Zechariah 4:1-7

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1 Then the angel who talked with me returned and woke me up, like someone awakened from sleep. 2 He asked me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven channels to the lamps. 3 Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.” 4 I asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” 5 He answered, “Do you not know what these are?” “No, my lord,” I replied. 6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty. 7 “What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’” ~ Zechariah 4:1-7

Today, we come to Zechariah 4, and God delivers a fifth prophecy to Zechariah which reiterates: in the future, Israel will be reinstated as God’s witnessing nation. 

As you already know, the book of Zechariah is framed up by visions. Throughout this book, Zechariah was awake when God revealed them to him. But, in this chapter, Zechariah has fallen asleep. That's the difference between dreams and visions. A dream is when you see them while you're sleeping. A vision is you see these pictures but you're awake. Now, it could be that this is in a night, and so he hasn't gotten much sleep and he was struggling. It is as if, he saw it and he nodded off and he woke up again, out of his sleep. 

In v.1-3 of today's text we read, "1 Then the angel who talked with me returned and woke me up, like someone awakened from sleep. 2 He asked me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven channels to the lamps. 3 Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.'"

Zechariah sees the olive trees producing the olive oil for the menorah, the lampstand. The oil is being piped up into these receptacles, these bowls, and then the spouts that go into the pipes that feed each of the lamps individually. And there was a constant supply of oil without the help of any man. The oil flowed to each of the seven lamps on the one big lampstand from seven pipes coming from a big bowl of oil. And the bowl of oil is getting its oil from the two olive trees. This vision is of an automatic lamp. 

Now, in the temple of the tabernacle, the oil had to be supplied by the priests. So, it was not automatic, but this is an automatic lamp. In the holy place, the priest had to go in and trim the lamp all the time in order to keep the oil in there.

God was revealing a message to Zechariah which was God was going to keep this temple rebuilding program going. In fact, the nation of Israel will perpetuate on through the centuries until the Millennium. This is a vision revealing the perpetual state of Israel as God's witness to mankind.  

In v.4-6 of today's text we read, "4 I asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” 5 He answered, “Do you not know what these are?” “No, my lord,” I replied. 6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty." 

Ultimately, in the lampstand we see a symbol of the one who is truly the light of the world. It is none other than the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. In Isaiah 49:5-6 we read, "5 And now the Lord says, he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord and my God has been my strength—6 he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth."

God will restore Israel back into the promised land, and He, the Messiah will bring His salvation to all peoples of the earth. In the Millennium, Israel will be the primary bearers of the Gospel message to all of mankind. And, the ultimate light is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ.

In Luke 2:32 we read, "a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel." This verse is written of the Lord Jesus when He was a baby. And, in John 8:12, the Lord Jesus said, "I am the light of the world." When He said those words He was standing right in front of the massive menorah that was there in the Temple in Jerusalem. All along, the lampstand spoke of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. In addition, the lampstand pictures Israel in full fellowship with the Messiah. Israel will be restored to the place of usefulness, and they will be God's testimony to the world. 

Once again, in v.6 of today's text we read, "So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty."

This prophecy will not be the result of human strength. It will not come to pass by man's ingenuity or force. God says that it will only happen by His Spirit. God wanted Zerubbabel, a contemporary of Zechariah, to understand that without human strength, God is going to preserve Israel. Oil, a symbol of the Holy Spirit in the Bible is used in this passage. And the work of God can never be accomplished in the energy of the man. His work is and will always be the product of the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Rather than thinking, I've got an idea and I hope God blesses it, and I'm going to go out and push this idea through. We do well to watch what God is doing in this world and to get on board with Him. We do well to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. In this way our ministry will be organic.

In v.7 of today's text we read, "What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘God bless it! God bless it!"

When we place the Lord Jesus in the middle of the ministry equation, we will see a mountain formed out of a molehill. From this conviction, there will always be an unlimited supply of power from the Holy Spirit. And, His purposes will not only be realized in us, they will be realized through us. This is what the Lord Jesus meant when He talked about eternal life.

Zechariah 3:6-10

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6 The angel of the Lord gave this charge to Joshua: 7 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘If you will walk in obedience to me and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here. 8 “‘Listen, High Priest Joshua, you and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. 9 See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua! There are seven eyes on that one stone, and I will engrave an inscription on it,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will remove the sin of this land in a single day. 10 “‘In that day each of you will invite your neighbor to sit under your vine and fig tree,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” ~ Zechariah 3:6-10

Justification is different than sanctification. The believer in Christ is justified by his faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus on the cross for the forgiveness of his sin. Justification is a one time event in the life of the believer. 

Sanctification, on the other hand, is the process that the believer in Christ enters into once he is justified and made alive to God. God loves us just as we are, but He loves us too much to let us stay the way we are. Thus, we have sanctification, and, His goal through our sanctification or the change of our souls (including our minds, wills and emotions) is our ability to be used by Him in the lives of others for eternity.

In context, we have been considering the fourth vision that God gave to Zechariah in Zechariah 3. The first three visions are all physical and they focus on the externals. As we pointed out in our last blog and podcast, the next set of visions all will deal with the heart of Israel. So, the thrust of this fourth vision is God changing the hearts of the Jews.

In v.6-7 in today's text we read, "6 The angel of the Lord gave this charge to Joshua: 7 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘If you will walk in obedience to me and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here."

This is sanctification teaching, not justification teaching. The justification of the believer in Christ is the result of the work of God, totally. God justifies us only through His Son who earned our justification, or rightness before God, on the cross. This is not the case with our sanctification which is the process whereby God equips the believer for ministry to others.

In the day when Israel believes on the Lord Jesus, they will receive the indwelling Spirit. It will be at that point that they will be able to pattern their lives after God's way of thinking and living. This is why in v.7 we read, "If you will walk in obedience to me and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here."

We experience God's sanctification when we are faithful to do His will. So, when Israel becomes like God and obedient to Him, that will be the sign that they have been justified through believing in the Messiah's work on the cross for the forgiveness of their sin.

Then, at the end of v.7, God defines their ministry. God says, "Then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here."

When we study the millennial kingdom, it will be Israel who will bring the nations into the presence of God. Israel will serve God and the people as priests. Even in the Tribulation, it will be Israel who will go out and convert the Gentiles to the Lord.

At the end of v.7 we read, "and I will give you a place among these standing here." God will let Israel have access to the places that angels do now. Israel will not only be special as a nation of God's priests, they will have the special privilege of ruling over Israel in the Millenium.

In v.8 of today's text we read, "Listen, High Priest Joshua, you and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch."

The Israel of Zechariah's day were symbols of the future Israel, the Israel of the Tribulation and the Millenium. The Branch will come and He will be Israel's Redeemer. The word Branch speaks of the Lord Jesus' humiliation, rejection and death. Or, His cross. Literally it means the sprout or the shoot.

In the Old Testament, "the Branch" is consistently used of Messiah in four ways. In Isaiah 11:1, the Branch of David speaks of His place as King. The Gospel according to Matthew presents the Lord Jesus as the KING. Here in Zechariah 3 He is called "My servant the Branch." The Gospel according to Mark describes Him as the SERVANT. In Zechariah 6:12-13, He is called "the Man whose name is the Branch." In the Gospel according to Luke, the Lord Jesus is presented as the MAN. And in Isaiah 4:2, He is called "the Branch of YHWH." In the Gospel according to John, John presents the Lord Jesus as GOD.

In v.9-10 of today's text we read, "9 See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua! There are seven eyes on that one stone, and I will engrave an inscription on it,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will remove the sin of this land in a single day. 10 “‘In that day each of you will invite your neighbor to sit under your vine and fig tree,’ declares the Lord Almighty."

God uses a third name to describe the Lord Jesus. Here He is "the Stone." This stone, here in Zechariah 3, has seven eyes which speaks of His ability to see and to know completely. It also speaks of the promise that at His second coming, when, in one day, He will destroy Israel's enemies, and then, He will set up His kingdom and bring in holiness and peace. 

Notice that there are seven eyes. This is figurative and the number seven speaks of His perfection. Perfect knowledge. Omniscience. He is the Omniscient Stone.

In Isaiah 8:14, the Messiah was called a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. But in Isaiah 28:16, He was called a stone of refuge. The Lord Jesus Christ is either a stone of refuge or a stone that causes one to stumble. It depends upon what we do with Him. Believing in Him makes Him our refuge. Rejecting Him makes Him our stumbling stone.

There is coming a day when Israel will believe on the Lord Jesus and when that happens, "each of you will invite your neighbor to sit under your vine and fig tree." Throughout the Scriptures, the vine and the fig tree are associated with peace. And people sitting under vines and fig trees are associated with peaceful times. There will be no more fighting at that time, and His peace will reign throughout the whole earth.

Zechariah 3:1-5

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"1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. 2 The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?” 3 Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. 4 The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.” Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you.” 5 Then I said, “Put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the Lord stood by." ~ Zechariah 3:1-5

An incredible promise to the Jews is found in Romans 11:1 which reads, "Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin."

God has a wonderful future for Israel, and no book in the Bible makes it more clear than Zechariah. God has not changed His posture toward Israel, He will fulfill His promises to them. And, there is coming a day when they will place their faith in God's Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Today, we come to the fourth vision in Zechariah. The first three visions had the purpose of restoring the people of Israel to God's promised land, the judgment of Israel's enemies and the city of Jerusalem will be rebuilt. This prophecy has had multiple fulfillments and one day its fulfillment will be final in the Millennium.

The first three visions that we have already dealt with, all deal with physical externals. With the beginning of the next set of visions, God will deal with the heart of Israel. God can not and will not fulfill His covenants with Israel until they have been justified in His sight. And so, there has to be salvation in the land before there’s going to be restoration to the land. And that’s precisely what is discussed in this fourth vision.

In v.1-2 of today's text we read, "1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. 2 The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?"

In these two verses God begins to reveal to us how a rebellious sinner goes from being ungodly to being godly. The Jews knew they had sinned. And it’s for sure they knew there was no basis for which God was to bless them because of their sin. They knew God couldn’t tolerate their evil. God had to do something for them that they could not do to themselves: He had to give them a new heart. But, before He can give anyone a new heart, He must deal with our sin first.

In v.1 of today's text we see Joshua the high priest. This is not the Joshua who led the children of Israel into the land in the book of Joshua. This Joshua was the high priest mentioned in Haggai 1:1 and Ezra 5:2. He is also mentioned later in this book in Zechariah 6:11. This Joshua was actually the high priest at that time. In the book of Haggai it is noted that he was the high priest, the son of Jehozadak. And Jehozadak was one of the contemporaries of Zerubbabel, who when they came back from the Babylonian captivity, had led some of the people.

Now, as we look at Joshua the high priest, we are seeing more than Joshua. In the vision of the rider on the red horse, the hammerers, the horns and everything else in this book of Zechariah, these symbols have significance much broader than their own identity. So, Joshua represents a much broader symbol. In fact, Joshua stands for Israel.  

Throughout the Scriptures, the high priest is always known as the representative of the people. When the high priest went into the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement, he acted on behalf of the whole nation. For them he prayed, for them he sacrificed, and what happened to him happened to the nation.

Now, in v.2, we read, "The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem." He doesn't say, "Joshua" because Joshua is used as a part of the whole. Joshua is representative of Israel and he is standing before the Angel of the Lord who is Jesus Christ. And, the Angel of the Lord here rebukes Satan. He will not hear the accusation of Satan because Israel will be His people. 

Notice that there are two Lords in this text, speaking of the first two persons of the Trinity. The second person of the Trinity has the ultimate responsibility for judgment to the first person. In the wonderful workings of the Trinity, each of the three all have their role. And, in today's text, it was for the Son to ask the Father to do the rebuking of their arch enemy. This is why it is phrase as: "The Lord rebuke you, Satan." The Lord Jesus was asking the Lord, the Father, to rebuke the enemy.

In v.3-4 we read, "3 Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. 4 The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.” Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you."

The very same Hebrew word used here for "stood" in v.3 is used in Deuteronomy 10:8, Judges 20:28, Ezekiel 44:15, and 2 Chronicles 29:11 to describe the work of the high priest. Here is Joshua, the high priest, ministering before the Angel of the Lord who is the pre-incarnate Lord Jesus Christ. And, according to v.1, "Satan is standing at his right side to accuse him."

Even though accused by the one whose name means "one who opposes" Joshua or Israel is justified in God's sight. God has always forgiven people as the result of them admitting that they are a sinner and crying out for God's help. At this point, God has cleverly found ways to apply the perfect righteousness of His Son to the one who cries out for His help and is repentant. 

All of this clearly shows that God is not finished with Israel. He has not set them aside, He still has a plan for His people. He must because there are certain promises that He has made that have not yet been fulfilled. 

Revelation 12 describes the future of God dealing with Israel, how, even in the Tribulation, He will protect and bring them to Himself. How when the armies of the beast will chase them into the wilderness, and how the ground will open up and swallow the foreign armies under the control of Satan. And, at the center of it all will be His Son, the second person of the Godhead, the Lord Jesus Christ.

According to v.3, Joshua who represents Israel, "was dressed in filthy clothes." This literally means he was dressed in excrement-covered clothes. He stands there before the Lord in human waste that goes forth from his body. And, the excrement is all over his garments. Such is the nature of our sin.

In v.4, the Angel of the Lord orders that Joshua's crap clothes be taken off of him. Oh, the marvelous grace of God. Only God can cleanse man's sin. On the Day of Atonement, when Aaron offered the sacrifices, he wore his simple linen outfit. And when atonement had been made, he came out and put on his festival garments. When atonement is over, we are to celebrate! God's salvation makes the believer holiness to the Lord. 

In v.5 of today's text we read, "Then I said, “Put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the Lord stood by."

The prophet Jeremiah said, "all of our righteousness is as filthy rags to the Lord." And, we never want to stand before the Lord in our own goodness. The name Joshua is the Old Testament version of Yeshua or Jesus. God has applied the perfection of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, on all who have trusted Him as their Savior. It is only in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that anyone can be saved. In fact, according to Romans 10:13, "Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

Zechariah 2:6-11

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6 “Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the Lord, “for I have scattered you to the four winds of heaven,” declares the Lord. 7 “Come, Zion! Escape, you who live in Daughter Babylon!” 8 For this is what the Lord Almighty says: “After the Glorious One has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye— 9 I will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me. 10 “Shout and be glad, Daughter Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you,” declares the Lord. 11 “Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you. 12 The Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem. 13 Be still before the Lord, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.” ~ Zechariah 2:6-11

Today, we continue our study of Zechariah's prophecy to the people of Israel with regard to Jerusalem. As we saw last time, Zechariah 2 is a vision to tell Israel the wonderful news that Jerusalem will be rebuilt. But, the reality is they were in a situation of terrible degradation, humiliation and sadness. The city had been destroyed. And, they were an insignificant minority, wondering how they would defend themselves, much less rebuilt the city. 

In v.6-9 of today's text we read, "'6 Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north,' declares the Lord, 'for I have scattered you to the four winds of heaven,' declares the Lord. 7 'Come, Zion! Escape, you who live in Daughter Babylon!' 8 For this is what the Lord Almighty says: 'After the Glorious One has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye— 9 I will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me.'"

Zechariah comes to the people with this third vision and gives them the message that God yet has a marvelous future for Jerusalem. Essentially he was saying, "Put your hearts into the rebuild of Jerusalem because God has your back and He will see to it that you will succeed."

In the first vision, the rider on the red horse predicted hope for downtrodden Israel. The second vision was of the horns and the craftsmen, underscoring the fact that God would destroy Israel's enemies. And now, in this third vision, God says, "You will be successful! in the rebuild of Jerusalem."

This is directed at the captives who are still in Babylon. And, as God tells His people always, "Get out of the world system." For Israel, getting out of the world's system meant that they would get back into the land of God's promise.

But, the Lord tells the people to go to the north in v.6. That is confusing until we remember that from Jerusalem everything is north because north is the only way out of the city of Jerusalem. And all the conquerors had come from the north. Nebuchadnezzar came from the north. Even in 70 A.D., Titus came from the north. Everybody who ever entered the city as an enemy came from the north because from the north is the only way into the city.

According to 2 Kings 17:6, the Jews in the exile were scattered over an area from the Gozan River, which was 200 miles west of Nineveh, over to Medea, which was 300 miles east. Some of them were in Moab. Some of them were in Amman. Some of them were in Egypt, and some of them were in Edom. They were all over the place. And He’s saying, "Come back. I am doing a new work in the promised land."

Interestingly, according to Revelation 17 & 18, the final world system will be Babylon. And, as the world comes to its end, God will call Israel out of Babylon in the future. This will happen during the time of the Tribulation. And, of course, the reason to flee Babylon is that God is going to destroy them.

Once again, in v.8-9 we read, "8 For this is what the Lord Almighty says: “After the Glorious One has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye— 9 I will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me."

The Lord will send the Lord. The Lord of Hosts, which is the Father, will send the Lord of Hosts, the Son. And He will be the One who comes to defeat the nations and to deliver His people. Two thirds of the Trinity is right here in this Old Testament verse.

The Second Coming is mentioned about 1,845 times in the Scriptures. For every one time the first coming is mentioned or alluded to, the second coming is mentioned or alluded to eight times. Needless to say, it is a frequent theme. Thankfully, this world will not stay the way it is. Jesus Christ will one day rule for eternity and sin and death will be things of the past.

Interestingly, according to Matthew 25, when Christ comes and judges the nations, He will judge them on the basis of the way they treated Israel. He says in Matthew 25:40: "If you’ve done it unto the least of these My brethren, you’ve done it to Me.”

Then in v.10-11 of today's text we read, "10 “Shout and be glad, Daughter Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you,” declares the Lord. 11 “Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you."

God's people are to rejoice because God will be present with us. God says in v.10, "I will live among you." In the end, God will be there in person and in visible form. Then, according to v.11, God's salvation will be the gift to all who will be there.

In v.12 of today's text we read, "The Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem."

This is the only place in the Bible where it’s called "the holy land." This is the only time that phrase is ever used. This will be the millennial title for Israel. 

Then in v.13 of today's text we read, "Be still before the Lord, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling."

God is always attentive, He has a plan, a perfect plan. And, all of His plans will one day come to fruition. His plans are far more intricate and sure than we know. I think of the fact that if I had entered college when I had graduated from high school, I would have never met my wife. You see, God's timing is always perfect. 

I didn't become a believer in Christ until I had graduated from high school in June of 1981. When I was ready, God saw fit for me to enter Columbia Bible College, I enrolled in September of 1983. Then, my wife entered Columbia Bible College in September of 1985. Had I entered college right out of high school, I would have never met her. God can be trusted to bring about the best plan for our lives. And, since He has that part taken care of, we can be focused on how we fit into what He is doing in this world. The scripture says, "Be in the world but not of the world." That which is paramount in our hearts will be that which defines us most.

Zechariah 2:1-5

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1 Then I looked up, and there before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand. 2 I asked, “Where are you going?” He answered me, “To measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is.” 3 While the angel who was speaking to me was leaving, another angel came to meet him 4 and said to him: “Run, tell that young man, ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of people and animals in it. 5 And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will be its glory within.’  ~ Zechariah 2:1-5

Today, we transition into Zechariah 2, which has as its main theme the future glory of the city of Jerusalem. Fourteen miles west of the Dead Sea and three miles east of the Mediterranean, located on a rocky plateau about 2,500 feet above sea level and 3,800 feet above the Dead Sea sits the city of Jerusalem. It is a naturally fortified city because it is on a plateau. It can only be entered from the north. God chose this place to be His holy habitation. And, the city of Jerusalem is the one city that dominates the Bible.

In Luke 21:24 we read, "Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled." 

Even though the rebirth of the nation of Israel happened in 1948, Gentiles still control Jerusalem. But, the miracle is the fact that the nation of Israel continues in our world! None of us have ever met a Jebusite, a Hivite, an Amorite, a Moabite, or an Edomite. But, we have surely met Israelites. We have met them because God has preserved them in their own land, even though they are surrounded by enemies. 

When Israel's deliverer comes, Jerusalem will be exalted. In Isaiah 66:10 we read, "Rejoice Jerusalem. Be glad with her, all who love her. Rejoice with her for joy all you who mourn for her. The Lord says, 'Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river.'" That day is soon coming.

In v.1-2 of today's text we read, "1 Then I looked up, and there before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand. 2 I asked, “Where are you going?” He answered me, “To measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is."

In the days of Zechariah, the Jews were in a terrible situation. The wall of Jerusalem was no longer and that once glorious home for the Jews was left in shambles. They were a small, insignificant minority, wondering how they would defend themselves. They had been threatened by their enemies, the Samaritans, and, for a short period, they had stopped rebuilding their city. 

In Zechariah 2, Zechariah delivers a third vision and through it he told the people to commit to the rebuild of Jerusalem because God was in it. God, through Zechariah, is reminding the Jews that they are involved in an eternal plan. 

One of our greatest challenges in this life is maintaining an eternal perspective. Life goes by so quickly. And yet we often get caught up in the day to day tasks and we forget that no one is promised tomorrow on this earth. James 4:14 refers to human life as a vapor: it appears for a while and then it vanishes. Perhaps if we remembered this truth we would have an easier time also remembering our purpose on earth. Life isn’t about accumulating money, power, or fame. Life’s about fulfilling God’s purpose for us. We must focus, therefore, on His eternal perspective.

In Colossians 3:2 we read, "Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things."

Although we live in time now, God created us for eternity. As Ecclesiastes 3:11 read, "God has also placed eternity in their hearts." We may live in time now, but eternity must be the backdrop of our lives. We must learn to live for eternal purposes.

In this vision, Zechariah is enabled to see the unseeable. God gives him eyes to see the big picture, to see what God sees. Zechariah sees a man who is measuring Jerusalem and that this great city that will be rebuilt.

In v.3-4 of today's text we read, "3 While the angel who was speaking to me was leaving, another angel came to meet him 4 and said to him: “Run, tell that young man, ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of people and animals in it."

In Ezekiel 40:2, Ezekiel had a vision much like this one. “In the visions God brought me to the land of Israel, set me on a high mountain in which there was a structure like a city on the south. And he brought me there, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.”

Given the context in Ezekiel 40, there is little question that the man measuring Jerusalem is the Lord Jesus Christ. But, he is giving the dimensions of the Millennial Jerusalem. And, another angel interprets the message from the Angel of the Lord. He tells him to go back and tell Zechariah that Jerusalem will be rebuilt. Zechariah is bewildered because of the vastness of the city.

In v.5 of today's text we read, "And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will be its glory within."

This "wall of fire" symbolically refers to God’s protection and presence of the inhabitants of Jerusalem. This vision also speaks to the rebuilding of the New Jerusalem, and according to Revelation 21:1–4, it will be rebuilt just before the Millennium.

In ancient times, a city without walls was vulnerable to enemy attacks. This "wall of fire" speaks of God’s promise to be a wall of fire around Jerusalem. And, all who believe in Him, the God of the Bible, can be assured that He takes care of His own. 

Zechariah 1:18-21

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18 Then I looked up, and there before me were four horns. 19 I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these?” He answered me, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem.” 20 Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. 21 I asked, “What are these coming to do?” He answered, “These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no one could raise their head, but the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter its people.” ~ Zechariah 1:18-21

In our last blog and podcast, we discussed the first vision in this first chapter of Zechariah which was the vision of the rider on the red horse among the myrtle trees. The myrtle trees were an illustration of Israel's humiliation. God uses the weak things of this world to dumbfound the strong and the foolish of this world to shame the wise. Israel has always been small and seemingly defenseless. And, even though many down through the years have wanted to snuff her out, she still remains.

Christ appears in the midst of the myrtle trees. And, the pictures is of the Angel of the Lord coming in defense of Israel. And, in our last blog and podcast, we saw that it wasn’t long after that vision, only four years, until the city began to be rebuilt and the temple was built. And 80 years later, the walls were built, and the prophesy came to pass. The rider on the red horse, the Angel of the Lord, miraculously reestablished Israel in the land.

God was comforting His people with the knowledge that they would be in the place of victory again, that they would be back as a nation with their temple, and with their city, and with their wall.

We also noted that there will be a future fulfillment of this prophesy, that there will come a day when the Angel of the Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, will come and once and for all finally establish Israel in the land in His millennial kingdom. And, they will reign with Christ as He will sit on the throne of David on Mount Zion.

In v.18-19 of today's text we read, "18 Then I looked up, and there before me were four horns. 19 I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these?” He answered me, 'These are the horns that scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem."'

Now, as we come to this second vision, these two verses set the stage for that which God will do. The Lord Jesus told us in Luke 21:24, that "Jerusalem would be trodden down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles was fulfilled." In that context, Jerusalem is representative of all the land that God gave the Jews in the covenant promise, all the way from the Euphrates River to the Mediterranean Sea and all the north and south area as well. And all of that land will not belong to the Jews until the times of the Gentiles has ended, and Christ returns a second time to this earth.

In v.18 in today's text there are two elements in the vision: four horns and four craftsmen. These four horns were rams horns. The Hebrew word used means a horn for blowing. These horns were a symbol of power. And so, when Zechariah lifts up his eyes, he sees four symbols of power.  

In Daniel 7:24 we read, "Ten horns of the kingdom are ten kings that shall arise." We can see here that the horns are used in Daniel’s prophesy to refer to Gentile kings. Gentile kings who are representative of Gentile nations.

In v.20-21 of today's text we read, "20 Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. 21 I asked, 'What are these coming to do?' He answered, 'These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no one could raise their head, but the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter its people."'

So, these horns in today's text are Gentile kings associated with their kingdoms. And, when Zechariah looks up, he sees in this vision four Gentile kings and their kingdoms. And in v.19, God begins to give explanation of these kingdoms. And he said, "These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem."

According to Daniel 2,7,8, these four kingdoms are: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. And after their kingdoms come to an end will come Israel’s kingdom. By the time God brings along Zechariah, the Babylonian kingdom had ended, and the Medes and the Persians had taken over. 

Now, the word "craftsmen" in v.20 can also be translated stonemasons, and stonemasons use hammers to break up stones. And, for every horn, there’s a hammer to smash it. For every one of these world empires, there is a crusher. God is saying, "Every nation that rises against Israel, will be crushed by the Lord." 

History clearly reveals that the Babylonians were hammered by the Medes and the Persians. Then the Medes and the Persians were hammered by the Greeks under the rule of Alexander the Great in 333 B.C. Then, in the second century B.C., the Roman Empire conquered the Greeks.

History proves the prophecies of the God of the Bible are true. And, in the end, we will see that God has always run history. In addition, God cares for and protects His people. And, we know history will consummate in the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. This leads us to the most important question any of us will ever be asked: Where will you be when it all ends? 

God promises in Colossians 3:4, "When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." I trust you have invited Him into your life so that He will be in the position to invite you into His kingdom.

Zechariah 1:12-17

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12 Then the angel of the Lord said, “Lord Almighty, how long will you withhold mercy from Jerusalem and from the towns of Judah, which you have been angry with these seventy years?” 13 So the Lord spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who talked with me. 14 Then the angel who was speaking to me said, “Proclaim this word: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion, 15 and I am very angry with the nations that feel secure. I was only a little angry, but they went too far with the punishment.’ 16 “Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt. And the measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem,’ declares the Lord Almighty. 17 “Proclaim further: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘My towns will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem.’” ~ Zechariah 1:12-17

As we pointed out in our last blog and podcast, God is giving to Israel, through the prophet, Zechariah, a series of visions. And these visions were given to encourage the exiles that returned from their captivity. This first vision was sort of a general vision that speaks of all of the rest of the visions. And those following will add details to the first one.

You will remember that in v.10 of this chapter the Lord had sent "a man mounted on a red horse who was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, brown and white horses." 

It was February 24th, 520 BC., and the Lord Jesus was the one on the red horse, and He had sent out His messengers into the world, and they have now come back to give a report to the Lord. This was very fitting, at that time, because the Persian monarchs used messengers on swift horses to keep them informed on everything going on in their empire. These messengers give their report beginning in v.11 to the Angel of the Lord, who is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Now, every Jew who knew anything about the history of his people knew that there was one special angel who defended the people of Israel, and it was the Angel of the Lord. The people were weary in their rebellion because the Angel of the Lord had not appeared to them for 200 years. And now, all of a sudden, He is back. During those 200 years, while Israel was in rebellion against God, their defender seemed to not be around. This is what our rebellion does to us, we sense not the presence of the Lord. But, we can be assured that He is always aware of us, and when His disciplining of Israel was over and they had repented, they were made aware of His presence.

The Lord Jesus Christ is our defender and protector. But, He does not make Himself known to us when we are living in rebellion. You see, when we are in rebellion against the Lord, we forfeit His protection, and He turns us over to the consequences of our sinfulness. But, the moment we repent, we will enjoy His protection once again. This doesn't mean we lose our salvation, it just means we move ourselves from under His umbrella of protection during our rebellion.

In v.12 of today's text we read, "Then the angel of the Lord said, “Lord Almighty, how long will you withhold mercy from Jerusalem and from the towns of Judah, which you have been angry with these seventy years?"

Here is the Lord Jesus Christ taking up the cause of His people. When we find ourselves in the worst situations, we can rest assured that the Lord is aware and He is at work. We can always rest in the fact that His will will come to pass. And, His will for our lives is the absolute best.

Then in v.13-14 we read, "13 So the Lord spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who talked with me. 14 Then the angel who was speaking to me said, “Proclaim this word: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion, 15 and I am very angry with the nations that feel secure. I was only a little angry, but they went too far with the punishment.’"

The Lord always has perfect timing. With "kind and comforting words" He responds to the needs of His people. This is the essence of the whole book of Zechariah: it is a book about kind and comforting words.

God says, "I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion, 15 and I am very angry with the nations that feel secure. I was only a little angry, but they went too far with the punishment."

The Hebrew root for jealous is a two-sided word meaning  love and hatred together. God loves His people so much that He hates anything that hurts us. The actual word for jealous here in the Hebrew comes from an Arabic word which means to turn intentionally red. To make something red means to become furious. God is describing here how really upset He was. 

God has a special place in His heart for Jerusalem. He has a special place in His heart for His people. In 2 Chronicles 6:6 God says, “But I have chosen Jerusalem, that My name might be there.”

God was angry with the nations who harmed Israel, with Edom, Assyria, and Babylon who, at that time, felt secure. In eight places in the Old Testament, this phrase "feel secure" is used in a derogatory way, and it sometimes even means arrogant. Psalm 123:4 uses it to speak of the peoples pride. These nations who had hurt Israel were proud, indifferent, unfeeling, and careless. As a result, God says at the end of v.15, "they went too far." And because of that, God was much displeased with them. These nations didn’t grasp that God’s intention was to punish for a moment and then show them great compassion.

In v.16 we read, "Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt. And the measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem,’ declares the Lord Almighty."

Wrongs suffered by God’s people will always be compensated. God will always bring justice on the behalf of His people. In fact, He will do this with mercy or deep feelings of emotion. It had been seventy years of silence from God, but now, He is back because the people positioned themselves to experience His deliverance.

In v.16 God says, "I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt." 

Interestingly, four years after this prophesy, the temple was finished, and God's presence was there, and temple worship was restored. 

In v.17 we read, "My towns will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem." 

God promised that Jerusalem would overflow with prosperity. Often we find ourselves in the valley of the shadow of death. We don’t reign in this world; Satan does. We are the outcasts. We are the ones that the world looks down on. We often find ourselves humiliated, but, right in the midst of all of this is the Lord Jesus Christ living in us. The pressures of this world and the trials we endure are mere reminders to us to draw close to Him and to know Him more intimately. This is true prosperity!

Zechariah’s vision came true in a total of 80 years. But, the Lord was not finished. This prophecy had two more fulfillments to come. And, the last fulfillment of this prophecy will be realized in the Millennial kingdom of Christ. After the soon to happen Tribulation, the Lord Jesus Christ will sit on His throne and His people will be gathered to Him to reign with Him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And all of the marvelous things described by the prophets for the kingdom will in that day come to pass.

Zechariah 1:5-11

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5 Where are your ancestors now? And the prophets, do they live forever? 6 But did not my words and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, overtake your ancestors? “Then they repented and said, ‘The Lord Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve, just as he determined to do.’” 7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo. 8 During the night I had a vision, and there before me was a man mounted on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, brown and white horses. 9 I asked, “What are these, my lord?” The angel who was talking with me answered, “I will show you what they are.” 10 Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They are the ones the Lord has sent to go throughout the earth.” 11 And they reported to the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees, “We have gone throughout the earth and found the whole world at rest and in peace.” ~ Zechariah 1:5-11

The Bible is an ancient and complex book, yet it is God’s revelation to us. Interpreting the Bible involves several key steps that we know as hermeneutics. In fact, there are a few key principles of hermeneutics that are musts in order to arrive upon a sound interpretation of a given passage. The first of which is the place of Israel, the nation, in the Scriptures. God has made a clear distinction in the Scriptures between the nation of Israel and the Church. And, even though it appears that when Israel, as a whole, rejected Christ, God appeared to be finished with Israel, this is not the case. Clearly, God has more work to do with the little nation we know as Israel.

The Bible is not a random compilation of unrelated books that were put together. Rather, it is a unified storyline interwoven into every single book. That’s why we must interpret every verse, chapter, and book in light of the entire Bible. One of the musts in interpreting the Bible correctly is making sure that we know who the writer's audience was: Is he addressing the nation of Israel or is he addressing the Church? When we confuse the two, we get into serious trouble while trying to interpret a passage.

So, today, we come back to a passage clearly written to the nation of Israel. And, from this passage we learn a very important principle: When we refused to hear the Scripture, sin will take us to places that we do not want to go, but God can be trusted, if we only heed His word. 

In Romans 6:23 we read, “The wages of sin is death.” The Israelites refused to hear and heed God's word and they therefore died. This is why our text today begins with v.5 which reads, "Where are your ancestors now? And the prophets, do they live forever?"

Then in v.6 we read, "But did not my words and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, overtake your ancestors? 'Then they repented and said, ‘The Lord Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve, just as he determined to do.'"

That which God said would happen, happened. The exile of the nation into Babylon was proof positive that it happened. The death of the nation stood as evidence that it happened. God will always do what He says He will do. He is faithful and He is faithful to His promises. This is why God will never be finished with Israel.

God's message is always: "Here I am. I'm waiting for you to come back to me. And when you return to me, you will find salvation. You will find restoration." The Lord never forces Himself or His ways on us. So, when the people of Israel returned to their homeland, they found themselves standing in the results of the legacy of failure and disobedience.

In v.7-11 of today's text we read, "7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo. 8 During the night I had a vision, and there before me was a man mounted on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, brown and white horses. 9 I asked, “What are these, my lord?” The angel who was talking with me answered, “I will show you what they are.” 10 Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They are the ones the Lord has sent to go throughout the earth.” 11 And they reported to the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees, “We have gone throughout the earth and found the whole world at rest and in peace."

Beginning in today's text, we have a series of visions from God to the prophet. And these visions were used of God to encourage the exiles that returned to their promised land.  The first vision is sort of a general vision that speaks of all of the rest of the visions. And those following will add details to the first one. These visions are therefore an unfolding explanation of God's plan for Israel.

In this first vision, God promises to prosper Israel. The vision was given on the date of February 24th, 520 BC. This was three months after the first message calling the people to repent from their way and turn back to God. All of these visions occur on a single night. They're not spread out by any time. It all happens at once.  

Now, the prophet Zechariah asked a good question in v.9. He saw something and he had no idea what he was looking at.  And so, in v.10, the Lord answers his question which reads, "Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They are the ones the Lord has sent to go throughout the earth."

The myrtle tree is a hardy evergreen tree. It is hard to kill it. And, it grows in the lowlands. It doesn't grow to an impressive height. It never gets higher than 18 feet. This speaks of the lowliness of the nation of Israel. It is always when we think more of ourselves that we discover ourselves moving away from the Lord and His ways. When we move away from Him, He must do those things to bring us back to Himself. Though people have come against Israel and attacked her and destroyed her cities and taken her into captivity, God's promise has always been to restore her. This is why the nation of Israel never goes away.

The man in v.8 on the red horse symbolizes the Lord Jesus Christ. Later on in this book He is called the Angel of the Lord. This is a pre-incarnate guest appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. The Lord Jesus shows up often in the Old Testament, not by that name, and not in the same form as we see Him in the New Testament, but He is there to be found nonetheless. In fact, the theme of the entire Bible is Jesus Christ.

But notice, there are other riders, other horses. They seem to report to the pre-incarnate Christ, indicating that He has authority over them. Their arrival proves that God is actively interested in what goes on on the earth, especially when it deals with and includes His own people, the Jews. 

Israel, God's people, had been scattered after being oppressed, dispersed, taken in by the nations of the world. And the nations rather liked that. They were at rest with subjugating the Jewish people and causing a rest that was enforced by taking the Jews captive. Well, that was an arrest that God did not approve of. 

As written in Jeremiah 31:35-37, "Thus says the Lord, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the Lord of hosts is his name: 'If this fixed order departs from before me, declares the Lord, then shall the offspring of Israel cease from being a nation before me forever.' Thus says the Lord: 'If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth below can be explored, then I will cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done, declares the Lord.'"

That's why the Jewish people still exist today: They have been miraculously preserved by God, not because of their goodness, but because of His goodness. Thank God that He keeps His promises! Thank God for His grace and mercy and longsuffering!

When we get to heaven we will learn that God was more intricately involved in our lives here on earth than we knew. Therefore, we can trust Him with everything, especially when life is going in a way we prefer not. Proving His love to ourselves only happens in the context of trusting. And, the more impossible the situation, the greater the opportunity for Him to show Himself most faithful.

Zechariah 1:1-4

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1 In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo: 2 “The Lord was very angry with your ancestors. 3 Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty. 4 Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the Lord.’” ~ Zechariah 1:1-4

We come today to the Old Testament book of Zechariah which is the next to the last book in the Old Testament. Zechariah includes Christ's priesthood, His humanity, His deity, His first coming, His rejection and betrayal, His return to Israel as the crucified one, and His Millennial reign. So, it can be said that Zechariah is the most Messianic book of the Old Treatment. 

Zechariah was written to the people of Israel to let them know that the God of the Bible was on their side. Zechariah means “God remembers.” So, the book of Zechariah is all about God remembering His promises to His people.

The first six chapters of Zechariah include a series of visions. The purpose of these visions was to bring hope to the discouraged people of Israel. And, when the remnant returned to Israel from Babylonian captivity, they found themselves standing in the results of their failed legacy of disobedience. As a result, in 586, BC the Babylonian had come to take their land and to take them into captivity because they had forsaken the Lord and His culture. And, when they returned from exile some seventy years later, the people of Israel found themselves among the piles of bricks and rubble, reminders of what happens when we forsake the Lord. 

In v.1-2 we read, "1 In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo: 2 “The Lord was very angry with your ancestors."

The name Zechariah means "the Lord remembers." His dad was named Berechiah which means "the Lord blesses." His grandpa's name, Iddo, means "at the appointed time." So their names brought an encouraging message to the believing heart. "At the appointed time, the Lord remembers and the Lord will bless."

When the book of Zechariah was written, the people of Israel were at a critical moment in their history. Eighteen years had passed since Cyrus the great had conquered the Babylonian Empire. You will remember that Daniel had said there would be four great world empires: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. Babylon had come and gone. And, at this point in time, the Medo-Persian Empire was ruling. Cyrus the Great had conquered the Babylonians. Israel had been taken into Babylonian captivity in 586 B.C. and they had been in Babylon for 70 years when Cyrus made the decree that they could all go back to their land.

But, the Jews had become comfortable in Babylon, that foreign land, and many of them didn't want to return to the promised land. When they did return, only a small remnant of Jews went back to Israel from their Babylonian captivity. And, in seven months they had rebuilt the sacred altar, and they were again performing the sacrifices prescribed in the Old Testament. They were back with their worship commanded by God, and, by the beginning of the second year, they had actually begun to rebuild their temple. 

After they had begun rebuilding their temple, their neighbors, the Samaritans, so hassled them about rebuilding the temple, they stopped building it. But, shortly afterwards, the king of the Samaritans was assassinated. And, when he was assassinated, one would think they would have taken advantage of the opportunity, but the Jews didn’t. 

In response to this, since God wanted the temple rebuilt, He raised up Haggai who was a prophet at the same time as Zechariah. Haggai's ministry was to exhort the people to rebuild the temple. In fact, after preaching four messages encouraging the people to rebuild the temple, the people experienced revival.

In the midst of the revival, God raised up another prophet: Zechariah who came on the scene two months after Haggai. When we compare Zechariah 1:1 with Haggai 1:1, it’s very clear that it was two months later according to the Hebrew calendar. So, this book is a comfort to the Jews in the process of rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem. 

In v.3-4 of today's text we read, "3 Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty. 4 Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the Lord."

Zechariah begins with this message of repentance because we can not enjoy the blessings of God without being defined by God. We do not access God's blessings while we are in rebellion to Him. He has given us His word for a reason. His word gives us His culture which is different than ours and that of this world. Throughout the Bible, the message is the same: When we turn from sin, we will know the blessing of God. 

Given original sin, the place of God's blessing, the place of His mercy and grace has always been the place of our turning back to Him. We have all lived long enough on this earth to discover that our way does not garner the results that are substantive. We know that we must turn 180 degrees from our way to God's ways in order to come to that place which has the stamp of His blessing on it. And, to think that we can make it in this world any other way than His is just plain fooling ourselves. 

Now, the prophecy of Zechariah began in the eighth month of the second year of Darius. It was in the eighth month, the month of Marcheshvan. In the Hebrew calendar that is October/November time. And, the Persian emperor that had released the Jews, because Cyrus had died. At that time Cyrus was succeeded by Cambyses but Cambyses didn’t have a child, so he committed suicide. And when Cambyses committed suicide, Darius became the new  ruler. His reign began in 522 B.C., which means if this is the second year of Darius, it was written in 520 B.C. So, Darius was the king under whom Zechariah wrote.

You see, even though they were back repatriating their country, they had no king. And the king of the whole world at that time was Darius. So, Darius was really the king over Zechariah.

With the exception of two times in the Old Testament, the prophets always wrote saying they prophesied during the rule of a certain king in Israel. This is one of two that they didn't cite a king of Israel. The other prophet to write like Zachariah was Haggai. There was no king in Israel because it was being ruled by Gentiles. The rule of the Gentiles over Jerusalem has yet to end and it will end at the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Since 586 B.C., Jerusalem has been under the hands and the power and the control of Gentiles.

God’s wrath is always averted by the repentance of the people, when we come back to Him. God's wrath is always solved by the presentation of His grace. Having stated in v.1-3 the problem of God's wrath and the presentation of His grace, Zechariah turns to the people of Israel to plea for their repentance. 

Again, in v.4, we read, “Do not be like your ancestors.” Evil is hereditary, each generation passes on the same evil patterns to their children. The people knew the results of their fathers’ sins, they knew their fathers had been slaughtered by Nebuchadnezzar’s armies. And the ones that didn’t die were hauled off into captivity. And, here, Zechariah reminds these who had never lived in Israel to listen to God and be different than their ancestors.

In the book of Jude, we are told to, “Keep yourselves in the love of God.” We are prone to wander outside of God's love. We are prone to be defined by the wrong loves. We must always be careful to continue to be defined and motivated by the love of God. We must not be defined by all of the so called loves out there that will only destroy us.

Finally, Thomas Merton once brilliantly said, "But the man who is not afraid to admit everything that he sees to be wrong with himself, and yet recognizes that he may be the object of God's love precisely because of his shortcomings, can begin to be sincere. His sincerity is based on confidence, not in his own illusions about himself, but in the endless, unfailing mercy of God."

Revelation 22:18-21

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18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll. 20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen. ~ Revelation 22:18-21

Today, we complete our study of the book of the Revelation. In today's text the Lord Jesus Himself offers an extended word of testimony regarding the authority and finality of this prophesy. He had commissioned John to write it, but He was the author of it. You will remember that the book of the Revelation is a prophecy. In Revelation 1:3 we read, "Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy." 

In v.18 of today's text we read, "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. "

With this last book of the Bible, the canon of Scripture is closed. And, the warning here, is to those who add to Scripture. Those who tamper with truth to falsify it, to mitigate its message, to alter it are going to feel the vengeance of God. 

In v.19 we read, “And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.” 

It’s equally dangerous to take away from Scripture. There are some people who wouldn’t want to add to it, they just want to take away from it.

Interestingly, the words "takes words away" is a play on words. You take away from the words of this book, and God’ll take away your part in heaven, the part you might have had if you hadn’t tampered with Scripture. Now, a true believer would not tamper with Scripture. Anyone who is on the way to heaven is going to treat Scripture with great respect.

You see, God’s word is absolute, true, faithful, permanent, and complete, not to be altered, not to be changed, not to be added to, not to be taken away from, and true believers understand that.

The fact that this warning is here indicates people would be prone to tamper with Scripture. It also indicates that men would deny its validity because it is so specific prophetically, and that has been true. But it also indicates to me that the Holy Spirit wants to make a final sweeping statement about what you do with Scripture altogether. And the bottom line is God has written it; don’t erase it and don’t expand it.

In v.20 we read, "He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”Amen. Come, Lord Jesus."

At the writing of 2 Peter, there were false prophets who scoffed at the coming of Christ, they mocked the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. In 2 Peter 3 they asked, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation."

In v.21 we read, "The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen."

It is just like the Lord to end this book with "grace." His point is everybody, all the time, be ready, watchful and alert, because He comes in an hour that no man knows, and in an hour when you think not. Until that hour, there is grace.