Zechariah 9:12

Prisoners of Hope

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy king cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.”
(Zechariah 9:9)

“Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee.” (Zechariah 9:12)

The blessed hope for every redeemed believer should be the glorious coming again of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” (Titus 2:13)

As surely as Christ came to the citizens of Jerusalem, so will He return from His Father’s presence to take His followers to be with Him in heaven. This was the hope of all believers in the early church, and this is the hope of all redeemed believers today.

This “blessed hope” can be realized at any time. Jesus said in Matthew 24:42, “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” Furthermore, God stresses that we must ever-patient, ever- watchful, ever-ready!

This is the hope we voluntary prisoners of Christ’s Love can hold on to. “For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel.” (Colossians 1:5) This is our strong-hold in the time of trial and trouble.

The promises of the Messiah was a strong-hold of the faithful Israelites long before Jesus entered affirmed through Jerusalem’s city gate, riding on a humble donkey. Their prophets are also ours, and our prophets direct us to stay turning to Christ, God’s Anointed Son, Who comforts we who await the “blessed hope,” again, and again, with the coming of our King and Saviour, who comes with salvation. The need has never diminished! We are prisoners of hope…yes… we are still prisoners of sin. Yet even though prisoners of sin, we are free in Christ and of His promises. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed!” (John 8:36)

“I will render double unto thee,” God says through the Prophet Zechariah 9:12. I can practically hear the voice of Jesus, “O Jerusalem, I will render double unto thee…..to every prisoner of hope. I will give you double the comforts to the sorrows you have experienced for my sake. I shall bless you doubly, you who remain faithful to my commands.”

“Link to YouTube Video – Whispering Hope – Mary Duff”