1"On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.- P140
8In the whole land," declares the Lord, "two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third will be left in it.
9This third I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’"
- P141
A fountain will be opened to cleanse the people from sin and impurity. Idolsand false prophets will be removed from the land. A prophet will be woundedin his own home. The Lord‘s sword will strike the shepherd, and the sheep willbe scattered. A remnant will be refined and call on the Lord.- P141
After speaking about a man who will be pierced and killed, God promises to cleanse His people from their sins and impurity, and this is accomplished through the work of Jesus. God also promises to remove idols and false prophets from the land; they will no longer be remembered. This promise continues to be fulfilled for His people today. - P142
When we worship Christ and consider Him to be the ultimate source of truth, idols and false prophecies no longer hold their appeal. Promises of health, wealth, and personal glory can be tempting at times, but let us reject these false gods and refuse to remember them. - P142
Let us focus our worship on the true God who cleanses and purifies us.- P142
The passage continues to use the metaphor of shepherd and sheep. WhenGod‘s shepherd is struck down, the people will scatter. Most will abandonGod, but a smaller remnant will be refined and tested. They will call onthe Lord, and He will answer them. God will acknowledge them as Hispeople, and they will be committed to worshiping Him. Periods of testingand refinement can be a challenging and even painful process. - P142
However,
like refined silver and gold, we become a purer version of ourselves. Let usnot resist this process but embrace the sanctification of becoming more likeJesus. May we remain faithful and endure with perseverance just as Jesusendured and persevered out of His faithfulness to us.- P142
We can respond to our spiritual uncleanliness just as we might respondto mold. We can ignore our habitual sins and let them grow. Or we cancover up our sins, pretending to ourselves and others that they do not exist.
However, just like mold, sin continues to grow in the darkness. We maytry to fix our sins by ourselves, but a wicked heart thrives under a lack ofaccountability. Let us instead seek what truly makes us clean by calling forhelp from our Savior Jesus Christ. With prayer, God‘s Word, and the helpof God‘s people, we can be restored to a healthy state once again.- P143
Dear Lord, You are the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for His sheep. Just as sheep respond to their shepherd’s voice, may I be attentive to You and follow You wherever You lead me. In Your name I pray, amen.- P143
