“And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 17 And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, on them there will be no rain. 18 If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the Lord strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 20 In that day “HOLINESS TO THE LORD” shall be engraved on the bells of the horses. The pots in the Lord’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar. 21 Yes, every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holiness to the Lord of hosts. Everyone who sacrifices shall come and take them and cook in them. In that day there shall no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts.” Zechariah 14:16-21 NKJV
Lord of Hosts,
I find the end of Zechariah and the apocalyptic and symbolic writing difficult to follow and understand. And I am not the only one. He sees a future where there has been war and You have stood at Jerusalem (14:4) and the land has split open and water poured forth (14:8). Ezekiel speaks of water pouring forth from Jerusalem (Ezekiel 47). But he says it comes from the Temple.
Zechariah seems to be saying it comes from You it is no longer dependant on a Temple. Your Holiness will be there along with all nations and people who choose to worship You. We know that we are not dependant on a place or a building and we can come and find living water from You. So there will be a day when the children of Israel will be released from ritual worship to join with Your children in Christ. Together with Your holiness as our guide and all we do will be for You.
That day has not come yet but we know Jesus stood in the Temple and likening Himself to the water of life flowing from His heart (John 7:37-39). And we know that His Spirit pours into us refreshing us and bringing life. Zechariah also saw trouble and plague and war, and we look around and see the same trouble in the world today. So I leave what I don’t fully understand and like Zechariah look to the future when all will be drawn to You and Your holiness and we will worship together in peace.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Wednesday 7th October 2026
Holy Spirit, living breath of God
Breathe new life into my willing soul
Bring the presence of the risen Lord
To renew my heart and make me whole
Cause Your Word to come alive in me
Give me faith for what I cannot see
Give me passion for Your purity
Holy Spirit, breathe new life in me
Holy Spirit, come abide within
May Your joy be seen in all I do
Love enough to cover every sin
In each thought and deed and attitude
Kindness to the greatest and the least
Gentleness that sows the path of peace
Turn my strivings into works of grace
Breath of God, show Christ in all I do
Holy Spirit, from creation’s birth
Giving life to all that God has made
Show Your power once again on earth
Cause Your church to hunger for your ways
Let the fragrance of our prayers arise
Lead us on the road of sacrifice
That in unity the face of Christ
Will be clear for all the world to see
Ephesians 3:20-21
Lyrics: Keith Getty and Stuart Townend