Judah is First

[whirlwind]

The Lord, through Zechariah, addressed Israel (all twelve tribes) so this concerns both the house of Israel and the house of Judah, Christians and Jews....


Zechariah 12:1-2 The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation 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.

• Judah are the Jews (house of Judah). However, Jerusalem isn't referring to the geographical location but rather people....God's people are Jerusalem. They are the house of Israel...Christians. The "burden of the word of the Lord" is for all of us...Jew, Christian and believing Gentiles. We are a "cup of trembling" to those who hate us.

12:3-5 And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness. And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the LORD of hosts their God.

• "People of the earth" are those without Christ, not yet of His kingdom, and they are ALL gathered against us, Jerusalem. (I haven't yet been shown what horses refer to so cannot comment on it.) The Jewish governors, leaders, know that Christians, who are the "inhabitants of Jerusalem," shall be the strength of the Jews...as it is today. We are strong allies. Notice that they are still blinded, still have not accepted Christ as the Messiah, for they say "their God," not our God.
  
  God refers to, I believe, the Three...Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They believe in the Lord, Yahveh, but not yet the Three.

12:6-8 In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem. The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah. 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; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them.

He goes before our brother Judah as He goes before us. He strengthens Judah and "they SHALL devour" their enemies. As Judah historically went forward first in battle so it shall be again. He saves "the tents of Judah first," meaning their tabernacles, their flesh bodies...the abode of their souls. Why Judah first? So we do not place ourselves above them!


The "house of David" refers to Zion, His holy mountain/nation....

• Joel 3:17 So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, My holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.

He dwells IN Zion, IN His very elect, IN His saints and they ARE Zion the manchild who was given birth by the woman Jerusalem...Christians, believers, the church. In the above we have His children....the house of Judah (Jews), the house of Israel (Christians/Jerusalem/all believers) and the house of David (Zion...the manchild), those in whom He dwells.


In "that day" there will be no more strangers in Jerusalem....those pretending to be of Christ, saying they are Christians but are deceivers, false prophets, false teachers...liars. No more! Jerusalem....Christianity shall then be "holy." In "that day," even the weak shall be strong.


The teaching in these verses that left me shaken...for I now see the unbelievable grace, wonder and majesty of His promise, is in..... the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them.


Truly seeing the meaning brought tears to my eyes. Those that are Zion, that are the house of David, that are the manchild.....ARE as God and Christ for they are perfected in this flesh life for that role.

• 1 John 4:11-13 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He hath given us of His Spirit.

[Adullam]

First the natural, then the spiritual!

[Adullam]

It is important and interesting to note that Judah is according to the flesh and Ephraim accoeding to the Spirit. These are the types of birth, both flesh and spirit.

However, there are 3 parts to man. There remains the soul to be won and conquered for the Lord. The book of Joshua is about the overcoming of the land (soul life) for God. Our souls are our promised land. Joshua was of Ephraim. We are then called to become converted into likeness of Christ...IN OUR CHARACTERS! We are to be broken and humble as a lowly servant. This is to allow Christ to reign fully in us.

THEN we shall be a witness for Judah.

[me2lord]

Very good whirlwind.   I am reading the same thing in the verses and are glad to see you post this.   There isn't much time left for us as we are going into the birth canal very soon,   and when all is completed against Israel for her sins against the Lord, he will come.   We are to remain faithful and trusting and the Lord will hear our prayers and answer us as we will be his people and he will be our God.

The dead will be raised up soon as the earth will give birth to her dead...and those who have believed in the Lord will be changed into eternal life...allelujah! 

I love your posting all the Lord is showing you in his word and sharing it with us all, because the day is drawing near.

And a new Dawn is coming....

In Christ's love

[cizz]

Blessings sister,

I found this on horses:

http://www.acts17-11.com/dialogs_horses.html

Horses are used in the main to represent a carnal strength, a trusting in flesh; relied on by the enemies of God to their peril. Along this line:

In the modern sense, a good equivalent for horses would be money. It is that which we put our confidence, our hope... outside of (or in competition with) the Lord.

Beyond "horses" in plural, a real, individual horse is used as a negative image of the spiritually dull person--along with the mule and donkey--as one who does not (or cannot) understand the will of the Lord.

[whirlwind]

Blessings sister,

I found this on horses:

http://www.acts17-11.com/dialogs_horses.html

Horses are used in the main to represent a carnal strength, a trusting in flesh; relied on by the enemies of God to their peril. Along this line:

In the modern sense, a good equivalent for horses would be money. It is that which we put our confidence, our hope... outside of (or in competition with) the Lord.

Beyond "horses" in plural, a real, individual horse is used as a negative image of the spiritually dull person--along with the mule and donkey--as one who does not (or cannot) understand the will of the Lord.

Thank you Cizz....I'm deep in study now searching for "horses and chariots."   The problem with the above definition is that there are also "horses and chariots" of God.  Both sides have them (actually...that phrase is how I'm begining my thread on that topic.) So, I may well use what you have provided but there is still more to discover.  So much to learn and so little time.  Please let me know anything else on this topic you discover....it is very appreciated.   

[cizz]

Blessings sister,

I found this on horses:

http://www.acts17-11.com/dialogs_horses.html

Horses are used in the main to represent a carnal strength, a trusting in flesh; relied on by the enemies of God to their peril. Along this line:

In the modern sense, a good equivalent for horses would be money. It is that which we put our confidence, our hope... outside of (or in competition with) the Lord.

Beyond "horses" in plural, a real, individual horse is used as a negative image of the spiritually dull person--along with the mule and donkey--as one who does not (or cannot) understand the will of the Lord.

Thank you Cizz....I'm deep in study now searching for "horses and chariots."   The problem with the above definition is that there are also "horses and chariots" of God.  Both sides have them (actually...that phrase is how I'm begining my thread on that topic.) So, I may well use what you have provided but there is still more to discover.  So much to learn and so little time.  Please let me know anything else on this topic you discover....it is very appreciated.   

I see what you mean! But could the chariots also mean ..materialistic confidence? one is flesh and one is material...just a thought