SHOWERS

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Zechariah 10:1 – Ask rain from the Lord in the season of the spring rain from the Lord who makes the storm clouds, and he will give them showers of rain, to everyone the vegetation in the field.

Welcome back, dear readers!  At the close of chapter 9 we found that God made promises of both spiritual and earthly blessings to his people.  He spoke of plentiful harvests of both corn and wine, which the Jews had not experienced for some time.  He also spoke of the joy that his people would experience when they received these blessings. 

The harvests mentioned here are dependent upon the former and latter rains.  Since most of us are not full-time farmers, let’s take a few moments to review this topic.

The ‘former’ rain refers to the showers/storms that come at the time the crop/seed is planted.  A substantial amount of water is needed at that time in order for the seeds to sprout, grow and put down roots.

If the seed receives too much water, it will rot.  If too little water is received, the seed will never sprout.  In either case, there will not be a harvest.     

The ‘latter’ rain refers to the showers that come in the weeks just before the harvest.  This moisture is critical for the full development of the grain.  For example, this rain supports the growth of the individual kernels of corn within the ear, making them full and plump.  

Too little rain at this time will result in ears of corn which are small, stunted or thin.  Too much rain (as in the case of a severe storm) will uproot the plants or destroy the ears, also resulting in failure of the crop.  

Obviously, the correct amount of water at the right time is instrumental in receiving the most bountiful harvest possible.  (Deuteronomy 11:14, Jeremiah 5:24).  

If Israel’s crops failed or the yields were small/stunted it would be devastating for the people and their livestock.  In some cases, it could result in a life or death situation.  But Israel does not need to worry, as long as she is faithful to God.

Zechariah reminds the Jews that it is God who provides the rain which produces the plentiful harvests.  He is the one who makes the storm clouds, which contain lightening, thunder and rain. 

The prophet also reveals that God is ready, willing and able to give his people these needed showers at the right time and in the right amount.  All they need to do is seek/ask the Lord for this blessing.  Because God is always faithful to his promises, he will answer their prayers and bring the rain they need.  

The former and latter rains are one example of the earthly/temporal blessings of God.  But these rains also have a spiritual parallel as well. 

Hosea 6:3 – Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord; his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

Some commentators view the law/Old Testament covenant as the former rain, because this covenant represented a new season – it was the official or legal beginning of reconciliation between God and man.  Throughout the season of the Law, God’s people grew and developed.  They rooted themselves in the ways of God.

And when the time was right, God also brought mankind the latter rain – the gospel message/New Testament covenant.  Through this blessing of God, man could experience a richer, fuller relationship with his creator and redeemer.  For example:

• Fellowship with God was no longer limited to the Jews; it was opened up to Gentiles as well. 
• Holy Spirit could now live within the heart of all believers. 
• Through Holy Spirit, God blesses his followers with spiritual gifts which were formerly only available to a limited few.
• All children of God now have direct access to his presence and throne room.  

What a blessing the latter rains have been for all mankind!    

Other bible scholars offer a similar but slightly different interpretation.  Their theory says that both rains refer to a level or measure of the love, favor and spiritual blessings of God.  The former rains of God’s spiritual blessings were fewer; they were limited in scope and design, being generally available only to the Jews and then only to certain classes of the Jews such as prophets, priests and kings.

However, under the church age/age of grace, Jews and Gentiles alike may be drenched in the latter rain of God’s spiritual blessings.  All believers in Christ are now prophets and royal priests before him (I Peter 2:9). 

As such, men and women alike can experience the spiritual gifts of Holy Spirit.  All believers can receive dreams and visions, all can enter into the throne room of God with praise and thanksgiving, all can receive gifts of tongues, words of wisdom, gifts of healing, etc. 

In addition, we know that Holy Spirit will be working in all of our lives to promote the growth of the fruits of the Spirit – love, joy, patience, kindness, etc. (Galatians 5:22-23).

Zechariah’s message is clear – in both the temporal and spiritual realms, it is God that gives us the former and latter rains of blessing.  These gifts are bestowed upon those who seek them from God.     

Zechariah 10:2 – For the household gods utter nonsense, and the diviners see lies; they tell false dreams and give empty consolation.  Therefore the people wander like sheep; they are afflicted for lack of a shepherd.

It was not the fault of the Lord that the Jews were experiencing hardship and lack.  He was ready, willing and able to supply the Jews with whatever they needed and much of what they wanted (both spiritual and temporal), but they responded to him in unbelief, and thus closed the door of his favor. 

For example, the Jews who returned to Jerusalem after the captivity had given up on rebuilding the temple because they did not believe that God was going to give them success in this venture.  Then they grumbled and complained that they were not prospering, either spiritually or materially (Haggai 1:6-11).

They were in danger of following the exact same path their forefathers had taken when they rejected the promises of God – the vain path of false idols and heathen gods.

The Jews of past generations (just before the captivity) prayed and sacrificed to teraphim, which were small household idols made by the Jews themselves.  They also consulted false prophets and soothsayers who served (and supposedly spoke for) these idols, but every single prophesy they spoke was either utter nonsense or an outright lie.    

Even the dreams and visions which they claimed to have seen were nothing more than tissues of lies and deceit.  Thus, any comfort the Jews derived from these false idols or their prophets was vain, empty and worthless. That false comfort soon gave way to hardship and fear because, as we would expect, these heathen gods were utterly incapable of providing the showers of blessing that the Jews needed:

Jeremiah 14:22 – Are there any among the false gods of the nations that can bring rain?  Or can the heavens give showers?  Are you not he, O Lord our God?  We set our hope on you, for you do all these things.

But that was not the worst of it – not only had Israel gained absolutely nothing by seeking false idols, they lost the favor of the one true God and they were sent into captivity. 

At that point, they truly did not have a spiritual shepherd or government ruler to lead and protect the nation.  Only then did they seem to discover (much too late) that all of the promises made by the false gods of the Gentiles were vain lies, empty consolations and utter nonsense!

The current generation of Jews (those of Zechariah’s day) was not yet trusting in the same false gods, but they were actively marrying foreign women who still served these same idols and still sought out satanic soothsayers and diviners.  If they continued down that path, it was only a matter of time before the Jews were ensnared once again.

So in his great mercy, God reaches out to the current generation of Israel through Zechariah and reminds them what happened to their forefathers; he shows them the folly of praying to vain idols that cannot hear, or speak or act. 

It is chilling to think that this warning against unbelief is spoken to the Jews as they stare at the ruins of the former temple.  It was a stark reminder that only Jehovah, the true God, can give the former and latter rains of blessing which the Jews needed to remain a nation.

So it is in the spiritual realm as well.  The Jews have, even to this day, rejected the truth of God and hardened their hearts against King Jesus, the true Messiah and Shepherd of Israel. 

As a result of their spiritual blindness, they remain as sheep without a shepherd.  Jesus longs to gather the Jews to himself.  He longs to bless and prosper them with all the spiritual blessings available in the former and latter rains, but sadly they remain in a state of wandering where they are miserably oppressed and afflicted by their enemies.

Zechariah 10:3 – My anger is hot against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders; for the Lord of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah, and will make them like his majestic steed in battle.

There can be no doubt that as a whole, the children of Israel were all guilty of forsaking the Lord.  However, here we see that God holds the leaders (anyone who had a position of authority over the common people) to a higher standard. 

His anger is directed against the shepherds of Israel.  This group included the civil leaders (kings, governors, judges, etc) as well as spiritual leaders (priests, scribes and teachers).  Many of them were guilty of openly mocking the laws of God.

For example, let’s consider the priesthood.  When a priest (or prophet or king) accepted his position, he was anointed or set apart for use by the Lord.  Scripture tells us that the priests were anointed on the ear, the thumb and the big toe:

Exodus 29:20 - Then shall you kill the ram, and take of its blood, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right ear of his sons, and upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.

Though scripture is not definitive about why the anointing was done in this manner, it has often been surmised that the priests were anointed:

• On the ear - that they might clearly hear the words of the Lord when he spoke. 
• On the thumb - that their hands might always be ready to perform the work of the Lord. 
• On the big toe - that they might always be ready to walk in the ways of the Lord. 

As we look through the Old Testament just prior to the captivity, it isn’t difficult to see that many of the leaders who should have been committed to serving the Lord and leading the people in his ways, were corrupt. 

Instead of faithfully discharging their offices and thus keeping the common people (and the nation) on the path of God’s blessing, they rejected the Lord.  They encouraged the people to worship idols, seek council from lying spirits and false prophets and participate in witchcraft. 

Sadly, Judah did not learn her lesson even after she was conquered by Babylon.  At that time, false prophets arose who instructed the Jews remaining in the land to rebel against the king of Babylon.  But God spoke through the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel warning them to stay and serve the king of Babylon; he had NOT spoken through these lying prophets:

Jeremiah 27:9-10 - Therefore hearken not you to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, saying, You shall not serve the king of Babylon:  For they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you far from your land; and that I should drive you out, and you should perish.

We also know that some of the Jews taken into captivity were secretly praying to false idols and seeking wisdom through sorcery, as detailed in the eighth chapter of Ezekiel. 

The bottom line is that corrupt leadership played a pivotal role in the downfall of the nation and somehow, during the captivity, God judged the leaders for their folly.  

But, hallelujah, captivity was not the end of the story!   The God who corrects his children is also the God who blesses them. 

At the time this prophesy was given to Zechariah, the punishment of the captivity was over.  Jehovah was ready to once again lift his people up and bless them.  He made this very plain when he said, ‘The Lord of hosts cares for his flock’. 

God also promised that he ‘will make them (Judah) like his majestic steed in battle’.  What does that mean?  

The overall sense is that just as a war horse shows strength and courage in battle, so would the house of Israel show strength and courage in battle against their enemies, both physical and spiritual. 

In the book of Job, the Lord provides us with a graphic description of a war horse (you can read the entire description in Job 39:19-25).  Here are some of the characteristics which God has given to this remarkable animal:

• He is strong and mighty. 
• He can run swiftly and jump without difficulty. 
• The sound of his snorting terrifies his enemies. 
• He welcomes the opportunity to go to war; he does not turn back when he sees weapons of the enemy.
• He laughs at fear and is not dismayed. 
• He is confident in his rider, who is equipped with a quiver of arrows, a flashing spear and a javelin. 
• He smells the battle from afar and with fierceness he runs to meet it. 

Overall, it is clear that the war horse is at home in battle.  He does not fear or turn away; he desires to go to war, because that is what he was created to do.

In the same way, God has created his people to be his majestic war horse in the battle for planet earth.  Through the power of Holy Spirit, God has made us strong and mighty: 

• Satan and all his minions must bow when we speak the name of Jesus (Philippians 2:10). 
• With God’s help, we can run through a troop and leap over walls (II Samuel 22:30).  
• When the enemy comes to engage us, we have nothing to fear; we are confident in Jesus Christ our King (Hebrews 13:6). 
• Knowing that we have are destined to overcome through Christ (John 16:33), we should relish the opportunity to wrestle against principalities, powers and spiritual wickedness in heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12).

This was a powerful and encouraging word that God was giving to the men of Zechariah’s day, and it is still encouraging to us as well!

Zechariah 10:4 – From him shall come the cornerstone, from him the tent peg, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler – all of them together.

God goes on to reveal that ‘from him’ or from the midst of the Jewish nation (specifically the tribe of Judah), would come a cornerstone, a tent peg, and a battle bow.

 Cornerstone:  A cornerstone is a stone that forms the base of the corner of a building, joining together two walls.  This particular stone is laid first; it is the rock upon which the weight of the entire structure rests.  If it is not perfectly square and stable, the whole building will be precarious/unsafe and in danger of failing.

A cornerstone can also be defined as an important quality or feature on which a particular thing depends or is based.  

As I am sure you are aware, scripture tells us that Jesus is the chief cornerstone of our faith.  He is the sure foundation upon which the church rests and because he is divine/perfect, the church is eternally stable and victorious.

Ephesians 2:19-21 - … you are ...members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being jointed together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.   

(See also I Peter 2:4-10, I Corinthians 3:9-11, Psalms 118:22-23, etc). 

Tent Peg:  Chances are that most of us are unfamiliar with the reference to the tent peg.  But that was not the case for the children of Israel – they understood exactly what God was saying to them.  What did they know that we don’t?      

To begin with, your translation may say ‘nail’ or ‘pin’ instead of tent peg.  This term refers to a nail, spike or pin which holds parts of a building together.  This reference is also used in regards to organizations.  When speaking in terms of an organization, the ‘nails’ or ‘pins’ refer to powerful, important or distinguished persons within the group, who keep the organization together. 

The Lord uses this same word to describe Eliakim, son of Hilkiah.  This man was the steward or administrator of the palace when Hezekiah was king of Judah. 

As you know, Judah faced a grievous trial when the Assyrian army came to invade Jerusalem during the reign of Hezekiah.  At that time, Shebna (steward of the palace) became haughty and abused his power to benefit himself.  The Lord was very angry with Shebna and through the prophet Isaiah, judgment was pronounced against him (Isaiah 22:15-19).

By contrast, Eliakim demonstrated loyalty, valor and good leadership during the Assyrian crisis.  By the word of the Lord, Eliakim replaced Shebna as steward of the palace.

God describes Eliakim as ‘my servant’ and a ‘father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judah’ (Isaiah 22:20-21). 

The Lord goes on to say that Eliakim would not only receive all of the authority that Shebna possessed, he would be trusted with the ‘key of the house of David’.  This was a figurative way of saying that he would sustain the government on his shoulders; he would be a key person in the rule of the King.   

Furthermore, (according to the word of the Lord) what Eliakim declared open, no one would shut and what he decreed as shut, no one would open (Isaiah 22:22).  In other words, all access to the king and royal house would be through him; there would be no other way to approach the king.   

God declared that he would fasten Eliakim like a peg in a secure place, and he would become a throne of honor to his father’s house (Isaiah 22:23).  In other words, he was the nail or pin that held the kingdom together.  The nation trusted and depended upon him.

Clearly, Eliakim was a type or picture of the Messiah:

• Jesus our Messiah came to earth as a servant to all the inhabitants of the world (Matthew 20:26-28). 
• He carries the authority of the Father and only through him can we have access to God (John 14:6). 
• Jesus possesses the key to the house of David, because he is a descendant of David.  He also possesses the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 16:19) as well as the keys of death and hell (Revelation 1:18). 
• Jesus will sustain the government of the kingdom upon his shoulders (Isaiah 9:6).

Battle Bow:  This refers arms and/or military skills.  The implication is that through the bow, people would be protected from any and all assailants.

There can be no question that Jesus is the ultimate warrior.  By the power of his word, his enemies are slain.

Revelation 19:15-16 – From his [Jesus’] mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations and he will rule them with a rod of iron.  He will treat the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of Lords.

We too have the word of God which we can use as a sword in spiritual battle to defeat the kingdom of darkness (Ephesians 6:17).  When we pair this sword with our shield of faith and helmet of salvation, we are well equipped to defeat any and all enemies.  

From him every ruler (your translation may say ‘oppressor’) - all of them together:  One interpretation of this phrase says that the oppressor is the officer who exacts tribute from the subjects under his authority.  There was a time when other nations oppressed Israel and made her pay tribute, but a day was coming when the tables would be turned – God would empower Israel in such a way that she would be victorious over her enemies and subject them to tribute.    

A second interpretation says that God will cause rulers and leaders to arise from among his people who will enable the flock to successfully resist/overcome their enemies. Many commentators believe these rulers refer to the apostles of Christ, who preached and expounded the word of God and assisted in forming the church.

While we may not completely understand every aspect of this amazing prophesy, one thing is crystal clear:  Jesus the Messiah, born of the tribe of Judah, is the cornerstone, the tent peg and the battle bow of the church!

Zechariah 10:5 – They shall be like mighty men in battle, trampling the foe in the mud of the streets; they shall fight because the Lord is with them, and they shall put to shame the riders on horses.

God declares that ‘they’ (the people of God), would be mighty in battle. 

For the people of Zechariah’s day, this meant that eventually Israel would defeat her enemies.  It would be as if they had been trampled on; they would become like mire in the streets – something worthless, foul and despicable. 

For the church, this means that eventually we will be victorious over Satan and his minions.  The forces of darkness will not only be defeated, they will be recognized as worthless, foul and despicable.

It is obvious that we could never win such a victory by fighting in our own power.  We must rely on God.    

We are weak, but Jesus infuses us with his divine strength and power; his strength is clearly displayed and made perfect in our weakness (II Corinthians 12:9).  We are safe because he protects us.  We are victorious because the one who leads us in battle has already defeated Satan.  His victory is our victory!

On the other hand, the armies of darkness (riders on horses) will be confounded and defeated.  Regardless of their natural strength, cunning or skill, the Lord will bring down them down in the midst of their arrogance and pride.  They will pass away just as mist burns up at the rising of the sun.    

Let me offer you some encouragement and relief:

In today’s post, we noted that God provides both former and latter rains to his people.  These ‘rains’ include both physical and spiritual blessings, which are necessary for us to be fruitful in the kingdom of heaven.

What do you need to further your ministry in the kingdom? 

It might be something in the physical realm such as new partners in your work, additional resources, a permit of some kind, or even a building.

Or it might be something in the spiritual realm such as wisdom, knowledge or discernment.  You may be in need of a break through over a demonic stronghold.

Perhaps, at some point in the past, you have been overwhelmed by these needs.  You may have struggled or worn yourself out trying to acquire what you need in your own strength.  If so, I have some good news for you - God is standing by, ready, willing and able to pour out his rain upon you!  

You can confidently approach the Father with all of your requests/needs knowing that he is always faithful to his promises.  He will give you exactly what you need at exactly the right time because he desires for you to be fruitful in his kingdom.  So whatever you need, ask!      

Let me offer you some strength:

God has promised to make his people his majestic battle steed.  In other words, he has created us to be successful partners with him in the war against darkness.  If you think about it, you will see what a blessing this truly is. 

After all, God doesn’t need our help to defeat Satan; he could do that as easily as an elephant can squish a spider.  But for his own divine reasons, God had chosen to partner with us.  He has given us an opportunity to exercise faith in him, to stand on his promises and to experience victory over evil.  Frankly, that is much more satisfying and exciting than simply sitting on the sidelines doing nothing!       

The bottom line is that when we partner with God, victory is assured.  That thought greatly encouraged the Jews of Zechariah’s day to continue fighting their enemies, and it should encourage the church to continue spreading the gospel message to a lost and dying world.   

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Zechariah 9:14 –Then the Lord will appear over them, and his arrow will go forth like lightening; the Lord God will sound the trumpet and will march forth in the whirlwinds of the south.

We are continuing our study of Zechariah chapter 9.  In our previous post, we saw that the Lord gave his people words of hope regarding the coming of the Messiah, who would bring both Jews and Gentiles into the family of God. 

He also gave promises of strength, hope and safety to the nation of Israel, who would steward the promise of the Messiah for many years to come.

In verse 13, God said that he would bend Judah as a bow and fill it with Ephraim.  This war-like analogy has a double meaning. 

On the one hand, it refers to the victory of the church as she spreads the gospel message to the outermost parts of the earth, overcoming all satanic opposition.

On the other hand, it refers to the physical victory of Israel over her enemies.  This has been seen countless times over the course of history, and we can expect to see it in the future as well, because God will always defend the Jews and bring them victory.   

This analogy of victory in war (both spiritual and temporal) continues through the remainder of chapter nine.  While history reveals partial fulfillments of this prophetic word, most scholars believe that its ultimate fulfillment will take place during the great tribulation.     

God has already bent Judah as a bow and placed Ephraim as an arrow (verse 13).  Now Zechariah prophesies that the Lord ‘will appear over’ his people.  What does that mean?

Let’s begin our explanation with a general observation about war.  When two unequal armies engage in warfare, we expect the army which is bigger, more highly trained and better equipped to win the battle. Because this is what we expect to take place, no one takes any undue notice when it happens.

Occasionally, a less well equipped or less skilled army may defeat an opponent, if that opponent becomes careless or makes mistakes.  If this happens, we normally attribute victory to the inefficiency of the larger army, rather than the strength of the smaller army.

But when a smaller, less equipped, less skilled army defeats an opponent at the height of their power and might, people take notice.  They will call it a miracle.  They will say it is an example of the power of God. 

This is what the prophet means when he says the Lord ‘will appear over’ his people.  Either the Jews will conquer enemies that are much greater than themselves or they will win victory over their enemies in an unusual way. 

For example, in II Kings 3, we have the account of Jehoshaphat (king of Judah), Jehoram (king of Israel) and the king of Edom banding together to war against Moab.  After a seven day march, the entire army was completely out of water.  Death was on the near horizon for the entire alliance.

But King Jehoshaphat sought the Lord through the prophet Elisha.  God answered by telling the men to dig numerous ditches throughout the valley.  God promised that in the morning, he would fill them with water:

2 Kings 3:17-18 -For thus says the LORD, You shall not see wind, neither shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that you may drink, both you, and your cattle, and your animals.And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand.

Of course, victory occurred exactly as the Lord said it would.  This is an example of how God gave his people victory in an unusual way. 

Another example was when God parted the Red Sea so Moses and the Israelites could walk across on dry land, while the Egyptian army drowned as the waters began to flow once again.

The point is that regardless of how the victory occurs, the world will ‘see’ or acknowledge that God was involved in it. We might put it this way: the Lord shall be seen conspicuously manifesting his power over the enemies of Israel.  When this happens, he will receive the glory for the victory.

During these battles, the Lord’s arrows will go forth as lightning.  Scripture often refers to lightning as the arrows of God (Psalms 18:14, 77:17).   These arrows are the judgments God inflicts upon his enemies (such as the ten plagues).

Just as lightening scatters and discomfits all in its vicinity, so God will scatter and discomfit the enemies of his people striking fear into the hearts.  Just as lightening causes instantaneous destruction to whatever it touches, so the arrows of God will hit their mark and destroy those who oppose Israel.

Zechariah also tells us that the Lord God will sound the trumpet.  In ancient Israel, trumpets were used to call the men to war (Jeremiah 4:5, 6:1). 

In addition, Israel was to sound the trumpet at the beginning of the battle.  God promised that when this was done, he would take immediate notice and give them victory (Numbers 10:9).  Of course, we know that God was/is always aware of the armies of Israel.  By having them blow the trumpet, it reassured the men that God was right there with them; it increased their faith and bravery in battle. 

In this case, God will sound the call for his people to flock to his banner and begin to wage war.  God will also lead the war and direct the charge while infusing fresh courage into his people.

God also declares that he will march forth in the whirlwinds of the south.  A whirlwind is a very ferocious storm characterized by a spiral motion of air (tornado).  In the middle east, these storms often arise from the Arabian desert.  

Whirlwinds are violent and immensely powerful; nothing can stand in their path. In the same way, God will violently and powerfully cut a swath of destruction through the enemies of his people.  No one will stand against him or against Israel.  The nation who foolishly places themselves in the path of God’s vengeance will reap destruction.

Again, this has already been seen in the history of Israel and most bible commentators believe this describes some very real battles which will take place in the future –during the tribulation period, most likely at or around the 3 ½ year mark, when the antichrist breaks his treaty with Israel (Daniel chapter 7).

Of course, we see the spiritual parallel of this prophesy fulfilled in God’s partnership with the church.

Scripture tells us that God exalted Jesus, giving him power and authority over all things including the church:

Ephesians 1:22 – And has put all things under his [Jesus] feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church.

Jesus is the head of the church; we are his hands and feet in the world.  We partner with him to spread the gospel message and enforce his will on the earth.  As the head, Jesus leads, guides, protects and makes provision for his body, the church.

The Lord appeared to the apostles during the time of his incarnation, and after his death and resurrection.  We can still ‘see’ him appearing over the church today, through our spiritual eyes of faith.

Ever since the resurrection, Christianity has won victory after victory over all the forces that opposed it because Jesus fights on behalf of the church through both natural and supernatural means.

His arrows of conviction fly forth, discomfiting sinners and drawing them to himself in the midst of their fear and shame.  Just as lightening causes instant destruction of anything it touches, the powerful blood of Christ demolishes every sin when a person becomes a believer.

God also sounds his trumpet over his followers, particularly the trumpet of jubilee.  The year of jubilee was signaled by a blast of trumpets throughout the land of Israel (Leviticus 25:39-54).  During that year, the land was to rest (be fallow), all property/land that exchanged hands was returned, all enslaved Israelites were set free, and all debts were remitted.

The spiritual sounding of the trumpet in this prophesy speaks to a time when God calls forth a great time of revival where sinners are set free through the blood of Christ.  Just as there was immense joy and celebration during the year of jubilee, there will be great joy and celebration when revival comes to the world.  Those who are set free from the slavery of sin won’t be able to stop rejoicing and praising God!

At that time the gospel will go forth with the power and energy of a whirlwind, because it will be energized by Holy Spirit.  It will cut a swath of destruction across the kingdom of darkness, blowing away the mists of ignorance/lies that Satan has used to bind sinners.  Instead, they will experience the fresh wind of Holy Spirit, and return to Christ.

Zechariah 9:15 – The Lord of hosts will protect them, and they shall devour, and tread down the sling stones, and they shall drink and roar as if drunk with wine, and be full like a bowl, drenched like the corners of the altar.

The Lord of Hosts is the God of all power; nothing is impossible for him.  No person, or nation or spirit can challenge him.  When the Lord of Hosts promises to protect his people, you can count on the fact that it is going to happen!

This promise was part of the original blessing that God gave to Abraham when he first made the covenant with him:

Genesis 15:1 - After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am your shield, and your exceeding great reward.

Almighty God not only promises to protect Israel, but he also promises that Israel would devour, tread down the sling-stones, and drink/roar as if drunk with wine.  What does that mean?

Devour – The prophet does not tell us exactly what Israel is going to devour.  This indicates a broader meaning of the word; it refers to destruction or absorption. 

For instance, in Deuteronomy 7:16, Israel is going to “consume all the people whom the Lord your God shall deliver to you”.  In Numbers 14:9, Joshua and Caleb describe the Canaanites by saying, “They are our bread”.

The overall meaning is that although Israel was in a humble state during the time of Zechariah, the day will come when Messiah shall rule and at that time any nation that opposes God’s people will either be absorbed into God’s kingdom or destroyed. 

Tread down the sling-stones – In ancient times, sling shots were formidable weapons.  During the era of the judges, the tribe of Benjamin had a very skilled contingent of men who used the sling shot in battle:

Judges 20:16 - Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men, left handed; every one could sling stones at a hair's breadth, and not miss.

In this prophesy, ‘treading down the sling stones’ means that the children of Israel will calmly and safely walk over all the stones their enemies have slung at them in battle, because all of those projectiles missed their mark.  In other words, their enemies aimed and fired at them multiple times, but never hit them.  The stones are no longer things to be feared;now they lie harmless on the ground.  Almighty God, the shield of his people, will make sure this happens.

This may also be a reference to David, who slew Goliath of Gath, a giant.  Goliath was big, well-armed and experienced in battle.  Davidwas small, completely vulnerable and had no formal military experience.  Yet, because God was on his side, he was victorious over his enemy.

Those who hold this view believe it speaks to the power of God in the defeat of Israel’s enemies.  Israel is weak, but no matter how impossible the odds are, she can defeat her enemies because God is fighting on her behalf. 

Drink and roar as if drunk with wine –This is a very interesting phrase.Some scholars believe it describes a time of joyous celebration which God’s people will experience after their enemies are subdued. 

As with any celebration, there will be fellowship, feasting and joy.  God’s people will beenjoying the spoils they acquired in war.  They will be feasting on their portion of the fellowship offerings and offerings made for thanksgiving to the Lord.

Other scholars picture Israel as a lion, roaring and drinking the blood of her prey just as a lion would do in the wild. 

Both interpretations are apicture of Israel defeating her enemies and giving glory to the Lord for the victory (Numbers 23:24, Micah 5:8). 

God’s people are also described as being ‘full like a bowl and drenched like the corners of the altar’.  Although this seems strange to us, it is a reference that would immediately be understood by the Jews because it refers to the workings of the temple.

When a sacrifice was made in the temple, the priests would collect the blood of the sacrificial animal in a bowl.  They would then sprinkle that blood on the horns which adorned the four corners of the brazen altar.  The rest of the blood would be poured out at the base of the altar (Exodus 29:12, Leviticus 4:18). 

This phrase may refer to the vast amount of blood that will be found in the temple because the number of offerings was so great that the bowls were full and the altar was drenched. 

The phrase may also mean that the armies of Israel would be the consecrated instruments of God; they would prevail for his purposes and causes.  As such, they would be holy like the bowls of the temple. 

Again, this kind of warfare has been seen in limited circumstances in the history of Israel.  It was evident when God rescued Israel from Egypt, it was evident when God gave them possession of the Promised Land and it was evident when Israel was victorious over her enemies at the time of the Maccabees. 

However, bible scholars predict a full/complete fulfillment when Israel is at war with the armies of the antichrist during Armageddon.

Spiritually speaking, the Lord is a shield which fully surrounds and protects the church.  He protects us against Satan, against the power of temptation, against the opposition of this world, against all demonic spirits of sickness/disease/lack, and the rage of sinful men. 

This was very apparent when God’s hand of protection was seen over his 12 apostles who were delivered time and time again so they could fulfill their ministry of spreading the gospel message and establishing the church.

We can point to examples of this protection in every generation (including our own lives) as God works through the church to add new members to the kingdom of heaven.

Israel ‘devoured’ or consumed/conquered all the people God delivered into their hands.  So the church will devour spiritual food – the word of God which is the bread of life (Luke 4:4).  Filled with the nourishment of the word and led by Holy Spirit, the church will ‘devour’ the kingdom of darkness by ministering the gospel to a lost and dying world.

Ephesians 5:18-20 -And be not drunk with wine, in which is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God, even the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Although it seems foolish and inadequate by the world’s standards, the preaching of the gospel will devour/destroy the kingdom of darkness just as Goliath was destroyed by the sling-stone of David.

As the church experiences great victory, she will celebrate by offering God sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving right now and in the years to come.  

In the next age, there will be great celebration, which includes rejoicing, fellowship and feasting.  The cause of this celebration will be the church’s victory over the devil.  At that time, we will be totally free from the effects of sin.  We will live forevermore in the company of our great Savior and King, Jesus Christ.

Zechariah 9:16 – On that day the Lord their God will save them, as the flock of his people; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land.

God continues to reinforce the idea that his people would be victorious through him.  He is not only a shield to defend, but a sword to gain victory; he is the Lord of Hosts who is the source of all power and authority.

God now exchanges the image of war and bloodshed for that of a shepherd and his sheep because God not only assures victory, he gives lasting peace.

Because of the covenant promises, Israel was God’s flock.  Just like sheep, they have no real strength, wisdom or power of their own.In the day of trouble, it will be God who saves them, for he is the great shepherd.  God will lead, protect and provide for his flock, leading them beside the still waters where they will have peace and security (John 10, Psalms 23).

God also exchanges the imagery of violent sling stones for that of precious jewels.  The imagery suggests various possible meanings:

One, it might indicate that God adorns his royal diadem with them:

Isaiah 62:3 -You shall also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

(See also Malachi 3:17). 

This explanation certainly makes sense, as the glory of God is demonstrated in his redemption of love of mankind.

Two, it may refer to the jewels which adorn the official garments of the high priest (Exodus 28:15-21).

This also makes sense.  The 12 jewels on the high priest’s official clothing represented the 12 tribes of Israel.  This meant that God was continually looking upon his people as precious stones.  In other words, the people of God were/are of great value to him. 

Three, it may refer to a pile/heap of stones or a memorial stone.  These were often erected in Israel to commemorate great moments in the relationship between God and his people. 

One such instance can be found in Genesis 28, when Jacob erected a pillar or memorial stone to the Lord at the place where he had his vision of the ladder reaching to heaven with angels ascending and descending upon it. 

Another example would be the stone memorial that Israel built when God parted the waters of the Jordan so the Israelites could pass over the flooded river on dry ground (see Joshua chapter 4).  There are many other instances of memorial stones in scripture.  Which ones do you remember?

One thing we know for sure is that God’s followers are highly valued by him (after all, he died to buy us).

As God’s precious jewels, we will ‘shine on the land’.  The beauty of the jewels in a monarch’s crown always catches the attention of people.  Likewise, when we reflect the glory and goodness of God, it catches people’s attention and draws sinners to Christ.  They will want to experience the same goodness and grace that God has given to us. 

Our testimony will not just be limited to this world.  The witness of what God has done on planet earth will forever rise as a memorial to all other races or created beings.   Just think of it - our redemption will forever bring glory and honor to Jesus Christ!

When can we expect all of this to take place?  The prophet tells us ‘In that day’.  Spiritually speaking, ‘that day’ began when Jesus arose, and the church was born. It will continue throughout the age of grace. 

During this period of time, we will follow our commander-in-chief King Jesus into battle against spiritual forces.  By the power of his Holy Spirit, we will come against the kingdom of darkness like a whirlwind, destroying Satan’s lies and setting his captives free so they can enter the kingdom of heaven.  Once there, they too will become precious jewels in the sight of our Father.

Joshua 10:8 – And the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands.  Not a man of them shall stand before you.”

Though the people of God fight very real battles both spiritually and literally, victory and deliverance are won by the mighty power of God.  No wonder God constantly admonishes us not to fear or be dismayed (Jeremiah 42:11, Psalms 118:6, Deuteronomy 20:1-4, Joshua 10:25, etc)!

Zechariah 9:17 – For how great is his goodness, and how great his beauty! Grain shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the young women.

The goodness and beauty described here belong to God.

The goodness of God could never be adequately described by human words.  Goodness is an attribute of God; it is a part of who he is.  He does not exhibit goodness; he is the source of it - all good springs from him.  He possesses goodness absolutely, without beginning or end, without measure and without limit.

This great goodness is demonstrated in the person of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer.  He left the throne room of heaven to reside in a body of flesh; he endured the suffering of the cross that he might become the Mediator between God and man.  He bestows on us all the goodness, grace, forgiveness and spiritual/temporal blessings of the Father.

Romans 8:32 – He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Because of the sacrifice of Christ, we are surrounded and immersed in God’s goodness as if we were lost in a fathomless, bottomless ocean.  God’s goodness is available to all his children, and it is limited only by our capacity to receive it. [Hint:  Our capacity to receive is limited by our faith.] 

As one commentator put it, ‘From God all things sweet derive their sweetness; all things fair, their beauty; all things bright, their splendor; all things that live, their life; all things sentient, their sense; all that move, their vigor; all intelligences, their knowledge; all things perfect, their perfection; all things in any wise good, their goodness.’

Again, we find that there are no words that can express the goodness of our God! 

The prophet also speaks of God’s beauty.  Beauty refers to the brightness or splendor of God, which appears in all his favors and gifts toward mankind.  With this in mind, what could be more beautiful than our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!  We could praise him forever and never fully give him the glory he is due for all the blessings he has given to us!

This prophesy comes to a close with the promise of the goodness/prosperity of Israel/the land.  Specifically, the grain will make the young men flourish and new wine will make the young women flourish. 

Both of these blessings indicate plentiful harvests.  As we know, there won’t be a harvest without some work first.  The young men and women have put forth a lot of time, effort and sweat in sowing, fertilizing, pruning and finally harvesting the grain and grapes. 

It is only fitting that the harvest makes them glad, because they are reaping the results of all their hard work.

This is a very encouraging word as it pertains to the harvests of the Jews in the natural realm.  They will have an abundance of food and provisions, which will enable them to have peaceful lives and have even more children. 

It is also a very encouraging word in the spiritual realm. This promise assures believers that as we put in the work to sow and weed and water the seeds of the gospel message in the lives of others, we will reap an abundant harvest.  Once that harvest is collected, we will have great joy knowing that God has worked through us to bring souls into his eternal kingdom of goodness and beauty.

It is astonishing to consider that God has chosen us to assist him in this work!  He is truly worthy of all our praise, worship and adoration!

Let me offer you some encouragement and relief:

Over and over in this prophesy God continues to remind his people in different ways that they would be victorious if they trusted in him.  Why do you think God said this repeatedly?

I think he did it because of a lack of faith on the part of the Jews.  It’s almost as if they got up in the morning believing the promises of God, but once they went out into society, they took their eyes off the Lord and began to focus on the strength and power of their enemies. 

If we are honest, we will admit to being guilty of doing the exact same thing sometimes!

How often have we built up our faith by being in church only to go off to work or school the next day and find that our mind is completely focused on the things of the world? 

The good news is that we can overcome this lack of faith by repeatedly reminding ourselves of the promises of God.  We need to train our minds and hearts to feed off of the truth of the word of God, not the threats, bad news or complaints of the world around us:

Philippians 4:8 - Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.    

I encourage you to pay close attention to the thoughts that randomly flow through your mind this week.  If you find they are evil, negative or faithless, give your spirit some relief by casting those lies away and feeding your mind on the goodness of God!

Let me offer you some strength:

Words can never adequately express the gratitude we feel towards God for his blessings, which flow to us through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Thankfully, there are other ways to express our love and devotion. 

Perhaps the best way to demonstrate our gratitude is to live a holy life that is pleasing to the Lord.  When we seek to circumcise sin from our hearts and do what is righteous in the Lord’s sight, it is an expression of our love, devotion and thankfulness to him.

We can also please God by living in faith (Hebrews 11:6).  When he promises to deliver us, to bless us or to give us victory, let’s place our faith in his goodness and power.  If we do, he will never let us down!

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Zechariah 9:9 – Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!  Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

The first portion of Zechariah chapter 9 deals with some of the heathen nations that were intent on destroying Israel.  These nations had crafty/intelligent leaders, strong military might, ample resources and a lot of wealth.  Because they enjoyed a measure of success in their endeavors, they became conceited.  In their state of pride, they despised Israel and mocked the God of heaven. 

As a result, God pronounced judgment against them.  In many instances, those judgments have been well documented in history; we can still read about them today (see the prior post). 

But the oracle which began with judgment ended in mercy.  God was planning to establish his house (the church) which would be made up of both Jews and Gentiles.  Once that church was established, God would surround it like a ring of fire (Zechariah 2:5) and protect her against Satan and his followers.

The middle portion of Zechariah chapter 9 is a prophetic word about the Messiah, the one who would bring the message of salvation, die for our sin, establish the church, and make sure that Gentiles were invited into his family.

In fact, the coming of Jesus the Messiah is the single most important event in the history of the world.

The coming of the Messiah was the reason God made a covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  It was the reason God freed Israel from Egypt and brought her into the Promised Land.  It was the reason he protected her during the captivity and brought her back to Jerusalem.  It was the reason he insisted that the Jews of Zechariah’s day rebuild the temple – the very structure where Jesus would later proclaim the words of life!

The promise of the coming Messiah was cause for great joy and delight.  The people of God were to shout loudly and rejoice greatly in the knowledge that the Messiah, their King, was coming (Psalms 148:13).

 Jesus, King of kings and Lord of Lords, would be like no other king the world has ever seen:

He rules in heaven, on earth and even under the earth (Revelation 5:13). He is a perfectly righteous ruler; all his ruling actions will be perfectly fair, equitable and just, because he himself is righteous and just (Psalms 89:14).  He comes to his subjects bearing the gift of salvation/eternal life (Isaiah 12:2).  He is the all-powerful protector of those who have faith in him as their Messiah (Psalms 18:1-19).  Every knee will bow before him (Romans 14:11).  He will rule the nations with a rod of iron; no one can stand against his power and authority (Revelation 19:15).   

But even though Jesus has a name above every other name (Philippians 2:9), and even though all power and authority belong to him (Ephesians 1:21), he assumed the role of a servant during the incarnation.  

This is why the Messiah is described by the prophet as being humble.  We can’t help but notice that the humbleness of Christ is the exact opposite of the prideful heathen kings/nations that God had just promised to destroy. 

Part of the humbleness of Christ was reflected in the fact that he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey.  What is that about?  Why was it significant?

Let’s begin by reviewing this important event.  It occurred just a few days before Jesus gave up his life for us on Calvary.  The event itself is called the ‘triumphal entry’.  We celebrate this day as Palm Sunday. 

On that day, Jesus instructed his disciples to go into the town, where they would find a mother donkey and her baby (colt or foal) tied up.  Sure enough, the animals were found exactly as Jesus said they would be.  The disciples brought the animals back to Jesus, and then laid their coats on the colt in place of a saddle.  As Jesus rode into Jerusalem, the Jewish people welcomed their King by spreading their cloaks or palm branches in the roadway as they shouted “Hosanna to the Son of David!  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! (Matthew 21:1-11, John 12:12-19).

The triumphal entry was significant for a few different reasons. 

First, it was a fulfillment of the prophesy of Zechariah.  As such, it was a confirmation to the Jewish people that Jesus was indeed the long-awaited Messiah. 

Second, his actions were symbolic.  In order to fully understand the symbolism, we need to review some Old Testament history.

As you may recall, God had forbidden the people of Israel to amass large amounts of war horses, because in scripture war horses represent human might/power:

Deuteronomy 17:16 – He [the king of Israel] must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall never return that way again.’

God did this because he knows what is in the heart of mankind.  If Israel had a large army of fierce war horses, they would begin to trust in their own strength (just like the heathen nations), instead of relying on God to give them victory.  If they won battles with their own strength and wisdom, they would become full of pride, just like the heathen nations God had destroyed (Phoenicians, Philistines, etc).

God spared them from this temptation by commanding them not to own war horses. 

Just as the mortal kings of Israel were not supposed to own or ride on horses, so King Jesus the Messiah would not come to his people riding on a horse either.  The picture we have is that the Messiah was a King who fully trusted in God to bring him and his kingdom to victory; he was not placing his trust in physical strength/weapons.

And sure enough, that is exactly what happened.  Jesus died on Calvary, but then God raised him from the dead and give him power and dominion over all things.  He has defeated death, hell and the grave.  Jesus is now the head of the church and he reigns over a kingdom that has no end (Daniel 2:44)! 

Thirdly, the triumphal entry was a word of wisdom to the Jews of that day, especially the religious leaders (who for the most part, refused to acknowledge it). 

At the time of the incarnation, the Jews were convinced that when the Messiah came, he would immediately set up his kingdom on earth.  They believed he would be a great national hero who would raise an army, overthrow Roman rule, and once again make Israel an independent nation.  They expected the Messiah to bring Israel to a ‘golden age’ of peace and prosperity with borders that would surpass those of the kingdom of Solomon.    

But the Jews of that day didn’t fully understand the plans and purposes of God.  Specifically, their timing was all wrong.  There will certainly be a time when Jesus rules in Jerusalem and Israel will enjoy a period of peace and prosperity, but this was not going to happen during the incarnation of Christ. 

Even now, that event is in the future.  Modern day scholars expect it to occur during the millennial reign of Christ.

So, by humbly riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, Jesus was sending a message to the Jews of that day (particularly the religious leaders).  He was indeed ushering in a new kingdom, but it was the kingdom of heaven, not the kingdom of Israel.  It was a spiritual kingdom built upon his victory over Satan and sin, not a temporal kingdom that would overthrow Rome:

John 18:36 – Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world.  If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews.  But my kingdom is not from the world.”

Once again, just to be clear, a day will come when Jesus returns to earth again to physically rule over this planet for a thousand years, but as of today that is still a future event.

For now, those of us who belong to the church of Jesus Christ can spend our days rejoicing in the victory Christ has already won.  Because of him, we are free from sin and we will spend eternity with God!

Zechariah 9:10 – I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.

Zechariah goes on to prophesy that horses, chariots and bows (emblems of worldly military power) will be ‘cut off’ which means they will disappear or cease to exist.  We would expect military might to be cut off from the heathen nations, but the prophet declares they will be removed from Ephraim (which represents the 10 tribes of Israel) and Jerusalem (which represents the tribes of Judah and Benjamin). 

What does this signify?

It means that the kingdom of heaven will not come to power through typical worldly means; war/force would not be used to spread the kingdom of the Prince of Peace.  His kingdom is a spiritual kingdom, which is not established by military might or power, but by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts (Zechariah 4:6) and the preaching of the gospel.

Jesus brings peace to the nations, but it is not the temporary, ever fluctuating peace that the world gives (John 14:27).   It is something much, much more precious!  Jesus made it possible for sinners to experience peace with God through the remission of sin:

Ephesians 2:13-14 – But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.  For he himself is our peace, who has made us both [Jews and Gentiles] one and has broken down in his flesh the diving wall of hostility…

I don’t know about you, but I am glad that the peace of God, which passes all understanding, is guarding my heart and mind through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7)!

Zechariah also tells us that the territory of the Messiah’s kingdom will stretch from ‘sea to sea’ and from ‘the river to the ends of the earth’ (Psalms 72:8). 

The boundary of the original Promised Land stretched from the Mediterranean Sea on one side to the Euphrates River on the other.  Using the kingdom of Israel to denote the kingdom of heaven, the prophet indicates that the new spiritual kingdom of heaven will expand all over the world – from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the world. 

Again, this language clearly confirms that Jews will not be the only citizens of this great new kingdom.  God’s kingdom/church will also include Gentiles, who will enjoy the same peace, prosperity and safety as the Jewish citizens of the kingdom.

The overall thought is that the kingdom of the Messiah would have humble beginnings.  It would first unfold itself through lowliness and suffering, but it would exponentially expand until it reached its true might and glory, covering the entire world. 

In other words, Jesus would not conquer the world by force of arms leading to political supremacy.  Instead, he would establish his kingdom through his own sacrifice which would eventually overcome the world.

Zechariah 9:11 – As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.

Up to this point, God had been proclaiming the coming of the Messiah, who would establish the New Testament church.  This was a good reason to shout, rejoice and give glory to God.  

But the promise of a new covenant did not negate the old one.  In other words, God had not forsaken the first covenant or his people the Jews.  Humanly speaking, the coming of the Messiah and his spiritual kingdom was still a long, long, way off and the period of time between the prophesy of Zechariah and the incarnation of the Messiah was going to be full of trials and tribulations for the Jews. 

In order to encourage and strengthen his people, God gave the Jews special promises/assurances of his protection and provision for them during this specific period of time. The word ‘also’ confirms that these special blessings are in addition to the blessings of the church mentioned in the last two verses of our text.

The Old Testament contains numerous instances of God delivering his people from the prison or bondage of nations such as Egypt, Babylon and Rome.  Even though these (and other nations) greatly desired to annihilate Israel, God protected and blessed her. 

Those nations soon faded into the sunset of history, but Israel still stands today!  This is clear evidence that God has never forsaken, cast-off or replaced the Jews and he never will!  

It should be noted that these supplemental blessings are not just for those who were present in Jerusalem to hear the prophesy of Zechariah.  The benefits belonged to all those who were under the first covenant made at Sinai and ratified by the blood of animals (Exodus 24:4-8).

Specifically, God promises to ‘set your prisoners free from the waterless pit’.  What is he talking about?

During the time of ancient Israel, it was very common for rulers to dig pits or cisterns to retain water during the dry season.  Many times when the pits/cisterns were empty (or full of mud) they were also used as temporary prisons.    

This was the kind of pit that Joseph was thrown into by his 11 brothers, after they had stripped him of his coat of many colors (Genesis 37:12-24).  The prophet Jeremiah was also cast into one of these pits (Jeremiah 38:6) and nearly died in the mud.

To be a prisoner in a waterless pit was essentially a euphemism for being in bondage. 

Psalms 40:2 – He [God] drew me [David] up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.

The waterless pit is deep and terrible. Those confined in the pit have no light, no comfort, no peace, no fellowship and no way of escape.  There was no deliverance until justice had been satisfied and the prisoner’s debt paid in full.  Only then would someone heed the prisoner’s cry for help and lift them out of the pit.

It isn’t difficult to see the spiritual parallel here.  We were all prisoners of sin at one time.  We had no spiritual light or hope.  We had no peace with God, no comfort and no way of escape, since we could NEVER pay the debt of sin which we owed. 

But then the Messiah came and satisfied the debt of our sin with the Father!  At that point we could obtain mercy by calling out to him.  When we did, he delivered us from the pit and set our spiritual feet upon the solid rock of Christ Jesus.  Hallelujah! 

In the meantime (until the coming of Messiah), the Jews had the blessing of forgiveness through the temple sacrifices.  They had the blessing of fellowship with God through the covenant festivals.  They were God’s chosen people and he blessed them in all that they endeavored to accomplish (Deuteronomy 28). 

Zechariah 9:12 – Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double.

God has promised to deliver Israel from the bondage of other nations.  This is symbolic of freedom from the bondage of sin.   

But in order to obtain that freedom, the Jews were to ‘return to your stronghold’.   A stronghold was a fortress or a well-fortified place of safety where people fled in perilous times.  It contained offensive and defensive weapons, as well as water and other provisions.  In the scriptures, God’s protection is often referred to as a stronghold.

Nahum 1:7 – The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.

(See also Joel 3:16, Psalms 27:1, Psalms 18:2, Proverbs 18:10, etc).  In other words, to reap the benefits of this promise of God, the Jews must willingly turn (or return) their hearts and minds to the Lord.  They must trust in him alone - not in idols, or their own wisdom, or in physical weapons such as horses and chariots.

When the Jews turn to the Lord, he will make them ‘prisoners of hope’.  They will be held fast and secure by the Lord, who will give them a special measure of hope to sustain them through all the years of expectation until the time of the Messiah arrived (Acts 26:6-7, Acts 28:20, Titus 2:13, Hebrews 6:18-19, etc). 

Neither the persecution of the world nor the weariness of waiting could force them to give up this hope. This promise applied particularly to the Jews of Zechariah’s time, who experienced weariness in the rebuilding of the temple and the walls of Jerusalem.

In addition to this blessing, God was going to restore ‘double’ to them. Double signifies anything that is large, plentiful or more than sufficient.    

God would compensate or make amends for the loss, harm and suffering which the Jews endured (Isaiah 61:7) during this period of time.  

God also promised that the latter glory of the second temple would be greater than the former, and in that house, peace would be found (Haggai 2:9).  He would give his people a plentiful measure of grace - double what was received under the old covenant.

The Jews could expect to enjoy all the blessings of grace, both spiritual and temporal.  Instead of trouble, they would receive double comfort and joy in Christ.

Zechariah 9:13 – For I have bent Judah as my bow; I have made Ephraim its arrow.  I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and wield you like a warrior’s sword.

This is the most controversial verse in today’s study.

Many bible scholars believe this verse speaks of the military prowess of Israel, through the aid of God.  The controversy comes when one tries to pinpoint its fulfillment.  The following scenarios have all been suggested as the fulfillment of this word:

- Some scholars say this prophesy refers to the time when the Maccabees triumphed over the Grecian rulers of Syria (around 167-130 BC).

- Other scholars believe the verse refers to the nations of Gog and Magog which are spoken of in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39.  If this is the correct interpretation, then we have not yet seen its fulfillment.

- Another interpretation says that the verse should be interpreted only in a spiritual sense, because the church’s weapons of warfare are spiritual and not carnal.  This view says that the 12 apostles (and other church leaders of the time) were the Jewish ‘bows and arrows’ which God used to strike the hearts of men and women with the gospel. 

One thing we can agree on is that this verse speaks of the Lord our God as a warrior armed for battle, who partners with his people to defeat all the enemies of righteousness.  This is clearly intimated by the fact that God is the one who bends the bow and nocks the arrow; the people of God do not have the strength or authority to do this without their commander-in-chief. 

This is certainly a picture of the church which is supported in the New Testament: 

God has given the church the keys of his kingdom (Matthew 16:19).  He has given us the armor of God (Ephesians 6).  He has given us the authority to use his Name, which is so powerful that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow (Philippians 2:10).  He has given us thousands of promises which are contained in the bible and endued with his power.  He has given us the gift of faith which is both an offensive weapon (when we stand upon his promises) and a defensive weapon (when used as a shield).    

Let me offer you some encouragement and some relief:

In this portion of scripture, God shows the Jews that his plans were far, far greater than anything they imagined. 

Obviously, the Jews were looking for the eventual coming of the Messiah.  But they did not understand that he was not coming to establish a new nation of Israel; he was coming to bring a far greater kingdom to the world – the kingdom of heaven.

The Messiah is the crowning glory of this new kingdom and he has made a way for every human being to find citizenship within it.  He has rescued us from the ‘waterless pit’ and now we stand upon the solid rock of his sacrifice. 

In light of our citizenship in this kingdom, we should shake off the cares of this world and renew our dedication to being a warrior in his kingdom.  With Jesus as our commander-in-chief, we will not only be victorious, we will be doubly blessed!    

Let me offer you some strength:

In today’s text, Jehovah refers to the Jews as ‘prisoners of hope’.  What a wonderful phrase! 

Prisoners of hope are held securely in the arms of God.  They have the ability to hold onto the promises of God and never, ever let them go.  Regardless of how long it takes for the promise to be fulfilled, they still hold on.  Regardless of the taunts of friends, relatives or enemies they still hold on.  Regardless of how the circumstances look, they still hold on.  And when the appointed time comes, they will be rewarded! 

What promises of God are you standing on?  Whatever they are, don’t let go!

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Zechariah 9:1 – The oracle of the word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrach and Damascus is its resting place.  For the Lord has an eye on mankind and on all the tribes of Israel.

Welcome back readers!  It's time to put on our 'thinking caps' because the next portion of Zechariah has many different interpretations. 

For instance, some scholars believe that the last six chapters (9-11 being one prophesy and chapters 12-14 a second prophesy) were not written by Zechariah.

Those who hold this opinion point out that the last six chapters have a very different style (they are much more poetical) from the first part of the book.  In addition, these oracles are in many ways unconnected with the prophesies of the first eight chapters, which dealt almost solely with Israel.

These six chapters are sometimes attributed to Jeremiah. One reason for this is because Zechariah 11:12-13 is quoted in the New Testament (Matthew 27:9-10) but Matthew attributes the quote to Jeremiah, not Zechariah.

Other scholars believe these chapters were penned by Hosea or another unknown prophet who ministered before the captivity.  This, in turn, leads to the speculation that there was actually a 13^th minor prophet. 

But we do not need to be overly concerned.  Regardless of who the author was, these last six chapters are clearly the divine, inspired word of God.  Their authenticity is beyond question because they are quoted in the New Testament.

For the purposes of our study, we will stick to the theory that these chapters are exactly what they appear to be – the word of the Lord delivered through the prophet Zechariah.  However, whenever possible we will continue to offer all of the most common viewpoints, so you can make up your own mind. 

Now let's begin our study of chapter nine. 

This chapter opens with an 'oracle' which is simply a divine revelation/communication delivered to mankind, usually in answer to a request for guidance.  It is essentially the same as a prophesy.  In fact, some translations use the word 'prophesy' or 'burden' instead of oracle.

This oracle mentions a number of cities; however, bible scholars believe the oracle refers not only to the specific cities mentioned, but to the nations or kingdoms where these cities were located. 

For example, when the cities of Damascus and Hadrach (Chadrak) are mentioned, they are believed to represent the entire kingdom of Syria. So, in verse one, we find God pronouncing a word over the entire kingdom of Syria, which includes the two specific cities mentioned by name.

The interpretation of this verse depends on your understanding of the phrase 'for the Lord has an eye on mankind and on all the tribes of Israel'. Let's examine the three main viewpoints.

The first viewpoint is a literal one.  It suggests that God was watching (had an eye) not only on the tribes of Israel, but on the Gentile nations as well.  Their treatment of Israel did not go unnoticed; he saw every instance of injury, oppression, and persecution that his people suffered. 

Because of that abuse, God was pronouncing vengeance upon the Syrians.  His judgment 'rested' or was hanging over them in such a way that it would not depart until they repented or were fully destroyed.  No matter what the Syrian people did to protect themselves, they were powerless to stand against God; if they declined to repent, there was no way to escape the disaster decreed for them.

Those who hold this view point out that historically speaking, these kingdoms were eventually subdued by Alexander the Great, which shows the fulfillment of this prophesy.

Meanwhile, God's eye was also upon the ten tribes of Israel. This was a word of both comfort and concern.

It was comforting because the children of Israel could be sure that God was watching over them and their nation.  He had seen the injustice they suffered at the hands of Syria, and he was going to act on behalf of Israel.

But at the same time, this was a concerning word in light of the fact that God had recently corrected his people for practicing vain religious rituals (such as fasting while mistreating and oppressing their fellow countrymen).  Since God was watching them as well as the other nations, they needed to be holy, just as God commanded them.

One of the implications of this prophesy is that hypocrisy is a hindrance to the blessing of God.  When Israel began to earnestly seek after the Lord in sincerity and truth, God would see it; he would in every way bless them and bring judgment upon their enemies. This is consistent with the word of the Lord given in the first eight chapters of the book of Zechariah.

The second viewpoint is more of a spiritual interpretation. It interprets the verse to mean 'when the eyes of mankind are on the Lord and on all the tribes of Israel'. In other words, the oracle speaks of a time when, spiritually speaking, the Gentile nations no longer have 'eyes' for idols.

At that time, they will recognize and serve the Lord. They will also acknowledge and honor the tribes of Israel because they are God's chosen people and they (the Gentile nations of the world) have been blessed by the Jews.

When that happens, God's glory will 'rest' upon the cities of Damascus/Hadrach and upon the entire kingdom of Syria.  The people there will be converted and find salvation. 

Those who hold this view point out that Zechariah 8:23 speaks of just such an occurrence:

Zechariah 8:23 – Thus says the Lord of Hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'

This could certainly occur during the gospel dispensation, when Holy Spirit brings revival to the nation of Syria.  However, this prophesy may also find its fulfillment sometime during the millennial reign of Christ (Isaiah 11:10). 

Proponents of this view also point out that in Acts chapter 9 we find the apostle Paul preaching the gospel in the city of Damascus.  His preaching of the gospel confounded the Jews so much that they plotted to murder him, and he had to escape by being lowered over the city wall in a basket during the night!  This may be proof that a partial fulfillment of this prophesy was experienced during the time of the apostles.

The third viewpoint interprets the verse this way:  God was announcing coming judgment upon the nation of Syria (as well as Tyre, Sidon, the Phoenicians and the Philistines, which are mentioned in the next few verses).  When judgment falls on Damascus/Syria (and the other nations mentioned), the remainder of the heathen nations will look to the Lord.   They will recognize/acknowledge him as the true God, and seek to serve him.  The tribes of Israel will do the same thing.  

In other words, the judgment/destruction of these kingdoms will be so unexpected and so shocking, it will stun all other nations.  Witnesses of these events will marvel at the exact and complete fulfillment of God's pronouncements.  Furthermore, people who live after these events take place (for instance, people in our generation) will also be amazed as they look back on history and see the exact fulfillment of God's decrees.  

In this third view, the 'eye of man being towards Jehovah' indicates that the people of earth (Jew and Gentile) would marvel or be amazed at the power and glory of God. 

Zechariah 9:2-3 - and on Hamath also, which borders on it, Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise. Tyre has built herself a rampart and heaped up silver like dust, and fine gold like the mud of the streets.

Zechariah goes on to prophesy that the oracle did not apply only to Syria.  It included Hamath and then expanded to the two very famous coastal cities of Tyre and Sidon.

What do you remember about these two cities from ancient history?  Here is a brief review:

The people of Tyre and Sidon are generally referred to as Phoenicians.  They were located in the modern-day countries of Syria and Lebanon.

Did you know that the ancient city of Tyre was separated into two parts?

One half was on the mainland off the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.  The other half was on an island about a mile from the shore.  Because of the split city, Tyre had not one, but two excellent sheltered harbors.  This made it the top choice for all merchant shipping across the Mediterranean Sea.

As we would expect, these two cities became exceedingly prosperous through shipping and trading. 

It's not hard to see that these circumstances made Tyre a very desirable place for anyone who wanted to conquer that part of the world.  As one might expect, the city (especially the half located on the island) became heavily fortified over time.

What do we know about the relationship between the Phoenicians and Israel?

Scripture tells us that they were enemies back in the era of the Judges.  The Sidonians had oppressed Israel, but God's people cried out to him, and he delivered them (Judges 10:11-12). 

Later on, early in the era of the monarchy, Tyre and Sidon had an excellent relationship with Israel.  Solomon, king of Israel made a treaty with Hiram, king of Tyre.  The two nations worked peacefully together for many years to obtain (and transport) the timber, stones and other resources needed to build the first temple (I Kings 5).

But eventually, things changed.  New rulers came to power.  The citizens of Tyre/Sidon grew rich.  They became proud of the luxury of their cities and the amount of their wealth.  They boasted of their natural island defenses, the strength of their army and the craftiness of their leaders. They grew jealous of Jerusalem and began to enjoy her misfortunes.

The bible describes them as idolatrous, 'wise' (intelligent and crafty) and full of pride:

Ezekiel 28:3-4 - you [Tyre] are indeed wiser than Daniel; no secret is hidden from you; by your wisdom and understanding you have made wealth for yourself, and have gathered gold and silver into your treasuries;

The wisdom/craftiness of Tyre was not only the source of her pride, it was also the cause of her downfall by the judgment of the Lord:

Ezekiel 28:1, 7-8 – "Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord God: "Because your heart is proud, and you have said, 'I am a god, I sit in the seat of the gods, in the heart of the seas,' therefore, behold, I will bring foreigners upon you, the most ruthless of the nations; and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom and defile your splendor.  They shall thrust you down into the pit, and you shall die the death of the slain in the heart of the seas."

(If you have a few spare minutes, you will enjoy reading the 26^th, 27^th and 28^th chapters of Ezekiel.  All three chapters deal with the kingdom of Tyre/Sidon and the Phoenicians.)

What eventually happened to Tyre and Sidon? 

History tells us that the coastal portion of Tyre was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.  According to the noted historian Josephus, Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to Tyre for 13 years before he successfully took the coastal part of the city!

However, he did not capture the island portion of Tyre, which had built up some incredible defenses, including an outer wall that was 150 feet high (you can research her other defenses yourself.  Humanly speaking, they were formidable).  The bottom line is that the people of the island city of Tyre thought their city was impregnable. 

As a result, they gloried in their own wisdom and trusted in their own strength.  They thought their vast wealth could provide anything/everything they might need.  They mocked and rejected Jehovah, considering themselves the god of the seas.  

 

Zechariah 9:4 – But behold, the Lord will strip her of her possessions and strike down her power on the sea and she shall be devoured by fire.

But when the day of destruction came, their defenses (and the heaps of gold and silver) were powerless to save them. 

The island portion of the city was eventually conquered, burned, and razed to the ground by God's chosen instrument - Alexander the Great in 332 BC.

How does the destruction of Tyre and Sidon fit into the three viewpoints we mentioned earlier?

The first viewpoint says that God was looking down upon the whole world, and he was going to judge the enemies of Israel.  In this scenario, the physical destruction of Tyre and Sidon by Nebuchadnezzar and Alexander the Great would be a literal fulfillment of the prophesy.

The second viewpoint is a spiritual interpretation which speaks of a time when Gentiles and Jews alike will turn from idols and seek the Lord. 

Those who hold this view point out that during the earthly ministry of Jesus, crowds of people from Tyre and Sidon would travel to hear Jesus speak.  On at least one occasion, Jesus personally visited the region of Tyre and Sidon where he cast a demon from a Gentile child (Matthew 15:21). 

Proponents of this theory also point out that the apostle Paul visited Tyre/Sidon on his way to Jerusalem (during his third missionary journey) and met with the believers there for seven days (Acts 21:3).

According to those who hold this view, this shows that the prophesy began to be fulfilled during the time of Christ, when Gentiles from these heathen regions began to accept the gospel message.  They believe a full fulfillment will take place at some point in the future.

The third viewpoint says that God was announcing judgment upon certain heathen nations.  When that judgment fell, the remaining Gentile nations (as well as Israel) would be astonished; they would acknowledge Jehovah as the true God and have an opportunity to repent.

We know that this is at least partially true.  God sent Alexander the Great to cut an enormous path of destruction on his way to Egypt.  Many of Israel's enemies were witnesses of these incredible victories.  They would have had ample time/opportunities to turn away from their false idols and seek the Lord.  Once such example was the kingdom of the Philistines:

Zechariah 9:5-6 – Ashkelon shall see it, and be afraid; Gaza too, and shall writhe in anguish; Ekron also, because its hopes are confounded. The king shall perish from Gaza; Ashkelon shall be uninhabited, a mixed people shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of Philistia.

The oracle of the Lord now turns to the Philistines. This kingdom consisted of several independent city-states. The five major Philistine cities were Ekron, Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon and Gath (Joshua 13:3).

Much like the Phoenicians, the Philistines took great pride in their military strength.  They also took immense pride in their national identity.  They considered themselves to be a strong, fierce, independent and relentless people.  To be a Philistine was to be better than all others. 

As we know, the Philistines were long and bitter enemies of Israel. They despised Jehovah and showed contempt for his name and power.  Whenever Israel suffered a defeat, a loss or a setback it was a cause for rejoicing among the Philistines. 

But a day was coming when God would remove their sources of pride.

God plainly foretold that when this kingdom witnessed the destruction of the Phoenicians (Tyre and Sidon) they would be struck with an all-consuming fear, and that is exactly what happened. 

The Philistines considered Tyre and Sidon to be a kind of barrier for their own kingdom; as long as the Phoenicians remained free of invasion, so would the Philistines.  Consequently, when Tyre fell to Alexander, the hope and courage of the Philistines fell with it.

Notice that the word of the Lord regarding the Philistines contained several specific pronouncements:

• The king would perish from Gaza.
• Ashkelon shall be uninhabited.
• A mixed people will dwell in Ashdod.
• The pride of Philistia would be cut off.

Let's take a closer look at the situation.

Back in that day it was common for a victorious leader (Nebuchadnezzar, for example) to assign a king/leader of his own choosing as a tributary ruler over the newly conquered city or nation.  It would be this king's job to keep the people from revolting against the new national authority.  It was also his job to collect and deliver the tribute money that must be paid to the conquering nation. 

So, when God declared that the 'king would perish from Gaza', he was essentially proclaiming that the government would be fully dissolved.  This not only meant that the current king would perish; it also meant he would have no successor/replacement because the nation itself was going to perish from the earth.

And again, history proves that God's word came to pass exactly as he said it would. 

Josephus tells us that Gaza was taken by Alexander the Great after a siege of only a few months.  Ten thousand inhabitants were killed, and the governor (Batis) was dragged around the city by a chariot until he died. 

Then, instead of setting up his own puppet government in Gaza, Alexander completely removed the Philistines from every city and eventually repopulated them with strangers/foreigners.

When the Philistines were overthrown by Alexander, it destroyed their national identity which in turn destroyed their pride.  Their country was a wasteland inhabited by foreigners (your translation may say bastards) who took control of their remaining homes, goods and livestock.

Some commentators believe that even Jews were taken to live in those cities, which would have been the ultimate insult to the pride of the Philistines.  Others believe that 'strangers' refers to people who practiced a different religion than the Philistines.  This could refer to both Jews and Christians.

Zechariah 9:7 – I will take away its blood from its mouth, and its abominations from between its teeth; it too shall be a remnant for our God; it shall be like a clan in Judah, and Ekron shall be like the Jebusites.

This verse is best examined phrase by phrase.

I – The Lord was planning to bring about a complete change of heart for the Philistine people who were left. He and he alone was capable of changing their hearts.

Will take away its blood from its mouth, and its abominations from between its teeth – The abominations mentioned here refer to sacrifices made to false idols.  It was common for the heathen to drink blood mingled with the wine of their sacrifices or to eat the blood of an animal along with its flesh.   

The Jews considered it an abomination to eat or drink blood, because this practice was forbidden by the Lord:

Leviticus 17:10-12 -  And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eats any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eats blood, and will cut him off from among his people.  For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul. Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourns among you eat blood.

This phrase probably means that when the Philistines (heathen) begin to serve the Lord, they will no longer offer sacrifices to idols or eat the blood of animals, as prescribed in the law.  It may also mean that the heathen will no longer thirst after the blood of their enemies (God's people), because they too are children of God. 

It too shall be a remnant for our God – Although most of the Philistines will be destroyed, God will preserve a remnant for himself, who will embrace the gospel message, openly worshiping and serving him.   

Shall be like a clan (or governor) in Judah – Those who were former enemies of God and Israel will now be honored just like princes or men of high rank and dignity like the rulers in Judah. 

Ekron shall be like the Jebusites – The Jebusites were the original inhabitants of Jerusalem.  Ekon was the least important of the Philistine cities. The intended meaning here is that the lowliest remnant of the Philistines who embrace the Jewish religion will have an equal place with the Jews in the city of Jerusalem.

The overall meaning of the verse is that God will display his power and glory to the heathen nations, who will then embrace the gospel message.  When they do, they will be added to the kingdom of God.  There will no longer be a difference between the Jews and Gentiles; there will be one united family of God.   

Zechariah 9:8 – Then I will encamp at my house as a guard, so that none shall march to and fro; no oppressor shall again march over them, for now I see with my own eyes.

The oracle which began with judgment ends in mercy.  Once God establishes his house (the church, made up of Jews and Gentiles) he will surround and defend it.

Zechariah 2:5 - For I, says the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.

God will do this through his own power and presence, surrounding the church like a ring of impenetrable fire.

Those who march 'to and fro' (like Alexander or other conquerors) can no longer oppress the children of God, because he will be watching over them.

The literal fulfillment of this occurred when Alexander returned from Egypt after establishing the city of Alexandria. On his way home, he intended to conquer Jerusalem, but he was met by a group of priests led by Jaddua (the high priest) who made intercession for Jerusalem and the temple. As a result, Alexander spared both. He even turned around and showed favor to the Jews.

There is a spiritual parallel here as well. Jesus has purchased the church with his blood. Now he surrounds and defends us against our enemies, like a ring of fire.

• The law would seek to oppress us, but it can't because the blood of Christ has freed us from its curse and condemnation.

• Justice would seek to oppress us, but it can't because the blood of Christ has fully satisfied the debt owed to God.

• Satan would seek to oppress us, but he can't because the blood of Christ ensures that he cannot prevail over us.

• Legalistic leaders/teachers (those from the days of Christ as well as those of today) seek to oppress us, but they can't because the blood of Christ frees us from the yoke of bondage.

• Our past would seek to oppress us, but it can't because the blood of Christ has washed away all our sin.

Hallelujah and Amen!

 

Let me offer you some encouragement, relief and strength:

Today's post speaks a lot about the subject of pride.

Pride is an abomination in the eyes of God. 

Proverbs 8:13 - The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the perverse mouth, do I hate.

Pride is always found in sinners; they take the glory and honor due to the Lord and heap it upon themselves. Today's post gives us several good examples of this.

But we would do well to remember that Christians can fall into the same trap.  If we are not careful to remain humble, we too can fall into the trap of pride.  We can become proud of our service to God, proud of our 'sinless' lives or proud of our position in the church.  We must guard ourselves against these evils. 

We can do so by reminding ourselves that we are sinners saved by grace alone, not by any works or merit in our own lives (Ephesians 2:8-9).   

Or we, like the Phoenicians, can fall into the trap of taking pride in our own wisdom. 

But scripture tells us that the wisdom of man, no matter how lofty or excellent it seems, is as nothing in the eyes of God (I Corinthians 1:18-31).   

Real wisdom is not being knowledgeable in the ways of this world; everything here is tainted with sin and it will eventually pass away.  Real wisdom begins with reverence and respect for God our Creator and Savior (Psalms 111:10).  Following his commands and living a holy life will make us wise (Job chapter 28).

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Zechariah 8:18-19 – And the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, "Thus says the Lord of hosts: The fast of the fourth month and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah seasons of joy and gladness and cheerful feasts.  Therefore love truth and peace."

And now the Lord finally addresses the question of fasting that was asked of the priests of Jerusalem way back in chapter 7, verse 3.

All along we have talked about the fast of the fifth month (instituted because of the destruction of Solomon's temple) and the fast of the seventh month (instituted when Gedaliah was murdered and the remaining Jews were driven from the land). 

However, the Jews actually observed a total of four national days of fasting.

The tenth day of the tenth month of the year (Tebet, which is November/December) was declared a national day of mourning and fasting because it was the day Nebuchadnezzar's forces began their successful siege against Jerusalem. This occurred in the 9^th year of the reign of King Zedekiah (Ezekiel 24:1-2).

The ninth day of the fourth month of the year (Tammuz, which is May/June) was also declared a day of national mourning and fasting because it was the day the city of Jerusalem was breached by the Babylonians. This occurred in the 11^th year of the reign of King Zedekiah (Jeremiah 39:2).

It was appropriate for these four days to be remembered by the Jewish population, as they represented the dreadful judgment of God:

• When the city was surrounded by the men of Babylon, the Jews were suddenly aware of the impending vengeance of God for all their idolatry, unbelief and other wickedness.

• When the wall of Jerusalem was finally breached (about two years later), it became apparent to the Jews that God had turned his face away from their cries.

• When the temple went up in flames and was destroyed, no hope remained for the Jews except for the fact that the poorest among them would remain in the land under the rule of Gedaliah.

• When Gedaliah was murdered and all the remaining Jews went into exile, the Israelites realized that the favor of God had completely and utterly disappeared from their midst.

In light of these events, it was entirely appropriate for the post-exilic Jews to observe these four days of national mourning and fasting.  They needed to humble themselves before the Lord and confess their sins, both personal and national.  These fasts were also a good way for the Jews to teach and warn future generations to be faithful to God and his covenant with them.

And thus it was for more than 70 years.

But now a corner had been turned; a new day was dawning.  God announced that his favor once again rested upon his people.  The Jews had returned to Jerusalem.  The sacrifices had been reinstituted and the foundation of the temple had been laid.  God had BIG plans for the future of his covenant people. 

If the Jews would repent and return to the Lord, cleaving to him only, there would be an end to their misery.  There would be no more need for national mourning and fasting.    

This was the answer to the men of Bethel (Zechariah 7:3) – and what an unexpected and glorious answer it was!  They no longer needed to observe the fast of the fifth month or any other month, because the time of mourning for Israel was over!  

Instead, the former days of fasting would be turned into joyous celebrations and public feasts/festivals. They would become days of rejoicing and thanksgiving to the Lord for ending their captivity. They would be days of celebration because the Lord was pouring out both temporal and spiritual showers of blessing upon his people.

The Lord then admonishes his people to love truth and peace.

Truth is not just the absence of falsehood; it also includes integrity, justice, equity, mercy and compassion.  When our hearts are right before God and we live according to his commands, truth naturally manifests in our outward actions and in our relationships with our fellow man.

The blessing of peace can be understood in two ways.  First, it is the absence of judgment, strife, war and agitation.  It includes restoration and the concept of good relationships.  Secondly, peace represents the blessing, goodness and prosperity which God showers upon his people.

But the promise was not just for the people of that day.  It is for all people living in the age of grace, because truth and peace were fully manifested in the person of Jesus Christ. 

It was Christ that brought us the gospel message - the words of truth and life (John 6:68, Acts 5:20).  In fact, he is the way the truth and the life (John 14:6); through him we have peace with the Father:

Romans 5:1 - Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:      

The Jews of Zechariah's day were instructed to love truth and peace. We should do the same. The gospel is a message of peace which contains nothing but truth.

We should love it immensely because through it we are reconciled (brought into a right relationship) with God. Furthermore, in accordance with that gospel, we should seek to live in peace with our fellow man, treating them with the same justice and righteousness that we desire for ourselves.

In all generations, these are the works which truly please the Lord, as opposed to vain religious observances and fasts.

Zechariah 8:20 – "Thus says the Lord of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities."

The remainder of this chapter speaks of the Gentile nations coming to Jerusalem to participate in the aforementioned festivals and celebrations of the Jews.  This is not something we would expect to literally happen. 

Rather, it is an example of figurative language commonly used in the Old Testament (especially the prophets – Micah 4:2, Isaiah 2:2-3, Isaiah 45:14-17, etc).  It actually depicts the eventual spread of the gospel among the Gentile nations of the world.  

First, God once again favors the Jews and restores them to his covenant promises.  Then, at the appointed time, that covenant was fulfilled by Jesus the Messiah (Matthew 5:17) who was a Jew according to the flesh.  Once the covenant was fulfilled, he sacrificed his life to usher in the Age of Grace or the Gospel Dispensation. 

As you know, the gospel was first preached by the Jews in Jerusalem, but it was destined by God to spread throughout the entire world (Acts 1:8).  People of every tribe, nation and tongue (the inhabitants of many cities) would hear and respond to the gospel message, being added to the kingdom of heaven and the world-wide church of Jesus Christ.

Even today this message is still spreading to the furthest corners of the globe.

Zechariah 8:21 – "The inhabitants of one city shall go to another saying, 'Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the Lord and to seek the Lord of hosts; I myself am going.'"

This verse speaks of a mutual consent among the Gentile nations to unite together and seek the Lord. 

At the time this revelation was given, the Jews were poor, despondent, treated with contempt and surrounded by enemies who tried (successfully) to halt their progress.  Never ever, even in their wildest dreams, did they think that the Gentiles would one day willingly come to Jerusalem in order to worship the Lord.

However, in this revelation the Lord plainly states his desire that all people/nations (the Gentiles) come to know and worship him.  This is big reason why he continually encourages the Jews to finish the temple.  Not only is the temple the focal point of fellowship between God and the Jews in Zechariah's generation, it will one day be the place where Christ reveals the details of the new covenant, which includes the Gentiles.  

Isaiah 49:6 - And he [God] said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

At the time, the Jews mistakenly thought that their efforts to rebuild the temple and the city were in vain.  But they should have had more faith in God – because of him, their efforts would prevail.

Even more astonishing, the Jews would not need to force, coax or entice other nations to know the Lord.  Instead, the power of Holy Spirit would convict the Gentiles of sin and cause them to sense their need for pardon and justification before God. 

Once they recognized this need, the Gentiles would immediately (at once) seek the Lord.  In addition, they would have a clear concern for the spiritual welfare of others, as reflected in the fact that they will travel from one city to another encouraging others to seek the Lord also.  They will be anxious to embrace salvation, to learn the truths of the gospel, to know God's will and to worship him in the correct way (in spirit and in truth). 

Zechariah 8:22 – "Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the Lord."

This verse is closely related to verse 21.  It confirms that many nations/people, even the mighty and the great, will seek the Lord in Jerusalem.  Why is Jerusalem specifically mentioned here?  

Well, we must keep in mind that the Jews who received this message were operating under the Old Testament covenant.  At that time, there was only one temple and God could only be properly worshiped at that location, with the prescribed sacrifices.

Therefore, it was imperative for the second temple to be built, so that it could remain the emblem of forgiveness/salvation until the coming of Christ, when God would institute a new covenant. 

As we know, Jerusalem also played a pivotal role in the new covenant – it was the birthplace of the church of Jesus Christ. 

Under the new covenant, the temple of God would no longer be a brick-and-mortar structure located in Jerusalem.  God was going to dwell in human hearts, which made each and every child of his a temple of Holy Spirit:

1 Corinthians 3:16 - Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

2 Corinthians 6:16 - for you are the temple of the living God; as God has said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.   

The light of the gospel first dawned over Jerusalem and it will spread far and wide until it illuminates every nation on earth.   

So we find that Jerusalem is mentioned in this verse because it was the city where salvation/forgiveness could be found in both the old and new covenants.  It is the city God has chosen to bear his name (I Kings 11:36), and the place where he has chosen to reveal himself.   

This verse also indicates (in figurative language) that it will be necessary for the Gentiles to go to Jerusalem because the presence of God could be found there and no place else. 

In a spiritual sense, this tells us that the people of every nation will search out the church, because she is the steward of the gospel message.  It is the gospel message that brings the forgiveness, peace and eternal life which sinners are seeking. Only the gospel brings life; all false religions bring bondage and despair.  

All those who adhere to the gospel message (Jews and Gentiles) will 'entreat the favor of the Lord' through prayer and other ordinances of the gospel. 

Thankfully, the blood of Christ allows us to come directly into the presence of God, who is omniscient (knows all things).  He is already acquainted with our motivations, our weaknesses, our troubles and our desires. 

Hebrews 4:13 - Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.   

Once we approach him in faith with reverence and godly fear/respect, we have the freedom to openly and honestly speak to the Lord about every aspect of our lives.

We can pour our hearts out to him with boldness and confidence, knowing that he both hears and answers prayer.

Zechariah 8:23 – "Thus says the Lord of hosts:  In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'"

The picture presented here is that of a Jew journeying to Jerusalem from some distant country in order to participate in one of the Jewish festivals (probably Passover).  As he walks along the road, he has a number of Gentiles crowding around him, asking permission to accompany him on his journey.  They wish to do so because they have learned how good the Lord has been to the Jews.

The question is, what is the meaning of this image? Let's break it down:

The Lord of Hosts:  The first thing to notice is that before delivering this message, God once again stresses that he is the Lord of Hosts – the omnipotent God who possess all power.  This means that no matter how impossible this prophesy seems, it was going to come to pass. 

In those days:  Next we see the time frame for the fulfillment of this word – 'in those days'.  There is no doubt that the events of the last part of chapter 8 occur during the Age of Grace or what is known as the Gospel Dispensation.  In other words, this prophesy began to be fulfilled just after the birth of the church, and it is still being fulfilled today.

Ten men of every tongue:  Men of 'every tongue' refers to Gentiles.  In scripture, the number 10 is the number of perfection and it is used to signify a vast number.  So this phrase is interpreted to mean vast numbers of Gentiles.

 

Robe of a Jew:  The Jews wore robes that had tassels at the four corners, which made their clothing distinctively different from that of the Gentiles:

 

Numbers 15:38 - Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them tassels in the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the tassel of the corners a thread of blue:  

Back in the day, everyone could identify a Jew by their clothing.  This was how the woman at the well knew Jesus was a Jew and not a Samaritan (John 4:7-9). 

Taking hold: Taking hold of someone's clothing gives us a picture of a small child who grabs or clings to the clothing of his parents for protection, support, guidance, etc.

Let us go with you for we have heard that God is with you: These Gentiles heard and were touched by the gospel message. They are convinced that the God of Israel is the one true God. They understand that they are sinners in need of the grace that only comes through the gospel message.

A Jew:  The only place in this verse where we find differences of opinion is in regards to the identity of the Jew.  Here are the main theories:  

• The Jew represents Jesus himself, our Messiah, Mediator and King.
• The Jew represents one of (or all) twelve apostles who first spread the gospel message.
• The Jew represents the apostle Paul, who was specifically called to be the apostle to the Gentiles.
• The Jew represents any Christian (pastor or lay person) who leads people to Christ during the Age of Grace.

 

Regardless of the identity of the Jew (if there is one), the overall meaning of this  prophesy is that a day will come when vast numbers of Gentiles from every nation of the world will hear the gospel message and seek out those who can lead them to salvation, which came into the world through Jesus (the Jewish line).

Aren't you glad Gentiles were included too? 

 

Let me offer you some encouragement:

Once Jesus had risen from the dead, the Gentiles heard the preaching of the gospel and Holy Spirit convicted them of their sin.  This led to godly sorrow, which in turn led to repentance and salvation through Jesus Christ.     

2 Corinthians 7:10 - For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation not to be regretted: but the sorrow of the world works death.

The key here is that someone has to share the gospel with the lost.  God wants to use YOU to share the message of hope with the sinners around you who are searching for the love and truth of Christ. 

I encourage you to be strong and courageous and share what the Lord has done for you when the opportunity arises. 

 

Let me offer you some relief:

It doesn't have to be a struggle to share the gospel message.

As you walk through your daily life, remember that the Lord is always with you.  His presence goes before you and behind you.  Holy Spirit dwells within your heart.  He is your comforter and guide, who can lead you into all truth.  In addition, Jesus is your Friend, Mediator, Protector and King. 

In the morning, before you begin your day, why not ask the Lord to help you be more aware of his presence in your life?  Ask him to lead you to at least one person with whom you can share all the good things that God has done for you.

Don't be surprised if that person expresses an earnest desire to know the Lord!

 

Let me offer you some strength:

In today's text, the Lord admonished his people to love truth and peace. 

As Christians, we not only speak the truth, it manifests in the actions and attitudes of our daily life.  It includes things like:

• Doing business with honesty and integrity.
• Showing mercy and extending forgiveness to those who have wronged us.
• Demonstrating compassion to those who have let us down.
• Displaying personal holiness no matter what we are doing.
• Having an attitude of thankfulness/not complaining about everything.
• Standing up for what is right.

As we honor God by exemplifying his truth to those around us, he shower us with his peace and blessings.    

 

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Zechariah 8:9 – Thus says the Lord of hosts: "Let your hands be strong, you who in these days have been hearing these words from the mouth of the prophets who were present on the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built."

The content of chapter 8 is a continuation of chapter 7, in which the men of Bethel came to the temple to ask the Lord if they should continue certain fasts which they were observing on a yearly basis. 

God responds to their inquiry as the Lord of Hosts, the God who is ultimate in power, wisdom, authority and ability.

His response begins with some sharp words of reproof (see chapter 7).  God points out that he is much more interested in obedience than sacrifice; he was deeply concerned about their disregard for the task he had set before them (completion of the temple and rebuilding of Jerusalem) as well as the sinful way they were treating each other.

Let's briefly review these two sinful errors.  

First of all, for the most part, the Jews of that generation were operating in unbelief.  They were convinced that their current enemies were going to destroy them as well as the temple they were supposed to be building.  Why, they wondered, should they exert time, money and strenuous effort only to have it all destroyed (Nehemiah 4:7-11)?  What was the point? 

This lack of faith in the promises of God caused them to stop construction on the temple.  (The foundation of the temple had been laid two years prior).  Instead, they turned to building their own houses/estates and seeking their own pleasures. 

Haggai 1:4 - Is it time for you, yourselves, to dwell in your paneled houses, and this house [the temple] lie in ruins?

Secondly, although the Jews were faithful to complete their yearly fasts, they were merely going through vain motions.  God declared through the prophet Isaiah (chapter 58) that the fast which pleased him was to love him with all their hearts and to deal with their neighbors in righteousness and justice:

Isaiah 58:6 - Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?   

In chapter 8, after addressing these two main areas of concern, God goes on to give his people some glorious promises for the future of their nation and the world.

Specifically, in verses 9-17, we find that the Lord reasoning with his people. Essentially he is telling the Jews that the fulfillment of his former promises is proof (or earnest) that he will keep his future promises, including the ones he was giving the current generation through the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. 

The Jews of that generation needed this kind of assurance, because the promises being made were so astonishing and so mind-numbing, they had difficulty believing the promises would come to pass (which was not a good thing for people who already exhibited a distinct lack of faith). 

Using examples from the recent history of the Jews, God reminds his people that he has good things in store for those who obey and curses in store for those who disobey or disregard his commands.  Since God never changes, the Israelites can expect one or the other (blessing or cursing), based on their own choices, actions and decisions. 

To begin with, the Lord instructs the people of Zechariah's day to 'let their hands be strong' with regard to finishing their work. 

The first step in 'strengthening their hands' was actually to get their thinking straight.  God had promised that the temple would be rebuilt and that he would once again dwell among his people.  They would be his children and he would be their God – the one who protected them, watched over them, provided for them and had joyous fellowship with them.  Victory was in their future.   

It was time for the Jews to stop believing the threats of their enemies and stand in faith upon the promises of God.  Whenever doubt or fear or unbelief came to their minds (as it no doubt would), they had to chase those thoughts away by filling their minds with truth. 

• When fear came, they could remind themselves of the promises of victory given to them by the Lord of hosts.
• When doubt came, they could fill their minds with the glorious visions of intercession and blessing found in the visions of Zechariah.
• When unbelief came, it could be chased away by dwelling on God's past faithfulness.

It would take time and effort for the Jews to change their thinking, but it was certainly possible to do so. In fact, it was absolutely necessary in order for them to complete their task.

The second step in 'strengthening their hands' was to make the work of the Lord a priority.  It was time to set their personal agendas/goals aside and complete the work of the Lord with zeal, joy and faithfulness.  By faith they had to commit their time, effort and limited resources into this project.   

This was both a sacrifice and a test of faith, because the generation of Jews who rebuilt the temple was not going to personally experience the ultimate fulfillment of many of the promises.

For example, none of the men building the temple were going to be alive in the day when Jerusalem was known as the City of Truth.  They were not going to be the aged people walking down the streets of Jerusalem while small children played safely in the streets.  Nevertheless, knowing what God was going to do for future generations through their foundational work should have been motivation enough (and joy enough) for them to complete the task.

The final step in 'strengthening their hands' was to shake off sloth and simply get to work!  This required them to develop new routines in their lives.  It takes a while to develop good habits (such as daily prayer and bible study), but once you do, they will serve you well.  

I believe there is a lesson here for the church as well.  God has made promises to this generation of believers just as he did to the men of Zechariah's day.  For example, God has promised to save America from destruction.  He has also promised an unbelievable harvest of souls in this country (and throughout the world).  

It's time for the church to get these promises down into our hearts and minds with faith. Once we do, we must listen to Holy Spirit for his exact instructions. We must put our personal agendas aside and commit our time, effort and resources into this work.

 Then, we need to follow through with prayer, speaking/declaring the scriptures, and acting on whatever other instructions Holy Spirit gives us.  All the time, we need to be praising and worshiping the Lord of Hosts, who will bring his promises to fruition and ensure our victory.

We may or may not live to see the final results/fulfillment of what God has promised, but we can still rejoice knowing that future generations of the church will benefit from our foundational work.  When God is in charge, the battle is won.  It's time for us to put on the whole armor of God, pick up the keys to the kingdom of heaven and get to work!

Zechariah 8:10 – "For before those days there was no wage for man or any wage for beast, neither was there any safety from the foe for him who went out or came in for I set every man against his neighbor."

Let's establish a quick frame of reference. There was an approximately 16 year period in which the Jews took no action to rebuild the temple. After that, in the second year of Cyrus, the Jews got busy and at least laid the foundation for the temple. But again, work slowed and now it was the fourth year of the reign of Cyrus and nothing more had been done.

So 'those days' refers to the time when the foundation of the temple was laid.   'Before those days' refers to the 16 year period when the Jews failed to do the work God had assigned to them. 

Because of their rebellion and failure to keep God's command, Israel suffered under the curse for disobedience which automatically came under the law.  Since obedience brings prosperity (Deuteronomy 28:1-14), it naturally follows that disobedience would bring lack (Deuteronomy 28:15-68) – and that is exactly what the Jews experienced.  

The effects of that curse are being discussed in this verse.  First, we note that there was 'no wage' for man or beast.  In other words, there was no profit from their work.  They got up in the morning, yoked up the oxen and spent all day plowing, weeding and otherwise tending to their crops.  But when harvest time came, there was little if any profit from their labor:

Haggai 1:6 - You have sown much, and bring in little; you eat, but you have not enough; you drink, but you are not filled with drink; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he that earns wages earns wages to put it into a bag with holes.

Can you imagine how frustrating and depressing that would be? They were working all day, but never getting ahead. They were expending all their time and energy but barely reaping enough to stay alive. As things got worse, they began to oppress their fellow Jews by charging outrageous interest rates, taking other people's children as slaves, and failing to pay their workers.

As if that were not enough, God reminds the people that 'neither was the any safety from the foe' for the person who 'went out or came in'.  In other words, there was no safety or enjoyment of what they did manage to obtain, because the Jews experienced affliction and oppression by enemies on every side, and from every quarter.   

The Persian Empire had many small nations under its domain.  These smaller nations were required to pay tribute to the empire.  As long as they paid tribute and did not revolt, they had the freedom to pretty much do as they pleased.  One thing they frequently did was to attack or raid each other.  In Nehemiah 4:7-11 we find that Israel had many such enemies.

There is also evidence that when Persia sent troops to fight against Egypt, the marched through the territory which included Jerusalem. These troops would have commandeered any supplies that the Jews managed to acquire.

So, because of their own disobedience, the Jews had no safety, no joy, no peace, no satisfaction and no rest.  They experienced internal dissensions as well as outward opposition.  Nothing they did in the field, in their personal lives or in their businesses resulted in prosperity; everything they did was essentially barren. 

This state of lack was not due to bad luck or fortune.  It was a direct result of the curse of the law for disobedience to the command of God to rebuild the temple.  Granted, this situation had begun to significantly improve two years earlier, as the Jews began to lay the foundation of the temple.  God is now strongly encouraging them to continue/finish the work, because he wanted to further bless his people.    

Zechariah 8:11 – "But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, declares the Lord of hosts."

We have already seen that the visions of Zechariah strengthened and encouraged the remnant of the Jews to continue the work of rebuilding the temple, restoring worship and repairing the walls of Jerusalem. 

Because they listened to the voice of the Lord and renewed their work on these projects, God was now able to bless them according to the covenant.  Instead of being cursed, their labor would be blessed.

Zechariah 8:12 – "For there shall be a sowing of peace.  The vine shall give its fruit and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew.  And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things."

Here we find a description of the reversal of the former condition of the Jews.

Before the rebuilding began, the Jews experienced lack of every kind – their crops failed to germinate or they withered due to lack of rain, or they were blighted with disease, or they just didn't produce much harvest.  There was internal strife among the Jews (because of their ill treatment of each other) as well as threats from outside enemies.  No one had any peace or tranquility.

Things had been improving since the Jews commenced work on the temple, but now God openly confirms that he has reversed their condition.  He declared that he was sending the rain (former and latter) which would be needed for a bountiful harvest.  We can also assume he would guard against locusts, blight, mildew and any other pest that would kill their harvest. 

God guarantees that their labor will produce fruit whether that be from trees (such as olives, nuts, figs, etc), vines (such as grapes) or any crop planted in the ground (such as barley, corn and wheat – Leviticus 26:4).

While this was an immediate and welcome promise to the Jews of Zechariah's day, it also has a significant spiritual parallel in our day - it speaks of the abundance of spiritual blessings that are available to the church.

God showers us with the gifts and blessings of Holy Spirit, his word, his presence, his power and his peace.  All of these will be instrumental in helping us to turn the nation of America back to the Lord and to plant/harvest a worldwide crop of souls for the kingdom of heaven.    

There is no doubt that the need is great.  Jesus told his followers to look around them for there was already a spiritual harvest of souls ready to be gathered into the kingdom of heaven:

John 4:35 - Say not, There are yet four months, and then comes harvest? Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.   

These promises should motivate you and me to participate in spiritual sowing/reaping, just as it motivated the people of God in Zechariah's day to sow/reap a physical harvest.

Because we know our labor will not be in vain, we should liberally sow the word of God.  There are many ways to do so:

• By speaking to people on an individual basis.
• By supporting our local church.
• By supporting the Christian music industry.
• By financially supporting Christian radio, television, podcasts and other electronic media.
• By using our social media to proclaim the truth.
• By using our influence (professional, political, cultural or within the family) to proclaim the gospel.

Furthermore, we can be confident that once we sow the word, Holy Spirit will water it and cause it to sprout in the hearts/minds of the hearers, so it will grow in their lives and produce a spiritual harvest, which we can then gather for the kingdom.

Not only that, we can be sure that God will protect us from attacks of the enemy so that the spiritual harvest will not be destroyed.  Although we will be engaged in spiritual warfare, we can expect to have the upper hand over our enemies and enjoy peace as we go about our work.

 

Zechariah 8:13 – "And as you have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing.  Fear not, but let your hands be strong."

 

As we know, there was a split in the kingdom of Israel under the reign of Solomon's son, Rehoboam.  At that time, 10 tribes came under the kingship of Jeroboam, son of Nebat.  These ten tribes retained the name of Israel.  The remaining two tribes stayed under the kingship of the house of David.  From that time forward, they were known as the nation of Judah.

Both kingdoms went into captivity as the result of their sin. The kingdom of Israel went into captivity first (722 BC), followed by the kingdom of Judah (586 BC).  They lost their land, their temple, their freedom, their wealth, and their autonomy as a nation.  In short, they lost everything.     

As a result the Jews became a public example of what it meant to be cursed under the law:       

Jeremiah 44:22 - because of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations which you have committed; therefore is your land a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as it is this day.

But it was never God's will for them to be an example of cursing. God intended them to be a blessing for the whole world:

Genesis 28:14 - And your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

God makes it very plain that the Jews change of circumstances is not due to a whim of fate or anything they have done.  He alone has undertaken to deliver/save them from destruction.  His favor now rests upon them, and he has restored their destiny to be a blessing to the nations of the world.

How were the Jews a blessing to the world?  It was through their line that Jesus was born into the world to be our Savior.  He perfectly fulfilled the law, then ushered in the new covenant of grace, whereby we can be saved through his atoning sacrifice.  

Opposition against the Jews still existed, but their enemies were already defeated, because the Lord of Hosts was on their side.  Therefore, they should shake off fear, sloth, indifference and anything else that was preventing them from finishing their work. 

Romans 8:31 - What shall we then say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

The promises of God provided ample motivation for the Jews to roll up their sleeves and get to work.  They should be doing the same thing for the church of today as well!  

Zechariah 8:14-15 – For thus says the Lord of hosts: "As I purposed to bring disaster to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the Lord of hosts, so again have I purposed in these days to bring good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; fear not."

As we discussed earlier in this study, God is always faithful to his promises.  He promised to curse Israel if she continued unabated in sin, and that is exactly what he did when he decreed that she would go into captivity (he did not relent).

Likewise, Israel's restoration was brought about solely by the power and decree of the Lord, because that was what he had promised to do for them if they repented:  

Jeremiah 31:28 - And it shall come to pass, that as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, says the LORD.

God fully intends to bless and 'do good' to his people; he will not relent from blessing them as long as his people do that which is righteous in his sight.

And again we note that because God kept his promises in the past, Israel can rest assured that he will also keep his future promises of restoration and blessing, even if they don't live to experience them.

The lesson applies to us as well.  Armed with the promises and assurances of God, let us (the church) courageously follow Christ wherever he leads. 

Zechariah 8:16-17 – "These are the things that you shall do:  Speak the truth to one another, render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the Lord."

As we mentioned earlier, Israel was guilty of two sins. 

One was failure to rebuild the temple and the walls of Jerusalem.  God had pretty much dealt with that issue, while giving his people wonderful assurances and promises of the manifold blessing he had in store for them.

The second sin was going through the vain motions of fasting, while their hearts were engaged in all kinds wickedness such as anger, injustice, cheating, oppression, lying, etc.  Although it was fasting that was specifically mentioned in this case, God does not approve or accept any vain religious exercise. 

For instance, if we go to church with a poor attitude, judging everyone we see, griping about the worship songs and criticizing the message, then out trip to church was nothing more than a vain religious exercise.

God once again declares that he hates this kind of wicked behavior.  He expects his followers to love their neighbors as themselves (Exodus 20:12-17).  They are to speak the truth to each other, make impartial judgments and practice integrity in every aspect of their lives, while showing mercy and compassion to their fellow man.  These are the exact same duties he had given to the generations who lived before the exile (Zechariah 7:9-10).  Too bad they didn't listen!    

God will not (cannot) let these kinds of sins go unpunished.  If his people want to fellowship with him and experience his blessing, they must remove these sins from their lives.

In a society where people deal fairly with one another and the court system renders true justice, peace will be a byproduct.  It is the duty of God's people to strive for this kind of righteous living, because it honors the name of the Lord.  

 

Let me offer you some encouragement:

One thing we cannot help but notice in our study of Zechariah is that the Jews of that generation were working for the temporal and spiritual good of the next generation.

For example, they were busy building the second temple, which was going to be in use until after Jesus died and rose again. 

They were also (to the best of their ability) committed to practicing personal holiness and faithfulness to God's commands.  This resulted in a multitude of blessings and it was an excellent example for their children and grandchildren, who came to know that their best life was only possible in fellowship with God.

 What are you and I doing to invest in the next generation?  What kind of foundation are we laying for our children, our grandchildren and/or the kids in our local church?  I encourage you to consider this question seriously, and become involved.   

 

Let me offer you some relief:

Over and over again God makes it plain that he is concerned not only with our outward actions, but with the thoughts and desires of our hearts/minds (Hebrews 4:12). 

Obviously, this is an issue that affects all of us.  So let me give you some relief - correct thinking is not just something we can just turn on or off like a light switch.  It is more of a process that we develop over time. 

For example, if you have an issue with complaining or thinking negative thoughts you can't just decide you're not going to do that anymore. (How many times have we sworn that we would never do something again, only to be doing it five minutes later?!)

Instead, you need to consistently chase those thoughts away whenever you find they are in your mind.

You can do that by praise and worship, by prayer, by declaring the truth of God's word and by quoting scripture.  Eventually, over time, those thoughts will come to your mind less and less frequently. 

In other words, right thinking is a process, not an event.  The key is to continue renewing your mind until your thoughts line up with the word of God.  So don't give up – keep at it!

 

Let me offer you some strength:

Another thing we noticed in our study was that the people of Zechariah's day did not see the final fulfillment of all the promises God gave them. Indeed, some of those promises are still in the future, possibly coming to pass during the millennial reign of Christ.  Nevertheless, former generations of Jews placed their faith in these promises and worked for their fulfillment.

Abraham did the same thing. He sojourned through the land that would later belong to his descendants (the Promised Land). He was long dead before Israel had possession of that land, but his wandering was the result of his faith in the promise of God (Hebrews 11:6-10).

If you are working towards a promise that has not yet come to pass, don't give up!  Stay strong in your faith.  At the exact right moment, God will bring that promise to pass.

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Zechariah 8:1-2 – And the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying, "Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath."

Here in chapter 8 we are still dealing with the inquiry of the men of Bethel, who wanted to know if they should continue their yearly fast in the fifth (and seventh) months. 

In chapter 7, God used this inquiry as a starting point to correct the sinful behavior of his people.  He sternly rebuked not just the men of Bethel, but the whole nation for man-appointed fasts that did not honor him.  Using prior generations as an example of judgment, God urged the current generation of Jews to return to obedience to his commands.    

Specifically, God wanted his people to love him and obey him.  He wanted them to exhibit mercy, justice and love in their treatment of others.  If they failed to do so, no amount of fasting could please him.   

After this stern reproof, the Jews were somewhat discouraged (after all, no one likes to be told they've been doing the wrong thing for years and years).  But God immediately shows compassion to his people by giving them words of hope. 

God lifts them from the pit of discouragement by revealing some of the great things he has in store for the nation.  From the Jews point of view, there was reason to rejoice because despite their failures and shortcomings, God's favor still rested upon them.  He had not abandoned them; his plans for the Jewish nation were still going to come to pass.  And these plans were far, far greater than anything they imagined!    

God also encourages them by repeatedly using the phrase 'thus says the Lord of hosts'.  This description of God is significant for several reasons:   

• First, it confirms that the words shared by the prophet were not merely the wishes of a man, but a sure and certain revelation from God.

• Two, the Lord of hosts is a title that affirms the unlimited power of God. Since he is all powerful, he will surely bring his plans to pass, even if it seems impossible to his people. Nothing is impossible for him; nothing can stop him or even slow him down!

• Three, just knowing that the Lord of hosts saw their situation and was working on their behalf greatly strengthened the faith of those who were diligently working to restore the temple.

The next word of encouragement God gives his people is this: he has a great jealousy for them.  As you recall, this is not the first time he made this statement:

Zechariah 1:14 – So the angel who talked with me said to me, 'Cry out, Thus says the Lord of Hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion.'

God loves his people with a perfect love.  Because of that love, he is jealous (zealous, solicitous, vigilant and watchful) for the welfare of his people.  Like a passionate husband, God loves and cares for his bride.  He is concerned for her honor and interests while harboring incredible anger/wrath for anyone who desires to hurt her.

Now, let's consider the situation in Zechariah's day.  We know that Jerusalem was the city which God had chosen for himself; he put his name on it (II Kings 21:7). The temple, the ark and the mercy seat were all located there. It was the capital city of the nation. It was the future location of the atonement of Christ and the birthplace of the church.

In addition, the nation of Israel itself was a memorial of the power and goodness of God. What other nation had a covenant and a history with God like they did? What other nation had been rescued, blessed, protected and watched over like Israel? Any other nation in her situation would have ceased to exist long ago! One only has to examine the history of Israel to know that God was indeed very jealous (zealous, solicitous, vigilant and watchful) for her welfare. �

For example, when the city and temple were destroyed by Babylonian invaders, God could simply have allowed them to perish (which was no more than they deserved).  But instead of abandoning his sinful people, God had feelings of jealousy for their welfare.  They called out to him in their distress and he heard their cries.  When their time of correction was complete, he opened the door for the Jews to return to Jerusalem.

There is an excellent point contained in this situation.  God was not concerned with the vain fasts of the Jews, but he was (and still is) very interested in anyone who approaches him with a broken and contrite spirit.

Psalm 34:18 - The LORD is near unto them that are of a broken heart; and saves such as be of a contrite spirit.

When a person truly mourns over the sin in their lives (as Israel did during the captivity), God takes notice.  His presence and power will come into that situation and bring change.    

Now that Israel had gone through a period of chastisement and correction, God was ready to once again pour out blessings upon her.  At the same time, his righteous anger and judgment were being poured out upon the enemies of his people (the Babylonians) because they diligently sought to annihilate Israel, instead of simply functioning as God's rod of correction.

God's jealousy for Israel and his simultaneous judgment of her enemies was manifested many, many times in her history.  One such example was the pillar of fire and cloud God sent during the exodus – the Israelites received light and protection, while the Egyptians experienced darkness and destruction (Exodus 14:19-20).

Many scholars also expect future fulfillments of this prophesy as well. 

They point to Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39, where Gog and Magog will come against Israel in the last days with great fury.  They also expect the antichrist to wage war against Israel during the tribulation period at the end of this age.  But in both cases, God will zealously protect, preserve and rescue his people while pouring his wrath out upon her enemies.   

Overall, the Lord's statement that he is very jealous for his people is extremely comforting. The Jews had reason to rejoice because God greatly desired to shine his favor upon them, bringing them from a place of hopelessness to a state of joy and gladness.

Zechariah 8:3 – "Thus says the Lord: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts, the holy mountain."

God goes on to assure his people that he has 'returned to Zion'.  If he is returning, the inference is that he must have left at some point.  Is there a record of that happening?

Unfortunately, yes.  In the book of Ezekiel, chapters 8-10, we have a very somber picture of the sin and depravity of Israel before the captivity (these chapters are definitely worth reading, if you have a chance). 

God gives Ezekiel a vision of the idolatry and blasphemy of the children of Israel (including the elders and some of the priests).  In this passage, God also makes note of the shedding of innocent blood, violence, and injustice. 

He then shows the prophet a picture of the departure of his presence from the temple in Jerusalem:

Ezekiel 10:3-4, 18 – Now the cherubim were standing on the south side of the house [the temple], when the man went in, and a cloud filled the inner court.  And the glory of the Lord went up from the cherub to the threshold of the house, and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was filled with the brightness of the glory of the Lord.  Then the glory of the Lord went out from the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim.

Ezekiel 11:23 – And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and stood on the mountain that is on the east side of the city.  

That was a sad day indeed! But a new day was dawning for Israel. The Lord opened a door of opportunity for his people to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. As the Jews completed the temple and reinstituted the sacrifices, God returned to dwell in their midst once again.

Although God must have seemed very far away during the captivity, he was actually watching over Israel the whole time. And now his presence had returned to dwell among them. Their mourning was now turned to joy!

Eventually, in contrast to her former sinful state, Jerusalem would be called or known as the city of faithfulness or the city of truth.  In this instance, 'faithfulness and truth' embrace the concepts of honesty, faith, sincerity, and justice.  No idolatry or blasphemy would be found there; only the true worship of God.

God also declares that the 'mountain of the Lord' will be known as the holy mountain. 

The mountain being referred to is Mount Zion, where both the first and second temples were built.  Because the temple is there and God's presence dwelt in the temple, Mount Zion was frequently called the mountain of holiness by the Old Testament writers (Isaiah 56:7, 65:11, 65:25, Joel 2:1, Obadiah 16-17, Daniel 9:16, Jeremiah 31:23, etc).   

As wonderful as this sounds, we have to stop and think logically for a minute.  Has this prophesy been fulfilled?

Let's look at the facts.  We know that God only speaks the truth.  So if he is describing Jerusalem as the city which worships him and exemplifies truth, in whom is found honesty, faith, and justice, then it must be true at some point.  However, that did not happen during the time of Zechariah. 

                                                                                   

Some bible commentators make a case for this prophetic word being partially fulfilled during the incarnation. Since Jesus was frequently found in Jerusalem and the temple, we could loosely say that truth, honesty and true worship of God was present in the city during his lifetime. However, the prophesy delivered by Zechariah seems to indicate that the righteous state of Jerusalem was a permanent one, and that was certainly not the case after Jesus returned to heaven.

And sadly, it is not true today either. In fact, scholars are in agreement that this prophesy is yet to be fulfilled at some future point in time; many believe it will fully manifest during the millennial reign of Christ upon the earth. At that time, Jerusalem will be exactly as described in Ezekiel 37:23-28 (seriously, look this up).

The same can be said for the 'mountain of the Lord'.  Right now, there is no temple on Mount Zion.  In fact, the building currently located at the site of the former temple is the Dome of the Rock, which is a mosque dedicated to the Muslim prophet Muhammad.  This would certainly not be considered a holy site for Christians or Jews.  So again, we must conclude that this particular prophesy has not yet been fulfilled.

 We can sum up the Lord's promise by saying that God's people were restored from captivity, and the Lord was in their midst.  The temple and the holy city of Jerusalem would be rebuilt. Instead of being false, unholy and abandoned, Jerusalem and Mount Zion will one day be known as the city of truth and the holy mountain of God.  The fulfillment of this prophesy still lies in the future.    

Of course, we can easily see how this message manifests itself in the age of grace. Man was cut off from God when sin entered the world and made us captives, just as the Jews were cut off from God's presence during their captivity.

But according to the eternal will and council of God, Jesus came to atone for the sin of whosoever desires to follow him.

 

Ephesians 5:24-25 -  as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

Together, Jews and Gentiles now make up the church of Jesus Christ.  His Spirit dwells in our hearts making us holy temples of truth and faithfulness forever.

Zechariah 8:4-5 – "Thus says the Lord of hosts:  Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of great age.  And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets."

Here we find that God enlarges upon the prophetic picture of a time of peace and prosperity.  He does this by declaring that a time would come when old people with walking sticks would be found in Jerusalem.  How is that a picture of peace and prosperity?

Well, during Israel's numerous times of conflict/war, men, women and children lost their lives through direct combat, sieges, famine, accidents, polluted water, water shortages, lack of shelter and many other causes related to war.  There were some generations that had few (if any) old people.   

But in this prophesy, God declares that a day is coming when Israel will no longer be in danger from her enemies; her people will not perish prematurely from war or its side effects.

Instead, they will live in prosperity and security, enjoying a peace so profound that all of their men and women will live full lives extending well into old age. In fact, they will be so old, they will require a staff (or, as we might say, a walker) in order to safely get around!

The implication of the prophesy is that despite their age these folks will still possess strength, vigor and good health both physically and spiritually.  These aged citizens would be a crown of honor for God's people.

Did you know that long life was one of the many blessings included in the covenant for faithful service to God? 

Deuteronomy 4:40 - You shall keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command you this day, that it may go well with you, and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days upon the earth, which the LORD your God gives you, forever.  

 

The returned exiles were incapable of even imagining such a blessing!  In the recent history of the nation, the streets of Jerusalem were known for either being filled with the bodies of the slain or else being deserted and desolate, because of those who fled for their lives.  In the minds of the remnant who had returned to Jerusalem, it was unthinkable that those same streets could be filled with men and women of advanced age.  What an amazing word of encouragement!

As incredible as that promise was, God had even more in store!  He declared that his people would also be blessed with an abundance of children who would be numerous, healthy and happy (Genesis 1:28).  Due to the peace and security of the nation, these children would be able to joyfully and safely play in the midst of the streets (Psalms 28).

Obviously, as we study current events, we know this prophesy has not yet come to pass in the nation of Israel or in the city of Jerusalem.  Again, most scholars believe this prophesy will find its literal or physical fulfillment during the millennial reign of Christ (Isaiah 65:20-22).

As we wait for that day to come, let's ask ourselves this question: Might there be a spiritual fulfillment of this promise as well as a physical one?

Back in the third vision of Zechariah (Zechariah 2:1-4) we saw that God was measuring the future boundaries of the city of Jerusalem.  The prophet was also told that the new city would not have walls or gates.  This spoke to the enormous amount of people, animals, crops and resources that would be present in the city.  In other words, it would be wildly prosperous and ever expanding.

As we noted back in our study of chapter 2, this is a picture of the ever expanding church of Jesus Christ.

In our current study we see a picture of men and women living to an advanced old age and numerous children living and playing in peace and safety. Spiritually speaking, men and women of advanced age may refer to people who are spiritually mature, ready and willing to disciple new converts to the faith. They will be a crown of honor for the church.

Likewise, the many children mentioned in this vision may refer to a significant number of new converts to the kingdom (new born babes in Christ), who, being full of heath and strength, will joyfully praise and worship God without restraint, just like a joyous child running and playing in the streets. 

The tranquility and peace described here are the result or the fruit of God's continual presence among his people.

Zechariah 8:6 – "Thus says the Lord of hosts: If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my sight, declares the Lord of hosts?"

First of all, who is the remnant?

This may refer to the Jews who returned to Jerusalem from the captivity.  Upon their return, they saw the charred remains of the city, the desolate homes, the broken down gates and the ruined temple.  It looked like Jerusalem would never achieve her former glory.   

To them, the promises of Jerusalem being known as a city of truth, or the Jews having all of her citizens living to advanced age while children played in the streets was a thing beyond their wildest hopes and dreams.  To them, it seemed impossible. They did not believe this could ever happen. 

In their defense, they were partially correct.  There was no way that man, with his sinful nature, could ever live in complete truth.  Neither could he guarantee a happy childhood or long life for the people of the nation.

But when God is involved, everything changes.  

God encourages the Jews to believe (have faith) in him, the one who never fails.  No matter how astonishing and impossible his promises seemed in the minds of the remnant, they were just a simple matter for God.  He can easily bring these things to pass through his supernatural power. 

Thus, the Jews of Zechariah's day were once again reminded not to despise the day of small beginnings (Zechariah 4:10), because God's supernatural power would bring that small sprout to full fruition.  Israel and Jerusalem didn't look like much at the time, but a day will come when they are the crown jewels of the earth.     

There are also scholars who believe that the remnant refers to the Jewish people who accepted Christ as savior during or immediately after the incarnation.

The Jews who actually believed that Jesus was the Messiah was indeed a very small number of the total Jewish population. Furthermore, they were completely astonished that God intended to bring the Gentiles into the kingdom of heaven and create a single, united church which anyone could join.  Even though this seemed impossible to them, God easily brought the church into existence.

I would also like to point out that this truth applies to all people in all generations. Even the church thinks way too small.  Even we back away from fully placing our faith in the promises of God.

For example, how many of you have read this scripture:

John 14:12 - Verily, verily, I [Jesus] say unto you, He that believes on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

 

Jesus promised us that we would do not only the same, but greater works than he did.  Yet, how many of us have the faith to believe it?  My guess is that not many of us are standing on this promise.  I have a feeling that far more of us immediately dismiss the idea of doing the same works that Jesus did. 

I'm not calling attention to this fact to shame anyone (just so you know, I'd be shaming myself too).  I'm calling attention to this fact because we need to be aware that God wants to do the astonishing and the miraculous through us. 

Knowing that God is infinitely powerful and self-sufficient, we should easily and willingly place our faith in him. Instead of being astonished, we should be living in faith, being fully persuaded that God keeps all of his promises, because his power and infinite resources will make it happen.

Such was the faith of Abraham who did not consider his own age or the age of Sarah's womb, but fully believed that what God promised, he was well able to perform:

Romans 4:20-21 - He [Abraham] staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

In light of the infinite power of our God and King, we might want to rethink some of our personal plans and the plans we have for our churches.   My guess is that God is ready, willing and able to accomplish the impossible, while we only believe for what we can accomplish in our own strength.

Zechariah 8:7-8 – "Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country, and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.  And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness."

We have already noted that the phrase "thus says the Lord of hosts" called attention to the fact that the promises spoken were not coming from the lips of Zechariah, but from the throne room of God. 

We now see a further confirmation in the word 'behold'.  This word calls the attention of the hearer to the fact that God is all powerful, all wise and self-sufficient; with his own power he will bring this promise to pass and glorify his own name in the earth.  If God said it, you can believe it will happen!

Question – What is it that God wants his people to behold?

Answer – The guarantee of a two-fold divine restoration.

First, he promises there will be a physical or temporal restoration of their land.

'East' is a euphemism for where the sun rises, while 'west' stands for the setting of the sun. Consequently, the phrase 'east and west' refers to any place on earth where the sun rises and sets, which means the entire world.

In other words, God was promising to gather the Jews from the four corners of the world and bring them back to dwell in Jerusalem once again.  And as we know, God did exactly what he promised; the nation of Israel is alive and well today. 

Second, God promises a divine spiritual restoration. 

Loss of a relationship with God is the greatest loss possible; a person who is separated from God is like a branch separated from the tree – it may look okay for a hot minute, but it is actually already dead (John 15:4-7).  It will only be a matter of time before that death manifests itself.  During the captivity, Israel was cut off from fellowship with God.

Their spiritual restoration began when they returned to the land, repented of their sinful ways, rebuilt the temple and re-instituted worship. God was once again dwelling in their midst; they were his people and he was their God.

However, as you probably guessed, there may be other fulfillments of this promise as well.

Some commentators believe in a spiritual fulfillment of this promise.  They believe that God calls men and women (Jews and Gentiles) from the four corners of the earth to be a part of the kingdom of heaven, whose spiritual seat is the city of Jerusalem – the place where Jesus paid for our sin and established the church.   

 Ever since that time, countless Jews and Gentiles have been gathered into the 'Jerusalem without walls' (Zechariah 2:8) or the spiritual kingdom of God.  In faithfulness and righteousness he is our God and we are his people.   

 

Let me offer you some encouragement:

The children of Israel couldn't believe that God was going to gather the Jews from nations all across the world and bring them back to Jerusalem.  To them, this was an astonishing and incredible thing, which they did not have the faith to believe.

But God assures his people that what they find incredible, he sees as a simple action consistent with his eternal plans and purposes. Because he is all powerful, he will easily and effortlessly bring his will to pass. And the nation of Israel would be completely changed because of it.

Likewise, I believe God wants to move across our communities and bring sinners back to the spiritual Jerusalem – the church. The salvation of mass numbers of people (especially our stubborn friends and relatives) may seem impossible to us, but it will happen because it is consistent with God's desire that no person spiritually perishes, but that everyone will be saved (II Peter 3:9). Holy Spirit will easily and effortlessly bring revival to our cities, completely changing our churches (and our communities) because of it.

In light of this, I encourage you to prepare yourself for kingdom work.  We need to sharpen our knowledge of the scriptures, improve our personal holiness and spend more time in prayer.  We must prepare ourselves to be used of God to win converts and disciple new believers.

 

Let me offer you some relief:

There is no doubt that individual believers (and the church) need to start dreaming bigger dreams, imagining bigger visions, and stepping out into deeper faith.

Let's stop setting our goals by what we can accomplish in our own power. Instead, we should set our goals based upon the promises of God, which are infinitely greater than we could ever imagine.

There is no need to fear when we do this, because we know that God will bring it to pass through our faith and his own infinite power.

 

Let me offer you some strength:

Today's post speaks of the tranquility and peace that are the result of God's continual presence among his people.

This is consistent with the blessing that God commanded the high priest to speak over the children of Israel in Numbers 6:22-27.  Part of that blessing says this:

Numbers 6:26 – The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

Think about that for a minute – If God 'lifts up his countenance upon you' it means that you and he are face to face and he is looking right at you. In order for that to happen, you have to be in his presence. And when you are in his presence, he gives you peace that will strengthen and keep you through all the storms of life.

Are you in need of that kind of peace and strength today? If so, begin to rejoice in the Lord. Be thankful for his blessings. Worship him for his infinite greatness, incredible power and astonishing plans. Soon, you will enter his presence (Psalms 100) where he will flood you with his peace.

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Zechariah 7:4-5 – Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me: "Say to all the people of the land and to the priests, 'When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted?'"

In our last post we discovered that the Jewish citizens of Bethel sent a committee of important men to the priests and prophets (Haggai and Zechariah) of Jerusalem.  Their purpose was to 'inquire' of the Lord.

Specifically, the men of Bethel wanted to know if they should continue to observe a yearly fast held on the 10^th day of the fifth month.  That date was set aside for fasting and mourning because it was the day Solomon's temple had been destroyed by the Babylonians.  

We know the men were sincere in their inquiry, so there was no doubt that God would honor their request with an answer.  Sure enough, he soon speaks a word to Zechariah.

In order to fully understand God's reply, we first need to review what we know about the Day of Atonement.

The Day of Atonement was the day that the high priest went into the Holy of Holies and made atonement for the sins of the nation of Israel for the year.  It is also the only day of fasting and mourning that God commanded the children of Israel to observe.  In addition, the Israelites were to do no work on that day.   

You can read all the details of the Day of Atonement in Leviticus chapter 16, but here are the basics:

• The process of yearly atonement began with the high priest bathing and dressing himself in white linen garments (not his regular high priestly robes). The white color symbolized the holiness required for admission into God's presence (Hebrews 12:14).

• The next step was to gather the necessary sacrifices. The high priest selected a bullock for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, which would be offered for his own sin and the sins of the other priests. He also selected two male goats and a ram which were offerings for the rest of the people. The two goats were presented before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle, where lots were cast upon them. One goat became the Lord's while the other became the scapegoat.

• Now the high priest was ready to complete the first stage of atonement, which was for himself and everyone in the priesthood. After the bullock (sin offering) was sacrificed, the high priest took a censor filled with live coals from the altar of burnt offering along with a handful of incense and entered the most holy place (the location of the Ark of the Covenant and the mercy seat).

• The high priest cast the incense upon the coals, creating a cloud which prevented him from viewing the mercy seat and the cherubim which guarded it. He then left the most holy place to pick up a basin filled with the blood of the bull. He immediately reentered the most holy place and sprinkled the blood on the mercy seat (once) and on the ground before the ark (seven times). This completed the first stage of atonement.

• In the second stage, atonement was made for the temple itself and for the people. The goat which had been selected by lot as being 'for Jehovah' was slain by the high priest, who then entered the most holy place for a third time with its blood, which he sprinkled as before – once on the mercy seat and seven times on the ground before the ark. He then proceeded to 'cleanse' the altar of burnt offering, which stood in the outer court.

• In the third stage of atonement, the high priest would place both of his hands upon the head of the remaining goat (the scapegoat) and make a solemn confession of the sins of the entire nation. By this ceremony, the sins of the people were symbolically and literally transferred to the head of the goat. The goat was then released into the wilderness.

• At the end of all this, the high priest would enter the temple, remove the special linen garments, bathe again and change into his normal high priestly garments. At that time, he would return to the outer court and offering burnt offerings for himself and the people, together with the fat of the sin offering. It literally took all day to complete these tasks.

As we read and study the Day of Atonement, the awful reality of sin becomes apparent.  Sin infected and contaminated not only the common people, but the priests and the sanctuary itself.  Sin was such a heinous problem that it required cleansing by blood and propitiation.

At that time, the required innocent blood came in the form of an animal.  The propitiation (the act of appeasing the wrath and securing the favor of an offended person – in this case God) was to be done by each individual Israelite.

So we find that in a single day each year, God provided all that was needed for the atonement of Israel:

• He mandated the correct blood sacrifices (blood being the universal medium of purification and atonement).
• He commanded the people to cease from labor that day (giving them time to consider their spiritual state, and grieve for their sins).
• He ordered a complete abstinence from food (an outward sign of inward penitence).

Let me just stress again that although the high priest was responsible for the actions associated with the atonement, each individual person was responsible for considering their own life, mourning over their own sin, and participating in their own heart-felt repentance. 

It was this inward repentance that God was seeking.  Simply going through the motions of abstaining from work and food without true repentance was empty and useless.  In fact, it was an insult to God. 

With this background in mind, let's take a closer look at the inquiry of the men of Bethel.

The first thing we notice is that God's answer was not just addressed to the men of Bethel, but to all the people of the land as well as the priesthood.  In other words, God was addressing all of the Jews.   

The second thing we notice is that God begins by answering their question with a question of his own.  By doing so, God prompts the Jews to stop and examine something in their own lives.

God acknowledges that the men did, in fact, fast in the fifth (and seventh) months every year since the captivity, just as they claimed.  But the real question was this:  What was the motivation behind the fast?

Was it to honor and glorify the Lord?  Was it to truly mourn over the sins of the nation which caused the destruction of the temple and the captivity?  Or were these human-appointed fasts done for private motives or sentimental reasons?  Should God be pleased with a fast that he did not sanction, for reasons that did not glorify him?    

Zechariah 7:6 – "And when you eat and when you drink, do you not eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves?"

God goes on to question their motives in everyday life when they partake of food and drink at will.  In those instances, is there a motivation to please and glorify God?  Are they thankful for what God has provided for them?  Do they care about the needs of others? 

God makes it very clear that regardless of whether the Jews chose to fast or feast, they were doing it to please themselves.  Neither scenario was designed to bring honor and glory to God.  Because that was the case, God had no interest in whether they fasted or not!

As for us, we are told to honor God in both our days of mourning/fasting and in our days of freely eating/drinking:

1 Corinthians 10:31 - Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God.

This leads us to conclude that we can honor God by fasting and we can honor him in feasting. The key is that we need to be doing what pleases and honors him, not ourselves.

 Zechariah 7:7 – "Were not these the words that the Lord proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and prosperous, with her cities around her, and the South and the lowland were inhabited?"

The Lord directs the current generation of Jews to reconsider the instruction and commands he had already given them, back when their ancestors were dwelling in the Promised Land, enjoying all of his blessings.

During that time, God had repeatedly exhorted the Jews to seek godly repentance.  He made it very clear that true religion did not consist of mere outward actions like fasting or ceasing from labor; God was concerned with the attitudes and conditions of their hearts.

1 Samuel 16:7 -  But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.

(See also Genesis 6:5, Deuteronomy 6:4-6, Deuteronomy 8:5, Joshua 22:5, Joshua 24:23, etc).  In order to be righteous before God, the outward actions of the Jews had to reflect their inward thoughts and the motivations of their hearts – but in the matter of their human appointed fasts, they did not match up.  

Therefore, the Jews were doubly wicked – they acted as though they were very anxious not to offend God (in canceling the fast), but this was a false pretence because they were never concerned with pleasing him by their fast in the first place!

The truth is that if the Jews were truly seeking to please and honor the Lord, it would have shown up in the actions of their everyday lives.  We know this because whatever is in the heart of a person manifests in his or her actions.

Matthew 7:16 - You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

This is easy to understand, if we will do exactly what the Lord instructed the Jews of Zechariah's day to do – consider the words/instruction that God had already given the Jews through his law and prophets. 

For instance, in Isaiah 58:1-3, the Jews who lived before the captivity asked God why he did not see or honor their fasts.  God replied that while they were abstaining from food, they were seeking their own pleasures, oppressing their workers and participating in constant fighting and quarreling.  God was very adamant that he would not honor such a fast:

Isaiah 58:4 - Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high.

God then goes on to tell the Jews that the 'fast' which pleases him is when they seek to exhibit love, mercy and justice in their everyday lives.

Isaiah 58:6-7 – Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yolk, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

These actions of mercy, justice and love are the result of an inward motivation – loving the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength and loving your neighbor as yourself.   If the Jews had followed these simple, straight-forward commands of God, they would have avoided the captivity all together and there would be no reason for the current generation to fast in the fifth month.

 

The lesson God was teaching was this: The Jews anxiously inquired about their fasts, but instead they should have been diligently heeding the lessons taught by the prophets and verified through the captivity – obedience is better than the sacrifice of vain fasting (I Samuel 15:22).

This is a lesson that we too must learn and heed.  God has not changed (Malachi 3:8).  He expects the believers of our generation to love him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:29-31).  He expects righteousness to manifest itself in the actions and decisions we make every day of our lives.  We too are to show love, mercy and justice to our fellow man.

Zechariah 7:8-9 – And the word of the Lord came to Zechariah saying, "Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another."

The Lord now goes on to reiterate some of the specific commands he had already given his people through the earlier prophets.

The first among these is a mandate to judge justly.  Because the average person was not in a position to judge, this command was specifically aimed at the elders and judges of the nation.

 

Since they are reminded/commanded to decide cases in a fair and equitable manner according to the law, we can assume that they were doing the opposite – taking bribes, rendering judgments that would benefit themselves, or making favorable decisions for friends and family.

Next, the Lord addresses all of the Jews.  In addition to not lying, harming, defrauding or cheating each other, they are to go one step further by showing kindness and mercy to one another, on a daily basis.  Again, this is not a new command:

Micah 6:8 - He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

In other words, they were to minister to those who needed food, clothing and shelter in addition to assisting anyone who was in distress physically, mentally or emotionally.

These are the things God required of his people, and to fulfill these commands was more acceptable to God than any amount of sacrifices or fasts.

Zechariah 7:10 – Do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner or the poor and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart."

Having reminded the Jews to practice positive acts of love, he now forbids any actions that are harmful to others.  Widows, orphans and foreigners are specifically mentioned because they are the most likely people to suffer oppression (because they have no one to help them), but the command applies to every single person in the nation.   

So we find that the word of the Lord to Zechariah was the exact same word that he presented to the Jews through the law and numerous prophets (Jeremiah 7:5-7, Leviticus 19:18, Deuteronomy 10:17-19, Isaiah 1:16-17, etc). 

 

The point being made here is that love and respect for God is not demonstrated through mere robotic observation of religious rituals (like fasting in the fifth month).  Love for God first takes root within our hearts and minds.  Then, because of what we have inside, our outward actions toward our fellow man will automatically reflect our love for God.  This treatment of others is what honors and pleases the Lord (Matthew 22:37-40). 

Zechariah 7:11 – But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear.

The Lord now begins to give a history lesson to the current generation of Jews.  'They' refers to their forefathers, the generations who lived before the 70-year captivity. 

God describes them as people who 'turned a stubborn shoulder'.  What does that mean?

To shoulder something means to take on a burden or a responsibility.  To shoulder a responsibility is to willingly step up and commit to serving in a certain capacity. 

God had made a covenant with the Jews. He blessed them and watched over them. In return he expected them to serve him, to live by his laws and to be a witness for him in front of the heathen nations. But instead of shouldering that responsibility and submitting to God's yoke, they 'turned a stubborn shoulder'.

In other words, the prior generations had been fully warned and instructed in the commands of God.  They were aware of the blessings for obedience and the curses for rebellion.  But for some reason, they chose to shake off their fear/respect for the Lord and they refused to submit to his authority, even though God's yoke is easy and his burden is light (Matthew 11:30).

Even at that point God did not give up on his people. He sent them prophet after prophet and gave them warning after warning to turn from their wicked ways.  But they refused to hear what the Lord was saying to them through the law and the prophets.  

The Jews acted wickedly, obstinately refusing to obey God, despite the fact that his teaching was clear and easy to understand.

As a result, those who refused to bear the light and joyful burden of the Lord were instead forced to bear the heaviest and most depressing weight possible – that of their own sin.     

Zechariah 7:12 – They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the Lord of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets.  Therefore, great anger came from the Lord of hosts.

In just a few short verses, God more or less sums up the entire history of the Jewish people. 

One - They refused to hear (or chose to ignore) the words/commands of the Lord which were fully explained and clearly revealed to them. 

Two – They chose to rebel against God, turning a stubborn shoulder to him.  God responded by using promises, threats and even minor chastisement to bring them back into the yoke of obedience/submission.

Three – The Jews spiritually 'dug in their heels' so to speak.  In other words, they hardened their hearts against the voice of the Lord, as revealed through his word and his messengers.  They became unyielding and stubbornly wicked, refusing to repent and follow the commands of God, making their hearts as hard as diamonds.  Yet, at the same time, they continued participating in vain religious observances.

Jeremiah 17:1 - The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is engraved upon the tablet of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars;

Four – Their obduracy (active resistance of the heart and will against the pleading/calling of God) and stubbornness resulted in a hardening or deadening of their sensibilities; it eventually resulted in a calloused or seared conscience (I Timothy 4:1-2). 

The end result of this kind of behavior is that the Jews suffered the wrath/anger of the Lord. This was not (or should not have been) a surprise to them.  When God entered into a covenant with Israel, he was very clear about the blessings for the nation that obeyed and the curses that were in store for those who rebelled.  Because God is always faithful to his promises, Israel was judged and sent into captivity.

Zechariah 7:13 – "As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear," says the Lord of hosts,

This is a very, very sobering verse.  When dealing with mankind, God's first choice is always mercy.  He always sends us a warning about our sin and he allows a time for us to repent.  His desire is for us to be reconciled to him, and for us to remain on the paths of obedience and righteousness where he can bless us.

However, if we refuse his mercy and persist in rebellion, God has every right to be angry and offended with us.  He has every right to stop listening to those who refuse to listen to him. 

The substance of this verse is that the people of God reaped exactly what they had planted – Holy Spirit called, warned, entreated and urged the Jews to repent of their sin so they could live, but they refused.  So when the day of calamity came and they cried to God by fasting, praying and mourning during their distress, he refused to listen to their cries: 

Micah 3:4 - Then shall they cry unto the LORD, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves in an evil way in their deeds.

God promises the same thing in Isaiah 1:15, Proverbs 1:27-29, Hosea 5:6, Jeremiah 11:14 and Jeremiah 14:12.   

As the Jews knew all too well, continuing down the path of evil will always result in heartache, destruction or worse. 

Zechariah 7:14 - and I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations that they had not known.  Thus the land they left was desolate, so that no one went to and fro, and the pleasant land was made desolate."

Because the Jews living in the Promised Land refused to be faithful to the Lord and show mercy to their fellow man, they eventually came to the place of judgment/chastisement; they were cast out of the land and sent into captivity.   

This verse (verse 14) describes the swift victories and cruel conduct of the Babylonians after they conquered the nation of Israel – they came upon the Jews like a whirlwind, tossing them to and fro and scattering them into other nations.

Jerusalem was a prosperous city when the Babylonians entered it, but it was as desolate as a desert when they finally left.  The land which was formerly full of men and cattle and which flowed with milk and honey became a wilderness which no other people group chose to inhabit after its destruction.       

Chapter 7 abruptly ends at this point.  While it seems like an awkward place to just stop, we must remember that the chapter and verse divisions in the bible were not originally there; they were added later.  The message which began in chapter 7 continues on into chapter 8, which we will examine in our next post.  Eventually we will reach a logical conclusion regarding the question of the men of Bethel.

However, before we go, let's review what we know so far:

• The men of Bethel approached the prophets and priests of Jerusalem with a question about continuing a long-term fast which was instituted when Solomon's temple was destroyed. This was not a fast God had sanctioned; the Jews appointed this fast themselves.

• God answers them through the prophet Zechariah. But it was not a simple yes-or-no answer. God took this opportunity to issue a sharp reproof to the entire nation.

• Although they had fasted, it was nothing more than a vain, meaningless ritual because their hearts were far from God. Because they were not concerned with the glory of God and the just treatment of their fellow man, their fasts were worthless religious exercises which could never please the Lord.

• God then moves on to pointing out the warnings and instructions that he had given to the Jews by the mouths of his prophets and through the written law. Their ancestors were disobedient to the instructions of God, which eventually led to the punishment of captivity.

 

Let me offer you some encouragement:

God is never interested in vain empty rituals.  People around us can be fooled or falsely impressed with our alleged service to God, but the Lord is never fooled.  He looks into our very soul and discerns the thoughts and intents of our hearts (Hebrews 4:12). 

Therefore, we should take a few minutes and examine ourselves. Here are some things to consider:

• Isn't it true that you can go to church and sing, but not really be engaged in worship?
• Isn't it true that you can utter a quick prayer before you eat, but not express true gratitude for your food?
• Isn't it true that you can use Christian lingo and attend Christian services/events but still not be a true disciple of Christ?
• Isn't it true that you can throw money into the offering plate, but not truly present God with an acceptable offering?
• Isn't it true that you can partake of the communion elements, but not really have fellowship with Jesus?

If you find areas of your life where you need to repent and change your ways, I encourage you to do that today.   

 

Let me offer you some relief and some strength:

Have you ever lived close to a railroad crossing or an airport?  I had some friends who literally had train tracks in their backyard.  When I went to visit with them, the train kept distracting me all night long.  I wondered how they ever got any sleep!

But much to my surprise, they said that after a few weeks, they simply stopped hearing the trains.  Once they got accustomed to the noise, they were able to simply tune it out.

In the spiritual realm, this describes people who have hardened their hearts to the gospel message.  When a sinner first hears the gospel, he or she is likely to become very uncomfortable and disturbed.  For the first time, they recognize that they are sinners and they need the blood of Christ to cleanse that sin away. 

However, if they harden their hearts against the wooing of Holy Spirit long enough, they will cease to be bothered by the message; they will get accustomed to it and soon tune it out altogether.  In this case, their final spiritual state is much worse than the first, for they have disregarded the one thing that can reconcile them to God. 

Oh, how sad for the soul who is on the fringes of Christianity, but misses a true relationship with Christ!  Don't let that happen to you!

If you are reading this blog right now and you need to accept Christ into your life for the first time, or if you have been away from the Lord and you need to recommit your life to him, DON'T WAIT – DO IT NOW!

If you have prayed before then I encourage you to bow your head right now, and cry out to the Lord for forgiveness and grace. Once that is done, find a solid local church and begin to fellowship with other believers who will help you grow in grace and keep you rooted in the faith.

 

If you have no idea how to pray, or you have never given your heart to the Lord, then take advantage of the following prayer. Prayer is nothing more than having a conversation with God. There is no wrong way to pray. I suggest going to a private place, where you tell God you are sorry (and mean it from your heart) and repeat the prayer found below. If you do so with a sincere heart, then God will cleanse you from sin and make you a member of his family!

You too will need to find a local church, get into fellowship with other believers, and develop a prayer life.  You will find resources to help you at your local church!

 

Dear Jesus, I confess to you that I am a sinner. I am sorry for all the wrong things I have done and I ask you to forgive me. I believe that you are the Son of God, that you died on the cross and rose again, and that your blood paid the price for my sin. I invite you to come into my heart and life and to be my Lord and Savior. I commit myself to you right now. Thank you for saving me from death and giving me the gift of eternal life. Amen.

If you prayed this prayer and sincerely meant it, then you have received the gift of salvation from Jesus Christ!

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Zechariah 7:1 – In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Chislev.

Welcome back, dear readers!  I hope you enjoyed (and benefitted from) our study of the visions of Zechariah. 

 

One of the wonderful things about Zechariah is that he gives us several dates as well as the names of rulers, which help us to date his work.  Chapter 7 takes place around 518 BC, which was two years after the series of visions and two years before the completion of the temple (Ezra 6:15).  In our calendar, the month Chislev corresponds to mid November thru mid December.

Zechariah 7:2 – Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-melech and their men to entreat the favor of the Lord

As you recall, the city of Bethel is mentioned numerous times in the Old Testament.

• Abram stayed there for a while, as he was journeying around the Promised Land, before God had given him children (Genesis 12:8). Abram built an altar to the Lord at that place, and he sought the presence of the Lord there.

• Later, his grandson Jacob would stay in the same place as he was fleeing from his brother, after he 'bought' Esau's birthright. This was the place where he had his famous vision of the ladder leading up to heaven (Genesis 28:10-22).

• Bethel is approximately 12 miles north of Jerusalem. When the Promised Land was divided up by tribes, Bethel fell to the tribe of Benjamin, but they were unable to conquer it, and it was finally settled by the men of Ephraim.

• Later, Bethel was one of the cities that Samuel visited on his rounds as a circuit judge of the nation (I Samuel 7:16).

• During the era of the kings, the city fell into apostasy under King Jeroboam, who erected an idol there (a calf) for the people to worship instead of going to the temple in Jerusalem (I Kings 12:26-29).

• After the fall of Israel and the captivity, we find that a number of the men of Bethel left Babylon to come to Jerusalem and help rebuild the temple (Ezra 2:28, Nehemiah 7:32).

Bethel had long been a place where men had sought the Lord. In this particular instance, we find that the leaders of Bethel sent a delegation of men to Jerusalem for the express purpose of seeking some answers from the Lord.

We do not know how many men were in the group, but we do know the leaders of the delegation were Sharezer and Regem-melech. Nothing else is known about these men. All we can surmise is that they were important men of that day, for it would be an insult to the priests, prophets and men of Jerusalem to send common or unimportant persons on such a visit.

The purpose of their visit was to 'entreat the favor of the Lord'.  In other words, they were seeking an answer from the Lord concerning a specific situation which was very important to them. 

The word 'entreat' means more than just praying.  It also includes elements of sacrifice, worship and seeking council from the religious leaders (priests and prophets).  The men of Bethel realized that only place where the Lord could properly be consulted was in Jerusalem.  Even though the temple was not yet complete, the Jews in Jerusalem had erected an altar and were offering regular sacrifices to the Lord, which meant that fellowship with God had been re-established:

Ezra 3:3,6 - And they set the altar upon its bases; for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD, even burnt offerings morning and evening From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt offerings unto the LORD. But the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid.

So the citizens of Bethel formed a committee, packed their bags, gathered money/goods for a gift, selected animals for the sacrifices and set out for the former capital. 

Zechariah 7:3 - saying to the priests of the house of the Lord of hosts and the prophets, "Should I weep and abstain in the fifth month, as I have done for so many years?"   

Now we discover the question or issue that these men wanted to bring before the Lord:  Should they continue to weep and abstain in the fifth month, as they had been doing for many years, or could they stop doing that?

What are these men referring to?

When Nebuchadnezzar captured the city of Jerusalem, one of the things he did was burn the city.  Specifically, he burned the king's house, the house of the Lord (Solomon's temple) and all the rich men's homes.  This occurred on the tenth day of the fifth month:

Jeremiah 52:12-13 - Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzar-adan, captain of the guard, who served the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem, and burned the house of the LORD, and the king's house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, and all the houses of the great men, burned he with fire:

However, it should be noted that based on other scriptures, these fires may have begun on the seventh of the month and finally burned out on the tenth day (see II Kings 25:8-10).

At any rate, the 'weeping and abstaining' was in regard to the destruction of the temple.

Remember, the temple was the place of fellowship between God and man.  It was the location where sacrifices were brought to the Lord and the place where the high priest made atonement for their sin.  It was the place where the annual feasts were celebrated and the people were blessed.  The temple was a symbol of the national identity of the Jews.  Its destruction was the most grievous thing that had ever happened to them. 

So the Jews established a day of mourning and fasting in the fifth month to commemorate this loss. 

Furthermore, this was not the only day of national weeping and fasting.

After Nebuchadnezzar has taken the city, he removed nearly all of the inhabitants, leaving just enough people so that the land of Israel did not turn into a wild wasteland. Those that remained (the poor) were to continue shepherding and growing crops. At that time, he named Gedaliah as ruler over Jerusalem (II Kings 25:22).

However, several years after Gedaliah became ruler, he was murdered in the seventh month of the year and subsequently, the remainder of the Jews were driven from the land.

2 Kings 25:25 - But it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedaliah, that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldees that were with him at Mizpah.

So the Jews added another day of mourning and fasting (in the seventh month) for the nation.  During these two days, the Jews were to humble themselves before the Lord and seek his pardon for their wicked ways. 

These were the reasons for the two days of fasting each year.  It appears as though the Jews had observed these two days of sorrow and repentance ever since the captivity, which was a little over 70 years by this time.   

But now, their situation had changed. The priesthood had already been re-established, there was a functioning altar in Jerusalem, and the temple was in the process of being rebuilt.

Now the men had come to inquire of the Lord whether or not they needed to continue observing these yearly days of weeping, fasting and repentance.  They seem to be asking if they could turn these days into joyous celebrations because there was an end of the calamities that had befallen the Jews.

The actions of the men of Bethel give us some insight into their spiritual state. 

Clearly, they were not overly zealous for the Lord.  They had no desire to give up the relatively easy and prosperous life they were living in Bethel for the trials and tribulations of Jerusalem.  The Lord had opened up a door of opportunity for them to return, but they reacted with ingratitude, rejecting the kindness of God. 

On the other hand, there was also some evidence that they still had a smoldering ember of true faith.  Before they did anything that was displeasing to the Lord, they came to offer sacrifices and ask the advice of the priests and prophets (Haggai and Zechariah), who were to be consulted in all matters of religion. 

Malachi 2:7 - For the priest's lips should preserve knowledge, and they should seek the law from his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

We can conclude that the citizens of Bethel believed that they could (and should) humble themselves before the Lord and seek his wisdom through prayer. 

We can also conclude that they believed and trusted the ability of the priests and prophets to rightly interpret the law and to seek answers from the Lord. 

They are also to be commended for practicing intercession – they were seeking answers for the benefit of everyone in the city, not just themselves.

Their actions show that they were 100% certain they would receive an answer from the Lord.  And as we will see in our next post, they did receive one – but was it the answer they were looking for?   

 

Let me offer you some encouragement and some relief:

The men of Bethel were far from perfect, but their actions and attitudes show that they expected to receive an answer when they sought the Lord.  They believed that God was faithful in hearing and answering prayer.  They believed that God's wisdom could be discovered through the prophets and priests, who had specialized knowledge of his word.  

We too can expect to hear from the Lord, even if we aren't perfect.  Jesus assures us that we are his sheep, that we can hear his voice, and that he leads us in the direction we should go:

John 10:27 – My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

We can hear his voice by following many of the same principles used by the men of Bethel.

• We should begin our seeking by offering God a sacrifice of praise. Scripture tells us that we enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise (Psalm 100). This builds our faith and puts us in the right frame of mind to receive/hear our answer.

• After our sacrifice, we must humble ourselves before Jesus and seek our answer through prayer. Part of this includes having the faith to believe that God will answer (Hebrews 11:6, Luke 18:1-8).

• Our next step is to quietly wait before the Lord in an attitude of worship, listening to hear what Holy Spirit says to us. It may take a bit of practice before you recognize his voice, but don't give up. Soon you will recognize when he is speaking to you.

• I also recommend that you search out scriptures that pertain to your question because God often speaks to us through his word.

• The scriptures will also provide a confirmation of what you have heard, because God will never speak a word to you that is contrary to his revealed will.

• The men of Bethel also sought wise council from the priests/prophets of their day. Likewise, we can also seek Godly advice from our pastors and teachers.

Whatever stage you are at in this journey, keep in mind that hearing the voice of the Lord is a process; it's a skill you develop over time with practice.       

Finally, if we pay particular attention to the request of the men of Bethel, we find something interesting - they were not asking the Lord to bless them or to give them something. They were asking what God wanted them to do!

What a wonderful way to pray! How much of our prayer life is devoted to seeking God's will and desire for our lives? How much time and effort do we put into intercession for others?

 

Let me offer you some strength:

We don't always receive an answer to prayer right away.  Sometimes we must be persistent in asking until the answer comes. 

In the New Testament (Luke 18:1-8), Jesus gives us the parable of a persistent widow, who would not give up praying until she received her answer. 

This is a good example for us to follow.  We need to stay strong in our faith and keep praying until we receive an answer.

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Zechariah 6:9 – And the word of the Lord came to me:  

God had finally ceased pouring visions into the prophet Zechariah.  The visions themselves were far reaching; they spoke of the prosperity and enlargement of Israel as well as the doom of her enemies. 

The visions went thousands of years into the future, touching on the coming of the Messiah and the final battle between the kingdom of the antichrist and the kingdom of God.  God had provided a glimpse of his future plans for Israel and the world.    

I imagine the Jewish men (and women) discussed these visions at length, and spent a lot of time mulling them over in their minds (I know I would).  I bet they tried to work out some way in which God would bring these amazing events to pass.    

Considering human nature, I am equally sure they expected the visions to be fulfilled in a short amount of time – maybe even that very day or month! 

But the days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months and the visions did not come to pass. 

The temple was finally rebuilt, but it fell far, far short of the glory of Solomon's temple.  For many, it was a great disappointment.  

Meanwhile, the struggles of daily life in Jerusalem continued:

• The enemies of the Jews continued to mock and oppose them.
• The Jews had to rid themselves of their foreign wives, and recommit themselves to the Lord (Ezra 10:10-12), which was a very painful exercise.
• The Jews missed the family and friends that they left in Babylon.
• They continued the difficult and seemingly endless task of taming the land they possessed, making it suitable for farming or grazing.

Let's be honest - although God promised that the kingdom of David would once again be made glorious, the Jews of that generation certainly were not experiencing it.    

I can understand how the Jews might feel that God's favor (allowing them to leave Babylon and come back to Jerusalem) might seem more like a curse than a blessing.  I can easily imagine the griping, complaining and doubting that ensued.

It isn't hard to imagine that as people endured the grind of daily life, the majesty and glory of the visions would fade.  Perhaps there were even some who doubted the visions that Zechariah claimed to have seen. 

So God, in his great mercy, speaks to Israel again. This time he did not speak through a vision seen solely by the prophet. Instead, he directs Zechariah to create a tangible token or sign of the glorious blessings that were coming.

Zechariah 6:10 - "Take from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon, and go the same day to the house of Josiah, the son of Zephaniah."

Here we learn of either the arrival or the gathering of three men, who are subsequently taken to the house of Josiah, son of Zephaniah.

There is a difference of opinion about these three men. 

Some say that the Jews who remained in Babylon had collected an offering of silver and gold for the new temple and these three high ranking men - Heldai (also known as Helem or Chelem - worldliness), Tobijah (the Lord is good) and Jedaiah (God knows/cares) were commissioned to visit Jerusalem to deliver the gift.  They were also to bring word back to Babylon regarding the temple and all that was happening in Jerusalem.

Others believe that these three men were indeed Jewish officials from Babylon, but they were not bringing an offering collected by the Jews.  They were delivering vessels of gold and silver that had been taken from Solomon's temple and put into storage after the death of Nebuchadnezzar.  These were to be delivered to the new temple by order of Cyrus, who had commissioned the work (Ezra chapter 1).  

A third theory claims that these three high ranking men had actually left Babylon permanently and were residing in Jerusalem. However, they were very weak in faith and did not believe the promises of God which had been revealed through the visions of Zechariah.

Worse yet, they were negatively affecting the other Jews, sowing seeds of doubt and unbelief.  Those who hold to this explanation believe that God commanded them to give an offering for this work as a reproof for their unbelief.  The idea is that because of this sacrifice and the subsequent sign it provided, they would cease spreading doubt and unbelief among their fellow Jews.

As for Josiah son of Zephaniah (also called Hem), he is clearly a resident of Jerusalem, because he has a house there.  He is either a craftsman who has the ability to work with gold and silver, or he is an official treasurer of the temple.

Here we find an underlying principle of the kingdom of heaven – did you catch it? 

Each one of us has a role to fulfill; the work of the kingdom is only complete when we all pitch in.

• Some are gifted to be pastors, teachers, or evangelists.
• Some people have a knack for organization and paperwork.
• Some specialize in children's ministry.
• Still others give of themselves by cleaning the church or maintaining the grounds.
• There are those who have a true heart for ministering to the needy or the shut-ins.
• There are those who can afford to be exceptionally generous to the work of the Lord.
• Many are gifted in praise and worship.

What role are you fulfilling in your local church?  

Next, we want to note that the command given to Zechariah reveals a clear sense of urgency.  There is to be no delay in carrying out the command of God; it is to happen immediately (the same day) as the men arrive in Jerusalem. 

If the three men are coming as visitors, they are to be taken to the house of Josiah immediately upon their arrival.  If they are residents of Jerusalem, then they are to accompany Zechariah to the house of Josiah the same day that God gave the prophet this command.   

Zechariah 6:11 – "Take from them silver and gold, and make a crown, and set it on the head of Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest."

Interestingly, the original text does not specify if there was one crown or two.  Some feel that there were actually two crowns, one made of silver and one made of gold.  If this were the case, then both crowns were placed upon the head of the priest.

However, it would also make sense to think that there was only one crown made of a mixture of both materials.

In either case, what we find happening here is actually a coronation – Joshua the priest is crowned as if he were a king!

In a public ceremony, held at the site of the temple, this crown was to be placed on the head of Joshua, the high priest.  But, as you recall from our prior studies, the high priest already had a head covering – a miter. 

We discussed the importance of this head covering back in the fourth vision of Zechariah.  By way of review, we can say that the headdress of the high priest was a significant part of his official robes.  It had a golden plate fastened upon it which read "Holy to the Lord":

Exodus 28:36-38 - And you shall make a plate of pure gold, and engrave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.  And upon the front of the turban it shall be.  And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.

This engraved plate reflected the fact that the high priest (and ONLY the high priest) was called to bear the guilt of the children of Israel.  If anyone else tried to bear it, they would die because of their sin.

So the picture presented to us is that the new crown was placed on top of the miter that Joshua the high priest was already wearing.  In effect, he had two crowns on his head at once.  

This was astonishing to the Jews.  Such a thing had never taken place before in the history of Israel!  All priests came from the lineage of Aaron (tribe of Levi), while the kings came from the seed of David (tribe of Judah). 

Thus, there was always a distinction between kings and priests.  It would have been very strange to find a king from the tribe of Levi.  Likewise, it would have been contrary to God's appointed order to have a priest from the tribe of Judah.  

In the past, Melchizedek was the only man who had occupied both offices (Genesis 14:18).  But now God was showing that in the future, another would arise who would permanently hold both offices – the Branch, also known as the Messiah!  

Zechariah 6:12 – And say to him, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts, "Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord."'

Picture the scene: The Jews have gathered at the temple where Zechariah, along with Josiah and the three dignitaries from Babylon, summon Joshua the son of Zephaniah.  When he appears wearing his high priestly garments, Zechariah unveils a royal crown, made of silver and gold, which he places upon the head of the priest, over the miter he already wore. 

The people were no doubt gasping in surprise.  They surely wanted to know the meaning of this unexpected event.  

At that point, Zechariah gives the Jews a message directly from God.  Joshua and his crowns were a symbol of the one who would be the Branch (mentioned in the fourth vision, Zechariah 3:8) or the Messiah.  When the Branch came, he would occupy the offices of both priest and king.   

The Lord was very specific that the Branch/Messiah will 'branch out from his place'. 

Branching out could refer to the literal place(s) where the Branch arose, namely the land of Judea, including Bethlehem, Galilee and Nazareth.  If so, it indicates that Jesus rose from humble obscurity to a place of fame and eminence.

Branching out may also refer to a Davidic king arising after Israel had been 'cut off' as a nation.  After the captivity, the line of David no longer had any ruling power.  It could be said that the royal line had been cut off, like a tree is cut down above ground, never to exist again.

But with God, all things are possible!  Though the line of David seemed to be dead, its root was still alive.  From that root God would raise a shoot or branch from of the lineage of David who would once again sit on the throne of royal power.  

Isaiah 11:10 - And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, who shall stand as an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his place of rest shall be glorious.

Zechariah also adds that the Branch will 'build the temple of the Lord'.  Obviously, he was not referring to the current temple, as that was finished by Zerubbabel (Zechariah 4:9).  Therefore the prophet must be speaking of another temple.

This new temple would not be an earthly temple made with hands, but a spiritual temple – the church.  The Branch/Messiah would be the foundation of it:

Matthew 21:42 - Jesus said unto them, Did you never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same has become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?  

He would also be the master builder and head of it:

Colossians 1:18 - And he [Jesus] is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

The glory of the new spiritual temple built by the Messiah would be so great, the temple of Solomon would pale in comparison (Haggai 2:6-9).  The Messiah will sit upon his throne as both King and Priest; a thing never before heard of or imagined by anyone.  Indeed, he himself was like no other person:   

• The Messiah was the true and eternal God; he was with God from the beginning (John 1:1-2).

• Yet he was also truly a man, of the lineage of David. He was the 'branch' of God (Isaiah 4:2), born into the flesh by a virgin through the power of Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35).

• The Messiah was both God and man, without any change of one nature into the other or confusion of one with the other.

• He was sent to be God's servant for the redemption of lost sinners. As such, he took upon himself the form of a servant; he came to minister not to be ministered to (Mark 10:45).

• However, one day he will be exalted as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, ruling and reigning as our Savior and King forever (Revelation 19:16).� Every knee will bow before him and every tongue will confess that he is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11).

What could be more glorious or more precious than the Branch, the one who is both man and God, the one who perfectly balances justice and mercy?

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 his throne.  And there shall be a priest on his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both."'

Here Zechariah affirms once again that it would be the Branch/Messiah who builds the spiritual temple known as the church.  This would not be a temple built by human hands; God was planning to dwell within the hearts of his people!

As for his throne, it will be one of unmatched power, honor and glory:

Luke 1:32-33 - He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.  

In this passage, the Lord declares through Zechariah that Jesus will sit upon his throne, which implies security and permanence.  No one has the ability to take this throne/authority away from him; his kingdom will last forever:

Daniel 2:44 - And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.

Thus, the Branch/Messiah will forever rule from his throne.  As ruler, he will make laws, distribute rewards and punish offenders.

Not only that, the Messiah will sit upon his royal throne as a priest too:

Psalm 110:4 - The LORD has sworn, and will not relent, you are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Christ does not cease to be our mediator and high priest when he takes his place on his throne.  All power will be given to him in heaven and on earth but he will still 'ever live to make intercession' for the saints (Hebrews 7:25).

Indeed we are told that he makes intercession for us while sitting at the right hand of the Father, which indicates a position of authority (Hebrews 8:1).

We are also told that the Branch or Messiah will bear royal honor (your translation may say 'glory'). This means he will bear the weight of all the cares and concerns of his church and kingdom, both small and great; those of every individual, however important or insignificant.

Obviously, that kind of honor/glory is a burden that you and I could never manage.  But it's not too heavy for Jesus because he is the self-sufficient God who upholds all things by his power and might. 

In former times, the glory of the priesthood and the glory of royal power had been divided between the house of Aaron and the house of David.  Now Christ alone would bear the glory of both mantles. 

The glory of the nation of Israel had long been tarnished, but Jesus would eventually raise it up out of the dust as he was the Israelite in whom all the nations of the earth are blessed (Genesis 22:18, 26:4).    

Zechariah also states that the 'council of peace shall be between them both'.  Two main explanations have been given for this clause. 

The first says that the 'council' refers to the complete peace and unity which would occur between the High Priest and the King, when Jesus takes on both mantles of authority.  It points to the peace which ensues when the requirement of God's justice is fulfilled by the sacrifice of our great High Priest.   

The second explanation says that the 'council' refers to the peace between the Father and Son, as the salvation of man was both the will of the Father and the Son.

A third explanation says that says the 'council' refers to the gospel, which unites Jews and Gentiles together in peace and love into one united kingdom of God.

The combining of the offices of priest and king makes perfect sense to those of us living in the age of grace. However, it was an enormous shock to the men of Zechariah's day as nothing of the sort was even hinted at under the law. This was a completely new revelation for them.

Zechariah 6:14 – And the crown shall be in the temple of the Lord as a reminder to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen the son of Zephaniah.

Oddly, there does not appear to be any reason why 'Helem' is used instead of Heldai or why 'Hem' is used instead of Josiah in this verse, because they are obviously the same people.

At any rate, Joshua did not keep the new crown (or crowns).  It was subsequently placed in the temple, where it could be viewed by all of Israel.  The crown became a memorial, or a reminder of the promise of God.

When the Jews looked at their circumstances, they were tempted to think that God's promises were never going to come to pass. But instead of sinking into unbelief, all they needed to do was look at that crown and remember that God was in control. At the appointed time, he was going to bring forth the Branch/Messiah, who would sit on the throne of his Father David as both a king and priest.

Many commentators also see symbolism in the crown itself.  They believe the silver and gold represent the honor and glory of Christ as both King and Priest, as well as the unification of the Jews and Gentiles under Christ, who is head of the church.

Zechariah 6:15 – "And those who are far off shall come and help to build the temple of the Lord.  And you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you.  And this shall come to pass, if you will diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God."

Who are the people who will come from 'far off' to help build the temple of the Lord?

Primarily, these 'far off' people were Jews who were living in Babylon, Persia and other remote places of the world.  Some came to Jerusalem to help with the actual labor of building, while others sent monetary gifts to assist in the building and maintenance of the temple.

Once these gifts (labor and money) began to flow into Jerusalem, it was a sign to the men of that day that Zechariah's prophesy was indeed of the Lord.

However, there is another explanation as well.  'Far off' does not necessarily refer to those who are logistically far away.  It also points to men/women who are spiritually far away from God.  In this case, it refers to the Gentiles.

This is confirmed by the apostle Paul, who actually describes the Gentiles as being 'far off' from Christ:

Ephesians 2:13-14 - But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off are made near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

When the Branch/Messiah sacrificed himself for our sins, he took on the dual role of our High Priest and King.  The first thing he did was open up the kingdom of heaven to the Gentiles. 

Once they were admitted into the kingdom, the Gentiles assisted in the growth of the church by providing labor and wealth.  Even in our own generation, we see evidence of the Gentiles contributing to the building of the church through mission work, personal evangelism, printing and distribution of the scriptures, and countless other ministries.

And again this word from the Lord circles back to the fact that the Jews were disappointed by the new temple.  It's no wonder that God commanded them not to despise the day of small beginnings, for his glorious purposes and plans (creation of the church) were too awesome for them to even conceive. 

How could the Jews of Zechariah's day ever have imagined that the temple they built was the very place where Jesus the Branch/Messiah would later preach about the kingdom of heaven? (It's mind-boggling, isn't it?)

Zechariah assures the Jews they can believe the word he now delivers to them, because it (the coming of the Messiah) will be brought about by the Lord of Hosts, the one whose power is infinite. No person, power or thing can stand against the will of God, when it pleases him to take action.

Isaiah 46:9-10 - Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

Notice that at the very last thing Zechariah tells the Jews is that 'this shall come to pass if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God'. 

How are we to interpret this phrase?

We can be sure that the prophet is NOT saying that coming of the Messiah is in any way dependent upon the actions of man.  Even if all of Israel turned away from God, they could not stop the coming of the Messiah. They could in no way hinder him from taking on the dual mantles of King and Priest.

Rather, this phrase is to be taken as a warning; the promises mentioned here are conditional. The Jews' part in building up the spiritual kingdom of God and enjoying his blessings and favor was dependent upon their faithfulness to God and their willingness to receive the Messiah.

If they chose unbelief over faith in God's promises, they would deprive themselves of all the blessings and favor that God had in store for them.  Unfortunately, many refused to do so during the incarnation (John 8:47, John 18:37).  

 

Let me offer you some encouragement:

The Jews back in the day of Zechariah were stuck in unbelief.  Because the promises of God did not happen immediately, they began to think the promises would never come to pass.  If they continued in unbelief, they would forfeit the peace that God wanted them to have. 

Keep in mind that peace is not just the absence of turmoil.  It refers to the perfection of all the highest blessings of God, both temporal and spiritual.

God wants to bless you just as much as he did the children of Israel.  So I encourage you to stand firm in your faith, keeping a tight hold on the promises God has given to you.  Do not wallow in unbelief, but speak the Word over your situation until you see the answer come!

 

Let me offer you some relief:

As we saw in this passage of scripture, God used Zechariah to be his prophet, three ambassadors to bring a gift and a craftsman to make a crown.  It took the talents and efforts of all these men for God's will be done.

This indicates that each one of us has special gifts and talents that the Lord has given us.  No one gift is any more important than another; all are needed for the proper functioning of the church. 

What is your role? What talents has God given to you?  How has your role changed or evolved over time?  What are you doing for his kingdom today??

If you are busy comparing yourself to others, stop it!  Instead, diligently serve the Lord in whatever way he has opened up for you.  And remember - the best way to find new avenues of ministry is to be faithful in the ones you currently have!  

 

Let me offer you some strength:

As we look at today's post, I can't help but be reminded that there is no greater gift than salvation!  You and I live in a generation where we have seen the fulfillment of this incredible prophesy of Zechariah.  How amazing is that?! 

When we consider all that Jesus did in becoming both our High Priest and King, how can we not rejoice and be glad, regardless of what else we are facing?

Psalm 35:9 - And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.