Eyes

"For the eyes of men and all the tribes of Israel are on the Lord."

Zechariah is a prophetic book. It doesn't just deal with what was going to happen to Israel in their immediate future. It deals with what is eventually going to happen when history comes to its culmination.

And this is it: The eyes of all men will be on the Lord. No more distractions. No more competition. No more idolatry. It will be all God and God alone. Frankly, this is all we are going to want. God is so full, so complete, so satisfying, so all encompassing, so beautiful, so consuming, so smart, so loving…we are not going to care about anything or anyone else. All of the junk of this world will burn up. All of the money that we could ever want or need or care about will be irrelevant. All of the sex, drugs and rock and roll (so to speak) that we think is so alluring will be nothing but ash. We will see God for who He is and nothing we desire will be able to compare with Him.

The disciples got this. When Jesus asked them if they wanted to leave to go after other things, Peter responded: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." John 6:68 Guess what? God hasn't changed. God right now is complete, satisfying, all encompassing, beautiful, consuming, smart, loving. This isn't something that He morphs into in the future. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. His power, His authority, His grace, His wonder currently exists…but we humans get so distracted. We think other things are more important. We think other things are more attractive. Frankly, I think that this saddens God…especially when His own people run after other junk that will not last.

This may be why He said in the verse: "And all the tribes of Israel." He is sad that Israel has turned its back on the Messiah. It will not always be that way as Zechariah predicts. Just look at verse 9 when their King will come with justice and salvation riding on a donkey. Their King has done this and they missed it. Unfortunately, I think that we, God's other chosen people who are grafted into this relationship also miss it. We run after other things and forget about the all consuming One. I do this. I get wrapped up in my work, my family, my concerns, my stuff that I get my eyes off of Jesus. No, we have to "fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith". Our eyes, my eyes have to riveted on Him in the present.

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace."