#50b - Zechariah - Need Slogans or A Savior?
If people are basically good, as many people assume, it would seem that after almost 2000 years of God teaching them, and patiently guiding them, they would get their act together and be a loving, generous, God-honoring people. It would seem that with God’s leadership and discipline the Old Testament would end with Jerusalem being the center of everything good in the world; it would be blessed with peace and prosperity as a shining example to the world of the benefits of being God’s faithful people. But the exact opposite is true. Maybe people are not as basically good as some claim them to be.
Zechariah begins by reminding the Jews of God’s anger with their fathers over the centuries.“The Lord was very angry with your fathers. Therefore say to them, Thus declares 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 cried out, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the Lord.” (Zechariah 1:2-4)
In a series of visions/dreams, God communicates to Zechariah both judgments and blessings for the way people treat God and His People (Israel). “I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem…;”(1:14) “he who touches you touches the apple of his eye.” (2:8) “This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole land.” (5:3) And regarding Joshua the high priest: “I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I wlll clothe you with pure vestments.” (3:4) “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts… (4:6) “… Grace, grace to it!” (4:7)
Recalling their history God asks: “was it for Me that you fasted?” “ … do you not eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves?” (7:5,6) God had instructed them in the ways they should live, “But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stoped their ears that they might not hear.” (7:11) “… Therefore great anger came from the LORD of hosts.” (7:12)
BUT, in spite of their unfaithfulness, and because of God’s faithfulness: “I will save my people … 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.” (8:7,8) God’s faithful righteousness is demonstrated in His “jealousy and great wrath.” (8:2)
Chapter nine describes God’s judgment on Israel’s enemies. And in that context records the well known description of Jesus Christ entering Jerusalem in the “Triumphal Entry.” “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.” (9:9) The chapter concludes with: “Then the LORD will appear over them;… The Lord GOD will sound the trumpet. … The LORD of hosts will protect them, … On that day the LORD their God will save them, … For how great is his goodness, and how great his beauty!” (914-17) Chapter ten continues with a series of “I wills.” i.e.: “I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back because I have compassion on them,” (10:6)
Zechariah does not give any clearly discernible time tables for his prophecies. It is seemingly a series of cycles of judgment and blessing. Judgments on nations which oppress Judah and both judgment and blessing on His people who cycle through faithfulness and rebellion. What, or Who is the center of all the coming events?
There is a “King” coming, (9:9) “Me, on Whom they have pierced,” (12:10)
“a fountain opened for the house of David, … to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness.” (13:1) “My Shepherd,… the man who stands next to me, declares the LORD of hosts. Strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered.” (13:7) A day is coming for the LORD,… Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations … On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives…” (14:1,3,4) “On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem… and the LORD will be king over all the earth. On that day the LORD will be one and His Name one.” (14:8,9) “On that day a great panic from the LORD shall fall on them. … Then everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts…” (14:16) “And on that day there shall be inscribed on the bells of the horses, “Holy to the LORD.” (14:20)
What can we learn “for certain” from Zechariah?
- People are unfaithful, God is faithful.
- People experience history, God controls history.
- Jesus Christ is in the center of history.
- Our hope cannot be in man but must be in God.
- We don’t need examples, we need a Savior.
Watch Bible Project video about Zechariah
Zechariah begins by reminding the Jews of God’s anger with their fathers over the centuries.“The Lord was very angry with your fathers. Therefore say to them, Thus declares 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 cried out, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the Lord.” (Zechariah 1:2-4)
In a series of visions/dreams, God communicates to Zechariah both judgments and blessings for the way people treat God and His People (Israel). “I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem…;”(1:14) “he who touches you touches the apple of his eye.” (2:8) “This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole land.” (5:3) And regarding Joshua the high priest: “I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I wlll clothe you with pure vestments.” (3:4) “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts… (4:6) “… Grace, grace to it!” (4:7)
Recalling their history God asks: “was it for Me that you fasted?” “ … do you not eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves?” (7:5,6) God had instructed them in the ways they should live, “But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stoped their ears that they might not hear.” (7:11) “… Therefore great anger came from the LORD of hosts.” (7:12)
BUT, in spite of their unfaithfulness, and because of God’s faithfulness: “I will save my people … 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.” (8:7,8) God’s faithful righteousness is demonstrated in His “jealousy and great wrath.” (8:2)
Chapter nine describes God’s judgment on Israel’s enemies. And in that context records the well known description of Jesus Christ entering Jerusalem in the “Triumphal Entry.” “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.” (9:9) The chapter concludes with: “Then the LORD will appear over them;… The Lord GOD will sound the trumpet. … The LORD of hosts will protect them, … On that day the LORD their God will save them, … For how great is his goodness, and how great his beauty!” (914-17) Chapter ten continues with a series of “I wills.” i.e.: “I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back because I have compassion on them,” (10:6)
Zechariah does not give any clearly discernible time tables for his prophecies. It is seemingly a series of cycles of judgment and blessing. Judgments on nations which oppress Judah and both judgment and blessing on His people who cycle through faithfulness and rebellion. What, or Who is the center of all the coming events?
There is a “King” coming, (9:9) “Me, on Whom they have pierced,” (12:10)
“a fountain opened for the house of David, … to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness.” (13:1) “My Shepherd,… the man who stands next to me, declares the LORD of hosts. Strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered.” (13:7) A day is coming for the LORD,… Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations … On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives…” (14:1,3,4) “On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem… and the LORD will be king over all the earth. On that day the LORD will be one and His Name one.” (14:8,9) “On that day a great panic from the LORD shall fall on them. … Then everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts…” (14:16) “And on that day there shall be inscribed on the bells of the horses, “Holy to the LORD.” (14:20)
What can we learn “for certain” from Zechariah?
- People are unfaithful, God is faithful.
- People experience history, God controls history.
- Jesus Christ is in the center of history.
- Our hope cannot be in man but must be in God.
- We don’t need examples, we need a Savior.
Watch Bible Project video about Zechariah