Zechariah 10

Now in this Kingdom Age, the promises of the Lord:

Ask ye the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field. For the idols have spoken vanity, the diviners have seen a lie, and they have told false dreams; they have comforted in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled because there was no shepherd. My anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the LORD of hosts has visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle. And out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, and out of him every oppressor together. And they shall be as a mighty man which treads down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the LORD is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded. And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and will save the house of Joseph, and will bring them again to the place; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the LORD their God, and will hear them (Zechariah 10:1-6).

The glorious restoration when God returns again the land to the people completely. What we see today is not really the fulfillment here of this portion of Zechariah.

And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the LORD. I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased (Zechariah 10:7-8).

So the promises of God, the pouring forth of this latter rain upon the people. The rebuke of the false prophets, the diviners, those who have told their false dreams to comfort the people in vain. The problem that the people had because of the lack of leadership, and God stepping forth to their defense. Ephraim, their heart shall rejoice in the Lord.
The Bible makes a very clear distinction between the mind of man and the heart of man. The mind of man deals more in the shallow areas of a person's life. Moods, emotions, where the heart deals more with that temperament of an individual. God wants your heart tonight. God wants, not a change of mind, but a change of heart. You know you can change your mind quite often, and people do; your heart is changed very rarely. Your heart is really only changed when you are born again. That brings a change of heart, a change of temperament, a change of whole. Your whole life is changed when your heart is given to God. That's what God is calling for, a change of heart.
So rejoicing in your heart is rejoicing in the deepest level of your life, and it is not a variable as is the happiness as is the world is pursuing today. You know tonight, while we are gathered here studying the word of God, around the city there are people gathered seeking happiness. It's amazing the various things that they are doing as they are looking for happiness. There are little kids glued to the asteroid machine, shooting down all of these alien invaders. They're looking for happiness, excitement, thrills, but how long does it last? Pretty soon Gorf will say, "You are stupid. I have defeated you again, space cadet." And the quarter's gone. Happiness is such a variable, but the rejoicing, the joy of the Lord is a constant thing deep within. So as a Christian you can have mixed emotions, sorrow in the area of your mind, but still joy in your heart.
The Lord has seen fit to take one of our beautiful saints from Calvary, Sue McCurty, one who gave herself so freely, so fully to the Lord and to the things of the Lord. One who loved nature, and you find a person who has a deep love for nature, you find a person with a deep love for God, for God's creation. We've loved Sue McCurty and her husband Ken. They've been such a tremendous blessing to us. Sue was always an athletic type, always trying to get me to exercise more, and to get into shape. She felt that God had called her to help me to become healthier, and gave me books, and I read them. They were very interesting.
Now Sue has gone to be with the Lord, and we're gonna miss her. My heart is heavy... well, my mind is heavy to be truthful. My heart rejoices; I know Sue's with the Lord. I know there's no more pain. Now, God saw it fit to take her by cancer, and why, I don't know. But that's something that's a part of God's planning. And I have, I know that the present suffering which is for a moment is not worthy to be compared with the glory that she's already experienced there in the presence of God. So we sorrow because we've lost a dear friend, but in the same token I rejoice in the Lord that God has prepared a place for His children, that God has prepared a kingdom, and that we are all children of the King. One day we will gather with Sue in a new body that will be in perfect shape. Sue's ministry to me is over. When I see her again, I'm gonna be in great shape in that new body! I rejoice in the glorious hope through Jesus Christ, though yet, I grieve and I sorrow because I'm going to miss Sue so very much. I needed her to exhort me on my weight problem.
"Their heart shall rejoice in the Lord."
My heart continually rejoices in the Lord. Because the character of God is constant. He said, "Behold, I'm the Lord God, I change not." He's constant. His love for you is constant. It's not a variable. God's love for you does not alter from one day to another. God's love for you does not alter with your moods. Aren't you thankful? "Oh, what a nasty mood you're in today. I can't stand you." No, God never says that to you. He says, "Oh, what a nasty mood you're in today. I love you so much." You see, God's love isn't a variable. It doesn't change. It's constant. Thus, if I rejoice in the Lord, my rejoicing is constant. I don't rejoice in circumstances; they are the variables. Sometimes I do, then other times I don't. All depends on the circumstances. But the rejoicing in the Lord is always constant, because the Lord is constant in His relationship to me, in His love for me, in His goodness to me, in the hope that He has given.
The Lord said, "I will hiss for them." Now hissing is something that we don't do in the English culture, and I'm glad. It's a shrill kind of a sound of disdain, and anger and hatred. In that oriental culture, they are quite emotional and demonstrative. They get real upset and they start to hiss. As they hiss, they let sort of the spittle too, you know. So they get right up in your face, they go, "hiss," you know. It's something you do to show great disdain against an enemy. God said, "I will hiss for them." That's interesting. God'll take your side; God will stand up for you. "And I will gather them for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased." God, "My people, I'll stand up for them. I'll hiss for them. I'll take their side."

And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me in the far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again. And I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them. And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all of the deeps of the rivers shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away (Zechariah 10:9-11).

This is all a part of that Kingdom Age. The people of God had been brought through the sea of affliction, no doubt. The Lord said:

I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they will walk up and down in his name, saith the LORD (Zechariah 10:12).

So God's glorious restoration of the nation Israel, His relationship to these people, as God becomes their strength, and as they walk up and down in His name, saith the Lord.
Now as we come into these last four Chapter s of Zechariah next week, we get into some of the most interesting passages in the Old Testament of prophecies concerning the antichrist, concerning the coming of Jesus Christ, first and second, and concerning the Kingdom Age. We also will be dealing with prophecies that relate to Israel right now. Prophecies that we have seen fulfilled in our lifetime. You'll find them extremely interesting. Some of the most interesting prophecies of the Old Testament are found in these next four Chapter s of Zechariah. So that's for a week from next Sunday night. Next week, Dr. Wilder Smith. So tune in same time, two weeks from tonight and hear the conclusion of Zechariah.
Shall we stand.
May the Lord be with you and watch over and keep you in the love of Jesus Christ through the week. May you be strengthened by His Spirit in your inner man. May you comprehend more and more what is the length and the depth, and the height and the breadth of God's great love for you. May you just bask in that love this week. May you be filled with that love. May you overflow with that love as you reach out to those around you who are less fortunate, to help, to strengthen, to supply. God be with you, and may He use you as His instrument to show His love to this needy world. In Jesus' name. "