Zechariah 12:10-13:1
TEXT:
"[10] And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. [11] On that day the mourning in Jerusalem will be as great as the mourning for Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. [12] The land shall mourn, each family by itself: the family of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves; [13] the family of the house of Levi by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the Shimeites by itself, and their wives by themselves; [14] and all the families that are left, each by itself, and their wives by themselves.
[1] "On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness."
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Discuss for a few moments how this passage points ahead to Jesus. How do these verses highlight the divine nature of Jesus?
How should the truth that “conviction of sin is a work of the Spirit” shape our evangelism and prayer life?
Why is conviction of sin a good thing? Despite its goodness, why does it seem at times our hearts despise conviction?
SERMON MANUSCRIPT:
When was the last time you wept? Crying is a common human experience; you see it often in the Bible. Tears aren't shameful.
Why did you weep? If you pulled back the layers, what was the source of your tears? Did you weep because of a trial you found yourself in? Did you cry because of a wound from someone else's offense against you? Did you weep because of guilt from a wound you've given someone else?
When was the last time you wept over your sin? Not when was the last time you've cried over the repercussions of your sins? But when was the last time you've wept over the reality that you've sinned against God?
After studying this passage, I would almost argue that if you've never wept over the reality of your involvement in what led Jesus to the cross, then you've never experienced the cleansing work of the cross. Today's passage reminds us of the wounding power of the cross. Before the blood of Jesus restores us, it wounds us. Before the blood of Jesus cleanses us, it reveals our filth. Conviction comes before cleansing.
Like many verses in Zechariah, today's passage presents obscurity and familiarity. In my interpretation, there are elements to this passage that point ahead to something that has not yet happened. But, there are also elements to this passage that describe something that has happened and something we have personally experienced as believers.
In these verses, we see the LORD pour out his Spirit upon his people, causing those who pierced the LORD to look upon him and mourn their sinful actions. Depending upon who you read or listen to, you'll find these verses connected to different points in history.
Some connect these verses to the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came, Peter preached the gospel, and thousands of Jews believed and were saved. By the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter preached, "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men." They were cut to the heart and repented from their sins.
Others connect this to a future revival of the nation Israel. In Romans 11, we see Paul describing a partial hardening that has come upon Israel so that the gospel could go forth into the world (the other nations), allowing the Gentiles to be grafted into God's holy nation. It is believed that this "partial hardening" will one day be lifted, allowing all of Israel to see the truth of the gospel, mourn the offense of the cross, and believe/trust in Jesus.
Some connect these verses to Revelation 1:7, which reads, "Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen." So, these verses allude to a future encounter at the end of time.
All three views hold a strong biblical argument. Personally, I think I lean toward these verses primarily referencing a future revival that will take place amongst the nation of Israel at the end of time. But, I also think there's more nuance here in that it also describes what's taken place throughout redemptive history following the pouring out of the Holy Spirit in Acts. There's a sense of obscurity and familiarity here in these verses. They're describing something that has happened, is happening, and will happen one day. At the end of the day, these verses paint a clear picture of true repentance and what happens when one humbles himself before the LORD.
Let's dive in.
The first thing we see here is the LORD pouring out a spirit upon the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Anytime we see the LORD pour out a spirit in the Old Testament, it's always His Spirit being poured out (Ezekiel 39:29 and Joel 2:28-29). So, here the LORD is saying that he will soon pour his Spirit out upon his people. They will be a Spirit-filled people.
Now, look at how his Spirit is described— "a spirit of grace and pleas of mercy." The word "grace" is a relational term. It implies an undeserved favor placed upon one's life. "Please of mercy" implies repentance, regret, or remorse. It's the action of seeking compassion from someone you've offended. So, what we find here is the Holy Spirit graciously brings conviction that leads to relational restoration. God extends grace to those who plead for mercy, leading to a renewed relationship with himself.
Now, why will God's people begin to plead for mercy? What offense will they be mourning?
They will lament the reality that they have pierced the LORD— "When they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him..."
I want us to spend a brief moment unpacking the profound scandal that we find here in this verse. The term pierced here depicts a fatal stabbing, a piercing that leads to death. So, the LORD, through Zechariah, is saying that his people will soon fatally wound God. Because of their hard hearts, they will pierce their Creator. The one who stretched the heavens is the one who will be pierced.
Fast forward to the gospels, particularly the gospel of John, and we see a connection being made between these words in Zechariah and Jesus. After Jesus breathed his last breath on the cross, "one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water… For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: 'They will look on him whom they have pierced.'" So, Zechariah prophesied that the house of David would piece the LORD, and John connected to dots from Zechariah's prophecy to Jesus' crucifixion. Jesus is the LORD who was fatally pierced by the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Do not miss the divine scandal of the cross being alluded to here in Zechariah. It is the one who stretched out the heavens that they nailed to the cross. It is the founder of the earth that they have pierced. It is the one who formed the spirit of man who was crushed by the hands of man.
There's a lie that has circulated throughout history that says Jesus was not God. But let me be clear. You will not find that lie in the Bible. The Bible is unmistakably clear: Jesus is God in flesh. The creator of all things entered into his creation and dwelt among them. The one who holds everything together at this very moment in time willingly marched to the cross to be pierced and crushed by man. The one who Zechariah spoke on behalf of is the one who was hung on the cross for the sins of the world. So, here the LORD is saying that whenever His Spirit is poured out on their land, their eyes will be opened, and they will plead for mercy because they rejected the LORD of all. They will mourn their rejection of the good shepherd. They will lament that instead of crowning him as Lord, they mockingly pierced him as a fool. Their eyes will fill with tears when they truly understand what took place on the cross. They will mourn their heinous actions against the LORD.
The word for mourn here is one of deep pain and grief. It often describes the action that flows from losing a loved one. It's the same word used to describe Abraham's action whenever his wife, Sarah, died (Gen. 23:2)— he mourned and wept. It's the same word used to describe how Israel mourned the death of Samuel (1 Sa. 25:1). It's the same word used to describe Bathsheba's actions whenever her husband, Uriah, passed away 11:26). So, Israel will deeply mourn the death of Jesus.
But they won't mourn the death of Jesus as one mourns the death of a distant relative or even the death of a spouse. We see that they will mourn his death like a parent mourns the death of an only child. They will "weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a first born." What profound imagery here. The pain and remorse they will feel from crucifying Jesus will parallel the pain one feels from losing a beloved child.
Not only that, but they will also mourn him like a nation mourns the sacrificial death of a good king— it will be "as great as the mourning for Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo." It is believed that this refers to the location of King Josiah's death around 609 BC. Josiah was a young but good king who feared the LORD. In 2 Chronicles 35:22-25, we see Josiah get wounded in battle on the plain of Megiddo. He then gets taken back to Jerusalem, where he later dies. After his burial, all of Judah and Jerusalem lamented and mourned his death, which became a tradition in Israel. So, like God's people grieving the end of their good king, they will corporately mourn the death of Jesus, the King of kings.
But they won't just mourn the death of their king corporately; they will mourn him individually and personally. "The land shall mourn, each family by itself: the family of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Levi by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the Shimeites by itself, and their wives by themselves; and all the families that are left, each by itself, and their wives by themselves." On the one hand, we see here all of the royal families mourning their involvement in the crime before them. It is said that "when the royal family mourns, all the citizens mourn with them." But, on a deeper level, this reminds us that no individual is off the hook regarding the offense of the cross. No tear shed will be prompted by another. Each family, each person, will experience tremendous pain over the crucifixion of Jesus. Whether you held the nail or not when he was pierced to the cross, swung the whip or not whenever he was beaten and flogged, or drove the spear into his side, you stand guilty and condemned.
Now, let's internalize this for a moment. As I read the Bible with my son, I seek to remind him that we don't read it with just our minds; we read it with our hearts. As we read and ponder the Scriptures, we ask, "Lord, what are you seeking to tell me? What actions are you calling me to?" So, I want us to ask that question for the remainder of our time. What does this passage have to do with me?
Well, the first thing I want us to see is that conviction of sin is a gift from the LORD and a work of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings to light the magnitude of the cross. When the Spirit is poured out, the scales fall off the eyes of God's people. Under the light of the Holy Spirit, they can see the full scope of their heinous actions. Brothers and sisters, conviction of sin is good. If you desire to walk in righteousness, expect the Holy Spirit to convict you of sin. Conviction may be painful, and it may lead to tears. But, it's on the other side of conviction that we find cleansing. For a match to burn bright, it must first be struck. For a Christian to burn bright, it, too, must first be struck with conviction. Conviction of sin is a gift from the LORD and a work of the Spirit. It is a necessary element of the Christian life.
The second thing I want us to see is that sin is first an offense against God. God's people won't simply mourn because they got caught in sin. They won't simply mourn because they lost their job due to unethical decisions. They will mourn their involvement in the cross. They will mourn the fact that they pierced their LORD.
David, in Psalm 51, demonstrates this well. In this Psalm, we find David mourning his sin of committing adultery with Bathsheba and murdering her husband, Uriah.
Here, he says,
"Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight..."
Sin undoubtedly has horizontal implications. Committing adultery with your neighbor's spouse hurts your spouse, your children, their spouse, and their children. Murdering someone hurts not just that person but that person's entire family and friends. Stealing from your neighbor hurts your neighbor. Lying to your family harms your family. Viewing pornography wrecks your spouse. All sin is a direct offense against someone. And all sin against our neighbor requires repentance and restoration.
But sin is not primarily an offense against your neighbor. Sin is, most importantly, a direct offense against God. Against him, him only, have we sinned and done what is evil in his sight. If we don't understand this, we have an unbelievably small view of God. When it comes to the cross, you are not an innocent bystander. It is your sin that Christ was pierced for. Sin is first an offense against God.
Third, I want us to see that conviction should lead to mourning. Those who understand the magnitude of their sin against God will fall on their face before God and weep. Salvation doesn't come to those who are strong; salvation comes to those who are weak. Salvation is extended to the sick, not the healthy. Some of you must understand that God will heal you only whenever you cry out for mercy.
Everyone listen to me. Some of you today need to stop trying harder to fix the mess you're in and fall on your face and weep. Some of you need to face yourself in the mirror, stop blaming others, and say, "You know what? I am the one to blame here. I am guilty. I have sinned against God. God, please forgive me."
Now, here's the beauty of the gospel. Those who mourn the sins that led to the cross will experience the cleansing work of the cross. The cross turns our mourning into laughter, tears into joy.
Look at Zechariah 13:1, "On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness."
So, on the other side of weeping is cleansing. Those who mourn will soon rejoice. Those who are sick will soon be healed. Those who are broken will soon be healed. Those who are humbled will soon be exalted.
Turn over to James 4:6-10.
"[5] Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us"? [6] But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." [7] Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [8] Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. [9] Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. [10] Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you."
The law of gravity states, "What goes up must go down." But the law of the gospel states, "What goes down must go up." Those who mourn their sin against God and look upon Christ in faith will be exalted. Those who weep their sins against God and look upon Christ in faith will be cleansed. God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble. So, be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy return to gloom. Humble yourself before the LORD, and he will exalt you.
Zechariah 12:1-9
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. What do you find comforting about verse 1?
2. How have you seen the Lord strengthen His people as He promises in verse 5?
3. How do the promises in verses 7-9 encourage you to pray?
Zechariah 11:1-17
TEXT:
[1] Open your doors, O Lebanon,
that the fire may devour your cedars!
[2] Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen,
for the glorious trees are ruined!
Wail, oaks of Bashan,
for the thick forest has been felled!
[3] The sound of the wail of the shepherds,
for their glory is ruined!
The sound of the roar of the lions,
for the thicket of the Jordan is ruined!
[4] Thus said the LORD my God: “Become shepherd of the flock doomed to slaughter. [5] Those who buy them slaughter them and go unpunished, and those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the LORD, I have become rich,’ and their own shepherds have no pity on them. [6] For I will no longer have pity on the inhabitants of this land, declares the LORD. Behold, I will cause each of them to fall into the hand of his neighbor, and each into the hand of his king, and they shall crush the land, and I will deliver none from their hand.”
[7] So I became the shepherd of the flock doomed to be slaughtered by the sheep traders. And I took two staffs, one I named Favor, the other I named Union. And I tended the sheep. [8] In one month I destroyed the three shepherds. But I became impatient with them, and they also detested me. [9] So I said, “I will not be your shepherd. What is to die, let it die. What is to be destroyed, let it be destroyed. And let those who are left devour the flesh of one another.” [10] And I took my staff Favor, and I broke it, annulling the covenant that I had made with all the peoples. [11] So it was annulled on that day, and the sheep traders, who were watching me, knew that it was the word of the LORD. [12] Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver. [13] Then the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD, to the potter. [14] Then I broke my second staff Union, annulling the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
[15] Then the LORD said to me, “Take once more the equipment of a foolish shepherd. [16] For behold, I am raising up in the land a shepherd who does not care for those being destroyed, or seek the young or heal the maimed or nourish the healthy, but devours the flesh of the fat ones, tearing off even their hoofs.
[17] “Woe to my worthless shepherd,
who deserts the flock!
May the sword strike his arm
and his right eye!
Let his arm be wholly withered,
his right eye utterly blinded!”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Read verses 4-5. Discuss what these verses have to say about corrupt leadership?
Read verses 7-8. What do these verses have to say about the character of the good shepherd? How do we know that Jesus is the good shepherd?
What do these verses teach us will happen whenever one chooses to reject the good shepherd?
SERMON MANUSCRIPT
Today we have an opportunity to study the chapter that most commentators describe as the most challenging chapter in one of the most difficult books in the whole Bible.
One of the difficulties of this passage stems from its writing style. The writing style in this chapter differs from what we might be used to reading. This chapter is best described as a play where Zechariah acts out a particular scene on behalf of God for God's people. Some commentators call this a prophetic sign-act.
Zechariah acts out two distinct characters in this sign act: a good shepherd and a bad shepherd-- a shepherd who takes care of the flock and a shepherd who does not take care of the flock.
In the past few chapters, the sun has been shining bright on the land of God's people. The message of Zechariah has been consistently hopeful. But, in chapter 11, the wind changes, and the clouds roll in. A storm of judgment is approaching, and the rays of sunshine are no longer warming the land. Where God, through Zechariah, has brought to his people a consistent message of hope and restoration, he now brings a message of discipline and judgment.
God's people will soon reject the coming good shepherd. And whenever they reject the good shepherd, judgment will come upon them. If you reject the good shepherd, you will only be met with bad shepherds. So, at the end of the day, we will be left asking ourselves the question, "Whose flock do I belong to?"
So, let's go ahead and dive in.
"[1] Open your doors, O Lebanon,
that the fire may devour your cedars!
[2] Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen,
for the glorious trees are ruined!
Wail, oaks of Bashan,
for the thick forest has been felled!
[3] The sound of the wail of the shepherds,
for their glory is ruined!
The sound of the roar of the lions,
for the thicket of the Jordan is ruined!"
JUDGEMENT IS COMING
We see three things referenced in these verses: cedar trees, shepherds, and lions. And none of them are in a state of rejoicing.
Cedars, in verse 1, are described as glorious trees, signs of strength and power. These were the majestic trees that Solomon gathered and used to build the temple. Shepherds would have been responsible for protecting their flock from great danger. Lions are animals that strut and roar in power. Yet, here we see all three wailing due to a coming destruction. The Cypress will wail because "their cedar has fallen" and "their glorious trees are destroyed." The shepherds wail because "their glory is ruined." And the roar of the lions is loud because "the thicket of the Jordan is consumed."
So, here we see that no power on earth can stand against God. The most excellent of trees will soon crumble at the snap of God's finger. They will be devoured in an instant, leading to weeping and wailing. The shepherds will cry aloud because something they worked so hard to build up, their glory, will be ruined. A storm is coming; doom is on the horizon.
This sets up what we will read next.
"[4] Thus said the LORD my God: "Become shepherd of the flock doomed to slaughter. [5] Those who buy them slaughter them and go unpunished, and those who sell them say, 'Blessed be the LORD, I have become rich,' and their own shepherds have no pity on them. [6] For I will no longer have pity on the inhabitants of this land, declares the LORD. Behold, I will cause each of them to fall into the hand of his neighbor, and each into the hand of his king, and they shall crush the land, and I will deliver none from their hand."
BAD SHEPHERDS
The first thing we see here is the LORD commanding Zechariah to "become the shepherd of the flock doomed to slaughter." He's commanding Zechariah to play the role of a shepherd of a flock in despair, a flock that is being oppressed and slain.
The Hebrew word for slaughtered is hāraḡ (haw-rag'). This is not your typical word often used to describe the sacrifice of animals. Instead, it's a word used to describe a type of murder and killing that is vile and out of hand. This is abusive and harmful language. Where the flock should be cared for and protected by good shepherds, their shepherds are overlooking the animals' abuse and slaughter.
Let's spend a couple of minutes unpacking the abuse that's going on here. In verse 5, we see three groups of people being addressed: the buyers, the sellers, and the shepherds. The buyers are massacring the purchased flock, the sellers are rejoicing over the profit they're making through this corruption, and the shepherds are indifferent toward the whole thing. There is no concern over the flock's well-being here; they only care about themselves.
In this verse, we can gather a few things about corrupt leadership, particularly corrupt leadership amongst God's people (the church).
First and foremost, corrupt leaders— especially in the church— see people as a means to an end. They're willing to oppress and slaughter those under their care as long as it ultimately profits them. There's no remorse in the heart of bad leaders. All they care about is themselves and their reputation and gain.
Regarding pastoral ministry, I think a healthy gauge for whether or not you're wading into these waters is your motive for pursuing ministry. Why do you want to preach? Why do you want to pursue this particular position? Is it because the money is good? Is it because you love the spotlight? Is this particular position seen as a means to gain power or wealth?
Church leaders should always be humble, not oppressive. Pastoral ministry is not a domineering ministry; it is an equipping ministry. Pastors must take on the role of a humble servant.
Corrupt leaders also think they're above the law, able to get away with anything. They can get away with murder, slaughtering the flock, and going unpunished. They hand out favors so they can cash in on them later. Wit and flattery are their friends, and they're a master of their words.
Corrupt leaders worship money. The sellers are celebrating the profit they've made off of their corruption. They viewed their profit as the ultimate sign of God's blessing. They were profiting from wickedness and celebrating it as a gift from the LORD.
I think this teaches us that not all financial gain is a blessing from the LORD. Riches don't always equal faithfulness. It's possible to have a lot of money in your bank account and be empty in favor of the LORD. It's possible to make a lot of money through wickedness. I would argue that the Bible teaches us that it is better to make less money doing the right thing than to make a lot of money while doing the wrong thing. It's better to make less money taking care of your flock than making a lot of money while trampling on your flock. Treasure gained through wickedness does not satisfy. The love of money is a root of all sorts of evil. So, we must be cautious about feeding our appetite for money. When profit is lord of our life, we're willing to do anything to gain it.
Next, we see that corrupt leaders are indifferent toward the well-being of their flock. This may seem redundant to the first point, but it's fundamentally different. In verse 5, the buyers slaughter the flock, while the shepherds have no pity on the flock. Their hearts are calloused, and they don't care anymore. They probably had really good motives when they first picked up the staff. But, somewhere along the line, they started going into the field for the paycheck.
Church, listen to me. Where good shepherds seek the good of their flock, corrupt shepherds shrug their shoulders at the pain and suffering of their flock. Indifference is a dangerous place to rest your heart as a leader.
Yet, here we see the leaders of God's people immersed in corruption. And it's because of this that God has "no pity on the inhabitants of this land. He will cause each of them to fall into the hand of his neighbor, and each into the hand of his king, and they shall crush the land, and he will deliver none from their hand." So, because of their corruption, God will bring judgment upon their land. Things will not go well for them. No sin will ever go unpunished. God will soon cause them to fall into the hand of their neighbor. They will soon be crushed.
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
As we continue to read in verse 7, we see Zechariah starting to act out the role of the good shepherd— "So I became the shepherd of the flock doomed to be slaughtered by the sheep traders. And I took two staffs, one I named Favor, the other I named Union. And I tended the sheep."
As Zechariah becomes the good shepherd, he's holding two staffs in his hands. One is called Favor, and the other is called Union. The first staff, Favor, symbolizes God's kindness, pleasantness, delightfulness, and beauty. The second staff, Union, represents a measuring cord, rope, territory, lot, or region.
I think this speaks to the nature of the good shepherd who is to come. Instead of being rude and domineering, he is gentle. Instead of being indifferent, he is caring. He will be kind toward his sheep and bring unity and peace to his flock. Instead of slaughtering the flock, he feeds the flock.
The good shepherd is kind toward those under his care. He heals the maimed and nourishes the healthy. The good shepherd actively seeks the good of those under his care. Jesus is the one who tends to his sheep. He loves his sheep and is kind toward his sheep. He is the one who goes after his sheep. He is the one who willingly laid his life down to save his sheep.
Do you believe this to be true today? Do you understand that God loves you today? Do you believe that he is kind to his flock today? Do you trust his loving provision today?
Jesus is kind, and he invites you to come to him today. He is here for your good, not your demise.
Jesus is also the good shepherd who seeks to unite his flock. He is the source of our peace, keeping his sheep close to him. And conversely, those who are close to the good shepherd are close to the flock of the good shepherd. So, it's irrational to think you can maintain a relationship with the good shepherd away from the sheep. Closeness to God will undoubtedly lead to a closeness to God's people.
So, the good shepherd is kind to his sheep, and he unites his sheep. But he also protects his sheep from false shepherds. In verse 8, this good shepherd quickly destroyed the corrupt shepherds— "In one month I destroyed the three shepherds."
There's a lot of speculation over who these shepherds are.
Some try to identify them as specific people in power after Jesus' death before the fall of Jerusalem.
Some try to connect these three shepherds to the role of the prophet, priest, and king; therefore, the good shepherd eliminated those three offices and stepped into them himself.
Others point out that the number three symbolizes completeness; therefore, Jesus completely purged the corrupt leaders from their midst. He's ridding out the corruption in the land.
I tend to land in one of the two latter camps. On the one hand, Jesus, the good shepherd, is the greater prophet, priest, and king. And on the other hand, Jesus, the good shepherd, passionately protected his sheep by exposing the corruption of their shepherds.
REJECTING THE GOOD SHEPHERD LEADS TO…
Either way, after this purging, tension arises between the good shepherd and the sheep— "But I became impatient with them, and they also detested me. [9] So I said, "I will not be your shepherd. What is to die, let it die. What is to be destroyed, let it be destroyed. And let those who are left devour the flesh of one another."
The unfortunate reality of our sinful hearts is we often love what is bad for us and hate what is good for us. And that's exactly what we see being played out here. Instead of trusting and embracing the good shepherd, the flock despised him, which led to their demise. The good shepherd handed them over to their destruction.
In verses 10-11, the good shepherd picks up the first staff and smashes it— "And I took my staff Favor, and I broke it, annulling the covenant that I had made with all the peoples. So it was annulled on that day, and the sheep traders, who were watching me, knew that it was the word of the LORD."
Here the LORD is not saying he's breaking the covenant he entered into with his people. Instead, he is saying that he will no longer be kind toward them, raining down blessings upon them through the nations (all peoples); he will bring judgment upon them.
And there was no confusion for the leaders; they knew exactly what the LORD was saying. So, the LORD then says to the people, "Then I said to them, "If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them." And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver. Then the LORD said to me, "Throw it to the potter"—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD, to the potter."
The sheep traders saw and recognized the work of the good shepherd as being from the LORD, and the good shepherd responded by saying, "Pay me what you think I'm worth." This leads to them paying the good shepherd thirty pieces of silver.
Thirty pieces of silver would have been the price of a slave during this time. So, they're not showing worth and honor to the good shepherd; they're mocking him, declaring him to be no better than a slave. And the LORD commands the wages be thrown to the potter in God's temple.
Does this sound familiar?
The gospels tell us that Judas betrayed Jesus for the price of thirty pieces of silver (Matt. 26:15). After Jesus was betrayed, Judas started feeling guilty, and he changed his mind. So he returned to the chief priest and elders to return the money. He threw the money into the temple and went and hanged himself.
Do you know what the chief priest and elders did? They took the money and bought a potter's field as a burial place for strangers, fulfilling the words prophesied here.
Jesus is the good shepherd who was despised and rejected by his own people. The one worthy of all honor received the wage of a slave. The one worthy of all glory was glorified through his death on the cross.
After this, the shepherd breaks the second staff— "Then I broke my second staff Union, annulling the brotherhood between Judah and Israel." There will not be unity between Judah and Israel. Because of their rejection of the good shepherd, they will be scattered amongst the nations like they were before. We see this being fulfilled in AD 70 when the Romans came in and destroyed Jerusalem.
"[15] Then the LORD said to me, "Take once more the equipment of a foolish shepherd. [16] For behold, I am raising up in the land a shepherd who does not care for those being destroyed, or seek the young or heal the maimed or nourish the healthy, but devours the flesh of the fat ones, tearing off even their hoofs."
Some seek to pinpoint this shepherd to be on specific person throughout history. And it could be a specific person. But, instead of seeking to identify who the bad shepherd is, I think there is a principle for us here. When you reject the good shepherd, you will only find a bad shepherd. To neglect the shepherd who is for your good is to embrace the shepherd who is for your demise. To neglect the shepherd who cares for you is to embrace the shepherd who doesn't care for you. To neglect the shepherd who brings healing is to embrace the shepherd who brings pain.
But, as we see in verse 17,
"[17] Woe to my worthless shepherd,
who deserts the flock!
May the sword strike his arm
and his right eye!
Let his arm be wholly withered,
his right eye utterly blinded!"
No sin ever goes unpunished. Judgment is coming for the wicked; either it has been dealt with on the cross or poured out on them for all eternity.
So, woe to the worthless shepherd who deserts the flock in times of trouble. Woe to the worthless shepherd who does not care for the sheep. Woe to the worthless shepherd who does not care for the young or heal the maimed. But, all praise goes to the good shepherd who came to lay his life down for his sheep.
Zechariah 10:6-12
TEXT:
[6] “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,
and they shall be as though I had not rejected them,
for I am the LORD their God and I will answer them.
[7] Then Ephraim shall become like a mighty warrior,
and their hearts shall be glad as with wine.
Their children shall see it and be glad;
their hearts shall rejoice in the LORD.
[8] “I will whistle for them and gather them in,
for I have redeemed them,
and they shall be as many as they were before.
[9] Though I scattered them among the nations,
yet in far countries they shall remember me,
and with their children they shall live and return.
[10] I will bring them home from the land of Egypt,
and gather them from Assyria,
and I will bring them to the land of Gilead and to Lebanon,
till there is no room for them.
[11] He shall pass through the sea of troubles
and strike down the waves of the sea,
and all the depths of the Nile shall be dried up.
The pride of Assyria shall be laid low,
and the scepter of Egypt shall depart.
[12] I will make them strong in the LORD,
and they shall walk in his name,”
declares the LORD.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Discuss how the Holy Spirit provides his people with strength. Are there any instances in your life where you’ve experienced the power of the Holy Spirit?
How does the gospel lead to joy? Have there been any instances in your life where you’ve experienced true joy in Christ?
As we walk through this life, how does the truth that one day the LORD will bring us “home” give us hope?
SERMON MANUSCRIPT
As you were to work through the Old Testament, you will often find shadows and portraits of Jesus, instances that reflect, resemble, and point to what Jesus came to accomplish on behalf of his people on the cross.
As we will see in a moment, one example would be the deliverance of God's people in Egypt. In these verses, we find the LORD, through Zechariah, fixing the gaze of God's people ahead to a time when his people will experience a second exodus, a time when he will deliver and redeem his people as he did in Egypt.
In Genesis 15, as God's entering into a covenant with Abraham, he promised Abraham four things:
his offspring would outnumber the stars (v.5)
the land before him belonged to him and his offspring (v.18-20),
his offspring would become sojourners in a foreign land where they would be afflicted for four hundred years (v.13),
after four hundred years of affliction, God would lead his people back to their rightful land (vs.14-16).
Fast forward to Genesis 37, and we're introduced to Joseph, the son of Jacob. Jacob was the son of Isaac; Isaac was the son of Abraham. Jacob loved Joseph deeply (more than all his other sons). And, one day, Joseph had a dream that he would reign over his older brothers and that they would bow down before him.
This didn't sit right with the brothers, making them more jealous than they already were of Joseph. And their jealous hatred caused them to want to kill Joseph.
But, as they were pursuing their brother's assassination, one of the brothers, Judah, spoke up. He said, "Instead of killing him, why don't we sell him into slavery?"
All of the brothers agreed, and they sold Joseph as a slave to Egypt.
Through a wild tale of events, Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, had a dream that no one could interpret except Joseph. Joseph interpreted the dream, telling Pharaoh that Egypt would experience seven good years of plenty and seven years of severe famine. Therefore, Egypt should steward the seven years of plenty well to prepare for the seven years of famine.
Following the interpretation of this dream, Pharaoh appoints Joseph to a place of prominent power in Egypt.
When the years of plenty ended, the famine took over the land. And the famine was so severe that it took over the entire world, which led people from all different nations to come to Egypt to buy grain. During this time, Joseph's brothers came to Egypt to get help. Through this process, Joseph was able to show grace and forgiveness to his brothers. He was able to provide for his family back home, leading him to say, "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today." In other words, God had a good plan for his covenantal people whenever Joseph was sold into slavery.
Fast forward again, and you find Joseph's family (God's people) moved to Egypt. In Egypt, they grew and multiplied greatly. Things were going well for them. But, over the years, a new king arose in Egypt who didn't know Joseph, leading to him beginning to oppress the people of God in Egypt (just like God had promised). After 400 years of oppression, God hears the cry of his people, and he sets them free from captivity, leading them back to the land he once promised to Abraham.
Through this story, we find God's people had become scattered among the nation of Egypt. They were oppressed for an extended period of time in Egypt. God delivered his people from oppression in Egypt. And he miraculously led them home to the land he had once promised.
As we will see today, this story sits as the foundation of the promises of Zechariah here. In these verses, God says that another exodus is coming where God's people will be freed from captivity and brought home to walk with him in his name. God is telling his people that what happened in the past points to what will happen in the future.
As we work through this passage today, we will find ourselves standing between two realities—a reality that we partake in now and a reality that will take place in the future. And to tease out these two realities, I want to address two interpretations of these verses quickly.
Interpretation one is that these verses describe a future saving of the nation Israel. Romans 11 explains how a partial hardening has come upon Israel so that the gospel could go forth into the world (the other nations), allowing the Gentiles to be grafted into God's holy nation. Those who hold to this interpretation would say that a "partial hardening" indicates that this hardening of Israel will one day be lifted, allowing all of Israel to see the truth of the gospel and believe/trust in Jesus. Therefore, this camp would say that this verse describes what will occur whenever this partial hardening is lifted, which means that these verses have not yet been fulfilled. They're something we look ahead to one day. Israel will be saved and restored one day, and God's people will be brought home.
Interpretation two would be that these verses describe something occurring now and apply directly to the church today. The book of Galatians teaches us that if we (Gentiles) are in Christ, then we are now sons of Abraham, sons of promise. If we are sons of Abraham, we are a part of God's holy nation. Through faith, we have been grafted into God's family, and we are now a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession. Therefore, these verses would describe the salvation that we are experiencing in Christ today. The latter interpretation is the primary lens through which I want us to view these verses today. As we work our way through these verses, I'll seek to apply the application to both views. But, we will spend most of our time drawing application from this latter view.
So, let's dive in.
"[6] 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,
and they shall be as though I had not rejected them,
for I am the LORD their God and I will answer them.
[7] Then Ephraim shall become like a mighty warrior,
and their hearts shall be glad as with wine.
Their children shall see it and be glad;
their hearts shall rejoice in the LORD."
HOPE FOR THE WEARY
Here we have two houses being blessed by God, the house of Judah and the house of Joseph. Judah and Joseph were brothers; they were both sons of Jacob. Joseph was the brother sold into slavery in Egypt, and Judah was one of the brothers who sold Joseph into slavery. When all the brothers wanted to kill Joseph, Judah recommended selling him instead.
Most commentators believe these two men represent God's northern and southern kingdoms. In other words, the LORD here addresses all of Israel, the total people of God. He will soon bless all his people (not some) with strength and salvation.
In these two verses, we see God promise to do three things: strengthen, save, and bring back his people who were scattered. To be strengthened implies weakness. To be saved implies trouble and despair. To be brought back implies being far off. God will make strong a people who are weak, deliver a people in despair, and draw near a people who were far off. So, the hope for their future resides not in themselves but in the LORD.
Now, why will he do this for his people? Because they deserve it? No. Because his heart became full of mercy, pity, and compassion for his people— "I will bring them back because I have compassion on them..." This reminds us that redemption and salvation are not a result of our strength; they are a result of God's mercy. You do not possess the ability to save yourself, nor do you possess the strength within yourself to live out the Christian faith.
A child who falls out of a boat in an ocean does not save himself by silently swimming back into the boat against the current. He does not possess the strength or ability to bring himself to safety. That child's only hope is to cry out for help. His only hope is for someone to dive into the water and intervene on his behalf.
Brothers and sisters, I fear that many of us, instead of crying out for help, are trying to silently swim our way back into the boat. But the current is too strong. Strength and salvation do not come from within yourself. It comes from God, the one full of compassion. Salvation rests on the shoulders of God's mercy, not man's strength.
Is this a message that you need to be reminded of today? Do you find yourself weak this morning and in need of strength? Do you find yourself exhausted from swimming against the current? Do you find yourself lost and distant from God? God desires to draw the wanderer back to Himself. He wants to extend strength to the weak. He wants to save those in despair. So, we would do well to take Jesus' invitation to "come to him if we are weary and heavy laden so that we might find rest."
STRENGTH AND JOY
God's compassionate action on behalf of his people leads to a restored relationship with himself that is full of strength and joy.
The Christian life is one of strength. The same Spirit that resurrected Christ from the dead now resides within you and me. God has strengthened those who he has saved through the powerful indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8; Eph. 1:19, 3:16,20; Col. 1:11; 2 Tim. 1:7; Js. 5:16; 2 Pet. 1:3).
So, it is by his strength living within us that we can be his witness throughout his world, in our city, and to the ends of the earth. Our gospel proclamation can be effective because of the Holy Spirit's power within us.
By His strength residing within us, we can find hope amid despair. The Holy Spirit gives us strength and comfort to endure hardships.
By his strength within us, we can put sin to death within us. The Holy Spirit convicts and empowers us to walk in holiness.
One of the invitations of the gospel is to come to Jesus and find strength. But, when God draws us to himself, he doesn't just give us power; he also gives us joy. In verse 7, the LORD says, "Then Ephraim shall become like a mighty warrior, and their hearts shall be glad as with wine. Their children shall see it and be glad; their hearts shall rejoice in the LORD." Those once plagued with despair will become glad as with wine, and their children will see it and be glad; their hearts will rejoice in the LORD.
The Christian life is a life of joy. Those who daily rest in the gospel are constantly met with tremendous joy. Those who rest their souls in God's gracious and redemptive work on the cross will always find a reason to rejoice in the LORD.
But look at the progression here in verse 7. The joy of the children will be impacted by God's work in their parents' lives— "Their children will see it (their parent's strength and joy that comes from a relationship with God) and be glad; their hearts shall rejoice in the LORD."
Let me speak to mom and dad for a minute. In this verse, the child's joy follows the parent's joy. So, one of the best ways to disciple your children is to be a disciple yourself. Do you want your child to rejoice in the LORD? Then rejoice in the LORD yourself. Do you want your child to study the Bible? Study the Bible yourself. Do you want your child to pray? Show them how to pray. Do you want your child to worship? Show them how to worship.
In these two verses, we find God's compassion for his people leads to him saving his people, strengthening his people, and drawing them back to himself, which leads to the joyful celebration of his people. They will experience a relationship with God where he hears and answers their requests. He will strengthen them, making them like mighty warriors. He will save them, transforming their sorrow into gladness and their silence into rejoicing. He will bring them back as if He had never rejected them.
As we continue to read, the LORD says, "I will whistle for them and gather them in, for I have redeemed them, and they shall be as many as they were before."
A SECOND EXODUS
The word for whistle is šāraq (Shaw-rak'). It means to hiss, whistle, or pipe. In Scripture, it's often used to describe a shrilling sound of disappointment made by man. But, in this context, it's used as a distinct calling to gather his people in, like a shepherd whistling to bring his sheep back to himself.
Here we find the LORD, through Zechariah, setting up a beautiful imagery of God calling to himself a scattered people to create an abundance of people. Because they have been redeemed/delivered/set free, they will be gathered in. Although they are a remnant now, they will soon be a prominent redeemed people.
In verse 9, the LORD says, "Though I scattered them among the nations, yet in far countries they shall remember me, and with their children they shall live and return."
When you read "scattered," I want you to think of a farmer scattering and planting seeds. Like Joseph, God had scattered his chosen people among the nations, and like his children, he will soon lead them home. A day is coming when it is time to harvest the scattered seed planted in faraway countries. A second exodus is coming.
As verse 10 says, the LORD will "bring them home from the land of Egypt, and gather them from Assyria, and I will bring them to the land of Gilead and to Lebanon, till there is no room for them." The LORD was planning to bring his redeemed people home. The land of oppression and sin will no longer be where they reside because the LORD is calling them home.
Verse 11 says, "He shall pass through the sea of troubles and strike down the waves of the sea, and all the depths of the Nile shall be dried up. The pride of Assyria shall be laid low, and the scepter of Egypt shall depart."
In the same way that the LORD powerfully rescued his people out of Egypt, leading them back to the promised land, he will rescue his people and lead them back to the promised land. He will "make them strong in the LORD, and they shall walk in his name."
Here's where we find ourselves today. We stand between two exoduses: a spiritual exodus and a literal exodus.
Spiritually, you and I have been redeemed. God has called you to himself, and, right now, you are safe in him. You are home in Christ. Right now, if you are in Christ, you are strong in the LORD and can walk in his name. Jesus has passed through the sea of troubles, and he has struck down the waves of the sea, and all the depths of the Nile have been dried up because of his atoning work on the cross. Because of the cross, your sins have been forgiven. Because of the cross, the debt of your sin has been nailed to the cross. Therefore, Christ has disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame by triumphing over them.
The Christian life is a life with God, not a life distant from God. So, spiritually speaking, we have journeyed from the land of sin, despair, and oppression to the holy land of God full of life and joy. But, although we have encountered a spiritual exodus as Christians today, we also look ahead to a physical exodus that is to come. One day soon, the first heaven and the first earth will pass away, and the holy city, the new Jerusalem, will come down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And God will powerfully lead his people into this land that is promised. And it's here that God will dwell with his people for all eternity. Here, he will wipe away every tear from our eyes, and death will be no more.
Zechariah 10:1-5
Is there a particular area in your life where you feel like you have not let the Holy Spirit to come into? Eg. Your work, your hobbies, relationships.
Is there an area in your life in which you feel it has been touched by God and blessed? Feel free to share about that.
Though we don’t often use “household gods” in our worship of other things, what are some “Store-bought gods” that we tend to make idols of? And how can we, by the help of the Spirit, fight against making them idols?
What does it healthily look like to accept the blessing of the church being like “majestic steed in battle”?
Zechariah 9:14-17
Easter: John 2
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Why is the resurrection essential to the Christian faith?
Discuss how Jesus’ ability to foretell his death and resurrection is a sign of power.
When observing the sins of God’s people in the temple, do you notice any similarities in your own heart? Do you notice any similarities in our church culture at Harbor? Do you notice any similarities in our American church culture? Discuss.
Zechariah 9:11-13
TEXT:
"[11] As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you,
I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.
[12] Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope;
today I declare that I will restore to you double.
[13] For I have bent Judah as my bow;
I have made Ephraim its arrow.
I will stir up your sons, O Zion,
against your sons, O Greece,
and wield you like a warrior's sword.”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Spend a few minutes discussing why Zechariah references the “blood of the covenant.” How is the blood of the covenants in Genesis 15 and Exodus 24 a foreshadow of the new covenant (Jeremiah 31, Mark 14:24)?
How is God our stronghold?
What does it mean that God would “restore to you double?”
How is the Christian faith an “offense-ive” faith?
MANUSCRIPT:
As we dive in today, it would be helpful to remember that God here is speaking to fragile people. He's talking to a people who, in the past twenty years, have come out of Babylonian captivity. He's speaking to people who are still without a king. Their confidence is at an all-time low when comparing their nation with their neighboring countries. They're a people who have been holding on by a thread.
But, throughout Zechariah, God has been restoring their confidence, not in themselves, but in him. After all, the hope of the Bible isn't found inside of you; it is found outside of you. You are not the hero of the Bible; God is. So, if they return to the LORD, he will return to them. He will bless them, and he will be their provider and protector.
In chapter 9, God has begun to build on their reasons for hope. Like a builder laying brick upon brick to build a strong home, God is stacking promise upon promise to make a strong people. Here he's promised judgment against their enemies. Their enemies will be defeated, and they will be spared. He's promised the coming of their humble and mighty king, who will bring peace to them and the nations. His kingdom will stretch farther than any kingdom has before. And today, we will find God promising his people that they will be delivered, restored, protected, and given purpose.
The four points for today's passage will be as follows:
Those in God's kingdom will be free.
Those in God's kingdom will be protected.
Those in God's kingdom have hope.
Those in God's kingdom have purpose.
Let's dive in.
"[11] As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you,
I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.
[12] Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope;
today I declare that I will restore to you double.
[13] For I have bent Judah as my bow;
I have made Ephraim its arrow.
I will stir up your sons, O Zion,
against your sons, O Greece,
and wield you like a warrior's sword.”
FREEDOM FROM THE PIT
Following the promise to send their king who will usher in a peaceful kingdom, God refocuses his attention on his people. He points his finger at his people and says, "As for you also, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit."
A waterless pit is a deep, inescapable hole that does not contain something vital to life, water. It's a hole that you cannot get out of, and it's a hole that will lead to your demise. So, this assumes that some of God's people were stuck as prisoners in a lifeless situation.
Most commentators agree that this primarily references those still stuck in Babylon as captives. So, in this immediate context, God is promising his people deliverance and freedom from their captivity in Babylon.
Now, a waterless pit would have been a familiar reference to God's people— it's what Joseph was tossed into by his brothers in Genesis 37. In Genesis 37, Joseph was initially thrown into a waterless pit to die. But, determined not to have Joseph's blood on their hands, they decided to sell him into slavery instead. If you fast forward Joseph's story, you will find that his "deliverance" from the pit was ultimately used to preserve the entire Israelite community. In Genesis 50, Joseph declares, "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today."
So, similarly, God here is saying that the pit is not the end of the story for God's people. Although they're trapped in captivity, freedom and purpose are on the horizon. Just like he did with Joseph, God will soon free them from the pit of captivity, leading to the further preservation of his people.
BY THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT
Now, how would they know that this deliverance is guaranteed? What if this is an empty promise? What if God isn't able to deliver them?
Well, they know that their freedom is coming because "of the blood of [his] covenant with [them]."
Covenants are something we often find in the Bible. A covenant (similar to a contract) was a binding agreement in which covenant members had certain obligations and could expect certain benefits in return. What differentiates a covenant from a simple binding agreement (a contract) is that covenant implies meaningful relationships. So, the language used here in Zechariah assumes a relational covenant was made between God and his people-- there was a binding agreement between God and his people.
When a covenant was made, an animal(s) would have been slaughtered and cut in half. Both parties would then walk through the slaughtered animals, implying both parties saying, "may the same thing that happened to me that's happened to these animals if I break the covenant made today."
In Genesis 15, we find God entered into a covenant with Abraham, where he promised to make him a great nation. However, a deep sleep falls on Abraham, allowing only God to pass through the slaughtered animals. So, on that day, God promised Abram that he would build him into a strong nation that would eventually bless all of humanity. The shedding of blood served as validation of this promise.
Similarly, in Exodus 24, we see a covenant made with God's people coming out of slavery in Egypt. Here God lays out the terms of their relationship with Him and promises to make them into a holy kingdom that will spread blessing and glory to the nations. Moses then takes the blood of their sacrifices and throws it on God's people as a symbolic reminder of the covenant they entered into with God.
So, Zechariah is saying that their deliverance rests solely upon the shoulders of God's faithfulness to keep his covenantal promise. They will be free from captivity because he is faithful. They will be delivered because he is determined to be true to his word. Nothing other than the blood of the covenant is where their hope of salvation resides. We can always trust the promises of God's word to ring true because God is truthful.
Jeremiah spoke about a new covenant that would be on the horizon for God's people. He said, "Behold, the days are coming when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband... For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people... For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."
Well, on the night that Jesus was betrayed, Jesus held up the glass of wine and said, "This is the blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many (Mark 14:24)."
So, hours before he laid his life down on the cross, Jesus references the blood of the covenant. His disciples, still likely unclear of the full magnitude of what Jesus is saying at this very moment, were probably thinking back to these old covenants. But Jesus was telling his disciples they were about to enter this new covenant with God. It was time for the words of Jeremiah to ring true.
Jesus was led to the cross like a lamb led to the slaughter. On the cross, he was crushed for humanity, and his blood was poured out for many. On the cross, he was pierced for our transgressions. On the cross, he was crushed for our sins. On the cross, the punishment that brought us peace was upon him. By his wounds, we can be healed. So, it is on the cross that we find forgiveness for sins because it was on the cross that Jesus drank the full wrath of God.
Church, the words spoken here in Zechariah apply to you and me today. God's people could cling to the promise of deliverance from the waterless pit, not because of their ability to get out of it but because of the blood of God's covenant with them. In the same way, our hope for deliverance is the blood of the covenant. Jesus is our hope. Our hope for freedom from the snares of sin and death resides in nothing other than the blood of Jesus. We can be delivered from this waterless pit because of the bloodshed on the cross. The cross is the declaration of God's faithfulness to his people. We were once slaves to sin, but now we have been set free and are slaves to righteousness. So, when we question and wonder if freedom is ours, the cross is where we fix our gaze.
RETURN TO YOUR STRONGHOLD
Following this promise of deliverance, God calls his people to return to him. He says, "Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double."
Prisoner of hope is a beautiful phrase. Although they may be in chains, they are not in chains without hope of freedom. They will be set free. Therefore, they are prisoners of hope.
When we consult the Psalms, we see God consistently referred to as their stronghold. So, this is an invitation to return to walking with, trusting in, and finding refuge in their God. And it's an invitation directly tied to a promise of restoration (double restoration). Like Job, God will restore them twice as much as they once had whenever they return to him. He's promising them a hopeful future with him.
On the one hand, this reminds us that a life with God is better than a life away from him. He is our stronghold, our protector, and our provider. When dwelling in a stronghold, you're protected in ways you don't know about. A stronghold protects you from dangers that you can't always see. Brothers and sisters, this past week, God protected you in ways you may never know.
On the other hand, this reminds us that the Christian life is a life of hope. We are prisoners of hope, which means that no matter how bad things may get in this life, we have hope that things will get better. In the same way, no matter how good things get in this life, we also cling to the hope that things will get better. We cling to the hope that God will restore to us double. The lowest sorrows and the greatest joys of this life will pale when compared to the joys we will experience one day in heaven with God. The Christian life is a life of hope.
GOD’S WEAPON OF CHOICE, HIS PEOPLE
Zechariah then says that he has "bent Judah as [his] bow," and "made Ephraim its arrow," against "Greece."
There are disagreements amongst scholars regarding Greece here. During this time, Greece would not have been a prominent nation. It would be like us prophesying a great battle between America and Madagascar. But, in the future, Greece did become a powerful nation through Alexander the Great. And through the Maccabean revolt, God's people did defeat the Greeks who were oppressing God's people at this time. But I found Eugene Merrill's summary here to be helpful. He believes that Greece could be interpreted as a general reference to any hostile power that might arise against God's covenant people.
So, here we see God's people being used as an instrument against their enemies. They will be his bow. They will be his arrow. And he will wield them like a sword. Here we're beginning to transition into what theologians call eschatological language (Language pertaining to the future and final judgment). We're going to dive into that more in the coming verses.
But, what I want us to see today is the truth that those who God delivers will be those whom God uses. Those who find refuge in God will be those that God uses. If you've been set free from sin, you've been set free to righteous living.
The Christian life is not passive; it's active. Those who God has delivered are those who dwell securely in the stronghold of God. And those who dwell safely in the stronghold of God become the weapon of God.
God has always had a purpose for his people. And his purpose is offense-ive, not defensive. Jesus, when speaking to Peter, he said, "On this rock, I build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." The language used here implies God's people knocking down the gates of hell. Jesus, when speaking to his disciples, tells them to "go into the world and make disciples." That's active, offense-ive language.
So, the Christian faith is not a passive faith where we sit quietly in a fortress, nor is it merely a defensive faith where we sit tight, waiting to defend against the enemy's attacks. The Christian faith is an active faith; it's a strategic faith; it's an offense-ive faith. We boldly and strategically enter into the world of darkness to battle and win souls to Christ.
Although there will be a future battle that one day takes place, we also must be reminded that we find ourselves in a battle today. And, as we wage war, we must remember that God has disarmed his people and equipped them to be people of peace. So, the battle of the Christian faith is not against the people around you. God has not called you to trample your neighbors; he has called you to love your neighbors. God has not called you to cut down your persecutors; he has called you to bless those who persecute you. We do not fight against flesh and blood. Instead, we understand that we fight against "the rulers, and the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (Eph. 6:12)."
We find ourselves in a spiritual battle today. Therefore, we put on the whole armor of God and stand firm against the attacks of Satan. We fasten on the belt of truth, and we put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for our feet, we put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, we hold up the shield of faith to extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one. We put on the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.
UNITY IN GOD’S KINGDOM
Now, something interesting here is the unity found in these verses. After Solomon died, God's people were divided into two kingdoms: Israel (northern) and Judah (southern). Ephraim was a northern tribe of Israel, and Judah was the southern kingdom. So, God is saying that he will take Ephraim, a tribe of Israel, and unite it with Judah. Together they will become the chosen weapon of God against Greece. God here is joining those who were once divided. Ephraim and Judah will unite again to carry out God's purpose and plan. He won't just bring peace to the nations; he will bring peace to his people. The peace that the gospel brings tears down all barriers. The walls that man builds, the gospel tears down. God was planning to create a united people who joined together to carry out his plan.
Zechariah 9:9-10
TEXT:
"[9] Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
[10] I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
and the war horse from Jerusalem;
and the battle bow shall be cut off,
and he shall speak peace to the nations;
his rule shall be from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth."
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Spend a few minutes discussing the shock value that would come from their king coming “humble and mounted on a donkey.” Why is that significant for understanding what he came to accomplish?
In verse 10, we see their king cutting off their weapons, not the weapons of their enemies. What does that teach us about God’s kingdom?
In verse 10, we see that God’s kingdom will stretch “to the ends of the earth,” despite the fact that their weapons have been cut off. What does this teach us about how God’s kingdom will grow?
SERMON MANUSCRIPT:
Aladdin is a cinematic masterpiece. From the overarching storyline to each individual song, this is an all-time great movie. Unfortunately, though, my family disagrees. Therefore, we never watch it.
But there's a scene in this movie that I want us to revisit for a moment. In Aladdin, there's a city named Agrabah without a prince. The Sultan (the ruler of Agrabah) is getting up and years, and he's determined to find a husband for his daughter to marry so that she and the city might be well taken care of when he passes. As the movie progresses, the tension over who will be the next prince rises. Well, halfway through the film, Prince Ali marches into Agrabah. It's a beautiful scene of the entire city rejoicing in hope, wondering if Aladdin could be the long-anticipated prince who would lead their city in the future.
Church, this scene in Aladdin mirrors quite well our passage today in Zechariah. In our passage today, God promises his fragile people a stable future. He promises a people without a king that they will soon have a king. Like the people of Agrabah, they can celebrate and rejoice because their king is coming to rule and bring peace throughout the world.
Let's go ahead and dive in.
"[9] Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
[10] I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
and the war horse from Jerusalem;
and the battle bow shall be cut off,
and he shall speak peace to the nations;
his rule shall be from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth."
The first thing we see is a call for God's people to "rejoice" and "shout aloud!" This tells us that this is a hopeful message, not a sorrowful message. Here we find an invitation to celebrate with joy and gladness because their king is coming. They are not forsaken, nor are they abandoned. Their king is on his way. Therefore, they can shout and rejoice in hope because their kingdom will be restored.
Now, let's take a moment to look at the character of this coming king.
RIGHTEOUS IS HE
First, he will be righteous. He will be just. He will live rightly. Wickedness will be far from him, and his conduct and character will be correct in the sight of God. He will perfectly walk in obedience to God.
HAVING SALVATION IS HE
Second, he will possess salvation. Often in the Bible, we find righteousness and salvation paired together (Isaiah 45:8; 46;13; 51:4-5). When righteousness is brought near, so too is salvation. When salvation is brought near, so too is righteousness. They're two sides to the same coin. Salvation resides only in the hands of the one who is righteous. The Righteous One is the only one who possesses the ability to save. This is the beautiful reality of the gospel: those who have been saved by the hands of the Righteous One have been declared righteous because they are now found in the Righteous One.
Now, there's some discrepancy regarding what the language here in Zechariah means. Several commentaries I read interpret these words passively instead of actively, meaning the king here will be the recipient of salvation from the LORD, not the extender. He will be divinely protected, delivered, and saved by God.
There's truth here. But, interpreting these verses solely in a passive sense falls short, in my opinion, of what this passage is communicating.
Yes, God will divinely protect, bless, deliver, and save the righteous king. But the righteous king is also coming to save his people. The one divinely blessed and protected by the LORD will save his people. The righteous one will come to usher in salvation for his people, and in him alone will salvation be found.
HUMBLE IS HE
Third, the righteous king who has come to save his people will be humble and mounted on a donkey. The term "humble" is a distinct term of lowliness. It's a term used to describe the poor and needy of society. So, their long-anticipated king, who will usher in salvation, will come in humble lowliness. He will not come to be served. He will come to serve. Humble and riding on a donkey is he.
Now, donkeys aren't anti-kingly. There are multiple examples throughout the Old Testament of kings possessing and riding on donkeys. So, the shock value of this statement isn't that donkeys are anti-kingly; the shock value is that donkeys are anti-warly (I know that I'm making up words here, but bear with me).
During this time, horses would have symbolized war and power (Isaiah 31:1-3; 1 Kings 4:26). Unlike donkeys, horses are big, fast, strong, and powerful. But this king who will save his people won't come mounted on a horse; he will come mounted on a donkey. This would be like the army trading in their Hummers for Prius'. No matter how good the gas mileage is, no sergeant will load up their platoon in a Prius and take them into battle. Similarly, one would expect a king coming to save his people to come mounted on a horse, not a donkey. Yet, this king will come in gentle lowliness, not boastful oppression.
BRINGING PEACE IS HE
Next, this humble king will "cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations..." Ephraim was a northern tribe of Israel, and Jerusalem was the capital of Judah. So, this is in-house language. God isn't cutting off the chariots and war horses of their neighboring kingdoms; he is cutting off the chariots and war horses of his kingdom.
God's kingdom will be a peaceful kingdom. The character of the king will impact the character of his people. A peaceful king leads to a peaceful people; a humble king leads to humble people; a gentle king leads to gentle people. God's people will not be a people of war and conflict; they will be a gentle and lowly people of peace.
KING OF THE WORLD IS HE
And his kingdom will stretch farther than it ever has— "his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth." He will be the king of people from every tribe, tongue, and nation.
Now, every king and ruler throughout history advanced their kingdom through the power of the sword. But not God's kingdom. God's kingdom will not be ushered in by the power of horses and chariots but by the gentle power of a donkey. God's kingdom will increase not by the sword's power but by the power of gentle and loving humility.
HE IS JESUS
Let's spend the remaining time today connecting some dots and drawing some application. Turn in your Bibles over to John 12. In John 12, we find a story of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. This is a story that every gospel writer makes a point to record because it communicates that Jesus is the promised king who came to bring peace and salvation to his people.
Let's read it.
"[12] The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. [13] So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!" [14] And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,
[15] "Fear not, daughter of Zion;
behold, your king is coming,
sitting on a donkey's colt!"
[16] His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. [17] The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. [18] The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. [19] So the Pharisees said to one another, "You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him."
So, rumors are spreading like wildfire about Jesus being the Messiah. Everyone has seen and heard of what Jesus did in raising Lazarus from the dead. So, once this crowd found out that Jesus was coming into Jerusalem (on a donkey), they went out and cried, "Hosanna (save us)," while waving palm branches (an action done for a king) while declaring him as king. And John says he didn't understand the magnitude of what was happening at this point until Jesus died and was resurrected.
The gospel writers want us to realize that Jesus is the long-anticipated king spoken of in Zechariah. Jesus is the righteous one who knew no sin while walking in perfect obedience to the Father. Jesus is the humble one who came not to be served but to serve. Jesus is the one who selflessly came to save his people through his death on the cross. Jesus is the King who came to bring peace.
The king who rode into Jerusalem on a donkey during Passover was coming to be the Passover lamb, the perfect once for all sacrifice for sin. The way he was going to usher in peace would be through his death on the cross. As Paul says in Romans 5:1, "Therefore since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
So, Jesus' death is where our hope for salvation resides today. He is our peace. Jesus is our only hope for peace with God and our only hope for peace with one another. The former hostility between God's people and the nations was dealt with viciously on the cross, making us one. Jesus is the promised King who humbly came to bring peace and salvation to his people and the nations.
JESUS IS WORTHY OF SUBMISSION
If you have placed your faith in Jesus, then you are saved. In him, you are righteous. In him, you have peace with God. But what does that practically mean for us in our day-to-day lives today?
First, if Jesus is king, he's worthy of our submission. If we agree with the Scriptures, concluding that Jesus is King, the only proper response is to submit to the King. We bow before our king, saying, "Whatever you desire of me, I will joyfully do. Here is my life, Lord."
JESUS IS WORTHY OF IMITATION
Not only do we submit, but we also imitate. The other night I took our dog to go to the bathroom. As I did so, my youngest son came with me. I'm standing at the edge of our porch, holding my son's hand. Unknowingly, I spit in the grass (bad habit, I know). Not even two seconds later, I watched my son lean over and spit in the grass too. I chuckled and smiled at my son's cuteness in imitating his father's actions. But I was also reminded that this is the way of God's kingdom. If Jesus is King, then he's worthy of imitating. How he serves, we serve. How he loves, we love. How he walks, we walk. The character of the King impacts the character of his people.
The Kingdom of God is not a place where you get to seek selfish gain. Instead, it is a place where we humbly serve one another, laying down our lives for the well-being of others. If you belong to God's kingdom through faith in Jesus, then you are called and expected to be a person of peace. Your chariot and war horse has been cut off, and you're expected to live peaceably with all. As a Christian, you no longer get to consume yourself with questions or concerns about how you can be served. Instead, you get to dwell on how you can serve others.
So, as you engage the lost with the gospel, you do so humbly. When someone combats your faith with hostility (and acts like another word for a donkey), it's easy to want to declare war against that individual to win an argument. But, put to death your pride and ride the truth into that conversation on a donkey. The kingdom of God will advance not by the power of the sword but by the gentle and loving proclamation of the gospel.
As you live with one another in the church, do so humbly, gently, and peacefully. The constant calls in scripture to "be patient with one another" and "love one another" tells us that others will wrong us in the church. Therefore, may we be humble peace bearers within the church.
Serve your family humbly. As a husband, wife, child, father, or mother, you are called to humbly and selflessly place the wants and desires of one another above your own.
We should strive for every aspect of our lives to reflect the character of our king. Every aspect of our lives as Christians should reflect the peace and humility demonstrated here in this passage. May every aspect of our lives reflect the humble service that Christ has displayed to us in laying his life down for us.
The way of the Kingdom of God is one of imitating Christ. So, if I were to go and interview everyone in your life (boss, family members, coworkers, friends, kids, etc.), would they say this is true of you?
Zechariah 9:1-8
TEXT:
"[1] The oracle of the word of the LORD is against the land
of Hadrach
and Damascus is its resting place.
For the LORD has an eye on mankind
and on all the tribes of Israel,
[2] and on Hamath also, which borders on it,
Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise.
[3] Tyre has built herself a rampart
and heaped up silver like dust,
and fine gold like the mud of the streets.
[4] But behold, the Lord will strip her of her possessions
and strike down her power on the sea,
and she shall be devoured by fire.
[5] Ashkelon shall see it, and be afraid;
Gaza too, and shall writhe in anguish;
Ekron also, because its hopes are confounded.
The king shall perish from Gaza;
Ashkelon shall be uninhabited;
[6] a mixed people shall dwell in Ashdod,
and I will cut off the pride of Philistia.
[7] I will take away its blood from its mouth,
and its abominations from between its teeth;
it too shall be a remnant for our God;
it shall be like a clan in Judah,
and Ekron shall be like the Jebusites.
[8] Then I will encamp at my house as a guard,
so that none shall march to and fro;
no oppressor shall again march over them,
for now I see with my own eyes."
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Sometimes God’s judgment of sin can be a difficult topic discuss. But why is God’s judgment of sin an important topic to not overlook?
Discuss how God is both dangerous and safe?
Have there been moments in your life when it feels like God’s moving slower than you would like? If so, discuss. What are some things the LORD taught you in those times of waiting?
We’re now able to look back on history and see how this prophecy came to pass with “astonishing accuracy.” How should this increase our trust in God’s word?
SERMON MANUSCRIPT:
Today we come to a shift in the book of Zechariah. Zechariah can be divided into different sections depending on which commentary you read. Some divide it into three sections: chapters 1-6, chapters 7-8, and chapters 9-14. Others say that the book is divided into two sections: chapters 1-8 and chapters 9-14. Whichever way you choose to slice it, all commentators agree that chapter nine marks a new section in the book of Zechariah. At the start of the book, we see God speaking about their immediate context regarding the rebuilding of the temple. But, in chapters 9-14, we see the LORD shift to speaking on behalf of their future. These poetic verses are filled with hope centered around the promise of victory over the nations and the arrival of the Messiah. In our passage today, we see the LORD saying that when it comes to the life of their enemies, the sunshine of ease will soon be replaced with the cloudy skies of judgment.
Growing up in Pensacola, FL, I loved to surf. But I would be rich if I had a dollar every time I heard the words, "You can surf in the Gulf of Mexico?" After all, the Gulf of Mexico isn't the Pacific Ocean, and Pensacola Beach isn't Waikiki Beach. So, if you're unfamiliar with the Gulf of Mexico, you have difficulty believing there are waves here. Because of this, I've had to educate many on the intricacies of surfing the Panhandle of Florida over the years. When surfing the gulf, you look for two things: cold fronts in the winter and hurricanes in the summer. When the right storm comes through, the waves get so good that professional surfers from all over the world journey down to catch these waves.
Now, I hate to be cold. So, I prefer hurricane swells. I've surfed some of the best beaches in the world, and some of the best waves I've ever caught have been a day or two before a massive hurricane makes landfall.
But what's fascinating about surfing before a hurricane is that the beach is absolutely beautiful the day or two before the storm makes landfall. The sun is shining, and the air is warm and crisp. There's a sense of majestic peace and serenity in the air, and you would never guess that mass destruction is on the horizon.
Yet just because the sun is shining on a Tuesday doesn't mean a storm will not be here on Thursday. Soon enough, the clouds will roll in, the wind will pick up, and mass destruction will make landfall.
I think this is a healthy metaphor for our passage today. In chapter 1, we learned that the nations were at rest. There was a sense of peace and serenity amongst their neighboring countries as they lived in rebellion against the LORD. But, the LORD is saying that their sunshine of ease will soon be replaced with the cloudy skies of judgment. A hurricane of wrath is coming, and God will quickly bring judgment upon the nations.
Sometimes it may seem as if God is moving slowly. And when it appears that God is moving slowly, there's a temptation to think that God doesn't care. But today's passage teaches us that this is the farthest thing from the truth. God is not on a couch; he's on a throne. He is not idle; he is active. He is not indifferent; he cares. Where, at times, it may seem like there are no repercussions for sin, today's passage reminds us that God sees all things and will deal justly with sin. Today the LORD tosses aside general claims of judgment, and he begins to call out names. He is specific with his judgment. It is time for the LORD to return to his people and for him to pronounce judgment on their enemies.
In our passage today, there are five general points about God that I want us to highlight.
God is all-seeing.
God is all-powerful.
God is dangerous.
God is safe.
God's is truthful.
So, let's dive in.
"[1] The oracle of the word of the LORD is against the land
of Hadrach
and Damascus is its resting place.
For the LORD has an eye on mankind
and on all the tribes of Israel,
[2] and on Hamath also, which borders on it,
Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise.
[3] Tyre has built herself a rampart
and heaped up silver like dust,
and fine gold like the mud of the streets.
[4] But behold, the Lord will strip her of her possessions
and strike down her power on the sea,
and she shall be devoured by fire.
[5] Ashkelon shall see it, and be afraid;
Gaza too, and shall writhe in anguish;
Ekron also, because its hopes are confounded.
The king shall perish from Gaza;
Ashkelon shall be uninhabited;
[6] a mixed people shall dwell in Ashdod,
and I will cut off the pride of Philistia.
[7] I will take away its blood from its mouth,
and its abominations from between its teeth;
it too shall be a remnant for our God;
it shall be like a clan in Judah,
and Ekron shall be like the Jebusites.
[8] Then I will encamp at my house as a guard,
so that none shall march to and fro;
no oppressor shall again march over them,
for now I see with my own eyes."
The first thing Zechariah says is, "The oracle of the word of the LORD is against the land of Hadrach, and Damascus is its resting place." The word "oracle" means a strong and burdensome message so heavy that you must get it off your chest. And as we see, this message is against their neighboring lands. The first land mentioned is the land of Hadrach, a land in northern Syria. In this land, you would find the town of Damascus. So, through Zechariah, the LORD has a burdensome message for the land of Hadrach that will rest heavily on the city of Damascus.
GOD SEES AND JUDGMENT IS COMING
He then says, "The LORD has an eye on mankind and all the tribes of Israel, and on Hamath also, which borders on it, Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise."
This is a complex phrase that's difficult to translate. Therefore, your Bible likely has a footnote that says, "Or 'For the eye of mankind, especially all the tribes of Israel, is toward the LORD.'" One translation suggests God's sovereign eye over all creation, while the other implies anticipation of God's long-awaited action.
I don't think we have to dive into the weeds here. Instead, we can settle on this verse highlighting the long-anticipated judgment of the all-seeing God coming against their enemies. On the one hand, there is nothing that God does not see. He is not unaware of a single pen drop throughout history. And on the other hand, the all-seeing God of the universe has promised his people deliverance against their enemies.
So, now, as they look with anticipation, God's judgment is coming. The people who were at rest in their rebellion against God will soon experience the wrath of God because of their rebellion against God. It may have seemed like God had turned a blind eye to their sinful ways, but he has an eye on humanity. It may have once seemed like he was ignorant of the world's ways, but he is fully aware of what is going on. It may seem like he doesn't care about the oppression of his people, but he cares deeply and will act accordingly. A lack of action now does not mean God will not act in the future. God is all-seeing, and his judgment is coming.
I want to pause here for a moment.
Self-control is difficult, and indulgence is easy. The indulgence of sin may give you a sense of pleasure, rest, and happiness that self-control does not. You may bite into sin, bracing for pain and only finding delight. You may be walking in sin right now, and it feels like God has blessed your sinful efforts or, at the very least, doesn't care about them. But these verses remind us that this is the farthest thing from the truth. God's eyes are on mankind, and he will deal accordingly.
Like a mouse feasting on a piece of cheese in a mouse trap, the happiness and pleasure that comes from sin are momentary. They're fleeting. The rest and joy the enemy promises will last for a moment but always lead to death. The judgment of God was soon going to jolt their enemies awake. Soon the clouds would roll in, and their sunshine would be replaced with darkness. Their cool breeze would be replaced with strong winds. Their rest would be replaced with disaster.
THE EMPTY PROMISE OF WISDOM AND POWER
This week, the progression from the end of verse 2 through verse 4 stuck out to me. Although Tyre and Sidon were very wise, building for themselves a rampart and heaping up silver and gold, the LORD would strip away their possessions and strike them down. The source of her strength— the sea— will become the source of her demise. She will be devoured by fire, implying complete and total destruction. Tyre and Sidon will be completely wiped out, never to be restored. Those who prided themselves in being wise will fall to their own demise. Those with great political power will be shown as powerless whenever God decides to act.
I think this provides a stern warning to us. You may be unbelievably wise, shrewd, and powerful. But, you cannot out-wit God, nor can you overpower him.
You may be a craftsman with words who can talk your way out of any trouble. But no amount of wit can save you when God's judgment comes.
Like Mufasa in The Lion King, simply mentioning your name may strike fear into the hearts of those around you. But, when God's judgment comes, your strength will dwindle to nothing.
No amount of wit or wisdom will save you against God's judgment. No wall built by man will keep God out when he marches in. He is all-powerful.
As we see in verses 5-6, when Tyre and Sidon are struck down, their neighboring cities will be struck with fear knowing that they stand no chance. Ashkelon will see it and be afraid, ultimately becoming an uninhabited people. Gaza will squirm in anguish, leading to their king perishing. Similarly, the hopes Ekron will be stunned and Ashdod will become a mixed people.
Friends, these verses remind us that God is not always safe. God's judgment is coming, and if you choose to reject his gracious extension of life in Christ, his presence will be dangerous. You may be able to mock him when he's seated, but the moment God stands up, you will tremble. The moment God raises his fist, you will quake in fear. God is holy, righteous, and just. So, if you think he will simply shrug his shoulders and let you slide, think again. Expect judgment to come if you choose to disobey God, mocking him with your life.
A MESSAGE OF HOPE
There's an interesting and hopeful development at the end of verse 6 and verse 7. The pride of Philistia will be cut off. God will remove its blood from its mouth and its abominations from between its teeth.
That's a weird thing to say. But, most commentators and historians point out that these people were known for eating bloody sacrifices at this time. So, God was going to take idolatrous people and make them holy. They, too, will become a remnant for our God, like a clan in Judah. Ekron (a city in Philistria) will be like the Jebusites. The Jebusites were those who inhabited Jerusalem before David conquered them. They were the ones who once mocked God's people. But, instead of being completely wiped out, they eventually dwelled with God's people in Jerusalem, later grafted into his kingdom. So, God is saying that Philistria will be grafted into God's kingdom and become a people of hope.
Here God doesn't just promise judgment; he promises protection and deliverance. He says, "Then I will encamp at my house as a guard so that none shall march to and fro; no oppressor shall again march over them, for now I see with my own eyes." These words don't imply that God couldn't see before. Instead, they reiterate that God is now again watching over them with his divine protection. As he had in the past, he will be their guard, and no oppressor will march over them. So, in the same way that God is dangerous, he is also safe. God doesn't just promise judgment; he also promises deliverance. Those who dwell with God experience the protection of God.
There's a temptation to look out into the world and think that a life away from God is better than a life with God. But we must guard our hearts and remember that God will judge this evil world one day. But those whose faith resides in Christ will be spared and passed over. Brothers and sisters, if your faith resides in Christ, you are safe in him. You are safe in him. God's wrath has been poured out on his Son so that you might be saved, and God is your guard and protector today.
Now, what's remarkable is that historically, we're able to see these words ring true as we look back on history. At least 150 years after these words were penned, we see these words fulfilled with "astonishing accuracy." In 333 BC, the famous Macedonian conqueror, Alexander the Great, won a victory over the Persians at Issus. And he then begins traveling south down the coast, following nearly identical the route laid out here in Zechariah. According to history, Alexander spared God's people in Jerusalem instead of destroying them. The details of these stories are debated. But what's certain is that these cities were destroyed, and God's people remained unharmed.
God is truthful. When he says something, we can always bank on it being true. We can trust God's word to be true. So, walk in obedience to your LORD today, trusting that he will never leave you nor forsake you, just as he promised.
Zechariah 8:18-23
TEXT:
"[18] And the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, [19] "Thus says the LORD of hosts: The fast of the fourth month and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah seasons of joy and gladness and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace.
[20] "Thus says the LORD of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities. [21] The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, 'Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD and to seek the LORD of hosts; I myself am going.' [22] Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD. [23] Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'"
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Have there been painful moments in your life that you’re now able to look back on with joy?
Spend a few moments discussing the importance and difficulty of loving truth and peace.
How can you/we do a better job of inviting people to follow Jesus?
Read verse 23. Who in your life can you see clearly that God is with?
SERMON MANUSCRIPT
Few verses in the Bible leave our hearts more hopeful than the verses we will be looking at today. They're unbelievably practical yet unbelievably rich. In these verses, the LORD allows his people to peek behind the curtain, showing them what the future holds for his people. In doing so, he's telling his people that he will do the miraculous on their behalf. He will transform tears into laughter, hopelessness into hopefulness, and barrenness into fruitfulness. They will no longer be a people who mourn the past; they will become a people who celebrate it. Their city will no longer be a barren land that the neighboring countries mock; they will become a fortress to the nations where people from all over come to reside. They will be a city without walls, a royal priesthood, a people who dwell with God.
So, let's dive in.
"[18] And the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, [19] "Thus says the LORD of hosts: The fast of the fourth month and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah seasons of joy and gladness and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace.
[20] "Thus says the LORD of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities. [21] The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, 'Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD and to seek the LORD of hosts; I myself am going.' [22] Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD. [23] Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'"
NO WASTED SUFFERING
If you remember, at the start of chapter 7, we see God's people from Bethel journey down to Jerusalem with a question. They wanted to know if they needed to continue to weep and mourn the fall of Jerusalem and the temple now that they were being restored— "Should I weep and abstain in the fifth month, as I have done for so many years?"
But, as we've seen over the past few weeks, the LORD took the scenic route in answering this question. He initially responds to their question with his own question, and it's not until thirty verses later that we finally see him give them a direct answer.
Now, the answer he provides is remarkably beautiful and tremendously hopeful. He says the very thing they once mourned and wept over will become something they joyfully celebrate— "The fast of the fourth month and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah seasons of joy and gladness and cheerful feasts."
Joy, gladness, cheerfulness, rejoicing... This is all celebratory language used by the LORD here. But what is it they will be celebrating?
Well, the Hebrew word here for "cheerful" is the same word used in Genesis 1 when the LORD looks at his creation and declares that it's good— "And God said, 'Let there be light, and there was light. And God saw that it was good... And God called the dry land 'earth,' and the gathering together of the waters he called 'seas;' and God saw that it was good...The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good."
It's also the same word Joseph used when speaking to his brothers, who sold him into slavery— "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today."
So, this is a word often used to describe how one feels when gazing upon the finished work of God. When one can peek behind the curtain and see the work of God before them, good is the only thing we can rightly characterize it as. In the same way God was able to look at his creation and declare it as good, his people will be able to look back at their trials and declare them as good. In the same way that Joseph could look back on the painful moments of his life and see God working out his good plan, God's people will look back on the things that once brought them tears and joyfully celebrate them as good!
There is no wasted suffering in the kingdom of God. Thomas McComiskey rightly says: "They will rejoice in their captivity.… They will see the captivities of the two kingdoms not as cruel strokes from an uncaring God, but as the discipline of a loving God, angered that his people should forfeit the treasures of his love for the worthlessness of pagan idols and unjust gain." So, even in discipline, God's people can cling to the hope that he's working out his good plan for their lives. Their mourning will turn to celebration. They can reflect on the very thing that brought them pain and celebrate it as good.
May these words be water to our souls this morning. You may find yourself amid great calamity. It may seem like you're more acquainted with tears than laughter. And I am not trying to diminish that pain. You've cried real tears. You've felt real pain. But, the Christian hope in suffering is that your tears will be dried up one day. Your tears will turn to laughter, and your mourning will turn to joy.
Maybe not today, but one day, you will be able to look back on the trials of your life and joyfully celebrate how the LORD intended them for good. We will cheerfully celebrate what we once mourned when the veil is removed from our eyes, and we can see God's good plan being carried out. We may not know what the LORD is doing through our suffering, but we can cling to the hope that he's doing something good.
A PORTRAIT OF OUR SALVATION
God has always been in the business of interjecting hope into hopelessness, life into lifelessness, and joy into sorrow. At this moment, he's telling his people there's hope for them. Their weeping and mourning will turn to joy and gladness.
As I read commentaries this week, I thought Richard Phillips drew a helpful parallel to the gospel in these verses. He said, "Every true Christian knows what it means to go from the fast of conviction of sin to the feast of salvation through faith in Christ."
We say this often, but you cannot believe the good news until you first believe the bad news. The death of Jesus is not beautiful, nor is it necessary, unless we realize that we're trapped in sin.
The heart of the message of the cross is a transformation from sorrow to joy— "Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity (Ps. 32:1-2)." Those who have experienced the deep joy of knowing Christ first experienced the deep sorrow of knowing sin, and we have gone from the fast of conviction to the feast of salvation.
LOVE OBEDIENCE
Following this promise given to God's people, the LORD calls them to "love truth and peace." They aren't to begrudgingly walk in obedience to what he's called them to do; they are to love what God has called them to do, trusting that he knows what's best for them.
We must ask ourselves daily, "Do I love obedience to God? Do I love truth and peace? Am I ashamed of the truth of God's word? Do I love peace and not truth, preferring falsehood over truth in an attempt to not ruffle feathers? Do I love truth but not peace, using the truth to tear down my neighbor? Do I love truth and peace?"
GOD IS KING AND JUDGE
Side note: throughout history, man has wanted to pit God's sovereignty and man's responsibility against each other. But, that's never a war we see present in Scripture. God's sovereignty doesn't eliminate man's responsibility. No. In the Bible, we find God's sovereignty and man's responsibility standing side by side, hand in hand. The Bible teaches us that God is both King and Judge. He's both orchestrating his purpose, carrying out his will, and calling his people to walk in obedience. Man's responsibility and God's sovereignty are friends, not enemies. Those who trust the good sovereign LORD should obey him in all situations, eager to live out the truth and peace we deeply love.
A TRANSFORMED CITY
The LORD then goes deeper into describing what life would be like for them in the future. He says, "People's shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities. The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, 'Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD and to seek the LORD of hosts; I myself am going. Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."
Here the LORD expounds on the transformation their city will experience. They will no longer be seen as a cursed people; they will be a blessed people. Because the LORD is with them, the nations will enter their city in droves. Because God is with them, revival will take place in their city. God's presence with his people will lead to people from every tribe, tongue, and nation coming in. Their remnant of a people in a small city will transform into a large and strong nation.
Now, depending on how you interpret the millennial kingdom, you may or may not believe these verses have been fulfilled. Personally, I think the LORD describes where we find ourselves now in history. In chapter 3, God told his people that he was preparing to make Jerusalem a city without walls. In other words, he was preparing to create for himself a people that walls could not confine. Well, not long after these words were spoken, we know walls were built around Jerusalem. So, God was referring to a spiritual city, not a physical one. The spiritual city of Jerusalem would soon be stretched to immeasurable lengths, where men and women from all over the world would dwell with God through faith in Jesus.
So, I believe God here, in Zechariah 8, speaks of the time we find ourselves in today. God promised his people that there would be many people from all over the world who would come to entreat the favor of the LORD, and he has been faithful to keep that promise. We live in a time when people worldwide are coming to the LORD in faith.
Look at verse 21, "The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, 'Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD and to seek the LORD of hosts; I myself am going."
Could this not be evangelism and discipleship? Here we have one group of people going to the LORD, and as they go, they invite their neighbors to come with them.
Sometimes we seek to make evangelism into debates and deep theological discussions. And although those things are good and necessary, evangelism is nothing more than a loving invitation to join us in worshipping the LORD. Could it be that a lack of revival in our city rests solely on the fact that we've stopped inviting our neighbors?
When was the last time you invited someone to follow Jesus with you?
The Christian faith is not a closed society but a city without walls. So, we should be welcoming people. We're not a people who turn our nose up to our neighbor; we're a people who stick our hands out to our neighbor, saying, "Come with me."
An invitation to join should always be on the lips of a believer. And, we invite confidently, trusting that the LORD will grow his church. Verse 22 says, "Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD." God tells his people here that his plan is for many to come, not few. So, you can bank on God growing his church. Looking back throughout history, we can see this as accurate. God has and will continue to expand his people. God has promised to grow his church, and the instrument he's chosen to use to grow his church is the lips of his people. So, as we share our faith, we do so confidently. As we invite, we do so confidently.
Verse 23 says, "In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'"
Some see this Jew that people are grabbing ahold of to be Jesus. Like the woman grabbing Jesus' tassels, the nations are coming to Jesus, holding his robe, and saying, "We have heard of who you are and what you've done, and we know you are the Messiah. You are our only hope. Let us join you!" There's legitimacy here as the gospel invitation is, "Come and take hold of Christ. Go with him. Follow him. Surrender your life to him so that you may live."
Others see this Jew as a reference to a general person of God, signifying the rapid growth of God's people. For every Jew, there will be ten men from each nation grabbing their robes, saying, "We know God is with you. Let us go with you!"
I'm not sure it's one or the other; I think it's more of a both/and. It is those who are in Christ, the ultimate King of the Jews, who God is using to multiply his kingdom.
But, as we close, I want us to notice the reason the nations give for coming. "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."
Church, listen to me. In our day and age, we can use many things to try to grow the church. We can look to grow the church with good music, fun programs, passionate preaching, and a good community. But, the moment we look to these things instead of God is the moment we've lost sight of the purpose of the church.
Although community is vital, Biblical community is a byproduct of union with God. Although singing is necessary, we don't sing to attract. We sing to worship. Although preaching is essential, we don't preach to attract. We preach to equip God's people to know and serve God better.
You can find community in CrossFit. You can find good music at concerts. The chief goal of the Christian faith is God. It is through faith in Christ that we get to enjoy a relationship with God. The people of God will grow because God is with them.
Could a lack of revival in our city be because God's people are far from God? Can people look at your life and see God in you?
So badly do I want this to be true of me and us. So badly do I want people to look at my life and say, "I want to go with you because I can tell God is with you." So badly do I want people to look at us and say, "We've heard of what God is doing in your midst, and we want to join you."
We live in a sinful world full of darkness. But this passage has reminded me that there are people in this world who are hungry for God and who want to know him. So, may we be a people who walk closely with God. And when we walk closely with God, may we pray that people will see God with us.
Zechariah 8:9-17
TEXT:
"[9] Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Let your hands be strong, you who in these days have been hearing these words from the mouth of the prophets who were present on the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built. [10] For before those days there was no wage for man or any wage for beast, neither was there any safety from the foe for him who went out or came in, for I set every man against his neighbor. [11] But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, declares the LORD of hosts. [12] For there shall be a sowing of peace. The vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew. And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. [13] And as you have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong."
[14] For thus says the LORD of hosts: "As I purposed to bring disaster to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the LORD of hosts, [15] so again have I purposed in these days to bring good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; fear not. [16] These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; [17] do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the LORD."
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
What are some things the LORD has been teaching you in your personal study of God’s Word?
Spend a few moments discussing how God’s sovereignty gives you comfort in this life?
Why should confidence in the LORD lead to obedience to the LORD?
Read and discuss verses 16-17. How can we practically live these things out?
SERMON MANUSCRIPT:
Consistent and prolonged obedience to Jesus can be difficult and, at times, terrifying. When it comes to following the LORD, it seems like the current of our heart naturally pulls us toward fear rather than confidence. After all, the words "fear not" wouldn't be in the Bible if God's people weren't fearful. So, it doesn't matter if you've been following Jesus for two days, three months, or fifty years. You will encounter moments of doubt and fear, and your heart needs to hear God say, "Do not be afraid."
Well, with the backdrop of this passage being the original question of whether or not they should continue fasting and mourning the temple's fall now that it's being restored, we find the LORD encouraging his people to walk in obedience to himself. As things seem to be working in a positive direction, the LORD is reminding his people of his past faithfulness in order to still their fearful hearts and strengthen their weak hands.
"Do not be afraid because I am faithful to my word, and I am all-powerful," the LORD tells his people.
But, interestingly, in our passage today, God doesn't direct his people's attention back to a time when he was faithful to bless his people. Instead, he directs their attention back to when he was faithful to curse his people. In doing so, he's telling his people that if he were faithful to punish his people, he would be faithful to bless his people.
As a parent, there is nothing that I hate more than having to discipline my children. Nothing is pleasant about carrying out discipline on someone you love dearly.
Yet, there are times when discipline is necessary.
Let's say our children have consistently acted up in school. So, I tell them, "If you get in trouble at school today, you won't be able to play with your friends when you get home."
Then, sure enough, one of them gets in trouble that day.
If I'm true to my word, I would have to sit my child down and say, "Buddy, I told you what would happen if you disobeyed. So, today you must stay inside, cook dinner, and fold laundry with your dad."
In carrying out the discipline I told him would happen, I'm demonstrating truthfulness and faithfulness. I'm being faithful to my word.
Now, if I'm faithful to carry out the very thing I hate the most for my child's good, how much more faithful will I be to bless my child with good gifts? If I'm faithful to spank my child when I tell them a spanking is coming, I will absolutely be faithful to give them a cookie when I tell them a cookie is coming.
Well, this is exactly what the LORD tells his people in our passage today. As harsh as God was in judgment, he will be in blessing. He was faithful to bring the curses upon their land that he said would happen if they disobeyed him, and now he will be faithful to bring the blessing upon their land that he's promising.
God's past faithfulness is a testament to his future faithfulness. And God's faithfulness ought to still their fearful hearts, leading them to boldly and confidently follow him in obedience.
If I could simplify the progression of this passage into one sentence, it would be: confidence in the LORD always leads to obedience to the LORD. Those who trust the LORD and are confident in his provision will obey the LORD.
So, let's dive in.
"[9] Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Let your hands be strong, you who in these days have been hearing these words from the mouth of the prophets who were present on the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built. [10] For before those days there was no wage for man or any wage for beast, neither was there any safety from the foe for him who went out or came in, for I set every man against his neighbor. [11] But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, declares the LORD of hosts. [12] For there shall be a sowing of peace. The vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew. And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. [13] And as you have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong."
[14] For thus says the LORD of hosts: "As I purposed to bring disaster to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the LORD of hosts, [15] so again have I purposed in these days to bring good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; fear not. [16] These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; [17] do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the LORD."
DO NOT FEAR; GOD IS HERE.
In verse 9, we're reminded of who God is talking to through the prophet Zechariah. He's speaking to those who had heard the words of the prophets present on the day the temple construction began. The prophets present would have been himself and Haggai. So, Zechariah is speaking directly to those who took heed to Haggai's call and began rebuilding the temple. He's talking to those obeying the LORD by rebuilding the temple.
As we work through the words spoken to this group of people, we find a theme of strength and confidence pulsing through these verses. In verse 9, we see the words, "Let your hands be strong." In verse 13, we see the words, "Fear not, but let your hands be strong." In verse 15, we see the words "Fear not" again. So, it's clear that God doesn't want his people to be fearful; he wants them to be confident. He doesn't want them to be weak and weary; he wants them to be strong and courageous. As they obey, they can obey confidently, knowing that the LORD is with them.
But why should they be strong and confident?
They should be strong and confident because God has promised to bless them. Their confidence resides in the faithfulness of the sovereign God of the universe.
In verse 10, he refers to their life before they began rebuilding the temple. He says, "For before those days there was no wage for man or any wage for beast, neither was there any safety from the foe for him who went out or came in, for I set every man against his neighbor."
The words spoken here are eerily similar to the words uttered by Haggai at the start of his message, and they speak of God's sovereign action.
In Haggai 1:9-11, the LORD says, "You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. Therefore, the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors."
So, their economic plunder did not happen by chance; it directly resulted from God's sovereign hand. He is the one who brought trials upon their land because they had become more concerned with their own homes over God's home. He withheld "the dew" and "called for" the drought. He "blew away" their profits like a child blowing out a candle.
God is on a throne, not a couch. Nothing that transpires throughout our life can occur without God's sovereign blessing. The sovereign LORD had ordained and used a season of drought and calamity to draw his people back to himself.
A CHANGE IS COMING
But, in verse 11, God says there's a change in the wind. He promises, "But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days." In other words, things will be different for you! There will no longer be economic and relational turmoil; instead, there will be a "sowing of peace." The one who brought turmoil will bring peace. He says, "The vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew. And [he] will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things." There will no longer be famine; instead, there will be prosperity. There will no longer be strife; there will be quietness, tranquility, and friendship. God will CAUSE them to possess these things.
In verse 13, the LORD says, "And as you have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing." For the longest time, God's people were seen and recognized as a cursed people by their neighboring countries. But now they will be seen and recognized as a blessed people because the LORD will save them. How those around them see them will be drastically different because of God's divine action on their behalf.
BE A BLESSING
Notice the language here.
God doesn't just say that they will be seen as a blessed people; he says they will be a blessing. One of the chief goals of the Christian faith is not simply to be seen as a blessed person by those around us; it is to be a blessing to those around us. The hypocrite consumes himself with appearance, while the faithful consumes himself with actual effectiveness. The natural progression of our salvation is outward. Those who God has blessed will, in return, bless others.
So, if you go throughout your life with no concern for the good of your neighbor, you must then ask yourself, "Have I experienced God's saving grace?
The LORD then reiterates what he said in verse 9. But he adds a twist to the initial words spoken. He says, "Fear not, let your hands be strong." They ought not to be afraid of what the future holds because the one who holds the future is vowing to be with them. They can boldly walk in obedience to what God called them to do because God will save them, and they will be a blessing. This reminds us that the Christian faith is not inactive; it's active. God's protection and provision lead to action. It leads to confident work.
GOD IS ON THE THRONE
The LORD, through Zechariah, then begins to build on the point he's been making by saying, "As I purposed to bring disaster to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the LORD of hosts, so again have I purposed in these days to bring good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; fear not."
Here God, once again, shines the light on his divine purpose as the reason they should not fear. But, instead of pointing back to their immediate suffering, he points back to the calamity their parents and grandparents experienced through Babylonian captivity because of their disobedience. In pointing back to this time, we see that the LORD brought this disaster because their fathers provoked him to wrath. They continued to walk in disobedience even when he warned them of what would happen if they continued to do so.
But now, in the same way, he will purposefully bring good to his people. The one who sovereignly brought suffering upon their land will bring blessing upon their land. The intensity of his judgment will be the intensity of his blessing.
Church, the sovereign working of God in all situations, should make our fearful hearts still today. Romans 8 says to our fearful hearts today, "And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."
When we truly understand that there is purpose in God's working, when we truly understand that God is on a throne and not a couch, when we truly understand that God is using all seasons and situations for our good and his glory, confidence is born, and fear is stilled.
He then transitions to describing the actions of his people. He says, "These are the things that you shall do: speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these thing I hate, declares the LORD."
Let's look at each of these for a moment.
SPEAK THE TRUTH TO ONE ANOTHER
At some point in our lives, we're all faced with the dilemma of whether or not we should be honest. Sin muddies the waters of life, making truth-telling extremely difficult. Sometimes, a lie seems easier to utter than the truth.
A lie, at times, seems like an easy escape from the turmoil truth might bring. But, a lie is a shovel disguised as a ladder. It appears to be an escape from the hole of conflict. But it's not an escape. It only digs a deeper hole, pushing us deeper into the dark depth of turmoil. Once we speak one lie, we're forced to tell another lie to cover up the first lie. Then, the next thing you know, you're buried deep into this hole of falsehood you cannot escape.
But, God here has thrown us a ladder, a way to escape the dark hole of turmoil: speak the truth to one another. Truth-telling leads to life. There's freedom and joy that comes from telling the truth. When you speak the truth with one another, you don't have to walk around with the pressure of keeping up a lie and are free from the stress of living in a falsehood.
Those who have experienced God's saving grace will be honest, speaking the truth with one another. So, is this true of you? Does truth flow from your lips?
RENDER JUDGEMENTS THAT ARE TRUE AND PEACEFUL
Similarly, God's people are to render judgments that are "true and make for peace." The Hebrew word for judgments here is mišpāṭ. Similar to what we saw a few weeks ago, in Zechariah 7:9, this is a call to treat all people fairly in both blessings and curses. It's a call to not show prejudice to a particular person or group of people because of their race, gender, or social status.
So, God's chosen people are to be people who don't just speak the truth. They are to be people committed to living truthfully by demonstrating justice and fairness in their judgments. The judgments we make should be rooted in truth, not lies. They should be rooted in evidence, not speculation.
The goal of our judgments should be peace for all people. Therefore, today, Christians must understand that riots and fights do not manifest a godly pursuit of justice. If there is going to be a sowing of peace amongst God's people, then God's people must be committed to peace. Those given and promised peace ought to be committed to maintaining peace. Those at peace with God should be committed to living peaceably with others.
TEND TO THE HEART
Now, if the first command is centered around our lips and the second is centered around our hands, this third command is centered around our hearts. They must not devise evil in their hearts against one another and love no false oath. More important than our words and actions is the posture of our hearts.
My mom taught me how to pull weeds in our flower bed as a child. In a rush, ready to finish and play with friends, I would grab the top of the weed and quickly rip off the top, moving on to the next weed. But, just as quickly, my mother would correct me. She wanted me to understand that if we wanted to remove the weed, I needed to uproot the whole weed. Pulling off leaves will never remove the weed. If you want the weed gone, you must remove the hidden part of the weed.
Well, the same is true with our hearts. If we want our words and actions to be pure, we must address our roots (our hearts). The Bible makes it clear that the heart is the wellspring of life. Everything we do flows from it. It drives our every action and steers our every word. Therefore, addressing our actions without addressing our hearts is like pulling leaves off a weed, hoping the weed will go away. To be truthful, we must love the truth with our hearts. To be peaceful, we must be at peace. If you harbor anger toward your neighbor, expect it to show itself in your actions. If you find your heart dwelling on vengeance, expect your actions to be vengeful. Your actions follow your heart.
At the end of these words, we see God say something that might catch us by surprise a bit. He says that all of these things he hates. God hates evil being present in the hearts of his people. He hates the love of falsehood. He hates the strategy of wrongdoing. He hates conflict being present within his people.
So, listen to me. I don't know your heart today. But God does. He knows your heart better than you do. And an important question that we have to ask ourselves is, "Lord, is there anything in my heart that you hate?"
May we allow the Holy Spirit to convict us if there is. Allow him to sanctify, chisel, and make us more like Jesus.
The Lord’s Prayer
TEXT:
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. If being a person of love (towards our God, neighbor and ourselves) is the greatest commandment, how do we become people of love?
2. What are some personal obstacles in your life that keep you from being a person of prayer? Remember, there is no shame in Christ. Only a calling to deeper communion with Him.
3. What does it mean for the Kingdom of God to come to earth as it is in heaven?
4. Are there any daily or weekly practices you currently have that bring you into communion with God?
SERMON MANUSCRIPT:
If there’s anything I want to offer to you today it is first and foremost an invitation to follow the way of Jesus through living a life of prayer. Specifically a life of prayer that causes contemplation and thoughtfulness and self reflection. What I mean by that is what the ancients called the interior life or the interior way. It is what Jesus calls in this passage “shutting the door and praying to your father in secret” or what he says in Matthew 6 to “consider the Lillies of the field” and to “look at the birds of the air”. The life of prayer to which Jesus is calling us is one that makes space in our lives to meditate on the goodness of God, the redemption of our souls through His son, the beauty of His creation and all therein and all good things of this life. It is what Paul calls in the new testament “setting our minds on things that are above.”
Now, creating this space in your life is really just the means to an end. The goal of living a life full of prayer and contemplation is not to just say that you’ve done it. In fact, Jesus speaks to that in this very passage. The hypocrite praying on the street corner for all to see has “received his reward”. By that he means that he has received what he desired most - man’s attention. But in all that he did not receive the very gift of God which is a transformed, contrite and loving heart - one that is oriented towards God and His will.
The scribes and pharisees in Mark 12 ask Jesus “what is the greatest commandment?” Jesus responds by saying “You shall love the Lord your God with all of your Heart, soul mind and strength” and “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love is the end goal of the christian life. The metric in which we measure our walk with Jesus. To become a person of love in Christ is one of the primary reasons we come to church, gather together, pray for one another, set up meal trains, do outreach, attend small groups - all of these practices we participate in together are there to, 1. Show the world that we love God and one another and 2. To help slowly form us into the image of Christ by the help of the Holy Spirit through what James calls being “doers of the word”.
The efficacy of this kind of life of prayer is described by St. Matthew the poor, an Egyptian, coptic monk - “The transcendent gifts of the Christian life are manifold (or many). Some are general, like the new second birth, redemption for the forgiveness of sins, justification by grace, sanctification by the blood of Christ. Others are personal like the gift of love, humility, piety, the glowing of spirit in constant intimacy with the Lord, and so forth… By prayer, the effect of Christ’s nature becomes manifest in us. By prayer, the power of his death and life appears in our works and behavior. By prayer, the sweet savor of Christ is scented in our words and thoughts. It is even scented in our quietude and silence as well”
The obstacles to living this kind of life come from our three enemies that we see in Scripture - This is laid out in Ephesians for us by Paul, and by the temptation of Jesus in the desert - which are: The World, the flesh and the devil.
The world often tells us through our culture that we do not have the time to live this kind of life. There is this great conspiracy that we are just too busy to, as Paul says “pray without ceasing”. For most of us - that is simply not true. For some of us, it may be. But I want to remind you that in order to live the life of Jesus, you have to adopt the lifestyle of Jesus. Jesus - who was literally God - made space in his life to pray and contemplate and teach others about the love of the Father. Is there margin in your life to do this?
Our flesh tells us that we have to come before God with grand words and like Jesus said in our passage “Empty phrases” in order to impress him. That feeling of shame that we carry when we begin to pray that if we confess our sins to him He will punish us or be cruel to us. That is our flesh telling us that we are not fully loved by God.
The devil and the often subtle ways he schemes by sowing seeds of envy or pride or deceit into our minds. Distracting us with whatever means he and his demons can think of.
It just seems so often like all too much to be able to actually live the life of prayerfulness that we so long and desire as christians to live. Do you feel that longing? That desire for spiritual depth and transformation is given to us by the Spirit of God Himself.
So you may be asking - How is it possible that we can even begin to live a life like this?
Jesus in His perfect wisdom gave us a beautiful framework for this life. One that is simple enough to repeat verbatim for when we don’t have the words to express our needs. And one that lets us shape our entire prayer life around.
If you haven’t guessed already what that framework is - it is this very prayer, The Lord’s Prayer. And I want to say that by no means is this the exhausted explanation of the Lord’s prayer. We could spend probably the next year poking and prodding at this passage to uncover its beauty. The word of God is living and active so there are what I will say about this prayer is what I believe pertains to living this life of prayer that I just talked about.
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name…”
The question in the ancient world was not “Is God real?” There had been no age of enlightenment that caused people to try and rationalize everything with science and logic. There was no post modernism pulling them into living a secular lifestyle where God has no place. No, they never asked “Is God real?” Every ancient civilization worshipped some sort of god. I’m sure if you asked the Israelites at the time of exodus if God was real they would have laughed at you. Of course He’s real, we’re literally following a pillar of fire through the desert and some dude just dropped dead because he touched the ark of the covenant. The question instead in the ancient world was this - “Can we Know God?”
So when the disciples come to Jesus in Luke’s account of this prayer - they ask him “Lord teach us how to pray”
We can look at that and think “Oh wow those silly disciples had spent all this time with Jesus and still didn’t know how to pray” That could be true, except that these were first century Jews. These men had been praying the Jewish prayer rhythms their entire lives. They were also fishermen and tax collectors and men who needed to know the law well in order to do their jobs legally. That had read the psalms and in a sense, they “knew how to pray.” But they saw in Jesus an intimacy with the father that they had never seen before.
Through christ we see the great chasm between us and the father is bridged through His life, death and resurrection. Through Christ we can come to the Lord at the beginning of this prayer and proclaim “Abba, Father”. A father that has good intentions towards us. That does not “deal harshly with us as we deserve” (Psalm 103) but instead is “tender and compassionate to those who fear Him.” Listen to what Paul says about this kind of access to the Father through Christ in Romans 8:15-17.
“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”
The beginning of this prayer gives us permission to confidently come before the Lord, who deserves all the glory and honor, and allows us to call him “Abba, Father.”
“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…”
Luke 17:20-21 20 Being asked by the Pharisees uwhen the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God vis not coming in ways that can be observed, 21 nor wwill they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”
One of my favorite parts about this verse is that right before this word from Jesus, Luke juxtaposes it with a story of how Jesus cleanses and welcomes a samaritan leper. So imagine yourself as a pharisee, a keeper of the law and someone who has been long awaiting the messiah to come and retake the political structure of Jerusalem to hand it back over to you. You’ve been waiting for this messiah to overthrow your greatest enemy. The roman empire. And suddenly, the man who claims to be the messiah is telling you that in His kingdom, he is the king of lepers, and the poor, and tax collectors, and men and women of little social status. Albeit there were of course also men and women of great social status and those who were probably revered by society, yet they lowered and humbled themselves to come serve along side these sinners and nobodies? It sounds foolish right? But the ways of God are foolish to man.
This is what heaven looks like. When you pray this portion of the lord’s prayer you are inviting the spirit of God to make you aware of the Kingdom that is in the midst of you. Where love and justice and peace prevail. Where there is no partiality shown in social class or status, or race or gender. You are also interceding on behalf of those you pray this prayer for. “God let your kingdom and your will be the reality that invades this person’s life.”
I was talking with a friend of mine and I had originally planned to use the phrase that “heaven is upside down” in comparing the kingdom of heaven to the kingdom of the world. Before I even said that, Almost unprompted she said “I can’t stand when people say “heaven is upside down. It’s really right side up!” And she’s so right. The kingdom of earth - the one of injustice and cruelty and hatred is not the one God intended for us to live in. His world was, as he said, “good.” So when we ask this of God - that his kingdom come and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven - we are pointing back to eden. Back to the time where man was in full communion with God. Where sin did not separate our relationship with him. We are also pointing forward to the new creation where all will be made well and Christ will reign for eternity and we will spend eternity with one another eating at the table together and laughing and hugging our friends and clinking our glasses as we experience God in all His fullness because sin will no longer separate any of us. Sin will no longer cause strife in our relationships with one another. Sin will no longer affect our bodies. And we will spend eternity living in the wonderful love of the father. And you know what’s really beautiful? Eternal life starts now. This prayer gives us the permission to ask the lord for glimpses of that life right now. For healing to come to the sick, for relationships to be restored, for love and laughter and fun to be had while we worship our creator. This bold prayer invites us into the abundant life of the Kingdom of God.
As I was writing this in my garage I looked over to my right and I have a lyric poster of one of my favorite songs called “Kingfisher” by Andy Squyres. A kingfisher is a small, but beautiful bird. And in. Andy’s attempt to paint a picture of heaven he says, “When I get where I’m going, guns are hammered into plows. Promises we made to war turn into broken vows… I go out walking on the mountain where the thunder rolls. I smell the rain of heaven coming to the earth below. I see a kingfisher ascending to his rightful throne. The meek inheriting a city they can call their own. So Blessed are the meek. Those who say “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
“Give us this day our daily bread…”
We are formed by what we do, not by what we know. We do what we know, so our knowledge of the Word is important, but it is not the information itself that changes us. - once again - we want to be DOERS of the word not Just hearers. So, the act of coming to God daily with this petition for him to provide for us slowly, but surely forms us into the image of Christ.
Psalm 51 so famously says, “For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”
Beautiful passage. So incredibly important. God is concerned about the matter of the heart. He wants your heart to be oriented towards Him. But then the passage goes on— “Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.”
We get so caught up so often about making sure our heart is in the right place before we do something that we completely forget to do the very thing we were supposed to do with the broken and contrite heart. This daily prayer of petition for God to provide what we need, yes needs to come from a heart oriented towards God, but then it also literally needs to be said and confessed. And for some of us, myself included, there are some days where I come before the lord in petition for my needs and say as the man with the son with the unclean spirit said “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.” Sometimes the worries of this life do overcome me for a moment. But by placing myself before God and asking for my needs to be met is the way that I fight back against my false belief in that moment that the world has overcome.
Richard foster, author of “Celebration of Disciplines” - one of the best modern day teachers on the spiritual disciplines says this, almost shockingly. “Spiritual disciplines can do nothing. They can only get us to the place where something can be done.” This discipline of petitioning for your daily bread places you at the feet of Christ as you profess that you, in your own strength and own power, cannot supply your own needs. And in that place is where the holy spirit begins to work on your heart.
“Forgives us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us…”
I’d consider myself a man of practicality. I like to wear clothes that make practical sense. That’s why for two years I wore the same jacket every day because it practically held everything I needed in the right place. I want to drive a truck, because its practical. Even though I really love making pour over coffees, I’ve been wanting to get a normal coffee pot because its much more practical. To me, no other part of this prayer is more practical than this. Jesus, in His infinite wisdom knew that we would need something practical to grasp onto in our walk with Him and again, to me, nothing is more practical than the act of forgiveness. Listen even to Jesus himself. I actually love how cut and dry this seems. “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
How do we become people of forgiveness that God also forgives? Jesus’ answer is simple. Forgive. Harboring Unforgiveness in our hearts towards someone is a prison. It is most assuredly, not the way of Jesus. It’s incredibly clear. There is nothing squirley about this in scripture that could ever cause us to think that we should not release forgiveness to somebody. That however does not mean that is “easy” I say that in quotations because the yoke of Jesus is easy and light and his yoke calls us to forgive, But We do not have the capacity within ourselves to forgive. Only Christ through us can do that. So once again, I call you to put something into daily practice. The act of confessing our sins to God, transforms us into a people who then extend forgiveness to others. Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” James 5:16 “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
So the question stands for all of us this morning - Is there unforgivness in our hearts? Only by the forgiveness of our own sins can we extend that forgiveness to others. We will have a moment in a minute to practice that together as we confess ours sin and ask the Lord to search our hearts for
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
What you do matters. What you choose to fill your time with matters. Do not let the world convince you into thinking that Christ did not die for your time and attention. Attention is the beginning of devotion. What we give our attention to directs who or what we are being formed by. Something is forming us into its image. Whether its the attention we give our politics, our jobs, our social status, our instagram lifestyles, or Christ himself, we are being formed. Asking the lord to keep us from evil and to lead us not into temptation then begs the question - if God is not tempting us and if he is delivering us from evil, where am I placing myself into temptation in my life? The countless hours we spend scrolling and scrolling on our phones, not paying attention to the person in front of us, watching hours of Netflix, spending unnecessarily long hours at work for the sake of production. These are not inherently bad things by all means, but when we place ourselves in these kinds of lifestyles are we leading ourselves into temptation? The temptation to forget God and the person in front of us when we’re scrolling, temptation to put work ahead of our spouse or our family where we have no time for them or even our God. The temptation to live a life of “ease and comfort” is always there. But that never brings us true rest. True rest comes from the yoke of Jesus. The yoke that gives us the freedom to put our phones down and to look up. The yoke that gives us permission to not have to live like the rest of the world. Temptation does not always look like that thing on the screen we should avoid clicking. In the subtlest of ways it creeps into our daily habits. It invades what we give our attention to. C.S Lewis in his book “The Screwtape letters” Which is a collection of letters from a senior demon written to his younger apprentice and nephew. In speaking of this kind of temptation that distracts our attention from the Lord, Screwtape tells his nephew: “Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick.” Or in other words, as Corrie Ten Boom put it: “if the devil can’t make you sin, he’ll make you busy.
This is why, church. I pray that we become a people of prayer. A people who choose to discipline ourselves, in scripture’s terms, Consecrate ourselves to Him. This means that we have a deep inner longing to live holy and want to be changed into the image of Jesus. We do this by daily devoting ourselves to Him. Our relationship to Christ is in many ways much like a relationship with a spouse. We speak, then we listen. I tell my wife that I love her and she tells me she loves me. We do this every day. It does not get old or rote because I truly do love her and she truly does love me. Place yourself before the Lord with this prayer because we all know that you become like the person you spend the most time with.
Zechariah 8:1-8
TEXT:
"[1] And the word of the LORD of hosts came, saying, [2] "Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath. [3] Thus says the LORD: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts, the holy mountain. [4] Thus says the LORD of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of great age. [5] And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. [6] Thus says the LORD of hosts: If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my sight, declares the LORD of hosts? [7] Thus says the LORD of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country, [8] and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness."
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Spend a few moments discussion the difference between a righteous jealously and an unrighteousness jealousy. How is God’s righteous jealousy a comforting reality for God’s people here?
In verse 3, we see how God’s presence is transformational. Spend a few moments reflecting on your own life. How has the LORD sanctified you over the days/months/years that you’ve followed him?
In verses 7-8, we see God’s plan to bring people from the east and the west to “dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.” How should these verses impact the way we live? How can we, as a community group, better take the hope of the gospel to the ends of the earth?
SERMON MANUSCRIPT:
Springtime is a busy season for the Parazine household. It's a time when sports and extracurricular activities run rampant. It's when Kayla is trying to balance being a teacher and a student. So, in the midst of our busyness, I find my heart longing for rest, security, and solemn and joyful fellowship. I have this fairy tale longing in my heart for a Friday night where the weather is perfect and the kids are playing with friends in the backyard while we hang out with our family and friends eating burgers and drinking a cold drink.
We'll discover in our passage today that God promises this type of future for his people. God promises his people who have been plagued with oppression and lack that their future will be peaceful and secure. They will no longer be a city of ruins without protection from their outside enemies. Jerusalem would be transformed into a "faithful city" and a "holy mountain." God will be with them and he will protect them, giving them unparalleled safety. The elderly, with canes in hand, will be sitting on their front porches as the kids play in the streets. As the LORD continues to answer the question regarding the corporate practice of fasting, we find God offering his people an unbelievable amount of hope in today's passage.
In these verses, we will be reminded of six things:
God is jealous for his people.
God protects his people.
God disciplines his people.
God transforms his people.
God dwells with his people.
God is creating a city without walls (a diverse, yet united people from all over the world).
So, let's dive in.
"[1] And the word of the LORD of hosts came, saying, [2] "Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath. [3] Thus says the LORD: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts, the holy mountain. [4] Thus says the LORD of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of great age. [5] And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. [6] Thus says the LORD of hosts: If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my sight, declares the LORD of hosts? [7] Thus says the LORD of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country, [8] and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness."
GOD IS JEALOUS
Whenever we study Scripture, we should always take note of repeated words or themes. We repeat ourselves when we want someone to understand what we're saying. In this instance, God's jealousy is mentioned three times in these first two verses. Therefore, we can safely conclude that the jealousy of God is essential to the point of this passage. God is jealous for his people, and out of his jealousy for his people, he will act on behalf of his people.
When we think about jealousy, we likely think about it negatively. In doing so, we're equating jealousy with the word envy. We're thinking of it as the act of resentfully wanting something that does not rightfully belong to us, which is sinful. Sinful jealousy is looking at something someone else has and wanting and resenting that person because of it. Sinful jealousy is looking at how much money your friend makes at his job and resenting him because of it.
But the Bible makes it clear that God cannot sin. Therefore, the jealousy God feels must be righteous. God's jealousy/zeal toward his people is good, not evil. In this context, it is an act of grace that should still the fearful hearts of his people. Yes, God is jealous for his people with "great jealousy." But his jealousy is not rooted in lack or want. And his jealousy leads to righteous action, not unrighteous actions. God is not jealous because someone or something possesses something he wants, lacks, or needs. God feels the emotion of jealousy when someone gives to another something that rightfully belongs to him.
In the Old Testament, we see this spoken of regarding worship. Worship belongs solely to God and God alone. God tells his people in Exodus 34:14, "for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God." So, when those who belong to God take worship (which rightfully belongs to God) and give it to someone or something else, God is provoked into jealousy. He zealously yearns for his people to worship him alone.
If you're married, you might have experienced this emotion before. When you get married, you willingly commit yourself to your spouse, saying, "I am fully yours, and you are fully mine. Together we are one." Neither one of you have full authority over your own body. So, if your spouse were to give another person time, attention, affection, or intimacy, you would become jealous. Your spouse is giving someone else something that rightfully belongs to you.
Here's why that's important. God's jealousy for his people implies a relationship with his people. Despite their sin and God's judgment, there is still a relationship between God and his people. God has not abandoned them. God did not become indifferent toward them. He did not fall out of love with them. He is still jealous for those who belong to him. His anger toward them was for only a moment. His compassion has aroused, and he's again declaring his love for his people.
At the heart of this verse, we see the LORD's burning desire to be with his people. So, if you are in Christ today, you belong to God. You are his, and he is yours. God is jealous for you. He loves you with a deep and sincere covenantal love. So, like a warm blanket on a cold night, may God's jealousy for you cover your weary heart with immense comfort.
At the end of verse 2, we see God is jealous for his people "with great wrath." There's a temptation to read this verse and think God's wrath is directed toward his people. But may we not fall into such a vile trap. God is not a drunken lover who beats his bride out of jealousy. He is a loving groom who protects his bride with great wrath. His wrath is not directed toward his bride but at the oppressor of his bride. The mentioning of his jealousy here is a promise of protection and deliverance. God is jealous with great wrath toward the enemies of his people, meaning he will protect his people at all costs.
Church, here's an unbelievably comforting reality of the gospel: those in Christ have no reason to fear in this life or in the life to come. God protects his people. At the cross, Jesus uttered the hopeful words, "It is finished," meaning your salvation is complete, and your enemy has been defeated. God's wrath has been poured on his Son, crushing your greatest enemy: sin, death, and Satan. God is creating for himself a redeemed people who are safe in him.
GOD’S PRESENCE IS TRANSFORMATIONAL
As we continue to read in verse 3, we see the LORD reminding his people that he has returned to them, which is transformative to their city— "Thus says the LORD: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts, the holy mountain."
The phrase "I have returned to Zion" assumes that he had left Zion for a period of time, but now he has returned. We see in Ezekiel 10 that the "glory of the LORD went out from the threshold of the house," opening up Jerusalem to the invasion of her enemies. The act of God leaving was an act of discipline on his people. God disciplines those that he loves. But he does not abandon and forsake those that he loves forever.
The Lord has now returned. And because the LORD has returned, their identity and security have been transformed. They will go from an unfaithful people to a "faithful city." They will transition from an unholy people to a "holy mountain."
Church, when you invite Jesus into your life, your identity changes. Because you have the Holy Spirit residing within you, you are cleansed, and you have been made righteous. Because of God's presence, we are now a faithful city and a holy mountain set apart for God's purpose. God's presence is purifying; it's sanctifying. When God moves in, sin moves out. Thinking that you can have a relationship with God while continuing to walk in sin is foolish. God's presence is transformational.
SAFE AND SOUND
As we continue to read in verses 4-5, we see the LORD describing what this city will consist of— "Thus says the LORD of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of great age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets."
The older I get, the more I long for peaceful Friday nights. So, these verses tug on my heartstrings. These so vividly describe one of my heart's deepest longings.
But here's the thing.
My longing for a restful Friday night likely paled compared to the longing of God's people at this time. These people are coming out of 72 years of captivity in Babylon. Then, for months, they traveled back to Jerusalem. Then, for years, they lived in a city of ruins, trying to rebuild it piece by piece, brick by brick. And as they sought to rebuild Jerusalem, they faced opposition from their neighboring countries.
So from the average eye, their city was far from safe. Yet, the LORD says they will be safe and secure because he has returned to them. Their safety will not come from a strong army but from God's presence with them. He will be the shield of protection they need. His presence among them is all they need.
Where God's people had grown accustomed to distress and oppression, they would soon experience safety and security. Where they had grown used to sadness and misery, they would soon experience joy and laughter. Their future kingdom will be one of comfort and tranquility for all people. Old men and women will be kicked back on their porches with a cold drink in hand as their grandchildren run around playing safely. There will be no fear of outside oppression. There will be no concern about internal turmoil. God's presence among his people will lead to complete security and joy.
This was likely a profound thought that God's people couldn't fathom at this time. So, the LORD responds in verse 6, "Thus says the LORD of hosts: If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my sight, declares the LORD of hosts?"
What the LORD is essentially saying here is, "Is anything too difficult for me?" What seems out of the realm of possibility for man is an everyday thing to God. We see the LORD say something similar in speaking to Abraham when he promised him a son in his old age— "Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son (Gen. 18:14)." So, the idea of them dwelling securely seems to them like a faint reality, but to God, it's as easy as counting to 3.
A CITY WITHOUT WALLS
As we continue to read in verses 7-8, the LORD says, "Thus says the LORD of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country, and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness."
What beautiful imagery here! Here we see God promising salvation to his people far and wide. When I read these verses, I was reminded of what Wayne said a few weeks back when preaching on Zechariah 6. In Zechariah 6, the LORD promises protection from their enemies from the north and the south, but he never mentions the east or the west. Wayne made the helpful point that to the east of Jerusalem was the desert, and to the west was water. So it would be challenging for their enemies to journey from the east or the west. Therefore, he doesn't mention it. Yet, now the LORD is saying that those from the east and the west will come to dwell in Jerusalem.
The LORD is saying here that those far off will be brought near to "dwell in the midst of Jerusalem." God is creating a city that consists of men and women from all over the world. At the heart of the gospel, we see God's desire to save all people: men and women from every tribe, tongue, and nation.
This is a reiteration of the words spoken in chapter 1, where God promised to make Jerusalem a city without walls. Church, we are a part of a [C]ity without walls today. If your faith resides in Jesus, you have been grafted into God's family, and your residency is in Jerusalem. Your license may say, "Alabama," but your heart says, "Jerusalem." You dwell with God now, and God dwells with you.
As a parent of three children who sometimes struggle to sleep in their beds, I've learned that we rest best when we feel the safest. And you couldn't be any safer than you are today in Christ Jesus. There is nothing that could rip you out of the pierced hands of God today. Nothing, neither death nor life, nor angels or rulers, nothing in the future and nothing in the past, no amount of power, no height, no depth, nothing in all of creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. So, may your spirit find rest in the finished work of the cross today.
CITY = COMMUNITY
These verses also teach us that the Christian faith is communal. You don't have the opportunity to live outside the Christian faith as a recluse. No, you have been saved into a holy city where we dwell securely in Christ together. Together in this life, we grow old, raising our kids to know and love Jesus. Together we trust in Christ. Together we remind each other that our God is a mighty fortress.
Zechariah 7:8-14
TEXT:
"[7] Were not these the words that the LORD proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and prosperous, with her cities around her, and the South and the lowland were inhabited?'"
[8] And the word of the LORD came to Zechariah, saying, [9] "Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, [10] do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart." [11] But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear. [12] They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the LORD of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great anger came from the LORD of hosts. [13] "As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear," says the LORD of hosts, [14] "and I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations that they had not known. Thus the land they left was desolate, so that no one went to and fro, and the pleasant land was made desolate."
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Spend some time reading and discussing verses 8-10. Give some practical examples of how we can live these out in our day to day lives.
How does our heart toward God impact our day to day lives?
Read verses 11-13. What application can we pull from the warning here in these verses?
SERMON MANUSCRIPT
An unfortunate reality of life is that history often repeats itself. So, as we disciple and teach the next generation, we will often find ourselves saying, "Don't make the same mistakes I made." Similarly, we find God warning his people not to make the same mistake their forefathers made when they hardened their hearts toward God in our passage today.
God lovingly pursued and called their forefathers. Yet, they rejected his call. But, as their forefathers rejected God's call, they looked to religious activities like fasting as a means to get God's attention and favor. And this angered the LORD, leading to the fall of Jerusalem. So, God is saying to his people, "Don't make the same mistake your forefathers made when they rejected me."
The central theme for today will be that God cares about how his people live. Those who belong to God do not have the freedom to live however they want. Those who have been redeemed by Jesus submit to Jesus as the Lord of their lives. But under the arches of this theme, we will discover three points:
God has always been more concerned with the why than the what.
The vertical will always impact the horizontal.
God wants us to have a tender heart toward his word.
So, let's go ahead and dive in.
"[7] Were not these the words that the LORD proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and prosperous, with her cities around her, and the South and the lowland were inhabited?'"
[8] And the word of the LORD came to Zechariah, saying, [9] "Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, [10] do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart." [11] But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear. [12] They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the LORD of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great anger came from the LORD of hosts. [13] "As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear," says the LORD of hosts, [14] "and I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations that they had not known. Thus the land they left was desolate, so that no one went to and fro, and the pleasant land was made desolate."
NOT A NEW MESSAGE
As we saw last week, God responds with a question of his own in response to the question regarding corporate fasting. He asked, "Why have you been fasting in the first place? Was it for me that you have been fasting all these years? Or was it for yourself?"
Following this questioning of motives, the LORD then asks in verse 7, "We're not these the words that the LORD proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and prosperous, with her cities around her, and the South and the lowland were inhabited?"
What God is doing here in verse 7 is reminding his people that he's always been concerned with their hearts. The words he's saying now are no different than those in the past— they're the exact words he proclaimed by the former prophets. God has always been more concerned with the why than he has the what. God has always been more concerned with the heart of his people than the religious actions of his people. This has been God's consistent message that's pulsed throughout time.
We see this demonstrated to us in Isaiah 58, where the same topic of fasting was addressed. Through the prophet Isaiah, the LORD was saying that the religious work of fasting should coincide with the daily actions of his people. Yet, we see that they had forsaken the judgment of their God, practicing unrighteousness, all while demanding righteous judgments from God while fasting. Their religious activity and their daily living did not coincide. They were demanding God to do something they weren't willing to do themselves.
So, in Isaiah 58, we see God telling them that they fasted for themselves, not the LORD, seeking their own pleasure on the day of their fast. Sure, they denied themselves food "for the LORD." But, while they denied themselves food, they also oppressed their workers. While they humbled themselves before the LORD, they arrogantly fought and quarreled with one another. Their inward heart and external actions did not reflect the posture of a true fast done for the LORD.
Denying yourself food for the sake of asking something from God while simultaneously denying your neighbor their daily needs is the height of religious hypocrisy. And that's exactly what they had done. There was a disconnect between their religious activity and daily living.
So, the LORD's questioning of motives here in Zechariah is not a new message. It's a message of old, the same message proclaimed through the former prophets. God has always been concerned with the heart of his people. Why you do what you do is foundational to the Christian faith.
VERTICAL IMPACTS THE HORIZONTAL
As Christians, whatever we do, we do for the LORD, not ourselves. And when our heart is oriented toward the LORD, our religious activities and daily living will not conflict with one another. A denial of food for the glory of the LORD ought to coincide with a denial of self for the good of our neighbor.
Look at verses 8-10, "Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart."
So, the vertical will always impact the horizontal. Our heart posture toward God will translate into how we interact with our neighbors. One who has experienced the unconditional love of God in Christ Jesus will undoubtedly begin to love God themselves. And those who love God will undoubtedly begin to love their neighbor.
Your heart posture toward God will always bleed into your day-to-day actions. A love for God always leads to a love for your neighbor, and indifference toward God always leads to indifference toward our neighbor. So, let's spend a few moments unpacking how God calls his people to treat their neighbors.
RENDER TRUE JUDGMENTS
First, he calls us to "render true judgments." The Hebrew word for judgment is "mishpat," a political term for justice. Justice is a topic addressed over 200 times in the OT alone, which should tell us that justice is something close to God's heart. In its purest form, mishpat means doing what is right and treating all people fairly in both blessing and punishment. It's looking past race or social status and either acquitting or punishing a person based on the case's merits. It's giving people a right and fair judgment. It's giving someone their God-given rights, no matter who they are. So, God desires, expects, and demands his people to treat all people fairly in everything they do. Selfish people don't care about justice, but selfless people desire to "render true judgments."
COMPASSION & MERCY
The concept of showing "mercy" and "kindness" to one another is a concept that mirrors how God relates to his people. They're terms that are used to describe God and his faithful love toward his people. It's an all-in type of affection and love. It's Godlike love and affection. We are to treat our neighbor the way God has treated us. We are to love our neighbor the same way God has loved us. We are to be kind like God is kind. We are to be compassionate like God is compassionate. As recipients of God's steadfast love, we should be eager to demonstrate that love to each other. Deep from the well of our hearts, we should be eager to show compassion and mercy to each other daily.
CARE FOR THE VULNERABLE
Next, we see that we should also be eager to care for those most vulnerable in our society. We must "not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor." As you consult the law of the Old Testament, you will quickly discover that God deeply cares about helping the helpless. In the law, he would often remind his people that he redeemed them from slavery in Egypt; therefore, they should be eager to care for those in their land. They were to pay the poor and the needy on the day of their work (Deut. 24:14), not later like we're accustomed to doing in our society. When they gathered their harvest, they were to intentionally leave some of their harvests behind for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow (Deut. 24:19-22; Lev. 19:9-10).
At the heart of the gospel, we find God's care for the broken and the vulnerable. And if God cares for the vulnerable, we should care for the vulnerable.
Church, listen. I understand that life is messy, and there's nuance in how we care for those around us. But, we must understand that we have a biblical responsibility to steward our time and resources to help those in need around us. You should be a safe haven for your neighbor; and we should be a safe haven for our neighbors. If we have experienced God's grace, mercy, and care, we should be eager to display God's grace, mercy, and care to those around us.
We should never be a people that are so self-centered that we look past the venerable in our society, and LORD please help us if we get to a place where we even capitalize off of the vulnerable in our community. We should not oppress the vulnerable in our society; we should lift up the vulnerable in our society.
WATCH YOUR HEART
But, not only should we actively seek out the good of our neighbor, but we should not even "devise evil against another in our hearts." Neighborly love isn't simply limited to our actions toward our neighbor but our heart posture toward our neighbor.
TENDER HEARTS TO GOD’S WoRD
As we continue to read, we see God encouraging his people not to go down the same path as their forefathers. Their forefathers intentionally chose to reject the loving call and pursuit of God in their lives. As God shouted from the mountain tops, they "refused to pay attention." As God lovingly ran after them, they "turned a stubborn shoulder" to him. As God spoke to them through the prophets, they "stopped their ears that they might not hear." Instead of having soft and tender hearts toward God's law, they made their "hearts diamond-hard, lest they should hear the law and the words that the LORD of hosts has sent by his Spirit through the former prophets."
Church, listen. We must understand that how we respond to the Bible is how we respond to God. If you find yourself shrugging your shoulders toward the Bible, please know that you're shrugging your shoulders toward God. An indifferent heart toward the Bible is an indifferent heart toward the author of the Bible. So, we see at the heart of these verses is the truth that a tender heart toward God's word is what God desires of us today.
As their forefathers hardened their hearts toward God and rejected Him, God became angry with them. Great anger came from the LORD of hosts, leading to judgment being poured out on their land. In verse 13, God says, "As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear." Here we find a play on words showing us how God treated them the way they treated him. This play on words teaches us that they experienced the fruit of their indifference toward God.
In Isaiah 58, we see this verse being played out more clearly. Here God is addressing a people who had abandoned God yet were still fasting and seeking God with religious deeds. God, seeing their heart and motives, was calling them to repentance and return to obedience to Him. Yet, with cold and indifferent hearts, they continued to fast while rejecting the weightier matters of the law.
So, you see them crying out, "Why have we fasted, and you not see it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?" And God is responding, "Because you're seeking your own pleasure. You want a relationship with me on your terms, not my terms. Your fasting is not accompanied by repentance; it's accompanied by arrogance."
Church, don't expect a fruitful relationship with God while you choose to walk in disobedience to God. You don't get God on your terms. The sacrifices of God are not a broken body, but "a broken spirit." A broken and contrite heart, God will never despise. Your actions are important, but God is more concerned with your heart than your actions. So, think again if you think God will listen to and answer your prayers as your arms are crossed with your back turned to God. As God "called" and "they didn't listen," so "they called" and "God did not listen."
Church, the temptation is to think that God cannot see past the mask of religion. The temptation is to think that you can go on living with cold and indifferent hearts toward God and just sprinkle in a few religious works and be good with God. But that's not how a relationship with God works. This passage teaches that God calls us to deeper waters than the kiddy pool of religiosity. God is calling us to a loving relationship himself, where we listen to him, trusting that he knows what's best, and where we walk in obedience to him. He’s not calling us to be a hard-hearted box checkers; he's calling us to be tender-hearted children who listen and obey. And what we will find when we do so is that his yoke is easy, and his burden is light. Submission to God may be difficult, but it is worth it. Submission to God leads to freedom and joy. So, may we be a people who rest in the love God has lavished upon us, and may we be a people who love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. In doing so, may we be a people who seek to walk in obedience to him in all things, loving our neighbor as ourselves.
Zechariah 7:1-7
TEXT:
"[1] In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Chislev. [2] Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-melech and their men to entreat the favor of the LORD, [3] saying to the priests of the house of the LORD of hosts and the prophets, "Should I weep and abstain in the fifth month, as I have done for so many years?" [4] Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me: [5] "Say to all the people of the land and the priests, 'When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted? [6] And when you eat and when you drink, do you not eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves? [7] Were not these the words that the LORD proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and prosperous, with her cities around her, and the South and the lowland were inhabited?'"
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Spend a few quick moments discussing something God showed you in your personal reading of the Bible this week (either in your Bible reading plan or something else).
Why is important to understand that why we do what we do is just as important as what we do?
Spend some time discussing the difference between false religion and true religion. In what ways do you find your heart/lives gravitate toward a false, self-centered religion?
Spend a few extra minutes intentionally praying for one another this week.
SERMON MANUSCRIPT:
Proverbs 15:3 says, "The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch over the evil and the good." This week, we've been teaching our children how this is both a comforting and terrifying verse.
This verse should be comforting because we learn that there is never a moment when the all-powerful God of the universe is not watching over us. He is our provider and protector, keeping watch over us today. So, we can lay our heads on our pillow at night, confident that God's eyes will not close for a second in our slumber.
But this verse is also terrifying because it teaches us that God— the just judge— has seen every evil action performed by man throughout history. Every deed done in the dark and every lie whispered in the light has been seen by the all-seeing God of the universe. You cannot fool God, nor can you hide from him. He is all-seeing and all-knowing. Psalm 44:21 tells us that God even "knows the secrets of the heart." So, there is nothing that God is unaware of today. He is more aware of your heart's deep, dark crevices than you are. You cannot fool God. He is fully aware of your secrets today. The eyes of the LORD are in every place, even the secret compartments of your heart.
We see this demonstrated in Zechariah 7. As God's people come to God with a question regarding the religious practice of corporate fasting, God shines the spotlight on the deeper issue of their hearts. He answers their question with another question regarding their love for him.
Sometimes our children ask us questions that they think require a simple "yes" or "no" answer. But, sometimes, as parents, we understand that the best solutions aren't always "yes" or "no." Sometimes the best answers require nuance. Sometimes, before a "yes" or "no" answer is given, a parent must address the heart of the question being asked.
That's exactly what God is doing in chapters 7 and 8. In these following two chapters, we find God giving his people a nuanced answer to the initial question they ask regarding fasting. The question is asked in Zechariah 7:3, and we don't find an answer until Zechariah 8:19 (30 verses later).
So, what we find in these next two chapters is the all-seeing God of the universe addressing the heart of his people. And as we look at the initial response to the question being asked today, you and I will be presented with a question. We will be forced to ask, "Why do we do what we do?" And in unpacking this question, we will discover that, when it comes to religious activities, our intentions are often more important than our actions. When we become laser-focused on activities and indifferent toward our motives, we become a white-washed tomb. We become like a cup that is clean on the outside but full of filth on the inside.
For the next couple of weeks, we will begin to see the importance and beauty of true religion. False religion will seek to do religious things for personal gain, but true religion will do religious things out of love and worship for God.
So, let's go ahead and dive in.
"[1] In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Chislev. [2] Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-melech and their men to entreat the favor of the LORD, [3] saying to the priests of the house of the LORD of hosts and the prophets, "Should I weep and abstain in the fifth month, as I have done for so many years?" [4] Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me: [5] "Say to all the people of the land and the priests, 'When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted? [6] And when you eat and when you drink, do you not eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves? [7] Were not these the words that the LORD proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and prosperous, with her cities around her, and the South and the lowland were inhabited?'"
HALF WAY THERE
The first thing we notice at the start of this chapter is a new date. Chapters 1-6 all took place during a one-night period during the eighth month of the second year of King Darius' reign. But now we see a new date, which teaches us that this is a new section. Two years and one month have transpired since the eight visions of chapters 1-6.
Now, this date is significant because it shapes the context of what will happen in chapter 7 by telling us where we are in the temple construction process. The book of Haggai teaches us that the temple construction began in the second year of Darius' reign, and Ezra 6:15 teaches us that the temple was finished during the sixth year of the reign of Darius, the king.
So, we're at the halfway point of the temple's construction, which is an encouraging development. It seems that God's people are making good progress and that the LORD is blessing their efforts in building the temple.
Chislev was a term used to describe the ninth month of the Jewish calendar. And on the fourth day of this month, we see the people of Bethel (a city roughly twelve miles north of Jerusalem) send a group of men to come down to entreat the favor of the LORD. The term "entreat" is one of lowliness and sickness, and the phrase "entreat the favor of the LORD" was often used within the context of God's people seeking relief from difficult circumstances. Moses, in Exodus 32, for example, implored/entreated the LORD to pull back the reins of his wrath that was burning against his people because of their worship of the golden calf. So, at the heart of their journey was a desire for relief.
As we continue to read, we see that these men were sent with a specific question for the priests and prophets. God's people in Bethel wanted to know if they needed to continue weeping and abstaining "in the fifth month" as they have "done for so many years." Judging by the language used in this question, it seems God's people have carved out this time of the year to be a designated time of mourning and fasting, a time of weeping and abstaining.
FASTING
Let's pause here for a moment.
Fasting is a practice we see done fairly regularly throughout the Bible. Yet, surprisingly, it was something God rarely commanded his people to do. In fact, the only time God commanded his people to fast was on the day of atonement (Yom Kippur). So, when you survey the Old Testament, you will surprisingly find that God commands his people to feast more than to fast and to celebrate more than to mourn. Nonetheless, throughout the Bible, we see the assumption that God's people will fast because God's people did fast. For example, when Jesus addresses fasting in Matthew 6, he doesn't say, "If you fast." Instead, he says, "When you fast...."
So, what is fasting?
Fasting is the voluntary denial of a vital necessity of life (ex. food or water) for the sake of intense spiritual activity. It was understood to express repentance, grief, and humility before God. Judging by the context of this passage, it seems God's people had been fasting as a symbol of repentance and grief over the fall of Jerusalem. Verse 3 tells us that they were weeping and abstaining in the fifth month, and verse 5 tells us they fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months. As we scan the history of Israel, we learn that it was the seventh day of the fifth month that Jerusalem was destroyed by the hands of the Babylonians (2 Kings 25:8; Jeremiah 52:12). It was also in the seventh month that Gedaliah, the governor of Jerusalem, was assassinated (2 Kings 25:25-26; Jeremiah 41:1-3). So, it seems God's people had developed the practice of corporately fasting and mourning the fall of Jerusalem and their ruler. For seventy years, they fasted and mourned the judgment God had poured out on their city.
CAN WE STOP FASTING?
So, now that things seem to be heading in the right direction with the rebuilding of the temple, God's people are asking if they need to continue to mourn and fast the fall of the old temple? After all, what's the point of fasting if God has relented his judgment?
This question seems to be valid.
Do they need to mourn the fall of the temple now that the temple is being restored? Do they need to weep about the fall of Jerusalem now that they're back in Jerusalem? Do they need to continue mourning the bad things now that good things are happening? And it seems that a simple yes or no would suffice here. But the One who weighs the heart of man recognizes an issue in the heart of their question. So, he answers differently.
Look at his initial response in verses 4-6, "Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me: 'Say to all the people of the land and the priests, 'When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted? And when you eat and drink, do you not eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves?"
Instead of answering their question, he responds with a question of his own. He's essentially saying, "Instead of asking, "Can I stop fasting," why don't you ask, "Why have I been fasting?" The issue at hand isn't a matter of yes or no; it's a matter of why.
As Christians, why we do what we do is just as important as what we do. Religious works with the wrong intentions are empty works.
It seems here that God's people had begun to view fasting through a transactional mindset. It seems that they had adopted the mentality that fasting was a means to get God on their side and to relent his judgment. Like a child, they've begun to think that if they cross their arms and poke their lip out far enough, God will relent his judgment. And now that the temple is being restored, there seems to be no reason to fast.
So, God's question here pushes back against their motive for fasting. If fasting is viewed as a means to get God on your side, then there's now no reason to fast. Their fasting has served its purpose. But, fasting should not merely be seen as a tool to receive something from God. It should not be viewed as a way to show God that you really want something from him. Instead, fasting should be seen as an act of worship and a tangible way to deepen our relationship with him.
When our heart is self-centered, everything we do will be self-centered. So, when they ate, they ate for themselves. When they drank, they drank for themselves. And when they fasted, they fasted for themselves. God is therefore seeking to reorient their hearts back to himself.
Listen. There are particular spiritual disciplines and practices that are essential for the life of a believer. We should gather on Sundays for worship. We should be people who pray. We should be people who read the Bible. We should be people who tithe. We should be people who fast. But, all of those things done with the wrong motives are vanity. They're an attempt to clean the outside of a cup that is full of filth.
TRUE RELIGION VS. FALSE RELIGION
The call of this text is to redirect our hearts back to Jesus. What's more important than religious practices is why we do them. So, are you gathering today for the LORD, to worship him? Or are you gathering for yourself? When you pray and fast, are you doing so for God? Or are you doing so for yourself? When you read the Bible, are you doing so to know God more intimately? Or are you doing so for your own gain?
Now, what does doing religious things for selfish gain practically look like in our own lives?
Well, for starters, it's what we find in the text: doing things with a transactional mindset. False religion views religious deeds as a payment to God. We think, "If I fast long enough, God will remove his wrath." "If I study my Bible today and don't look at pornography, then maybe I'll hit a home run in my baseball game." "If I tithe 15%, then maybe the LORD will give me a raise this year." "If I do X, God will do Y."
False religion views religious deeds as a payment to God, but true religion views religious deeds through the lens of the finished work of the cross. Self-gain religion views religious deeds as a means to an end, but true religion views religious deeds as a response.
False religion also views religious deeds as a badge to wear with honor. So, when we fast— instead of keeping it between us and the LORD— we make sure everyone knows. Instead of reading the Bible to learn about God and to know him deeper, we read the Bible so that others will see that we know about God. We don't go to church because we want to worship God; we go to church because we hate the thought of people seeing us not go to church. Instead of giving quietly, we record ourselves giving publicly and then post it on social media.
Self-gain religion views religious deeds as a means to an end, but true religion views religious deeds as a response. And true religion is content with worshipping Jesus selflessly in the shadows. It is because we are fully known and fully loved by God in Christ Jesus that we worship him with our lives. Religious works like fasting aren't something we do for our own gain; they are something we do as selfless worship. Love for the LORD should be the rudder that steers our every action.
Zechariah 6:9-15
TEXT:
[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."
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
How would you attempt to summarize the main point of this passage?
Why did God tell these men to place the crown on the head of the high priest? What is the significance of this for our lives today?
Read John 19:1-5. Do you see any correlations between our passage in Zechariah and Jesus? What are they? What do these correlations teach us?
SERMON MANUSCRIPT:
The Parazine family does not consist of great farmers. We're a busy family and forgetful people. So we, unfortunately, kill more plants than we grow. Our yard has become widely known by the plant community as the "plant graveyard." Our home is the place where plants often go to breathe their last breath.
But, every once and a while, we will luck out, and out from these dead plants sprouts a little bud, a little branch, a little symbol of life and hope amid despair. And from this branch grows new life.
A little bit of green in the midst of a lot of brown can lead to a lot of fruit. And that's what we'll find true in our passage today. A little humble Messiah is going to sprout up and start a new Kingdom that is far greater than all kingdoms.
As we read the Scriptures, we find a promise pulsing throughout the Old Testament that a branch would come out from Jesse's stump. Jesse was the father of David, the king of Israel. David was a great king, the best king. Yet, in the prophets, there was a promise that one of David's descendants would become a greater king who would reign in perfect justice. This king would be "the Branch," and he would be "beautiful and glorious (Is 4:2)." He will "bring righteousness" to his kingdom, and he will "reign with justice and establish salvation for his people." He will reign as king in perfect wisdom, "executing justice and righteousness in the land." As a good king, he will care for his people. The Spirit of the LORD will “rest upon him,” and “his delight will be in the fear of the LORD.” He will “judge the poor with righteousness and decide with equity for the meek of the earth.” He will strike the world with "the rod of his mouth" and kill the wicked with "the breath of his lips." He will save his people, leading to them “dwelling securely.”
"The Branch" was a title of hope. There was hope that out from the stump of Jesse would grow a branch that would establish a new kingdom. In a world full of injustice and wickedness, there was hope that one would come who would reign in perfect justice and righteousness. So, throughout history, God's people held tightly to the promise that a future king was coming.
Well, in our passage today, that promise is revisited. In these verses, God again directs the focus of his people to the future. Once again, he promises his people that the Branch is coming. And when the Branch comes, he's not just going to "reign with justice and establish salvation for his people." He will also build a new temple, forever establishing a new kingdom of peace. Today we will see that Jesus is the long-awaited King who came to create a new temple (a redeemed people of God from every tribe, tongue, and nation) through his death and resurrection.
So, let's go ahead and dive in.
[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."
MAKE A CROWN
The first thing we notice is a shift in writing style. We're no longer looking at visions. There are no longer tiny women in baskets or chariots coming out of bronze mountains. Instead, we're looking at specific commands given to particular people.
In verse 9, the LORD commands Zechariah to gather a group of exiles and take them to the house of Josiah. We don't know much about these guys. But there's speculation over why they're coming. Some think these individuals were a part of a caravan of people moving back to Jerusalem from Babylon. Others believe they're bringing a collection of gold and silver from the exiles still in Babylon to rebuild the temple.
I don't want us to get caught in the weeds of who these guys are or why they're coming to Jerusalem. Instead, I want us to notice what they're responsible for doing once they get to Jerusalem. These exiles were responsible for providing costly resources, not for the temple, but for a crown. Verse 11 says, "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."
Now, in this verse, we're presented with a subtle tension that needs to be unpacked. Crowns were a sign of royalty worn by kings. But God's people didn't have a king at this time. They had a Persian-appointed governor, Zerubbabel. Yet, this crown wasn't placed on Zerubbabel's head. It was placed on the head of Joshua, the High Priest. The LORD is putting something that doesn't belong to the high priest on the head of the high priest.
So, what do we do with this? What do we make of a crown being placed upon the head of Joshua, the high priest?
It could be that God is making a political declaration by appointing Joshua as king. It could be that God is saying that Joshua is the Branch. But I don't think that's the case. I believe God is prophetically communicating to his people a deeper truth here.
This is the second time we've seen Joshua appear in the book of Zechariah. Chapter 3 shows Joshua standing before the LORD, clothed in dirty garments, next to Satan. The LORD acts on Joshua's behalf by silencing his accuser and cleansing him, removing his filthy garments and replacing them with clean garments.
This cleansing was symbolic of his sins (and the sins of God's people) being taken away. Their iniquity was removed, and they were clothed with pure and righteous garments.
Following this exchange, the LORD tells Joshua that he and his friends (the other priests) were a sign of his servant, the Branch, that was to come. So, the presence of the Priest was a glorious reminder to God's people that God would indeed send his servant the Branch one day in the future.
So, if Joshua has already been identified as a sign of the branch to come, then he can't be the Branch who has come. God isn't anointing Joshua as king. Instead, he's making a symbolic declaration of what will happen in their future. In placing the crown on the High Priest's head, I believe God's showing us how their future King would simultaneously carry out the work of the Great High Priest. The Branch will be the King of kings and the Great High Priest. The anointed King will also be the anointed Priest. The one who will sit on the throne will be the one who makes the once for all sacrifice for sins. The one who knew no sin will become sin so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Now, the Hebrew language crown here is plural. So one might think that it's two crowns being made here. But it's more likely that you have a gold and silver crown separately made and woven together to make one single crown. And as this crown is being placed on Joshua's head, the LORD says, "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.'"
This is another strange thing to say if we're thinking within their immediate context. In chapter 4, the LORD made it abundantly clear that Zerubbabel would be the one to complete the temple— "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall complete it."
So, God's people are literally building the temple under the supervision of their governor Zerubbabel. As these words are being spoken, bulldozers and excavators are outside the temple. Yet, here we find the LORD promising that the Branch would build the temple of the LORD.
So, we have two options here. Either (1) we have a serious contradiction in this book, or (2) we're talking about two different temples.
If you look down to verse 14, you will see that the crown was to be placed in the temple to serve as a reminder for the priests. I, therefore, think it's safe to conclude that the LORD is speaking of a future temple that the coming King will build. Zerubbabel will complete the temple being built currently, but the Branch will build another temple in the future.
There are a couple of things I want to take note of here.
First, I want us to see that Jesus is the long-anticipated Branch who came to build this new temple of the LORD. And where Zerubbabel was responsible for constructing a temple that consisted of stones, Jesus came to build a temple without stones.
Look at verse 12. As this twisted crown of gold and silver was placed on the high priest's head, the LORD of hosts declared, "Behold the man whose name is the Branch…."
Behold is an attention grabber. It's a declaration of come and see. He's saying, "Come and see the man who will reign in justice and rebuild the temple of the LORD!"
With those words fresh on your mind, turn to John 19.
After Pilate took Jesus out to flog him, the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns together, put it on his head, and arrayed him in a purple robe. Mocking him, they declared, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and they struck him with their hands.
Pilate then goes to the Jews and says, "See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him."
It then says that Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, and Pilate unknowingly, yet very prophetically declares, "Behold the man!"
This scene is a tragic, beautiful, and climactic moment in redemptive history. As God's people have been anticipating the arrival of the Branch, the Branch is standing before them, and the LORD is saying through Pilate, "Your long anticipated King is here, and you're about to crucify him! You're about to tear down the temple of God. But he will rise again to build the new temple, just like I promised! Out from the stump chopped down will come a branch."
At the cross, we find Zechariah 6 beginning to be fulfilled.
In John 2, after cleansing the temple, Jesus said to the Jews, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." Those words were initially confusing. But, after Jesus' death and resurrection, it became clear that Jesus wasn't referring to the temple building they were standing in; he was referring to his body.
You see, if Jesus was God in the flesh, then the dwelling place of God was the body of Jesus. The body of Jesus was the manifestation of God's glory, the temple of God. So, on the cross, the temple of God was destroyed (just like Jesus said it would be). And it's at his resurrection that the temple was rebuilt.
After Jesus rises, he ascends back to heaven. And the Father then sends another helper, the Holy Spirit, who would dwell within his people, making the people of God the temple of God.
So, Jesus was coming to build a new and better temple than the one built by Zerubbabel. This coming temple was a spiritual temple not bound by a particular location. And, as we see in verse 13, when he does, he will "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."
Throughout the Old Testament, we see that the office of priest and king were two separate offices that the same person could not fulfill. But, at the cross, we see that there will be peace between these two offices.
There is peace between these offices because Jesus is both. The spotless lamb led to the slaughter is the all-powerful king who will reign forever. He is the one who made the perfect sacrifice for our sins, and he is also the one sitting on his throne in royal honor forever.
Now, it may not seem like a big deal that the Branch is sitting. You may be thinking, "That's what kings do. They sit and rule." But in the old temple, there were no seats because the high priests were constantly standing, making sacrifices daily for sins. Hebrews 10:11 says, "And every Priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting for that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified."
So, the fact that the branch is sitting is monumental! It reveals to us the reality that our salvation is secure. Jesus can sit because his work is complete. If your faith resides in Jesus, your salvation rests securely in the finished work of the cross. Your sins— past, present, future— have been atoned for. They've been dealt with viciously. You can rest securely in the finished work of the cross. You can confidently submit to him as King, trusting that he's good because he's become the perfect sacrifice for your sins.
In verse 14, we see that the crown placed on Joshua was to remain in the temple as a reminder of the promise found in these verses. Every time the priests lay their eyes on this crown, they would be reminded of the King who was to come. Well, in the same way that they looked to a gold and silver crown to be reminded of God's faithfulness to build a temple in the future, we look to a crown of thorns to be reminded of God's faithfulness to build the temple of the LORD, the redeemed people of God.
The crown of thorns reminds us today that we get to partake in the things God's people longed to experience. The crown of thorns reminds us today that the Branch has come to bring life through his death. The crown of thorns reminds us today that Jesus is seated on the throne; therefore, our salvation is secure. The crown of thorns reminds us today that the one worthy of all worship was beaten, flogged, and crucified so that we might have peace. The crown of thorns is a symbol of hope for us today.
It is the one who wore the crown of thorns that Revelation says we will lay our crowns before one day and declare, "Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will, they existed and were created."
Verse 15 then tells us that those far off shall come and help to build the temple of the LORD. So, what's beautiful is that this spiritual temple of God consists of both Jews and non-Jews alike.
We see this demonstrated clearly in Ephesians 2. In Ephesians 2, Paul writes to the church in Ephesus, a predominantly Gentile church.
Here he says, "[11] Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—[12] remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world."
Notice all the separation language used here: uncircumcision, separated, alienated, strangers, no hope, without God. So, Paul is saying to the Gentiles (the nations), "Hey, don't forget that you were far off, separated from Christ, aliens, without hope, and without God."
But, then he says, "[13] But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. [14] For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility [15] by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, [16] and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. [17] And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. [18] For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father."
Notice the language change: brought near, peace, made us both one, one new man, reconciled us both, killing the hostility, both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So, now Paul is saying, "Ok, you were once far off, but now you're close because of Jesus. There was once distance between you and God, but now there's nearness. There was once hostility between you and God, but now there's peace. You were once without God, but now you have access to God through the Spirit."
This leads Paul to say, "[19] So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, [20] built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, [21] in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. [22] In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit."
So, God's people (both Jew and Gentile believers) are being joined together to build the temple of God. Together they are the dwelling place of God by the Spirit. God's predetermined plan was to use those who were far off to help build the temple of the LORD. God's plan was to dwell with and in his redeemed people from all over the world.
Zechariah 6:1-8
TEXT:
“[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.”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Spend a few quick moments discussing something God showed you in your personal reading of the Bible this week (either in your Bible reading plan or something else).
What did this passage teach us about God?
What did this passage teach us about man?
What application can we draw from this passage?
Zechariah 5:5-11
TEXT:
"[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."
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Spend a few quick moments discussing something God showed you in your personal reading of the Bible this week (either in your Bible reading plan or something else).
When thinking about sin/wickedness/iniquity, why does it seem our natural reaction is to think about someone else’s sins instead of our own sin?
Why is it important to see iniquity portrayed a tiny woman in a basket being carried out with ease?
What is the significance of their wickedness being carried off to Shinar? How does this give us hope for the future?
SERMON MANUSCRIPT
Several years ago, my wife and I went to a BYOM party. BYOM (bring your own meat) is a joyous celebration where everyone brings their own choice of meat to grill. Together we feast and fellowship all through the night.
It's one of my favorite things to do.
Well, I was coming from work that evening, and my wife and I didn't communicate well. So, she brought chicken, and I brought steaks. As delicious as chicken is, steak always trumps chicken. So, we obviously had steak for dinner that night.
It was a joy-filled night, and we ate steak until our hearts were content. But little did we know that this joy-filled evening would soon lead to months of misery.
Unfortunately, we had placed the raw chicken in a secret compartment on the top of the cooler. You see, we didn't want to run the risk of having chicken juice cross-contaminate our drinks and sides. So, when we got home and emptied the cooler, we forgot about the chicken. We poured out the ice, put the leftovers and drinks back in the fridge, and placed the cooler at the bottom of the pantry.
Several months later, we began to smell this awful odor in our kitchen, and we couldn't pinpoint the source of the smell. We thought it might be our sink, so we cleaned our sink. We thought it might be rotten vegetables. But you must first buy vegetables for them to rot in your home, and we hadn't bought vegetables. We thought a rat might have died behind the fridge. But we couldn't find anything.
Well, one evening, I had enough. I turned on my inner inspector gadget and put my hound dog nose to the test. I was bound and determined to get to the bottom of this stench of death that permeated throughout our home. I started in the pantry, taking every single item out of it.
After about an hour of searching, I narrowed in on the source of the smell. It was coming from this cooler.
I opened up the main compartment. Nothing...
I opened up the front zipper. Nothing...
But, as soon as I slowly unzipped the secret compartment on top of this cooler, a giant cloud of rotten salmonella hit me in the face. I have never walked the tightrope of puking and dying so gingerly. It felt as if Mike Tyson had sucker-punched me in the nose. For a split second, I was sure I would die.
But, once I came to my senses, I realized it wasn't Mike Tyson that hit me. It was his cruel older brother, Tyson's Chicken. So, I quickly realized our error, and I sprung to action. There was only one thing to do. The chicken had to go. I promptly zipped that cooler back up, wrapped it in a garbage bag, and immediately took it outside to the dumpster.
To no one's surprise, our house quickly began to smell better. Breathing became a little bit easier. The farther away the rotten chicken got, the less we began to smell it, leading to a sense of joy and peace within the Parazine home.
Church, I believe my family's experience with rotten chicken is a healthy metaphor for the passage we're looking at today. In the same way Kayla and I could walk around our house and sense that something is off, you and I can walk through life sensing that something isn't right. It's as if with every turn we take in life, there's always this lingering smell of sin and wickedness. Sometimes it's more potent than others. But it's always there, always lingering. It's present in our own hearts. It rears its ugly head in our relationships. We look out into the world and see men and women profiting off of wickedness and saying in their hearts, "God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, and he will never see it." And sometimes, we're tempted to believe that God has forgotten. Maybe God doesn't care about the wickedness in this life?
But, in our passage today, we will be reminded that God hasn't forgotten. God does care. In these verses, we find the LORD promising his people that wickedness will be taken far from their land. The air they breathe will soon be clean because sin will be removed from them.
The vision we will unpack today is a beautiful message of hope. In it, we are reminded that one day sin will be defeated once and for all. You may be weighed down by the burden of sin today. You may feel like your marriage is so tangled in sin that there's no hope of repair. You may be fighting to walk in purity, but there's temptation lurking behind every corner. You may be working for a bad boss and be feeling helplessly trapped and crushed. But today's passage will put wickedness into its proper perspective for us. We will see that no amount of wickedness will ever be able to overtake God. God has and will take out the trash of wickedness. He is not distant, nor is he oblivious. He is attentively aware of what's going on in his world. And he can, has, and will wipe away all sin. So, if our faith resides in Jesus, we cling to the hope that we will one day dwell with God in perfect harmony forever.
So, let's go ahead and dive in.
"[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."
THE WOMAN, WICKEDNESS
At the start of this vision, we see a woman who symbolizes wickedness in a basket being sent out from their land (husbands, I highly recommend you not introduce your wife in this way). Wickedness is a word that entails wrongdoing and guilt. It is often described as the opposite of righteousness in the Old Testament. Proverbs 11:5, for example, says, "The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight, but the wicked falls by his own wickedness." So, here we find God telling his people that he will act on behalf of the wickedness in their land. As God's temple is being restored, he is preparing his people for the upcoming purging of wickedness. He will deal justly with the wicked. If God's people wanted God to be with them, they must be prepared for God to address the sin within them. Close intimacy with God will always lead to a distancing from sin.
Now, with that baseline understanding, I want to unpack a few things in these first few verses that will help add color to the black-and-white truth of God driving out wickedness.
THEIR WICKEDNESS
The first thing I want us to note is the language used in verse 6. Your Bible likely says, "This is their iniquity in all the land." But the Hebrew reads a bit differently. The Hebrew language is closer to, "This is their resemblance/eyes through all the earth." This phrase is difficult to translate, and I think the ESV's translation is good. But I don't want us to miss the point that what's in the basket is a direct representation/reflection of God's people.
Genesis 29:17 uses similar language to describe Leah— "Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favored." In other words, Leah's appearance/representation was not beautiful (bless her heart), but Rachel's appearance/representation was beautiful.
So, the wickedness in the basket was a direct representation of the people of the land. It wasn't someone else's sin in the basket; it was their sin in the basket. And, it wasn't a few of their sins in the basket; it was all of their sins in the basket. God was preparing to take all of their sins out of the land.
We would do well to remember that God's promise to do away with sin and wickedness is a personal message for you today. Yes, it's a message that someone else needs to hear. But it's also a message that you need to hear. You are a sinner in need of grace. You are the one in need of God's cleansing blood. And praise God that he has made way for your sin to be done away with today.
It is their iniquity that is in the basket.
SMALL BASKET, SMALL WOMAN
The second thing I want us to take note of is the basket itself. If you remember, in the previous vision, Zechariah makes a point to tell us the dimensions of the scroll. He went out of his way to inform us that the scroll was abnormally large. But in this vision, however, the measurements he gives were an 'êp̄â. An 'êp̄â was a measuring unit for dry material like grain or flour. Some say it could be between four gallons and ten gallons, but most commentators agree that an 'êp̄â held roughly five gallons of dry material. So, a good mental image for us would be the five-gallon bucket in your grandfather's work-shed. This isn't a massive basket; it's a relatively small basket, which tells us that the woman coming out of the basket was abnormally small. She didn't have the body of a goddess; she had the body of a garden gnome.
I think this is extremely important for us today.
Wickedness is not portrayed as a giant that God hopes to slay after long grueling combat; it's portrayed as a tiny woman in a tiny basket that he will send out with ease. The greatest evil of the land will be thrust into a basket and carried far away with ease. God would have no problem removing the wickedness of his people.
Listen, sometimes it may feel like the sin in our life is so large and so powerful that we have no hope of it ever going away. Sometimes it may feel like our hearts and lives are so tangled in sin that there is no escaping it. But this vision puts wickedness into perspective. No weight is too heavy for God to lift, no mountain is too high for him to climb, no debt is too large for him to pay, and no sin is too great to forgive. A leaf would have a better opportunity to knock over the Statue of Liberty than wickedness has to dethrone the all-powerful God of the universe.
Our greatest enemy—our own wickedness— is a tiny woman in a tiny basket. And, she was powerfully thrust into the basket and covered with leaden weight. The leaded cover was a "talent" of lead, which would have been close to 75 lbs.
I did some research this week and learned that the average untrained female could squat roughly 65 lbs. So, it's safe to say that this would have been an unbearable restraint for such a small woman. There was no way that wickedness could escape the basket she was placed in, reiterating that when God acts against wickedness, she will stand no chance. When it comes time for God to cast out sin, he will do so with swift judgment. His judgment is inescapable. The basket is closed.
WICKEDNESS TAKEN FAR AWAY
In verses 9-11, we see that two women come forward once the basket is closed and secure. These women have wings like a stork. Storks would have been large birds that would migrate north from Palestine yearly to hatch their eggs.
Zechariah, well acquainted with weird things by this point, doesn't bat an eye at the fact these women have wings. Instead, he simply asked, "Where are they taking the basket?" And the angel responds, "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."
Shinar was the district in which Babylon was found. So, these women were taking wickedness back to the land they dwelt in during their recent captivity. When you search the Scriptures, you realize that the land of Shinar wasn't the best place. It's often depicted as a place of temptation, idolatry, and judgment. Not only is this the region of their captivity, but it's where the Tower of Babel was made. It's the region where Achan had stolen a beautiful cloak from, leading to judgment.
So, we see here that God wasn't just taking his people out of Babylon; he was also taking Babylon out of his people. Sanctification is the divine work of God rooting sin out from inside us. Wickedness is being taken back to her rightful home, a land far from the people of God. It's being removed to a specific land explicitly prepared for it.
THREE TAKEAWAYS
There are three points of application I want to leave with us today:
First, if your faith resides in Jesus, your sin has already been taken to a faraway land. It has been cast as far as the east is from the west. 2 Corinthians 5:23 says, "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." Because of the finished work of the cross, your wickedness has already been taken far away. In Christ, you are justified before God, viewed and treated as if you've never sinned.
Second, these verses remind us of God's power over wickedness. God is on the throne, and wickedness will not prosper. Although we are justified, we are still being sanctified. There is still sin in our lives that we have to deal with. And at times, it will likely feel as if sin is winning. Sometimes, it may feel like our life is too big of a mess and not worth living. But these verses remind us that no mess is too big for God to clean up. It may feel like wickedness is winning today. But this vision reminds us that God is on the throne and that what man means for evil, God means for good.
Third, these verses teach us that there will be a time when the wicked and the righteous will be separated forever. The hope for us today is that one day sin will be gone forever. This vision speaks with finality and decisiveness. The beauty of the gospel is that we look ahead to a new Jerusalem, a holy city, where we will dwell with God in perfect harmony. The new Jerusalem will be a place where sin will be gone entirely and where we dwell with God in perfect harmony forever. So, we look ahead to a place where death, tears, mourning, and crying will be no more. We look ahead to a place where God's dwelling place will be with man. We look ahead to our salvation being complete, where we will be without sin completely. We look ahead to a time when we no longer have to fear because the wicked will be cast out into the lake that burns with fire and sulfur.