God's Work in the Messiah

Zechariah 12:1, 8-10    1 The burden of the word of the Lord against Israel. Thus says the Lord, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him: 8 ...and the house of David shall be like God, like the Angel of the Lord before them. 9 It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. 10 “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.

God's character begins with His work, creating both the universe and man in it.  And so He made His Son to also have a nature as ours, out of the lineage of David who also is the Angel of the Lord - the Anointed (Messiah, Christ).  His grace and Spirit are now poured into us who have looked on the crucified Christ and wept for His death that was rightfully ours due to our sin. So we follow Him who goes before us now.

Sheep Without a Shepherd

Zechariah 10:2   For the idols speak delusion; the diviners envision lies, and tell false dreams; they comfort in vain. Therefore the people wend their way like sheep; they are in trouble because there is no shepherd.

Those who refuse to believe God and take Him at His word, who rebel to find anything or anyone else to listen to - they lead people into error like helpless sheep.  Without a shepherd to guide to safety and to food and drink, the sheep are led to their destruction over cliffs and in malnourishment toward spiritual decay and death.  Thank God He sent Jesus Christ to shepherd the lost back to the Father!

Rejoice in the King's Salvation!

Zechariah 9:9-10.  9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey. 10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem; the battle bow shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to the nations; His dominion shall be ‘from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.’

Psalm 72:17-19.   17 His name shall endure forever; His name shall continue as long as the sun. And men shall be blessed in Him; all nations shall call Him blessed. 18 Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who only does wondrous things! 19 And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen.

The story told long before the Christ came triumphantly on a donkey with salvation and peace with God by reconciliation also quotes from Psalm 72.  Here the King to come is told to bless all nations, to do wondrous things, and to show His glory to the world.  The fact that Jesus echoes through history and Christmas celebrations reflect that glory to the world is proof of His word and will.

Ambassadors of the New Country

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Christ died to make us right with God, something we could never achieve on our own.  He chose to sacrifice His Son in place of us that He justly could release us from our due sentence and its punishment, making us righteous in Christ alone.  So we represent Him and this call to reconciliation and forgiveness of sins - what a humbling thought this work is, representing the King of Kings and Lord of Lords for His kingdom!

20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

God is With Us, Join Us!

Zechariah 8:21-23  
21 The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, “Let us continue to go and pray before the Lord, and seek the Lord of hosts. I myself will go also.”  23 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” ’ ”

As God's people in Christ, one with His original chosen, if we pray and seek Him, then others who see and are called will want to go with us to gain access to the Father through the Son (we have the words of life).  So we must always be ready to give a good answer of the Gospel hope in us as we walk with Him.  And pray without ceasing.

Essential Truth

Zechariah 8:16-17   
16 These are the things you shall do: speak each man the truth to his neighbor; give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace; 17 Let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor; and do not love a false oath. For all these are things that I hate,’ says the Lord.”

Ephesians 4:25    Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.

Truth to all is essential, and seeking peace and fairness are brothers and sisters of grace.  This means we judge situations and others with this grace.  Letting our yes be yes and no be no show good intentions to others and honor God.  Doing what pleases Him in keeping the second greatest commandment is why we speak straight and walk true.

God Calls Out His People

Zechariah 8:7-8   7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Behold, I will save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west; 8 I will bring them back, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. they shall be My people and I will be their God, in truth and righteousness.’

Jeremiah 31:33-34.   33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

As God brought back His wandering people Israel, so He calls all peoples to Christ - to be our God, truly and with His righteousness alone.  He makes us new, putting His law in our hearts and minds; He lives in us as Spirit and we know Him personally and intimately.  This is why Jesus was born to die, and to rise from death to live again that we might live forever in Him in righteousness and truth.

Grace is Mercy in Justice

Zechariah 7:9-11  9 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Execute true justice, show mercy and compassion everyone to his brother.  10 Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. Let none of you plan evil in his heart against his brother.’ 11 But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear.

Unregenerate Israel was to live by doing the Law, and we have been taught by it to come to grace in Christ - yet God does not change in character, and the heart response in loving Him and others should be the same.  We must be just, merciful, compassionate, meeting true needs, and not seeking the evil of vengeance or any other ill will to others, no matter what they do.  Like the verses following the Lord's Prayer, if we close our ears and do not forgive and treat other as we want and He commands, He will not hear us either.

Ruler and Counselor of Peace

Zechariah 5:3, 8, 6:13  
3 Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole earth: ‘Every thief shall be expelled,’ according to this side of the scroll; and, ‘Every perjurer shall be expelled,’ according to that side of it.”  8 then he said, “This is Wickedness!” And he thrust her down into the basket, and threw the lead cover over its mouth.  Zechariah 6:13 Yes, He shall build the temple of the Lord.  He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on His throne; so He shall be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.” ’

God promised to deal with things like stealing, lying, and wickedness.  He would send one from the branch of David's house through whom He promised the Anointed Deliverer, the Messiah (Christ in the Greek of the NT).   So Christ forgives sin to the ones coming to Him who paid their price of sin's due penalty.  He rules over all and mediates as priest with peace to men in good will with no hidden agendas.  This is what the shepherds heard at His coming at Christmas.

Grace to the Capstone!

Zechariah 4:6-7   6 So he answered and 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 of hosts.  7‘ Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of “Grace, grace to it!” ’ ”

God's crowning work was not Israel's deliverance as a nation from oppressors, but all God's people from the chains of sin and death due to us all.  This capstone of grace covers all who are in Christ Jesus, and levels all judgement that rightly condemns us.  Not by our own strength or power - all by His Spirit of grace who blows into our lives with a new birth and ability to understand and follow...

We are Brands Pulled out of the Fire

Zechariah 3:2-4, 3:8-9  
2 And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” 3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel.   4 Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, “Take away the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said, “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.”  8 ... For behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH.  9 ...‘And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.

We are all born in sin, in filthy clothing of our souls in opposition to God; as Joshua, we are accused of being unworthy by satan.  We are of ourselves, yet the shoot or branch of the Messiah from Davidic tree - Jesus, He takes away the unclean and clothes us with Himself, completely clean.  In one day on the cross He put us to death and then raised us up to take away our sin in His eyes forever!  We are pulled from the fire to come all by God's mercy and grace - all who repent, believe, and are reborn.

Repent as You are Called

Zechariah 1:4, 6, 2:10-11  
4 “Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets preached, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Turn now from your evil ways and your evil deeds.” ’ But they did not hear nor heed Me,” says the Lord.   6...‘Just as the Lord of hosts determined to do to us, according to our ways and according to our deeds, so He has dealt with us.’  Zechariah 2:10 “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” says the Lord. 11 “Many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you.

Before Christ came to stand between God's just judgment and our sinful hearts of missing the mark of obedience, we had no hope.  But He came as man and God to free us from that bondage and dwells within us now!  We have become His very people because of the One sent by God - Himself. This is what He offers as we think of Christmas.  We choose to partake of Him who loved and called us out first - while we still were lost and deaf to hear Him.

Fruitfully Reconciled

Haggai 2:19, 23  
19 Is the seed still in the barn? As yet the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yielded fruit. But from this day I will bless you.’ ” 23 ‘In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel My servant, the son of Shealtiel,’ says the Lord, ‘and will make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you,’ says the Lord of hosts.”

Even though we all have sinned and come short of God and His standards, like Israel we too can see blessings of provision for our soul in the chosen One who sits at the Father's right hand. The Messiah, Christ Jesus, holds all power and authority of God, and He offers deliverance from our disobedience and restoration of our souls before almighty God.  From the day we are reconciled through Him to God we bear true and lasting fruit.

Shaken But Not Stirred

Haggai 2:5-7  
5 ‘According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!’ 6 “For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; 7 and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts.

>>Hebrews 12:27-28.  27 Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.

28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

Since God is within us, we do not need to fear the shakeup to come when judgment grips the world. If only others would come to their true desire, to the Lord who made us all!  Since we have a coming kingdom begun in us now, we can serve our Lord His way, with reverence and grace above all that drives us to Him and others.  We are shaken in the world, but not stirred in Christ. 

Be Strong in Christ

Haggai 1:12-13, 2:4  
12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him; and the people feared the presence of the Lord. 13 Then Haggai, the Lord's messenger, spoke the Lord's message to the people, saying, “I am with you, says the Lord."  Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ says the Lord; ‘and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land,’ says the Lord, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ says the Lord of hosts.

The example given here shows when we do what God tells us, listening to His words and fearing Him with awe and as sovereign Lord - then we know just how much He is with us.  So let us be strong in Christ and do His work.  He will never leave or abandon us, and gives grace to help as needed.

Temple Ruins or Living Worship?

Haggai 1:6-9  
6 “You have sown much, and bring in little; you eat, but do not have enough; you drink, but you are not filled with drink; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages, earns wages to put into a bag with holes.”  7 Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways! 8 Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified,” says the Lord. 9 “You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” says the Lord of hosts. “Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house.

We also do not have enough when we neglect God's house; though this can apply to a church building, in a larger sense our bodies are the temple He inhabits and from which we worship.  So we must work out our salvation to be conformed to Christ, not leaving our temple in ruins but considering our ways and so doing what we were remade to do, honoring and glorifying Him in us.  It is our spiritual service of worship (Romans 12:1-2). 

The Mighty One Will Save!

Zephaniah 3:15-17  
15 The Lord has taken away your judgments, He has cast out your enemy. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; You shall see [fear] disaster no more.  16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Do not fear; Zion, let not your hands be weak.  17 The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”

Because God is with and in us who have believed in spirit and in truth, we do not fear the disaster of condemnation or hell any longer.  So we can take heart and do valiantly in His gladness and peace through Christ.  He does rejoice with singing, as he angels when we are saved from the grip of sin and come to new life in Him.  He is the Lord and King over more than just Israel; the promise to Abram is for all nations, and He rejoices over us all.

Set Apart by Promise

Romans 1:1-7   
1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God 2 which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. 5 Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; 7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The good news of Jesus Christ was promised long before He came as a man to die and rise again, proving to us He is the Son of God.  He gave us proof both in the human bloodline and the works only God can do.  So we receive grace, forgiveness, and deliverance from sin and God's anger on us for it.   As His called ones, we are all called saints, holy or set apart ones, that we may be holy in His eyes and be changed day by day to reflect that holiness.  We now have peace with God by His grace alone!

Fear Justice and Humbly Hear Grace

Zephaniah 3:2-12  
2 She has not obeyed His voice, She has not received correction; She has not trusted in the Lord, She has not drawn near to her God.  5 The Lord is righteous in her midst, He will do no unrighteousness. Every morning He brings His justice to light; He never fails, but the unjust knows no shame.  7 I said, “Surely you will fear Me, you will receive instruction’— so that her dwelling would not be cut off, despite everything for which I punished her. But they rose early and corrupted all their deeds.  12 I will leave in your midst a meek and humble people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord.

Let us learn from bad examples to do the opposite - we must receive and welcome God's instruction, trust every word of His, do all He says, and so draw close to Him always.  Emmanuel, God in our midst and in we who know Him, He is righteous, fair, and so should we imitate Christ.  So in awe we listen and learn, accepting needed discipline given in love.  Let us not corrupt what we do, but keep in step with the Spirit in us and be humble and meek, keeping strength in control to do right and walk by faith.  This is what we learn here.

Worship the One True God

Zephaniah 2:11

The Lord will be awesome to them,

For He will reduce to nothing all the gods of the earth;

People shall worship Him,

Each one from his place,

Indeed all the shores of the nations.

Those who attack God and His people will eventually die and face Him.  Even in the remainder of their lives here they will see how insignificant and powerless their imagined gods are.  There is only one fearfully awesome God who sent His Son as a man and who lives in His people as Spirit now.   So we in all this world who have been called out to Him worship the One in spirit and in truth, acknowledging Jesus is the only way, truth, and life there is.

Drawn to Deliverance

Zephaniah 1:12, 2:3  
12 “And it shall come to pass at that time that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and punish the men who are settled in complacency, who say in their heart, ‘The Lord will not do good, nor will He do evil.’  3 Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger.

God searches our hearts, uncovering everything like the picture here of searching dark corners with lamps.  The lamp of His word will uncover the hidden thoughts and intents of the heart.  So those who choose to hide and say God will do nothing, that since Jesus died for the sins of the world they do not have to worry about doing anything good because God will not punish sin or condemn anyone..these forget it is only through repentance, faith, and a new birth that we appropriate all He did on the cross and up from the grave.  So we seek to do good, humbly coming to the grace of salvation.

Dressed In His Righteousness

Zephaniah 1:7-8  
7 Be silent in the presence of the Lord God; for the day of the Lord is at hand, for the Lord has prepared a sacrifice; He has invited His guests. 8 “And it shall be, in the day of the Lord's sacrifice, that I will punish the princes and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with foreign apparel.

Matthew 22:12-14

12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’  14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

God gave us the ultimate sacrifice in His Son, inviting us to partake of Jesus and live; so we must be clothed as His guests in His righteousness.  With our own clothing of our attempts at doing good to earn God's favor we are dressed in what is foreign to His standards, falling short and resulting in our being thrown out and into the fire.

Mountain Top Glory

Habakkuk 3:17-19  
17 Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls— 18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 19 The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills. 

When we seem to be going nowhere and appear unfruitful, when all we own goes away - then is when we need to follow Habakkuk's example in finding joy in our Lord.  In every bad or good time we must rejoice, knowing Christ is our strength and will enable us to run and leap over the rocky hills as a deer on a mountain slope.  He saved us and will certainly carry us through it all for His glory, and so we find Him working for our good in all things.

Annointed With His Work of Salvation

Habakkuk 3:2-3, 13  
2 O Lord, I have heard Your speech and was afraid; O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years!  In the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy.  3 God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran.  Selah.  His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of His praise. 13 You went forth for the salvation of Your people, for salvation with Your Anointed. You struck the head from the house of the wicked, by laying bare from foundation to neck. Selah

Though God has every right as Lord and Creator of all to be angry with each one of us, He chose to demonstrate mercy where justice was due.  He revived His fallen work - us - to be able to praise Him as the heavenly host of angels constantly do.  He as the Christ came forth with salvation from His anger and justice on our sin to show that mercy, exposing our sin and healing it with the balm of forgiveness and grace.  We neither earn nor deserve any of it.

Knowledge of the Gospel To All

Habakkuk 2:13-14  
13 Behold, is it not of the Lord of hosts that the peoples labor to feed the fire, and nations weary themselves in vain?  14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.

Nations and people work hard at feeding their houses and cities which will ultimately burn or otherwise fail in the end. Ah, but the knowledge of our great Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ will spread to all, covering with either judgement or forgiveness and grace filled mercy.  Why weary ourselves in vain when certain purpose in Christ alone can be found?

The Just will Live by Faith

Habakkuk 2:1-4   
1 I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer when I am corrected. 2 Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. 3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.  4 “Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; but the just shall live by his faith.

Do we stay on guard, with faith in our watching how and where God leads us?  This must be with an attitude of teachability and response of faithful obedience with joy in following Christ.  His word has been written down for us, and history plays out by His written account of it from beginning to end.  The sovereign Lord of all will surely do exactly as He planned.  So by faith we follow and watch as we serve, seeing the events unfold as we point to all God has done in His Son with word and deed.  Let us labor and agonizingly strive for the good news of reconciliation in Christ! 

We Shall not Die as Justified

Habakkuk 1:4-5, 12-13  
4 Therefore the law is powerless, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; therefore perverse judgment proceeds. 5 “Look among the nations and watch—be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days which you would not believe, though it were told you.   12 Are You not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O Lord, You have appointed them for judgment; O Rock, You have marked them for correction. 13 You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on wickedness. Why do You look on those who deal treacherously, and hold Your tongue when the wicked devours a person more righteous than he?

Chaldeans were used to execute God's anger on the continual sin of His people, yet the problem was that His people tried by following rules of the law which they could never keep in their own strength.  Ah, but God promised to do a work unheard of.  He did this for us all in sending His Son among us to save us from the judgement we deserve and can never escape in or of ourselves.  God cannot stand to put up with rebellious evil - sin - so He Himself took on the judgement in Christ in our place for those called out to Him and responding.  The work we have difficulty believing though it is told us.

Man the Fort! Watch the Road!

Nahum 2:1, 8   
1 He who scatters has come up before your face. Man the fort! Watch the road!  Strengthen your flanks!  Fortify your power mightily.   8 Though Nineveh of old was like a pool of water, now they flee away.  “Halt! Halt!” they cry; but no one turns back.

Nineveh was used as an example to wake Israel up to repent as they did, but fell away and was coming under attack.  So they were warned to fight and watch as they strengthened their defense - but they did not stand, but ran away in disregard of God's advice.  Do we fight the good fight and aim to finish the race?  Do we man the fort of faith's witness, watch with spiritual vision, watch sin creeping at our backs, and find strength in obedient trust in the almighty?  Or do we run into defeat?  We can do everything through Him who gives us strength from such an infinite pool!

The Yoke of Slavery to Sin is Broken

Nahum 1:7, 13, 15  
7 The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him.   13 For now I will break off his yoke from you, and burst your bonds apart.”   15 Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good tidings, who proclaims peace! O Judah, keep your appointed feasts, perform your vows. For the wicked one shall no more pass through you; he is utterly cut off.

Though these words were spoken to Nineveh to repent and avoid destruction, the same words were used in Romans 10 to those sent to tell the good news of what Jesus did to break the bonds of sin and death that hold us all until we hear, turn, and believe Him.  He was God as a man, taking our just sentence of death and freeing those who believe and so receive Him to be made new.  Peace with God.  That is why we remember Him not only at Christmas, but every day.

Eternal Passover of Mercy

Micah 7:8-9, 18  
8 Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, The Lord will be a light to me.  9 I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against Him, until He pleads my case and executes justice for me. He will bring me forth to the light; I will see His righteousness.   18 Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy.

Those opposed to Christ, and so also to me, like it when I fail or fall in my walk, but God is my light and lifts me up each time.  I know I am a sinner, so when accused, I agree with the enemy - yet also speak forth that His justice and wrath on my sin has been covered in forgiving mercy by grace in Jesus Christ.  He has taken my punishment and covered all my sin with a complete and never-ending pardon.  He delights in mercy!  His eternal Passover of mercy will be ever remember in the light of glory! 

Enemies on Earth, Family in Heaven

Micah 7:6-7 
6 For son dishonors father, daughter rises against her mother, daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man's enemies are the men of his own household.  7 Therefore I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.

Jesus reminded his disciples that the cost of following Him was high; it meant that some relations would be set against you if you follow Christ, even to the point of becoming enemies.  Yet waiting on God and losing our lives and all that relates to them is the small cost of discipleship for His sake and eternity's reward.  So we take up our cross of death to ourselves and all life offers in exchange for everything.

Matthew 10:34-39   34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to “set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and ‘a man's enemies will be those of his own household.’ 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.