On that day HOLY TO THE LORD will be inscribed on the bells of the horses. (Zechariah 14:20)
Sacred Scripture assures us that a day is coming when all things will be put right. The prophet Zechariah envisioned the consummation of the Kingdom of God, when all things will be made new, when all that has been ruined will be restored, and when even the bells on horses’ bridles shall toll forth the glorious, comforting, cosmic truth that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Zechariah was writing at a time when the people of God had returned from exile in Babylon to a Jerusalem that was only a distant, crumbled memory of its previous glory; both the city walls and the temple lay in ruins. But the Word of the Lord came to His prophet to let God’s people know that the current condition of the sacred city bore no resemblance to its future, consummated condition. A time is coming — “on that day”– when the heavens will rejoice, and the earth will be glad, the fields be jubilant, and everything in them, all the trees of the forest will sing for joy (Psalm 96:11-12), and even the bells of the horses shall toll the truth that God was, is, and forever will be on His throne, maintaining perfect, righteous control of all things.
Think about it this way: Even the common bells of the horses shall ring out the holiness of the Lord when Jesus returns, bringing with Him the Kingdom consummated. “On that day” all that was common shall be uncommon, because all will be consecrated unto the Lord. All our meals shall be sacraments to our Savior. All our clothes shall be vestments to our Christ. All our words shall be a witness of sweet-smelling incense rising up to heaven. And only to the extent that we believe this to be true will we align our lives with God’s truth, each and every day, and live all of life as unto the Lord, regardless of the cost or circumstance that may confront us.
Have you received God’s promise of future perfection? Are you living by faith according to this promise? If the bells of the horses shall be inscribed with the holiness of God, how much more shall the hearts of God’s people resound with the truth that has set us free to be all God has called us to be and to do all God has called us to do!
Christian, when all around you seems to be coming apart, remember the promise that God has made, which He will certainly bring to fruition in His perfect time. All will be made new and perfect and “Holy To The Lord” . . . and that includes you!
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Grace for the Race 