"I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. 10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption." Psalms 16:8-10 ; "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— 23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. 25 For David says concerning Him: 'I FORESAW THE LORD ALWAYS BEFORE MY FACE, FOR HE IS AT MY RIGHT HAND, THAT I MAY NOT BE SHAKEN. 26 THEREFORE MY HEART REJOICED, AND MY TONGUE WAS GLAD; MOREOVER MY FLESH ALSO WILL REST IN HOPE. 27 FOR YOU WILL NOT LEAVE MY SOUL IN HADES, NOR WILL YOU ALLOW YOUR HOLY ONE TO SEE CORRUPTION. 28 YOU HAVE MADE KNOWN TO ME THE WAYS OF LIFE; YOU WILL MAKE ME FULL OF JOY IN YOUR PRESENCE.' 29 "Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear." Acts 2:22-32

King David wrote these words generations before the empty tomb shook the foundations of death. At first glance, Psalm 16 reads like a personal prayer of trust -- a yearning for security and closeness with God. But beneath the surface, the Spirit was revealing something deeper, something eternal: a promise not just for David, but for all of us. David dared to hope for more than just a long life; he looked beyond the grave and glimpsed the eternal. He trusted that God would not leave him in Sheol -- the realm of the dead -- and would not let His “Holy One” see corruption. Yet David did die. His tomb, Peter boldly proclaimed at Pentecost, was still present and known to all. So, how could David sing such a song of confidence? David was a prophet. He saw the resurrection -- not merely of himself, but of the One who would come from his lineage. The phrase, "You will not let Your Holy One see corruption," was not about David, but a Messianic Psalm about Jesus, who broke the power of death by rising on the third day. And because Jesus rose, so shall David -- and so shall we. What David saw in part, we now see in full. His hope has become our anchor: resurrection is not a wishful dream, it is a guaranteed reality through the Risen One. Jesus is the firstfruits of the resurrection, the forerunner of a new creation where death holds no power. Because He lives, we will live also. This is not just a future promise -- it is a present power. Death no longer has the final word. Brothers & Sisters, let this awaken your soul and ignite your spirit: long before Calvary, God whispered the promise of resurrection through a shepherd king -- but in Jesus, that whisper became a thunderous cry that shattered the silence of the tomb. The grave is broken, death defeated, and the pit stripped of its power. This is not mere theology -- it is the cornerstone of our faith. As Paul declared, if Messiah had not been raised, our faith would be in vain --but He has been raised! (1 Cor. 15:12-17) And because the apostles grasped this truth, they were transformed from fearful men into bold witnesses who faced death without flinching. Let that same resurrection power burn in you today. Proclaim the truth with fire -- for the tomb is empty, death has lost its sting, and Jesus is alive — Amen! THE HOPE BEYOND THE GRAVE!

"For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this." Isaiah 9:6-7 ; "There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His." Hebrews 4:9-10

The majestic Messianic prophecy of Isaiah 9 culminates in a powerful declaration: “The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” Not might. Not maybe. Not if we work hard enough. It will be done -- because God Himself is passionate to see it through. The Hebrew word for “zeal” here is קִנְאָה (kin’ah), which also means jealousy or burning passion. This is not passive interest -- it’s the fiery determination of the LORD of Hosts to establish His Kingdom. The same fiery zeal that struck Egypt with plagues—shattering the power of false gods, that parted the Red Sea and made a way where there was none, that birthed a nation from the womb of slavery, and that drove the Son of God to the cross at Calvary -- is the very zeal that will fulfill every promise declared in Isaiah 9. This kingdom of justice, righteousness, and peace is not the result of human effort or religious striving. It is divinely initiated, sustained, and completed. That’s why the passage ends not with a command to act, but with an invitation to rest -- an echo of Shabbat, the seventh-day rest established at creation and later given as a covenant sign to Israel. And yet, that weekly rest was always pointing to something greater: a future, eternal rest in the Messiah, our Prince of Peace. The Book of Hebrews tells us there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God (Hebrews 4:9-10). This isn’t merely about a day off -- it’s a prophetic promise that in Jesus, we cease from striving, just as God did from His works. In Messiah, the striving to earn your salvation is finished. The striving to prove, to fix, to control is silenced by the finished work of the cross. Jesus didn’t just observe Shabbat -- He embodies it. He is our rest. Our stillness. Our restoration. He is the Lord of Shabbat! Every Shabbat you observe becomes more than a tradition -- it becomes a prophetic rehearsal of what is to come: a world restored, a people redeemed, a King enthroned, and a kingdom at peace. In a world of exhaustion, He offers rest. In a world filled with confusion, He offers divine wisdom. In the midst of chaos, He reigns peace. Brothers & Sisters, so lay down your burdens, beloved. The Kingdom will not rise by your striving -- but by the zeal of the Lord of hosts. Rest in Him. Worship Him. Trust in Him. Let Shabbat be more than a ritual -- let it be your weekly return to the heart of heaven. For your King has come, and His zeal is accomplishing what no man can. He is your Shabbat. He is your Peace. He is your eternal Rest. And in Him, every storm will cease and every striving soul will find peace. Our Prince of Peace is coming on the clouds of heaven! THE ZEAL OF THE LORD!