Zechariah 4:6 – So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.”

Every ministry wishes it had more financial resources, but we must reach a level of maturity where we recognize that God can accomplish as much as He wants regardless of our material assets. We do not need to beg for money or sponsors in order to accomplish things for God.

Perhaps we are personally destitute and must beg for our own food, but the New Testament says in such cases a man should work at regular labor to earn a living. We should never have to ask for money for God’s Work. “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit.”  All ministries should learn to operate within their means so that they do not have to ask anyone for money. Whatever we have the ability to do, we can do as the Lord directs. If God has not already provided the means to accomplish something, then it may not be His will for us to do it – or, He intends for us to pray for the task to reach completion by a series of miracles. Many people have locked into the mentality that praying for miracles to sustain the ministry means God will miraculously provide generous donors – that is, money. Is it not possible that God could accomplish His Great Work without any money, but rather by other miraculous interventions? Is that not the pattern in the Bible? Where in the Bible did God accomplish a step in His project by providing money? Is there any example? Peter found a coin in the mouth of the fish to pay an unrighteous religious tax, not to advance the Kingdom of God.

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Jerusalem A Heavy Stone

Zechariah 12:3 (NIV) – “On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves.”

Jerusalem is one of the most well known cities in the Bible.  It is mentioned many times in both the Old and New Testaments.  Before the Israelites entered the Promised Land, the city was under the control of the Jebusites (a tribe of Canaanites) who called it “Jebus” rather than “Jerusalem.”  The Jebusites were one of the seven nations that God drove out of the Promised Land before the Israelites.  This was all part of the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham.

It was near here that Abraham received a substitute to sacrifice to save his son Isaac.  It was from here that the mysterious figure Melchizedek brought spiritual blessings to Abraham, with bread and wine.  It was here that God had always planned for his Temple to be built, and for His Son Jesus to reign in majesty.

Throughout history Jerusalem has been the site of many famous battles.  In general Israel has been placed in the middle of a lot of global events throughout history,  Israel has passed through the hands of many famous, now fallen, empires.  At one point it was under the control of the Babylonians, later the Perisans, Greeks, and Romans.  In the case of the Romans, the prophetic words of Jesus proved true when He said “not one stone will be left upon another” (Matthew 24:2).  This happened in 70 AD when the Romans destroyed the city.  After that time, until 1948, Israel was without a homeland of their own, scattered abroad.

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Zechariah 3:1-7 - “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. The Lord said to Satan, ‘The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?’

“Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.”  Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you.” Then I said, ‘Put a clean turban on his head.’ So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the Lord stood by.  The angel of the Lord gave this charge to Joshua: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘If you will walk in my ways and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here…’ ”

Joshua in his filthy garments represents man in his natural state (all are sinners and fall short of the glory of God – Romans 3:23). The filthy garments speak of our lives stained by sin and its consequences, causing man to live in disarray, without peace and without aim. Clothes refer to our testimony or overall lifestyle. Jesus said, “Be dressed and ready for service…” (Luke 12:35); see also Revelation 3:18, where he said, “Buy from me white garments for you to wear...”

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