DCLM Daily Manna 2024: DCLM Daily Manna 18 November 2024: Triumph By God’s Spirit
Text: Zechariah 4:1-10 (KJV)
1 And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep,
2 And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:
3 And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.
4 So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?
5 Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
7 Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.
8 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
9 The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you.
10 For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.
KEY VERSE: Zechariah 4:6
“Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.”
The story is told of how the thistle saved Scotland in 1263. When the Scots and Danes were at war, the Danes managed to land unobserved on the coast of Scotland. Under darkness, the Danish invaders removed their boots and crept barefoot toward the unsuspecting Scottish army. Victory seemed certain for the invaders when a sharp cry of pain suddenly shattered the stillness. A Danish soldier had stepped on a thistle and ruined the surprise. The Scots were roused and they drove the invaders from the country’s shores in victory.
Prophet Zechariah saw a vision detailing how the feeble group of Jewish returnees from Babylon would be victorious in their efforts to rebuild the temple through God’s help. The vision of a golden candlestick with the seven lamps on top of it signifies God’s eyes, which runs throughout the whole earth. The Lord assured in this vision that the temple project would be completed under the supervision of Zerubbabel.
Zerubbabel led the first group of Jews, who returned from the Babylonian captivity in the first year of Cyrus the Great. They faced obstacles during the journey, from the hostile nations bent on sabotaging every effort to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem and the ancient city’s walls. Under those circumstances, Zechariah came to encourage them with the prophecy of victory.
Victory comes by the help of God’s Spirit and not through our feeble efforts. Turn all your challenges over to God, today, and He will bring you the desired victory. And if you are just restarting your life, you can rely on God to help you through the uncharted path.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Dependence on God determines victory in life’s journey.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Kings 14-15
Daily Manna 18 November 2024
