This is what it says. Why would we not accept it's saying?
Where are we told it's a parable, or allegory, or metaphor, or other figures of speech? And if that's what it is, allegory, or something, where are we told what that means?
For instance, "and that rock was Christ", the metaphor is here both identified and defined, and therefore carries Scriptural authority.
Unless the Bible identifies something as a metaphor or type, AND it defines the meaning, in context, then such interpretation lacks Scriptural authority. Unless the Bible itself tells us to take something in some other manner, and tells us what that would be, I've of the mind we should accept what it says at face value, in the ways language is normally used and understood, particularly in it's historical context.
Again . . . not the offering for sin. We make sacrifices to God now, you remember. Our bodies. Our praises. For instance.
What makes it difficult? I find it to be plain reading that agrees with other Scripture. And debateable, everything is debated, on and on. Zechariah is very straightforward in my understanding.
Worship.
Numbers 29:12-34 KJV
12) And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work, and ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days:
13) And ye shall offer a burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD; thirteen young bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year; they shall be without blemish:
14) And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals unto every bullock of the thirteen bullocks, two tenth deals to each ram of the two rams,
15) And a several tenth deal to each lamb of the fourteen lambs:
16) And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.
17) And on the second day ye shall offer twelve young bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without spot:
18) And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
19) And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and the meat offering thereof, and their drink offerings.
20) And on the third day eleven bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish;
21) And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
22) And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.
23) And on the fourth day ten bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:
24) Their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
25) And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.
26) And on the fifth day nine bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without spot:
27) And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
28) And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.
29) And on the sixth day eight bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:
30) And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
31) And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.
32) And on the seventh day seven bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:
33) And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
34) And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.
Every day they offered a sin offering, morning and evening. The sin offering is fulfilled in Christ.
Zechariah 14:16-21 KJV
16) And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.
17) And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.
18) And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
19) This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
20) In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD'S house shall be like the bowls before the altar.
21) Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts.
You say that you don't know what this means, and I like honesty, humilty, that we can admit such things. I'd simply point out that the reason you don't know what it means is because you reject the plain saying because you see that to be in disagreement with other things you think. So it comes down to having a personal opinion that it doesn't mean the plain thing it says.
For myself, Unless I know Scripture that tells me what it means, and that it's something other than it's plain saying, my way is to change what I think, rather than what the meaning of the plain saying is.
Much love!
