God's People Restored (Zechariah 10:1-12) (October 25, 2025)

God's People Restored (Zechariah 10:1-12) Living Life 10/25/2025 Daily Devotional Bible Study

Introduction: The Importance of Godly Leadership

Welcome to living life.

As my wife and I raise a five year old son I'm beginning to see just how important it is for us to pray for those who teach and lead our son.
They have such a big influence.
Imagine a kindergarten teacher teaching my child eight hours a day every single day for a whole year.
Imagine just how much influence this teacher has in church Sunday school pastor Sunday school teachers and so on and so forth people that influence him.

It is so important for us to pray for leaders and for leaders to lead in the right way.
In our passage today we see that the leaders of Israel were leading the people estray the shepherds were leading the people estray and so Ah It's so important for us to have God fearing leaders but also to be God fearing leaders but also to remember ultimately God is our leader.
And so let's see in today's passage how the people led

the leaders led Israel astray but also how God leads us back to him.
Let's read our passage

Scripture Reading: Zechariah 10:1–12

Zachariah Chapter ten verses one to twelve

Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime It is the Lord who sends the thunderstorms.
He gives showers of rain to all people and plants of the field to everyone The idols speak deceitfully Diviners see visions that lie they tell dreams that are false they gibe comfort in vain therefore the people wander like sheep oppressed for lack of a shepherd.
My anger burns against the shepherds and I will punish the leaders for the Lord Almighty will care for his flock

The people of Judah and make them like a proud horse in battle from Judah will come the cornerstone from him the tent PEG from him the battle bow from him every ruler together they will be like warriors in battle trampling their enemy into the mud of the streets.
They will fight because the Lord is with them and they will put the enemy horsemen to shame.
I will strengthen Judah and save the tribes of Joseph.
I will restore them because I have compassion on them.

They will be as though I had not rejected them for I am the Lord their God and I will answer them The Eprmites will become like warriors and their hearts will be glad.
As with wine their children will see it and be joyful their hearts will rejoice in the Lord.
I will signal for them and gather them in surely I will redeem them They will be as numerous as before though I scattered them among the peoples Yet in distant lands they will remember me

They and their children will survive and they will return.
I will bring them back from Egypt and gather them from Assyria.
I will bring them to Gilead and Lebanon and there will not be room enough for them.
They will pass through the sea of trouble The surging sea will be subdued and all the depths of the Nile will dry up a serious pride will be brought down and Egypt's Septor will pass away.
I will strengthen them in the Lord and in his name they will live securely declares the Lord.

Asking for Rain: Trusting God Instead of Idols

In today's passage we begin by God saying Ask for rain for Israel.
They relied heavily on the rain that came down in different seasons.
They didn't have a reservoir they didn't weren't able to save water and so rain was vital for them.
And when God is saying Ask for rain he's saying stop relying on these false idols because Israel was so desperate for rain Say rain didn't come that they would trust

in these idols God of Rain and and and pray and hope that Thou would bring the rain that they need.
When God is sing Ask for Rain He sing Put away those idols Stop trusting in things that are not me in God himself and put our full trust in him not just for the rain but the things that will help us to support ourselves in food and and making money and so on and so forth but spiritually as well.
Ask for Reign means

God will supply all of our needs in Christ Jesus Don't encourage you brothers and sisters to ask for Rain Lord May you rein down on your people everything that they need but most importantly more of Jesus in our lives we need more of Jesus fill us spiritually so that everything else becomes like nothing because there is nothing greater than knowing and loving you God I hope that blessing is upon you and so these leaders they would lead the people astray and so God is saying that he will punish

Warning to Leaders and Those Influenced by Them

those leaders and so I encourage you to be very careful for those who influence You make sure that you're not heavily influenced by people who are ungodly or influenced by social media and sort of ungodly agendas of this world.
But also if you are a leader in any way as a family member as church member at work if you are a leader I pray and I hope that we would all be God fearing God loving leaders who help the people under us and with us

to get closer to Jesus. And I want to also encourage you to pray for your leaders who are your leaders your pastor your small group leaders your work leaders your parents whoever your leaders may be pray for them Don't just say how can I get rid of this person or how can I just deal with this person?
Pray for them Pray that God would turn their hearts if needed that they would repent if needed that God would still be able to use them in a powerful and loving way.

Jesus the True Leader and Cornerstone

Ultimately Jesus is our leader and we see that in verse four.
Let's read verse four together from Judah Will come the cornerstone from him the tent PEG from him the battle bow from him every ruler Amen Jesus is this cornerstone and the cornerstone was what kept any building together and kept it in alignment.
And so Jesus is our cornerstone in that we are secure in him He is our the center He is the one without him we fall apart.
Also a tent Pag Ah was used to secure a tent and so this

A shows that Jesus is our security He is the one we turn to He is trustworthy dependable and we hold on to him.
Lastly Jesus is the battle bow Um which shows attacking which shows fighting against evil Jesus is the one who will deliver us and give us the strength to defeat the enemy.
The rest of this passage we see that God is restoring his people he will strengthen them give them joy because they are his covenant people.
God is a god who keeps his covenant He keeps his promise.

God Restores and Strengthens His People

And although the Jews were scattered everywhere, he said he will bring them back together.
And the same thing as Christians that God brings us together he strengthens us and the joy he gives us because we are his covenant people is something that we cannot explain in words.

What warning or encouragement do you receive from the fact that God is attentive to how His people are being led?

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God’s Power Over Trouble

Let's finish with verse eleven.
Can we read verse eleven together?
They will pass through the sea of trouble The surging sea will be subdued and all the depths of the Nile will dry up a serious pride will be brought down and Egypt's Septor will pass away.
Am God is a god who will lead us through trouble.
He will help us and allow us to find victory.
He will he will dry up

um the waters that keep us from him He will defeat any enemies that try to stand in our way of obeying and trusting and loving him more.
And so brother says I'll encourage you to be a wonderful leader to pray for your leaders to be careful for the leaders who may influence you but ultimately most importantly remember who your main leader is.
He is Jesus your cornerstone the one who holds us together the one who gives us supreme joy The one who saves us, secures us,

delivers us the trustworthy one.
Let's put our full trusts in him for we are his people and he is our good, good shepherd.

Prayer

Let's pray Heavenly Father we thank you that we have a leader in Jesus Christ who gave his life for us.
He is our cornerstone He holds us together we build upon our lives on him and on him alone.
We thank you that he delivers us He brings us back together He saves us he gives us the joy that nothing in this world can give and helps lead us through trouble and into his arms.

And so we thank you for the love, for the provision, for the grace we have in him.
Please help us to continue trusting in you God, in you Jesus as our leader Ultimate leader in Jesus' name We pray amen.