A Dual Promise

Zechariah 2:5 (NKJV): For I, ‘says the Lord, ‘will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.’

God is not satisfied just giving us His divine protection; He desires to fill us with the pleasure of His presence. Such was the promise given to Zechariah the prophet.

The Israelites were now free from exile and had returned to Judah to rebuild the temple. God appointed prophets like Haggai and Zechariah to minister to this small group. Midway through construction, they had grown lethargic. They slumped back into sin. And as a result of ignoring their service to God, the temple was left half-built.

During that period, Zechariah received eight divine visions. He told them about the coming judgment, the blessings to Jerusalem and the need for God’s people to remain pure – avoiding sin, superficiality and hypocrisy. The visions provided a glimmer of hope.

Our God is a God of hope, prosperity, and protection among other things. Have there been times when you’ve woken up emotionally weak? Maybe you cried to the Lord in desperation, and He answered with an encouraging word. Instead of letting you sink into a paralysis of fear, He awakened your cry for help and then answered with a promise.

For I, ‘says the Lord, ‘will be a wall of fire all around her’. If God promised protection of fire for the vulnerable villages of Jerusalem, how much more will He provide for you, child of God? God will be a ‘wall of fire all around’ you. Yes. He will. He has been. And He will be.

And He doesn’t stop there. Inside that fiery wall of protection, God says, “And I will be the glory in the midst of her.” Precious one, when you soak in the glorious presence of God daily, you will find the strength to do His will.