Zech. 12:1

1 In the eighth [shamiyniy] month [chodesh], in the second [shanayim] year [shaneh (in pl. only),] of Darius [Dar`yavesh], came the word [dabar] of the LORD [Yahovah] unto Zechariah [Zakaryah], the son [ben] of Berechiah [Berekyah], the son [ben] of Iddo [`Iddow] the prophet [nabiy'], saying ['amar], KJV-Interlinear

1 The burden of the word of the LORD concerning Israel. Thus declares the LORD who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him, NASB

There is but one true Jerusalem, the city of peace. Peace comes from only one source and that source is Bible doctrine. Bible doctrine is available only to those who have believed in Jesus Christ.

The Jerusalem from above, from heaven, includes those folks who have believed in Christ, the one and only, Son of God, the Savior of all mankind.

To those who have believed in Christ, and furthermore, to those who have advanced to spiritual maturity, there is certain and guaranteed success, prosperity, and a life which exists far beyond the imagination.

To those who have rejected Christ, there will be certain doom in the Lake of Fire, complete with torments and terror forever.

To those who have believed in Christ but just cannot seem to get committed to their spiritual life, there is heaven certainly, for the next life. But, once in heaven their rewards will not be given to them. They will live out their life here on this earth, in accordance with the laws of the jungle. In that case then, to some there will be earthly prosperity. To some there will be earthly misery. To all there will be loss of spiritual blessing.

The ultimate event in human history, will come when the believers of the final days in the Tribulation, will be surrounded and vastly outnumbered by the entire world, and still they will be delivered. The pressures on them will be enormous. The fear gauge will be off the scale, but they will have poise and the presence of mind to think their way through their troubles, and Christ will eventually deliver them.

Zechariah is the story of the delivery of believers who have been faithful to God, and the story of the destruction of those who have not been faithful to God. It is also the story of the judgment of those who have rejected God, and Christ.

Anyone who attacks those who belong to God, do so at their own certain peril. God has a plan for every human being. Only those who have believed in His only Son, and have pursued their spiritual life to the point of maturity, will be the recipients of their own unique plan, which God has set out for them.

Those who have rejected or simply ignored God, have an alternate plan set out for their lives and that alternate is generally not pretty. They become in effect historical filler, which is not much of a compliment for their existence.

There is a truth in this universe and to those who reject it, it becomes a burden, a heavy rock, a mountain which no human can carry. Either a person complies with Gods word, or he does not. Half a compliance is no better than, no compliance, with respect to minding ones own daily activities.

God is the source of truth. To those who are obedient to Him, that truth becomes not a burden, but a magnificent blessing.

God stretches out the universe. He holds the planet earth together. He is the sole creator of life, all life and especially human life. People do not produce human life. People perpetuate biological life, but God is the only one who creates human life. And when that life is done in this earthly body, it returns to God, who created it, for disposition to ones eternal state, whether heaven or hell.

God created the universe and all that is in it. As we learn more in our technological advances in science, we discover just how vast is the wisdom of God. It is beyond our comprehension. Only a century ago we had virtually nothing of the technology we have today.

We were commanded to work the ground, to be fruitful, to multiply, which includes all forms of work, including discovery of the natural sciences of this universe, and the innovation and invention of the many things we take for granted in our daily lives now.

Just as we know of the angels, but cannot see them, just as we know of human life, but cannot separate it from a body, so too, there are still an infinite number of things yet to be discovered in this universe, things which are possible, because God has made them so, but things which man will never be able to attain in knowledge.

The universe is vast and man is limited. So, now the reason for this verse.

God is capable of doing anything He wills. He both has the resources, and the power to accomplish anything. He has given to each one of us, information as to His own character and His will, but then why do so many ignore Him in their lives?

Because God and doctrine is simply not as real in people s lives, as the nose on their faces, even though we all have ample evidences of life and death, and God and such.

People are just stupid when it comes right down to life. All of a phenomenally successful life lay just before each one of us, but most regard it as we view garbage, as no more valuable than something to be thrown away.

Therefore, the burden. Life thrown away, becomes a very weighty burden to those who disregard God, and doctrine, and therefore their spiritual life comes to nothing.

It is really your spiritual life, that is the real you. What you think is what you are. What you think makes or breaks your relationship with God. And that means, your future is determined by the pattern of life you choose for yourself.

Now is the time to post a prayer.