In the book of Zechariah, Zechariah said, “it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain”, and in chapter fourteen and verse eighteen of Zechariah, Zechariah shared what will happen, “if the family of Egypt go not up” where we read,
And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
The verse reads, “And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, ...”Zechariah began with the words, “and if the family of Egypt” or “and whether and in case the belonging to the clan, tribe, people and nation of Egypt whose name means land of the Copts and is a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows” “go not up” which means “not climb and arise”, “and come not”or “and are not enumerated and do not enter or go forth”, “that have no rain” which means “that own, possess and not any water droplets or showers from the sky”: “there shall be the plague” or “there will exist the blow, slaughter, pestilence and fatal strike”. Zechariah specifically named the nation of “Egypt” in case the people there resist going up to“Jerusalem” to observe worshiping the Royal King, and he said they would have no rain showers and would experience the slaughter and pestilence from Jehovah God.
The verse continues, “... wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.”Zechariah added the words, “wherewith the LORD” or “with which Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name for the One True God” “will smite the heathen” which means “shall beat, hurt, slay and strike the people who are non-Hebrews, foreigners and Gentiles” “that come not up” or “who do not ascend, spring up, shoot forth and arise” “to keep the feast of tabernacles” which means “to make pilgrimage to celebrate, hold and observe the feast or festival pertaining to thickets, coverts, booths or temporary shelters”. Zechariah shared how Jehovah God will beat and strike the non-Hebrew and Gentile nations who refuse to observe the festival of booths or temporary shelters.
When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we learn through Zechariah how Jehovah God will involve Himself in the consequences of no water showers and pestilence for the people of “Egypt” if they refuse to go up to “Jerusalem” to observe the “festival of booths”. All people will be required to worship Jehovah God in “Jerusalem” at this time, and when they do not observe His “feasts”, they will face great difficulties. God's desire is to have a personal relationship with every person through His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and when we put our faith and trust in Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put within us an understanding of the importance of worshiping and obeying Him both now and in the future.
Next time Zechariah says, “this shall be the punishment of Egypt”, 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".
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