Like a banner

The LORD their God will save them in that day, As the flock of His people. For they shall be like the jewels of a crown, Lifted like a banner over His land— For how great is its goodness And how great its beauty! Grain shall make the young men thrive, And new wine the young women. – Zechariah 9v16-17

Most of the context of Zechariah is prophecy about the coming time when Messiah is going to reign. Those who read these words would have thought that when Messiah came the first time He would come in might and power and that He would lift Israel from her suffering and oppression. He would deliver her from physical and spiritual oppression and they would walk in the joy of the Lord. His people would be lifted up like a victory banner as they knew the full measure of His beauty and goodness.

But that wasn’t God’s plan. Messiah did come and He did some as the victory banner in His beauty and goodness. He did come to save. He did come to make up the jewels in His crown.

But He did it a personal and spiritual way. He brought deliverance from the oppression and the curse of sin. He came to provide a new life in the midst of an unchanged wicked world. Praise God that in this world of sin and filth we are able to walk in His greatness and His beauty. Praise God that He lifts us like a banner above all that is going on around us.

But the wonderful thing is that the story is not over. One day He will return to literally reign on earth and His people will be lifted up with Him. All of the opposition and sin and filth and sickness and death and all of that stuff will be defeated.

Praise God we are part way there and praise Him that the victory is already won.