you, where at one time you were a curse. I’m going to bless you. And then He says down here in verse 20, thus saith the Lord of hosts, it shall yet come to path.

See, the things haven’t happened yet, but it’s going to take place. Then look what he says in verse 22, yet many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to pray before the Lord. So God says the day will come when the nations of the world will go up to Jerusalem to worship. People from all the various nations are going to go worship in Jerusalem. That means the nations of the world are going to be…

Believers, the Lord’s going to be here. He made a lot of promises of all these things that’s going to take place. But that hasn’t happened yet. And as it says that the prophets in the Old Testament, it says they had a hard time discerning between the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. So they knew that there was going to be a suffering for the Messiah, and there’s going to be the glory of the Messiah, but they couldn’t figure out the timing on it.

Well look there in chapter 9 of the book of Zechariah, and look there in verse 9. And you tell me, is this the first time he comes or the second time he comes? Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion, shout, O daughter of Jerusalem, Behold thy king, cometh unto thee. He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding upon an ass and upon a colt, the fold of an ass. Now you think that happened the first time is going to happen the second time.

It happened the first time he came. And so there’s scriptures that tells us that this happened and in Matthew chapter 21 it took place. Now this is a prophecy about what’s going to take place in the future. So we know that these other scriptures are also dealing with this issue about the Lord and Christ and several places you’ll find in the book of Zechariah about him being called the righteous branch, the branch. He is the tender plant that grows up, He is the root and the offspring of David.

But He is the righteous branch. There’s no sin in Him. This is talking about Jesus Christ Himself. And down in verse 14, it talks about there’s coming a time when the Lord is going to blow the trumpet. There’s going to be a gathering together of God’s people. There’s going to be a trumpet blown and And there will be called to battle that’s going to take place. Now, as you go through and you read all of this, you’ll find out there’s some very interesting things mentioned.

I’ll look there in chapter 11 of the book of Zachariah. And look what he says there in verse 11. And it was broken in that day. And so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the Lord. Now the word of the Lord, I believe the word is a reference to Jesus Christ as you find in the book of Isaiah in chapter 55. But look what he says in verse 12, And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price, and if not for bear, So they wade for my price, thirty pieces of silver.

And the Lord said unto me, Cast it unto the potter, a goodly price that I was prized out of them, and I took the thirty pieces of silver and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord.” You ever heard of that happening before? I wonder when that took place. The first time or the second time is going to happen, the first time he came. So there’s references here in the book of Zechariah about Christ coming, and yes, he does die, and he makes a payment for the sins of the world.

But not everything was fulfilled at this time. There are other scriptures, other prophecies that talks about when He comes back to rule and to reign. So in verse 16 He says, For though I will raise up a shepherd in the land, but this is not the same shepherd as Christ. This is a false shepherd. This is the antichrist. And so that is going to take place. Now look there in chapter 12 of Zechariah, and look in verse one, because we’re talking about it, and it keeps saying in that day, in that day, in that day.

So that means it’s doing a particular period of time upon the earth. The burden of the word of the Lord for Israel, sayeth the Lord, which stretcheth forth the heavens and layeth the foundations of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him. Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege, both against Judah and against Jerusalem. There’s a little phrase here, talked about all the people, all the people, all the people.

You see, it’s mentioned down there again in verse three where he says, and in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all the people. All that burdened themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. So it looks like God see has sent His people into all these nations and now God is going to judge those nations. Because of the way they treated his people. Now you say, is this important?

This is very important. Because we’re going to look at a portion of Scripture in just a minute that will make a little bit more sense when you understand where it’s coming from, when Christ makes a few statements. So the people were scattered into all the nations and the nations have mistreated God’s people, for whatever reason. But because they were God’s people, God says, I’m still going to bless those that bless them, and I’m going to curse those that curse them.

Now I only try to teach the book the way it is, but I don’t understand some things. But what I want you to see there is in verse 8 of chapter 12, 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. Remember how David, even though he was young, went up against Goliath. And there’s a time coming when it seems like Israel is going to be totally overwhelmed because of the power, the might of the enemy.

And is God going to take even the feeble? And he’s going to have, he’s going to be like David. and do great exploits, as it says in the book of Daniel. And get what he says here, shall be at that day, shall be as David, and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them. And now look in verse nine, go down to line verse nine in this chapter. It shall come to pass in that day that I will seek to get this, destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

Now isn’t it true that God says I will gather all nations against Jerusalem and then God says I’m going to destroy these nations who come against Jerusalem. But why is he doing that? Because of their treatment of his people. Now if the Bible is true and I believe it’s true then And there’s a God in heaven that’s looking down and knows exactly what’s going on. If the nations of the world had their way, they would totally destroy Israel. Very few nations are willing to protect Israel.

Remember whenever Hitler killed about six million Jews, Israel says, never again, never again, who would have ever thought that because of what happened and all those ovens and all the gas chambers and what they did to God’s people, that people would ever allow something like that to happen again. Did you know just by the mere fact of Obama making a statement that he did about going back to the 67th June war and making the boundaries back to that Israel would have no means of defense.

They would not be able to defend themselves. But I personally don’t think he cares one lick whether Israel is or is not able to survive. That’s my humble opinion. I don’t believe he cares anything about Israel. He has made overtures over and over and over again to all the Muslim nations, the Arab nations. And I’m not making this up. If you do anything as far as the news, you ought to know that it’s true.

But he says, I’m going to destroy the nations that come against Jerusalem. Now look at verse 10. And I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and of supplication. They shall look upon me whom they have pierced.” Now when he talks about here, I will pour out upon the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace. There’s a verse that I just hold to place right here, but just turn back there to you left.

And there’s a scripture that says they’re in Zechariah chapter 4. Look in Zechariah chapter 4. It’s because of what God is going to do. Doesn’t matter whether Israel deserves it or don’t deserve it. Whether the nations of the world don’t think they ought to be chastened, whatever the reasons. In verse 6 it says, then he answered and spake unto me, saying, this is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying not by might because Israel will have none, not by power because they won’t have none.

But by my spirit, sayeth the Lord of Host, you see, it’s going to be the Lord Himself. It’s when Christ comes back in power and great glory that He takes vengeance upon all the nations that have come against Jerusalem. And look there in verse 7 where He makes this statement, Who art thou great mountain before the rubble thou shalt become a plane? And he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shouting, crying, grace, grace, grace, grace. And then he talks about over here in Zechariah in chapter 12 and verse 10, the spirit of grace.

Israel does not deserve what God’s going to do for Israel. God’s going to do it because God loves Israel. Now look what he says, and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced. They’re going to see the one they pierced. So we know this verse has to be after the first coming. It has to be when he comes back the next time. And so whenever you go over there and you look there in chapter 13, you’ll notice in verse six.

He says, and one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? And he shall answer those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. That’s when he came the first time. Now look in verse one of chapter 14. Behold the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. In verse two, for I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle God going to do that. But why is he going to do that?

Because of the way they treated his people when they were scattered upon the face of the earth. Then he says, and the city shall be taken. The house rifle, the women ravish, and half of the city shall go forth in the captivity. The residents of the people shall not be cut off from off the the city. Then in verse three, then shall the Lord, L-O-R-D Lord, this is when he comes back in power and great glory at the end of the tribulation period.

And if God does not come back when he comes back, there will no flesh be left alive, there will be no hope for Israel, there will be totally annihilated. And they do not deserve to be saved, but God going to do it, talking about physical destruction. But when they see him, I believe that Israel Israel will be leave on him because it says they shall be saved as in a day. And in the book of Romans in chapter 11, and then it says in verse 4, he says, And his feet shall stand that day upon the mount of olives, and it will cleave in the mist, part to the north, part to the south, and a great river will run through it.

And it says that that river is going to flow, I believe, right on into the dead sea, and You go be a great fountain and God says that the dead sea will not be dead anymore. See there in verse 8, and it shall be in that day, living water shall go out from Jerusalem, half of them toward the former sea and half of it toward the hinders sea. In summer and in winter shall it be and the Lord shall be king over all the earth.

In that day shall there be one Lord and His name one. you know, we take great pride in being the melting pot of the world. Everybody can come here from all nations and enjoy the bounties of America. But did you know our founding fathers, even though they opened up the doors of immigration, people can come to this great country? All the religions of the world were supposed to be under the umbrella of Christianity. This was one nation under God, one God, the God of Israel, Jehovah, one God.

And there’s to be this protection. This is why they started all the colleges and universities all founded to teach the principles of Christianity so that we could preserve this nation. And when When people came from other countries, they were not deposed to teach everything contrary to what we teach and what we believe. But anyway, that’s another sermon for another time. I want you to look down there now in verse 11. In verse 11, there’s a time coming when the Lord Himself will be here, the King will be upon the earth.

And it says in verse 11, and men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction. But Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited safely. And this shall be the play where the Lord will smite all the people that are fought against Jerusalem. Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet and their whole eyes shall consume away in their holes and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. And it shall come to pass in that day that a great tumult from the Lord shall be among them.

This is what God’s going to do. Now he says he’ll state it up there and he comes back to fighting and his feet will touch upon the Mount of Olives and it cleaves in the mist. then he goes back and says, now this is what’s going to happen. So as you read this, you can have an understanding. But look what he says in verse 14, and Judah, also shall fight at Jerusalem and the wealth of all the heathen, round about shall be gathered together, the gold, the silver, the paral and the great abundance, and so forth.

Look in verse 16, and it shall come to pass that everyone that is left, get this, everyone that is left of all the nations which come against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the king, the Lord of Host, and to keep the feast of tabernacle. So this is what’s going to take place. Now, take your Bible and turn to the book of Matthew. The book of Matthew and chapter 25. in view of all that I have said, I believe it’s the key to understanding the judgment of the nations.

Now look at verse 31, when the son of man, talking about Christ, shall come in his glory at the end of the tribulation period, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory. That’s what he says. And before him shall be gathered, what? All nations. Now, there’s going to be this great judgment. He comes back and he’s talking about destroying all these nations. He’s going to destroy every nation that came against Jerusalem.

But it says, I’m going to gather all nations against Jerusalem. Boy, there’s a big day of reckoning common. So the new king of the new millennium is going to be ruling in Jerusalem. And now he says he’s going to separate the sheep from the goats. Now as a shepherd separates sheep from the goats, he says he’s going to do this with nations. So the nations are there and there’s sheep nations and goat nations. And then as individuals, So it does look like it’s a little confusing and I’ll have to admit it’s a little difficult sometimes to put all this together.

You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida, with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. Part two of this teaching will conclude with tomorrow’s broadcast. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area. by Dye-Ling-Toll-Free, 1-800-576-3771. That’s 1-800-576-3771. If you wish to hear today’s program again or would like to download a free MP3 of today’s or any previous Bibleline program, go to BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the spinning globe in the upper right corner of our homepage.

If you’re in the area, we welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. Our Sunday morning services begin at 1030 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by going to our church website, calvaryoftampa.org. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline and now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friends, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound. We will be changed. Caught up to meet the Lord in the air.

So live today and every day. Believing that the Lord is coming soon. And just keep looking up.