HOCF SERMON 2023

Zechariah 2:1-5 The City Without Walls

ZECHARIAH 5:1-5

Then I looked up, and there before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand. 2 I asked, "Where are you going?"

He answered me, "To measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is."

3 While the angel who was speaking to me was leaving, another angel came to meet him 4 and said to him: "Run, tell that young man, 'Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of people and animals in it. 5 And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,' declares the Lord, 'and I will be its glory within.'

Dayon nakita ko ang isa ka tawo nga may ginauyatan nga higot nga inugtakos.[a] 2 Nagpamangkot ako, "Diin ka makadto?" Nagsabat siya sa akon, "Sa Jerusalem, sa pagtakos kon daw ano ini kasangkad kag kalaba." 3 Dayon naghalin ang anghel nga nagapakigsugilanon sa akon. Ginsugata siya sang isa pa gid ka anghel 4 kag nagsiling sa iya, "Dali, hambala atong pamatan-on nga may higot nga inugtakos nga ang Jerusalem mangin isa ka siyudad nga wala sing mga pader tungod sa sobra nga kadamuon sang iya mga pumuluyo kag mga kasapatan. 5 Nagsiling ang Ginoo nga siya mismo ang mangin pader nga kalayo nga magapalibot sa siyudad sang Jerusalem, kag siya ang mangin gahom sang sini nga siyudad."

SERMON:

The Word today tells about the vision of Prophet Zechariah in which he was shown 2 angels. The first one has a measuring line and he was to measure how long and wide Jerusalem is, but as he was leaving, another angel came and told him that Jerusalem will be city without walls because of the great number of people animals.

And this is because God Himself will be its walls and the glory inside it.

For us to understand deeper what the Spirit of God is revealing in HIs Word today we must first understand what a wall is.

The English definition of wall is according to Oxford languages dictionary it means a continuous vertical brick or stone structure that encloses or divides an area of land.

SA Hiligaynon, tawag naton pader. Ang pader ang nagalikop ukon nagatunga ukon nagabahin sa duta. It's usually made up of bricks or stone or anything strong and sturdy so it is not easily broken or destroyed.

People or cities usually invest on putting up walls to offer a sense of safety, security and privacy to the people inside it or living inside the perimeter it encloses. Lain gid ya kung ang imo balay o duta may pader kay feeling mo indi ka madali-dali sulod sang tawo ukon mg sapat nga ara sa palibot.

Walls also protect us from different weather conditions. A wall becomes a shield against the wind, rain, and snow.

Walls also give you more peace and quiet because it can also serve as a barrier against noise. It then encloses a space that gives you privacy so you are free to do whatever you want away from prying eyes outside. And so walls also give you a feeling of comfort.

That's why China, built the only man made structure that can be seen from the moon, the Great Wall of China, so that they would be able to protect their country from invasion. They invested so much resources, time, money and effort to build the wall because they know that it could shield them and give them security against outside attackers.

So you see, if we are going to think of it, walls seem to be important because even now, kung magpatukod ta balay, kung may budget man lang, or kung pwede pa lang dapat unahon gid ang pader. Para ma secure naton ang aton territoryo. Because a wall is our defence against many things. Our homes then become a place of safety. A refuge and our fortress.

Kay kung wala pader ang aton balay, we become vulnerable To outside forces. Kung wala pader aton balay dali kita makawatan. Kung wala pader aton balay, gwa-sulod ang mga ido, kuring kag bisan pa ang mga marites na tupad balay, dali maka spy sa kung ano ang gakatabo sa aton nga kinabuhi kay exposed ang aton panimalay sa ila mga mata.