The book of Zechariah includes some really incredible imagery. It reveals that God's redemption is apocalyptic, grand in scope. It continues the prophet/priest/king theme (that we saw in Haggai) setting us up, in dramatic ways, for how Jesus fulfills God's plan of redeeming the whole world. So let us sing as we think on God's glory as he has redeemed us in Christ...
Creation Sings the Father's Song
© 2008 Thankyou Music / Keith & Kristyn Getty & Stuart Townend CCLI#1888005
Creation sings the Father's song; he calls the sun to wake the dawn
and run the course of day till evening comes in crimson rays.
His fingerprints in flakes of snow, his breath upon this spinning globe,
he charts the eagle's flight; commands the newborn baby's cry.
Hallelujah! Let all creation stand and sing, “Hallelujah!”
Fill the earth with songs of worship; tell the wonders of creation's King.
Creation gazed upon his face; the ageless One in time's embrace
unveiled the Father's plan of reconciling God and man.
A second Adam walked the earth, whose blameless life would break the curse,
whose death would set us free to live with Him eternally.
Creation longs for his return, when Christ shall reign upon the earth;
the bitter wars that rage are birth pains of a coming age.
When he renews the land and sky, all heaven will sing and earth reply
with one resplendent theme: the glory of our God and King!
Our Father Calls Us To Himself—Psalm 102:18-22
Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD: that he looked down from his holy height; from heaven the LORD looked at the earth, to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die, that they may declare in Zion the name of the LORD, and in Jerusalem his praise, when peoples gather together, and kingdoms, to worship the LORD.
Come and Welcome
©2004 Smoldering Wick Music (ASCAP). Thomas Haweis. Matthew Perryman Jones CCLI#1888005
From the cross uplifted high where the Savior deigns to die
What melodious sounds I hear bursting on my ravished ear
Love’s redeeming work is done. Come and welcome, sinner, come
Sprinkled now with blood the throne. Why beneath thy burdens groan
On my pierced body laid justice owns the ransom paid
Bow the knee and kiss the Son. Come and welcome, sinner, come
Spread for thee the festal board. See with richest dainties stored
To thy Father’s bosom pressed yet again a child confessed
Never from His house to roam. Come and welcome, sinner, come
Soon the days of life shall end. Lo, I come, your Savior, Friend
Safe your spirit to convey to the realms of endless day
Up to my eternal home. Come and welcome, sinner, come.
Come and welcome, sinner, come
We Have Refused His Mercy—Zechariah 7:9-14
Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.” But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear. They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the LORD of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great anger came from the LORD of hosts. “As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear,” says the LORD of hosts, “and I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations that they had not known. Thus the land they left was desolate, so that no one went to and fro, and the pleasant land was made desolate.”
Thy Mercy, My God
© 2001 Same Old Dress Music / I. Watts, J. Stocker & S. McCracken / CCLI#1888005
Thy mercy, my God, is the theme of my song,
the joy of my heart and the boast of my tongue;
thy free grace alone from the first to the last
hath won my affections and bound my heart fast.
Without thy sweet mercy I could not live here;
sin would reduce me to utter despair;
but through thy free goodness my spirit revived
and he that first made me still keeps me alive.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Thy mercy is more than a match for my heart,
which wonders to feel its own hardness depart;
dissolved by thy goodness I fall to the ground
and weep for the praise of the mercy I’ve found.
Father of mercies, thy goodness I own
and the covenant love of thy crucified Son;
all praise to the Spirit whose whisper divine
seals mercy and pardon and righteousness mine.
A Haven for the World—Zechariah 8:20-23
Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Peoples shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities. The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD and to seek the LORD of hosts; I myself am going.’ Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD. Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”
Be Thou My Vision
© 1927 Oxford Univ. Press, David Evans, Eleanor Henrietta Hull & Mary Elizabeth Byrne / CCLI#1888005
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
naught be all else to me, save that thou art –
thou my best thought by day or by night,
waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word;
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord;
thou my great Father, I thy true son;
thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
thou mine inheritance, now and always:
thou and thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my treasure thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heav’n’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O Ruler of All.
The House of God, Forever
2008 Rubudub Rublishing Publishing, Jon Foreman CCLI#1888005
God is my shepherd I won’t be wanting, I won't be wanting
He makes me rest in fields of green with quiet streams
Even though I walk through the valley of death and dying
I will not fear ‘cause You are with me, You are with me
Your shepherd’s staff comforts me
You are my feast in the presence of enemies
Surely goodness
Will follow me
Follow me
In the house of God, forever
And Can It Be
Public Domain / C. Wesley & T. Campbell / CCLI#1888005
And can it be that I should gain an int’rest in the Savior’s blood?
Died he for me, who caused his pain?
For me, who him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be
that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
emptied himself of all but love, and bled for Adam’s helpless race.
‘Tis mercy all, immense and free; for, O my God, it found out me.
Long my imprisoned spirit lay fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
thine eye diffused a quick’ning ray;
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
my chains fell off, my heart was free;
I rose, went forth, and followed thee.
Alive in him, my living Head,
and clothed in righteousness divine,
bold I approach the eternal throne,
and claim the crown, through Christ my own.
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