Zechariah 1-6
Visions of Victory

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Psalm 115:1-18 Yay Yah!

To Your Name Give Glory

1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory,
 for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!

2 Why should the nations say,
 “Where is their God”?

3 Our God is in the heavens;
 he does all that he pleases.

4 Their idols are silver and gold,
 the work of human hands.
5 They have mouths, but do not speak;
 eyes, but do not see.
6 They have ears, but do not hear;
 noses, but do not smell.
7 They have hands, but do not feel;
 feet, but do not walk;
 and they do not make a sound in their throat.
8 Those who make them become like them;
 so do all who trust in them.

9 O Israel, trust in the LORD!
 He is their help and their shield.
10 O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD!
 He is their help and their shield.
11 You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD!
 He is their help and their shield.

12 The LORD has remembered us; he will bless us;
 he will bless the house of Israel;
 he will bless the house of Aaron;
13 he will bless those who fear the LORD,
 both the small and the great.

14 May the LORD give you increase,
 you and your children!
15 May you be blessed by the LORD,
 who made heaven and earth!

16 The heavens are the LORD's heavens,
 but the earth he has given to the children of man.
17 The dead do not praise the LORD,
 nor do any who go down into silence.
18 But we will bless the LORD
 from this time forth and forevermore.
Praise the LORD!

Application

Trust and fear God, and then bless Him for His blessings.

Prayer

Mighty God who owns heaven and earth, thanks that I can trust You to fulfill all Your promises, especially those of protection and blessing. Amen.

Proverbs 26:1-5 Answering a Fool

Similitudes and Instructions
1 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,
 so honor is not fitting for a fool.
2 Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
 a curse that is causeless does not alight.
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
 and a rod for the back of fools.
4 Answer not a fool according to his folly,
 lest you be like him yourself.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly,
 lest he be wise in his own eyes.

Application

Err on the side of silence.

Prayer

Thank you God that I don't have to worry about setting the record straight, because You can defend Your reputation, and mine too. Amen.

Zechariah 1-6 Visions of Victory

Haggai (and Ezra) record the laying of the foundation of the temple by the exiles who returned from Babylon, but the work had stalled again. God gives Zechariah eight visions, four messages, and two “burdens” to encourage the people to seek God first and do His work. The material is arranged chiastically in three sections, the first of which is in this post. The end of chapter 6 presents a type of the crowning on the Messiah, who will build Ezekiel's temple and combine the roles of priest and king on His throne.

1:7-17 A Horseman among the myrtle trees (Nations at peace; Judah judged)
1:18-21 B The four horns and four craftsmen (Judgment on nations)
2:1-13      C The surveyor measures Jerusalem (city rebuilt)
3:1-10        D Cleansing and restoration of Joshua (representative of nation)
4:1-14        d' Lampstand & two olive trees (Zerubabbel empowered by God)
5:1-4       c' The flying scroll (city cleansed from evil)
5:5-11 b' The babe in the basket (Wickedness removed to Babylon)
6:1-8 a' Four chariots with horses (God at peace; nations judged)

Zechariah 1 Repentance, Horses, and Horns

A Call to Repentance
1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying,
2 “The LORD was very angry with your fathers. 3 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.
4 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.
5 Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? 6 But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? So they repented and said, ‘As the LORD of hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and deeds, so has he dealt with us.’”
The Vision of the Horses
7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying, 8 “I saw in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen, and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses.
9 Then I said, ‘What are these, my lord?’ The angel who talked with me said to me, ‘I will show you what they are.’ 10 So the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered, ‘These are they whom the LORD has sent to patrol the earth.’
11 And they answered the angel of the LORD who was standing among the myrtle trees, and said, ‘We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth remains at rest.’ 12 Then the angel of the LORD said, ‘O LORD of hosts, how long will you have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which you have been angry these seventy years?’ 13 And the LORD answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me.
14 So the angel who talked with me said to me, ‘Cry out, Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion. 15 And I am exceedingly angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was angry but a little, they furthered the disaster. 16 Therefore, thus says the LORD, I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; my house shall be built in it, declares the LORD of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem. 17 Cry out again, Thus says the LORD of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.’”
The Vision of the Horns and the Craftsmen
18 And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four horns! 19 And I said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these?” And he said to me, “These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”
20 Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen. 21 And I said, “What are these coming to do?” He said, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no one raised his head. And these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it.”

Application

God will always do as He's promised, as in punish evil and prosper His people, so it makes sense to conduct our lives with that as the reality, even though it may take a while to realize it.

Prayer

Mighty God, I trust that all You have promised will come about; thanks for being gracious in forgiving my sin, and accepting me back when I repent; thanks for wanting a relationship with me when I return to You. Amen.

Zechariah 2 Wall of Fire

The Vision of the Measuring Line
1 And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand! 2 Then I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.” 3 And behold, the angel who talked with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him 4 and said to him, “Run, say to that young man, ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and livestock in it. 5 And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the LORD, and I will be the glory in her midst.’”
The Redemption of Zion
6 Up! Up! Flee from the land of the north, declares the LORD. For I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heavens, declares the LORD. 7 Up! Escape to Zion, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon.
8 For thus said the LORD of hosts, after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye: 9 “Behold, I will shake my hand over them, and they shall become plunder for those who served them. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me.
10 Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the LORD. 11 And many nations shall join themselves to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people. And I will dwell in your midst, and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. 12 And the LORD will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem.”
13 Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD, for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.

Application

God pays back our enemies, and prospers His people so we will have confidence in all His promises.

Prayer

God, may I be the apple of Your eye, and experience Your protection and glory this week. Thanks. Amen.

Zechariah 3 Rescue, Forgiveness, and Blessing

The Vision of Joshua the High Priest
1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 And the LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, O Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?”
3 Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. 4 And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.” 5 And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD was standing by.
6 And the angel of the LORD solemnly assured Joshua, 7 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here.
8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign: behold, I will bring my servant the Branch. 9 For behold, on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven eyes, I will engrave its inscription, declares the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. 10 In that day, declares the LORD of hosts, every one of you will invite his neighbor to come under his vine and under his fig tree.”

Application

God's grace provides forgiveness, and enables us to walk in His ways to blessings.

Prayer

Wonderful God, thanks for rescuing me, and restoring me, and giving me grace to walk in Your righteous ways; thanks for the prosperity and access to Your presence You offer to those who are faithful to You; may I always be among them. Amen.

Zechariah 4 Not By Might or Power

The Vision of the Lampstand and Olive Trees
1 And the angel who talked with me came again and woke me, like a man who is awakened out of his sleep.
2 And he said to me, “What do you see?” I said, “I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it. 3 And there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.”
4 And I said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” 5 Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.”
6 Then 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 of hosts. 7 Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. And he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’”
8 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. 10 For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.
“These seven are the eyes of the LORD, which range through the whole earth.”
11 Then I said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?” 12 And a second time I answered and said to him, “What are these two branches of the olive trees, which are beside the two golden pipes from which the golden oil is poured out?” 13 He said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.” 14 Then he said, “These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”

Application

God glorifying work (Eph 2:10) is not done by human might or power, but by the energizing of righteous people by the inexhaustible Spirit of the everlasting God; therefore, one must be rightly related to the power source.

Prayer

Mighty God, fill me with Your power, so I may do the works You planned for me, which will bring You glory. Amen.

Zechariah 5 Flying Scroll and Babe in the Basket

The Vision of the Flying Scroll
1 Again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a flying scroll! 2 And he said to me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a flying scroll. Its length is twenty cubits, and its width ten cubits.”
3 Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole land. For everyone who steals shall be cleaned out according to what is on one side, and everyone who swears falsely shall be cleaned out according to what is on the other side. 4 I will send it out, declares the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter the house of the thief, and the house of him who swears falsely by my name. And it shall remain in his house and consume it, both timber and stones.”
The Vision of the Woman in a Basket
5 Then the angel who talked with me came forward and said to me, “Lift your eyes and see what this is that is going out.”
6 And I said, “What is it?” He said, “This is the basket that is going out.” And he said, “This is their iniquity in all the land.” 7 And behold, the leaden cover was lifted, and there was a woman sitting in the basket! 8 And he said, “This is Wickedness.” And he thrust her back into the basket, and thrust down the leaden weight on its opening.
9 Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, two women coming forward! The wind was in their wings. They had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and heaven. 10 Then I said to the angel who talked with me, “Where are they taking the basket?” 11 He said to me, “To the land of Shinar, to build a house for it. And when this is prepared, they will set the basket down there on its base.”

Application

Either we remove evil from our lives, or God will (and not that gently).

Prayer

God, help me see evil as You do, and eschew it as Job did. Amen.

Zechariah 6 Horses, Crowns, Messiah

The Vision of the Four Chariots
1 Again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four chariots came out from between two mountains. And the mountains were mountains of bronze. 2 The first chariot had red horses, the second black horses, 3 the third white horses, and the fourth chariot dappled horses—all of them strong.
4 Then I answered and said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?”
5 And the angel answered and said to me, “These are going out to the four winds of heaven, after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth. 6 The chariot with the black horses goes toward the north country, the white ones go after them, and the dappled ones go toward the south country.”
7 When the strong horses came out, they were impatient to go and patrol the earth. And he said, “Go, patrol the earth.” So they patrolled the earth.
8 Then he cried to me, “Behold, those who go toward the north country have set my Spirit at rest in the north country.”
The Crown and the Temple
9 And the word of the LORD came to me: 10 “Take from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon, and go the same day to the house of Josiah, the son of Zephaniah. 11 Take from them silver and gold, and make a crown, and set it on the head of Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest.
12 And say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD. 13 It is he who shall build the temple of the LORD and shall bear royal honor, and shall sit and rule on his throne. And there shall be a priest on his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”’
14 And the crown shall be in the temple of the LORD as a reminder to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen the son of Zephaniah.
15 “And those who are far off shall come and help to build the temple of the LORD. And you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. And this shall come to pass, if you will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.”

Application

God is working out a great plan to glorify Himself; our participation is dependent upon diligent obedience. How have You specifically obeyed God lately?

Prayer

God, help me see Your will, and motivate me to embrace it wholeheartedly, for Your glory's sake. Amen.

Digging Deeper

God in a nutshell: Note how 1:6 resolves the “issue” of Divine sovereignty and Human responsibility. God has sovereignly attached consequences to certain actions; then we will get those consequences according to what we choose to do. God has determined to do according to our ways. God will bring about His plan to bless Jews and Gentiles together after He restores the nation and judges sin. The Messiah will build the Millennial temple and fulfill all God's desire. God gives encouragement to His servants to serve Him with His power.

Us in a nutshell: We who have been cleansed and pardoned by God have the responsibility to remove sin from ourselves and ourselves from sin, drawing upon God's Spirit to wholeheartedly obey and do His work. We should never be discouraged by the task God's given us, because He always makes available all we need to do His will.

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