Introduction
Zechariah 10:1–12: The prophet describes the people of Israel and Judah as lost sheep without a leader. But the Lord promises to show compassion by caring for his people and punishing their enemies. (See also Matthew 9:36 that speaks of Jesus’s pity for the people “because they were worried and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”)
Today’s Key Verse: Zechariah 10:12 GNT
“I will make my people strong; they will worship and obey me.” The LORD has spoken.
Read
10 Ask the Lord for rain in the spring of the year. It is the Lord who sends rain clouds and showers, making the fields green for everyone. 2 People consult idols and fortunetellers, but the answers they get are lies and nonsense. Some interpret dreams, but only mislead you; the comfort they give is useless. So the people wander about like lost sheep. They are in trouble because they have no leader.
3 The Lord says, “I am angry with those foreigners who rule my people, and I am going to punish them. The people of Judah are mine, and I, the Lord Almighty, will take care of them. They will be my powerful war-horses. 4 From among them will come rulers, leaders, and commanders to govern my people.[a] 5 The people of Judah will be victorious like soldiers who trample their enemies in the mud of the streets. They will fight because the Lord is with them, and they will defeat even the enemy cavalry.
6 “I will make the people of Judah strong;
I will rescue the people of Israel.
I will have compassion on them
and bring them all back home.
They will be as though I had never rejected them.
I am the Lord their God; I will answer their prayers.
7 The people of Israel will be strong like soldiers,
happy like those who have been drinking wine.
Their descendants will remember this victory
and be glad because of what the Lord has done.
8 “I will call my people
and gather them together.
I will rescue them
and make them as numerous as they used to be.
9 Though I have scattered them among the nations,
yet in far-off places they will remember me.
They and their children will survive
and return home together.
10 From Egypt and Assyria I will bring them home
and settle them in their own country.
I will settle them in Gilead and Lebanon also;
the whole land will be filled with people.
11 When they pass through their sea of trouble,
I, the Lord, will strike the waves,
and the depths of the Nile will go dry.
Proud Assyria will be humbled,
and mighty Egypt will lose her power.
12 I will make my people strong;
they will worship and obey me.”
The Lord has spoken.
Reflect
According to verse 2, whom do the people consult? Why are the people compared to lost sheep? In what ways does the Lord promise to care for the people? In what ways does God care for you?
Pray
Compassionate God, you alone revive my soul, and you surround me with your loving presence. You fill my heart with joy. I promise to worship and obey you always. Amen.
And now, join us in praying that the increased demand for Bibles in Germany can be met. Loving God, the German Bible Society has reported an encouraging increase in Bible distribution in 2024, with a total of 333,000 copies of Scripture shared in various translations and formats. Thanks to the generous support of Bible-A-Month Partners, this represents an increase of 11,000 copies compared to 2023. The most remarkable growth came from the BasisBibel, a contemporary translation known for its clarity and accessibility, with over 100,000 copies distributed in 2024. We thank and praise you that contemporary translations of your Word are engaging more and more people in Germany to study the Bible and grow in faith. Amen.
Tomorrow’s Reading
Revelation 19:1–21: The wedding feast of the Lamb is celebrated in heaven.
