A Third Part into the Fire - Zechariah 13:9

In the book of Zechariah, Zechariah said, “it shall come to pass, that in all the land, says the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein”, and in chapter thirteen and verse nine of Zechariah, Zechariah shared how Jehovah God said, “I will bring a third part through the fire” where we read,

And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

The verse reads, “And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried:” Zechariah began with the words, “and I will bring” or “and I, Jehovah God, shall carry and cause” “the third part” which means “the third portion” “through the fire” or “through the fiery flame or fire”, “and will refine them” which means “and shall them, the third portion of the people” “as silver is refined” or “similar and in likeness to silver metal that exists as smelted, tested and purged”, “and will try them” which means “and shall examine, prove and scrutinize them, the third portion” “as gold is tried” or “similar and in likeness to gold metal that is smelted, tested and purged”. Zechariah shared how Jehovah God said He would cause the third portion of people who remained to go through a fiery flame which would test and purge them similar to “silver and gold” metals which are smelted and purified. 

The verse continues, “they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.” Zechariah added the words, “they shall call on my name” or “they, the third of the people, will utter a loud sound, proclaim and cry out upon my, Jehovah God's, fame, reputation and glory”, “and I will hear them” which means “and I, Jehovah God, shall answer, respond and pay attention to them, the third portion of the people”: “I will say”or “I, Jehovah God, will utter, declare and proclaim”, “it is my people” which means “the third portion of the people exist as my, Jehovah God's, human beings both male and female”: “and they shall say” or “and they, the third portion of the people, will utter, declare and proclaim”, “the LORD is my God” which means “Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name for the One True God exists as my, the third of the people's, Supreme Deity”. Zechariah shared how the remaining third of the people will cry out to Jehovah God's fame, reputation and glory, and He would pay attention to them while declaring them to be His “people”. They shall declare that He, Jehovah God, exists as their Supreme Deity. 

When we consider Zechariah's words in this verse, we see how Jehovah God was going to care for the third of the people who remained within the “land”. They would endure a testing time which would be similar to the smelting of “silver and gold” that would purge them from impurities, and afterward they would cry out to His fame, reputation and glory, and He would pay attention to them. They would declare Jehovah God to be their Supreme Deity after He claim them as His people. God loves the people of Israel, and for those who remained in the region, He would test and try them so they would make Him the Lord of their lives. God loves us as well, and He proved His love to us by sending His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind. When we yield our lives to Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and teach us the value of God's testing and purging to bring us closer to Him. (See James 1:12; 1 Peter 1:6-7)

Next time we begin a new chapter and see Zechariah says, “behold, the day of the LORD comes”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".