Judgment on Israel's Enemies

The oracle of the word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrach and Damascus is its resting place. For the Lord has an eye on mankind and on all the tribes of Israel, 2 and on Hamath also, which borders on it, Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise. 3  Tyre has built herself a rampart and heaped up silver like dust, and fine gold like the mud of the streets.  4  But behold, the Lord will strip her of her possessions and strike down her power on the sea, and she shall be devoured by fire.  5  Ashkelon shall see it, and be afraid; Gaza too, and shall writhe in anguish; Ekron also, because its hopes are confounded. The king shall perish from Gaza; Ashkelon shall be uninhabited; 6  a mixed people shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of hilistia.  7 I will take away its blood from its mouth, and its abominations from between its teeth; it too shall be a remnant for our God; it shall be like a clan in Judah, and Ekron shall be like the Jebusites. 8 Then I will encamp at my house as a guard, so that none shall march to and fro; no oppressor shall again march over them, for now I see with my own eyes. Zechariah 9:1-8

The human heart gathers for itself that which it puts its trust. The things made with human hands and the creation itself (not the Creator) become the things we worship. We put all our trust in things, people, work, relationships, and things. We count on our own wisdom instead of the wisdom of God. In fact, the wisdom of God we call foolish because the world calls it foolish. The strength of God we call weakness because the world calls it weak. But worse than all that is how we regard our neighbor. We hold grudges, we hold anger, we demand vengeance while we desire to pull the trigger. God will have none of it. Vengeance is his and he strikes down those who do not love him and give him his honor. He takes vengeance on his time and not on our time. He will take away the blood from our enemies. He will fight for his people. He destroys that which is an abomination to him. No oppressor shall prevail over God’s people. Indeed, he prevails over all our enemies by sending Jesus to the cross. He encamps with his people by dying for them and then rising to life on the third day. Jesus dies and in so doing even death is destroyed. All your enemies have been made a footstool for the Lord. The Lord preserves you as his remnant. Thanks be to Jesus for his work of life.