Latest / Journey Elgin / Journey Through Scripture- Zechariah 1-6
Transcript
- Phillip Thomas: Hey, it's good to see you today. Welcome to our Journey Through Scripture podcast. My name is Philip Thomas, Pastor of Journey here in Elgin, Texas. And so we are continuing our ⁓ journey through scripture in a chronological order. ⁓ so we we're looking at Haggai and Ezra. So we're beginning that process of the exiles returning to Jerusalem from Babylon. So that's going to need the city to be rebuilt, that's gonna need the temple to be rebuilt, and this is gonna take years. ⁓ to do. And Haggai is a prophet during that time. And so is Zechariah. And so today we're going to be in Zechariah chapters 1 through 6. ⁓ And so if you want to take a moment, read chapters 1 through 6, and then we will dive right into to Zechariah. So Zechariah is ⁓ clearly a contemporary of Haggai. He is also a prophet but the style is very different where Haggai is more kind of preaching ⁓ and through prose and things like that. ⁓ Zechariah is a series of visions. And so, man, we love this kind of stuff, right? Because we start to speculate, we start to wonder. visions can be very ⁓ interesting ⁓ and challenging to understand exactly what they they're meaning. ⁓ what we're gonna see in Zechariah is the first part of it. ⁓ i is clearly speaking about the current time, basically, the the rebuilding of the temple. it it's, you know, you can make some connections too and and look forward ⁓ as well. ⁓ you know, to the Messiah, there talks about the branch ⁓ that that is ⁓ you know, coming from the the remnant. Well, Jesus could be seen as that. ⁓ but the people who would have been reading this at the current time would have recognized ⁓ that they were talk that Zachariah was talking about what is going to be happening to to Jerusalem with the rebuilding of the temple. And and so we we will hit on that. We're not gonna get really in depth, know that ⁓ man you can spend lots of time if you want to ⁓ looking at different interpretations of things like this, but we're gonna just kind of ⁓ get the the big picture. ⁓ of what's going on. So Zechariah starts in chapter one. I think this is very ⁓ important. ⁓ it says in verse three, ⁓ or verse two, the Lord has been very angry with your fathers, therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord of hosts, return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets preach, saying, Thus says the Lord, turn now from your evil ways and your evil deeds. But they did not hear nor heed me, says the Lord. So what's he talking about? He's talking about those previous generations who did not turn back to the Lord and so therefore ended up in exile. And he's saying, So now listen to me, listen to whenever I call, and return to me so that I can return to you. Verse five, Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they not do they live forever? Yet surely my words and my statutes which I commanded my servants, the prophets, Did they not overtake your fathers? Right. So and this is this is kind of interesting to think about. It it would have been decades, you know, that the prophets were warning the people of what was to come. So there were you y I have no doubt there were lots of people who were kind of speaking out against the prophets, saying, ⁓ they're they're making a bigger deal of this than it is. ⁓ we're not that bad. Yes, there's elements within ⁓ the the nation that we need to change, but i it's gonna be okay. Things are gonna be all right. Well, there would have been a a time where it would have seemed like they were correct, right? That ⁓ that that that they that these prophets that were warning the people ⁓ maybe they were wrong because again, decades are going by. ⁓ but then eventually God's promise comes true. And that's what this reminds me of. Where are your fathers? ⁓ those prophets, they're gone too. So the prophets who warned, your fathers who ⁓ rebelled, ⁓ they are now gone. But guess what stays? My words and my statutes. ⁓ that is eternal. ⁓ that is something that will never fade. And so the people respond, said just as the Lord of hosts determined to do to us according to our ways, according to our deeds, he has dealt with us. ⁓ you know, so they they have recognized their punishment and now they are desiring to ⁓ return to the Lord. So now you have in these first six chapters, there's about eight different visions. ⁓ and so we'll kind of hit those. This the first one happens here in verse ⁓ seven. It's ⁓ the vision of ⁓ of ⁓ the horses, ⁓ you know, and and they're among the trees. The horses have gone out, and the man has gone out. throughout the whole earth, ⁓ and that they have found peace. Right it says so they answered the angel of the Lord who stood among the myrtle trees and said, We have walked to and fro fro throughout the earth, and behold all the earth is resting quietly. So what's that saying? Well your time of exile ⁓ is coming to an end. ⁓ that that ⁓ the the judgment is over, ⁓ now it's time for the restoration. That's kind of what that vision ⁓ is is hitting at. Then ⁓ you keep going and ⁓ starting in verse thirteen, talking about how the Lord will comfort Zion, and it says, and the Lord answered the angel who talked with me with good and with comforting words. So the angel who spoke with me said to me, Proclaim ⁓ this, saying, Thus says the Lord of hosts, I am zealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with great zeal. I'm exceedingly angry at the nations at ease, for I was a little angry, and they helped, but with evil intent. Therefore, thus says the Lord, I am returning to Jerusalem with mercy, my house shall be built in it, says the Lord of hosts, and the surveyor's line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem. So again, just this reiteration that God has punished, but now he is redeeming the people, he is bringing them back to bringing them back to Jerusalem, and the temple will be ⁓ rebuilt. So then you have ⁓ the second vision there in verse eighteen, the vision of the horns. ⁓ so there's these ⁓ four horns ⁓ sc that are scattered. ⁓ well those ⁓ those are representative of the four kingdoms that opposed Israel. That would be Assyria, Egypt, Babylon, and Persia. ⁓ and the the craftsmen are coming to tear down these these horns, right? The the ⁓ verse twenty. Then the Lord showed me the four craftsmen, and I said, What are they coming to do? He said, These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no one could lift up his head, but the craftsmen are coming to terrify them, to cast out the horns of the nation that lifted up the horn against the land of Judah to scatter it. So it the the horns are representative of those four kingdoms that caused so much problem. Now they are going ⁓ to ⁓ receive their judgment. Then ⁓ chapter two. ⁓ starts off with the vision of the measuring line, ⁓ you know, a man holding the me a measuring line. ⁓ this is kind of ⁓ a vision representing God's promise ⁓ that Jerusalem will be expanded and that the people will be able to live in safety there. ⁓ you see ⁓ verse ten, sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold I am coming, I will dwell in your midst, says the Lord. Many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and they shall be cu become my people. And I will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. And the Lord will take possession of Judah and his and his inheritance in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem. Be silent all flesh before the Lord, for he is aroused from his holy habitation. So ⁓ again, they are returning. This can be this vision could easily be a ⁓ applied to that time frame, but it you know i it can be looked at as future again, 'cause those Cycles repeated themselves, right? ⁓ the ⁓ the temple was destroyed again and so eventually may be rebuilt again. ⁓ so y we can do that, but don't don't get too caught up in in all of the ⁓ you know the apocalyptic type ⁓ literature here of these visions. ⁓ this is speaking about what is happening now that the people are returning from exile. So then you get into chapter three, you have the vision of the the high priest. ⁓ this is kind of ⁓ interesting because you have the high priest and he's being accused by Satan. Satan is the accuser, ⁓ saying that the the high priest is not worthy. Says now Joshua, which that's the that is the priest who is partnered with Zer ⁓ Zerubabel. ⁓ so this this priest and Zerubabel, they're the ones, remember, they've ⁓ that we read about last week ⁓ that have started rebuilding the foundation of the temple. ⁓ it says, now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and was standing before the angels. See, a a priest ⁓ you know couldn't pr do priestly duties ⁓ unless they were ceremonially clean. Well, filthy garments would have made them not clean. And so the adversary, Satan, is saying, See, they are not qualified. It's kind of like the people when they went into exile, they were undergoing punishment. They were not ⁓ were not ready. ⁓ to be reconciled to God. They were going through that judgment. But then God has made them clean and brought them back into to his presence again. And that verse four says, Then he answered and spoke with those who stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And to him he said, See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes. A wonderful image of God's forgiveness, of God's grace that of course we see in Christ as well. That God removed the the filthy ro robes and gave him new robes. ⁓ he cleansed him of his iniquity. So the people ⁓ have have paid the the price and now are returning. ⁓ then we ⁓ see a little bit of the coming branch. ⁓ i if you ⁓ verse six, if you walk in my ways and if you keep my command, then you shall also judge my house, and likewise have charge of my courts, I will give you places to walk among those who stand here. Here, O Joshua the high priest, you and your companions who sit before you, for they are a wondrous sign, for for behold I am bringing forth my servant, the branch. For behold, the stone that I have laid before Joshua upon the stone are seven eyes, behold I will engrave its inscription. I will remove the iniquity of the land in in one day. In that day, says the Lord of hosts, every one will invite his neighbor under his vine and under his fig tree. So again, you can make the case that Zerubable and Joshua are ⁓ that they are kind of being the branch in that day. ⁓ but I I think this obviously has ⁓ a look forward to what the Messiah, who he will be, that he will be that branch that will bring ⁓ a c a payment and cleanse the iniquity in one day, right? And what he has what when he goes to the cross. ⁓ but ⁓ so we this is very hopeful things that ⁓ that God is restoring this relationship with his people. And you have chapter four. ⁓ you have the the vision of the lampstand with the olive trees. ⁓ this is where it talks a lot about Zerubbabel. ⁓ the verse ⁓ six this is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, not by might nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts. ⁓ you know, so ⁓ God is going to work ⁓ through Zerubbabel ⁓ the golden lampstands and the two olive trees here in this vision. they are ⁓ these are the symbol of Zerubbabel the governor, Joshua the high priest. ⁓ those are the olive trees. The lampstand represents the temple and the the the community. So ⁓ these are the the people that are going to begin ⁓ this process of of rebuilding and bringing the people back into fellowship with God. ⁓ chapter five. has a vision of a a flying scroll ⁓ that is written on completely front and back. That is a sign of jo ⁓ of God's complete judgment. ⁓ and and so that is that that his judgment will be complete, right? And so now that it is complete, ⁓ the people are going to be able to ⁓ to come back. Says I will send out the curse, says the Lord of hosts in verse four, chapter five. It shall enter the house of the thief in the house of the one who swears falsely by my name, and it shall remain in the midst of his house and consume it with its timber and stones, right? So that all eventually will be judged, include those who swears falsely by my name. ⁓ We need to be careful whenever we claim to be followers of Christ, because we are held to account that then we live out what that means. ⁓ it's very easy to say that you believe that, but how are you living? that makes a huge, huge difference and ⁓ and God's judgment ⁓ will be complete. ⁓ then there's this vision of a w woman in the basket. You can read read through there. ⁓ the the the the woman that the it's ⁓ representative of wickedness, ⁓ and th there's a a woman sitting inside this ba ⁓ basket ⁓ this is the iniquity of the people throughout the land, it says. So they seal up the basket, and two other women ⁓ grab the basket and they take it to Babylon. ⁓ there at the end it says, ⁓ so I said to the angel who verse ten of chapter five, so I said to the angel who talk with me, Where are they carrying the basket? He said to me, To build a house for it in the land of Sh Shannar, which that is Babylon, ⁓ when it is ready, for the basket will be set there on its base. So that wickedness is being taken away from the people of Israel. Now they are walking ⁓ with God. Then chapter six has the vision of the four chariots. This is the eighth vision. ⁓ You have four different colored horses. You see this echoed in in Revelation. Those horses represent God's judgment again. They go north, south, east, west. So God's judgment covers everyone. ⁓ At the end, verse eight. Of chapter six, and he called me and spoke to me, saying, See, those who go toward the north country have given rest to my spirit in the north country. So now there is a time of rest. Judgment has come. ⁓ now it is time ⁓ to ⁓ recover and to renew ⁓ this ⁓ covenant relationship. ⁓ then it it ends with ⁓ a command to crown Joshua the the the priest, verse twelve, thus says the Lord of the hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is the branch, from this place he shall branch out, he shall build the temple of the Lord, yes you shall be build the temple of the Lord, he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and root rule on his throne, shall be a priest on his throne, and the council of sh peace shall be between them both. so ⁓ this is ⁓ a a wonderful thing that's happening. Zachariah is prophesying ⁓ through these visions ⁓ and he is ⁓ telling the people what they need to be doing, that they need to be rebuilding the temple, that this is the word of the Lord. All right, so that brings us to the end of today. Read Zechariah seven and eight. So just seven and eight. ⁓ remember we're going chronologically, so sometimes we move around. So ⁓ Zechariah seven and eight, Ezra chapter five and six. And let's go ahead and do Daniel chapter six as well. So so three different books, Zechariah seven and eight, ⁓ Ezra five and six, and then Daniel chapter six as well. All right. So we look forward to seeing you all.