The King is Coming - Ring the Bells
One Year Bible: Dec. 26
Zechariah 1:1-21
The King is Coming: “King-Priest”
Ring The Bells
For hundreds of years, church bells called people to worship, prayer and celebration.
It must have been glorious to hear them ring out, celebrating the Lord’s Birth.
During World War One, many church bells were requisitioned, melted down, and turned into artillery for the troops on the frontline. What had once been a symbol of peace and community now became tools of war. It was a very sad time.
During World War Two, church bells were silenced altogether. They were only to ring if there was an invasion. Finally, in 1943 the ban was lifted, and the bells rang again to celebrate the victory of the long, painful war and to remember the fallen.
We are approaching the final chapters of the book of Zechariah. His book had more prophecies of Jesus Christ than any other prophetic book except for Isaiah.
Zechariah “rang the bells” to invite God’s chosen people to worship, prayer, and celebration. Like the bells rung from steeples, he also rang them in warning of upcoming threats. They dare not miss the prophecies of the long-awaited Messiah.
Today we will look at another prophecy concerning Messiah as mentioned by Zechariah 6:13. ‘It is he who shall build the temple of the LORD and shall bear royal honor, and shall sit and rule on this throne. And there shall be a ‘priest on his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”
Hebrews 6:20-7:1 gives us a New Testament perspective on Jesus as Priest and King.
It tells us that Jesus entered as a forerunner for us… and, in so doing, became the mediator between God and man and took up His appointed place as God’s eternal High Priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.
It is important to note that Melchizedek is the priest who blessed Abraham. What do we know about Melchizedek in the Bible? He is mentioned in only three books (Genesis, Psalms, and Hebrews). He was a priest of the Most High who gave Abraham a blessing. His name means “King of Righteousness.”
Everything in the Old Testament comes to a complete full circle, and God is once again connecting the dots for the Jews with the reference to Melchizadek.
Did you know that church bells not only rang to invite people to worship God but also to issue warnings?
In Old Testament times, the priests wore bells on their hems, and they would ring as they went into the HOLY PLACE.
In 2011, archaeologists uncovered a golden bell in Jerusalem that may have belonged to a 1st-century High Priest. This is a very interesting discussion as the High Priest’s official attire while ministering in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle and Temple included the wearing of bells on their garments.
“On the hem (of the ephod) you shall make pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet yarns, around its hem, with bells of gold between them, a golden bell and a pomegranate around the hem of the robe. And it shall be on Aaron when he ministers and its sound shall be heard when he goes into the Holy Place before the LORD, and when he comes out, so that he does not die.” (Exodus 28:33-35)
It is interesting that researchers have recreated an image showing that up to 72 bells could have sounded on the High Priest’s garments when he walked around inside the holiest place in the Temple. The exact number has been debated in the Talmud.
According to the law of Moses, the priest entered this space once a year, on Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement).
We know that when Jesus comes back, He will enter into this Holy of Holy places. You and I may wonder, "Why in the world would there be a Temple with the old system of atonement?"
Not only is Jesus the prophet, great High Priest, and King, as Zechariah points out in this passage. He is also fulfilling the Day of Atonement as He is the perfect, sacrificial lamb. No animal could pay for human sins. It was a human sacrifice of a perfect, spotless man. The one and only begotten son of the Most High God!
Just as the days gone by, when the church bells rang again after the war was over, I wonder if Jesus will have bells on as He returns to the Temple as the Great High Priest and King… What a glorious sound that would be!
In any case, it will be a time for all mankind to bow before him… Prophet, Priest, and King.
Son of David, Long Awaited Sacrifice. Son of God. Jesus Messiah!
“Ring the bells, ring the bells, let the whole world know.
Christ was born in Bethlehem many years ago.
Born to die that man might live. Came to earth, new life to give.
Born of Mary, born so low, many years ago.”
(Ring the Bells, Harry Bollback)
