2007 picture of Ray Sparre

Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67


5 December
Passage: Zechariah 12
Focus: "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.” Zechariah 12:10.

The first verse of this chapter begins—“This is the word of the LORD concerning Israel.” The big question to try to settle with such a claim is, “Is this ‘word of the LORD’ an authentic word of the LORD? Many will answer according to their negative bias and say, “No way!” Others will answer, “Whatever.” I judge that a valid answer is one containing another question: “If the rest of this book is deemed true and authentic, why not accept this as part of the same? After all, it all fits together well with no conflict with the rest of Biblical revelation.”

Zechariah is inspired to add authority and urgent importance to the message by emphasizing which LORD is behind this message—“The LORD, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the spirit of man within him” (12:1). That sounds like a very big LORD to me—One that deserves my attention and submission.

Let’s not pass over this too lightly or quickly. Think carefully with me about the whole idea of thinking. We typically think that our thinking, which I judge to be very synonymous with our spirit, is totally unique to ourselves, totally autonomous (self-created and self-governed). Please don’t be heavily confident with that assumption. I am more and more convinced with time and observation along with my own thoughtful dot-connecting that we humans are far more psychologically and spiritually influenced and governed by our choices and their corresponding spiritual realms of influence than we are inclined to know. I repeat a thesis that flows from my own Biblical worldview—THERE ARE ONLY TWO SPIRITUAL KINGDOMS OUT THERE. Sadly, the kingdom of darkness and deception (of Satan) is the default setting of the psycho-spiritual side of human hearts as a result of the NATURAL SIN NATURE. So it is only as one seeks first God’s Kingdom of Truth and the right choices illuminated and required by that Kingdom that one ever breaks free from the default setting.

How can things be otherwise—IF Biblical revelation is true?!? We’re all aware that many, with their secular perspective, fail to see anything spiritual anywhere—least of all in their own thoughts. But that condition only serves to confirm the validity of the Biblical perspective—that thought patterns have connectors with one’s chosen spiritual orientation (See John 8:31-32). Consider again the window of Biblical perspective as inspired and presented by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6—“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power” (Ephesians 6:10). Why? Because there is a very real battle being waged in the realm of the spirit between the two kingdoms—and if a person does not seek the right one, he will be overcome and carried away by the wrong one—without even knowing it. “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes” (Ephesians 6:11). Why? Because the battle is not physical and the “devil’s schemes” are psycho-spiritual. But, praise God, so is the superior overcoming protection of “the full armor of God” that is available to anyone with a psycho-spiritual HEART AFTER GOD. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).

Beware. And think carefully. Is anyone truly of a sound and clear-thinking mind who thinks that their thoughts are entirely autonomous? If that were true, how could the Holy Spirit enlighten, or the evil spirit darken?


“It is later than we think— and some of us are not thinking.”