I’ve been on a several year personal journey through the old testament and am currently looking at the minor prophets.

Zechariah is a wonderful book. I can’t say I completely understand every element of prophecy in it. But some of it is quite clear and eye opening, regardless of your eschatological bent.

Zechariah 14 talks about this future time, when Jesus will rule and reign from Jerusalem.
No more politicians.
No more chaos.

Just Jesus, ruling righteously.

Verse 16 says that the nations will come up to Jerusalem every year:
1) To “worship the King, the Lord of hosts
2) To keep the feast of Tabernacles.

But to those who refuse to come worship and celebrate, “on them, will be no rain.”

This prophecy was written in a time during history, when Israel was an agrarian society (that means they were farmers).
And Israel — and the surrounding nations were dependant on seasonal rain.
No rain = no water, no food.
Without rain, life as they knew it, would cease to be possible.

And so this prophecy — of this future timeperiod, communicated a powerful message to the people of that day:

If you do not worship the Messiah (Jesus) — there will be no rain, and life as you know it will cease.

As disciples of Jesus, we desire the LIFE of God.
We desire the POWER of God.
We desire the BLESSING of God.
We desire the SPIRIT of God.
We desire the DIRECTION of God.
And we desire the PRESENCE of God.

Past, present or future — the principle is the same:
 If you do not worship the Messiah (Jesus) — there will be no rain, and life as you know it will cease.

The life, the power, the blessing, the Spirit, the direction and the presence of God will all elude us.
Dryness will be our experience.
There will be very little harvest in our ministry.
Our relationships even, will be characterized by strife.

Wait a second — do we serve a mean God?
Is God “getting even” with those who do not come to worship Him?
Is he like the proverbial kindergartener who says: “if you don’t do what I want, I won’t be your friend.” ?

Jesus is not evil.
He is completely pure.
He is altogether lovely.
And altogether just.

It’s not that Jesus is mean —
It’s that the rain only falls in Jerusalem, where He is.

Friends, if you want to be refreshed,
if you want to experience the power, the life, the blessing,
the direction and the presence of God —
you have to Worship Jesus.
You must be in His presence.

Because it is there — and only there, that you will experience the “rain” of God.
It’s only there — that your heart will be washed clean of the sin,
the attitudes and the rottenness that so characterizes the human race.

It’s only there, in the presence of Christ, that you will find contentment, and refreshment.

Past, present, future — if you find Jesus, you will find the rain.
Psalm 16:11:
“In you presence, there is fullness of joy.
And at your right hand, there are pleasures forever more.”