“The Powerful Pivot”

“The Powerful Pivot”

Series: The Minor Prophets

Text: Zechariah 1:1-21

Introduction: (What?)

Zechariah’s (the LORD remembers) prophetic ministry overlapped with that of Haggai. As a matter of fact, his first message came between Haggai’s 2nd and 3rd messages. Sometimes their messages were almost the same, encouraging the people to rebuild the temple. However, Zechariah’s language at times waxed poetic to get his points across. Also, God communicated with him through “night visions’ (dreams) which he told the people. He was a motivator and encourager.

Examination: (What?)

1. Turn or Burn

Zechariah 1:1-7 1.“In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, son of Iddo: 2. “The Lord was extremely angry with your ancestors. 3. So tell the people, ‘This is what the Lord of Armies says: Return to me—this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies—and I will return to you, says the Lord of Armies. 4. Do not be like your ancestors; the earlier prophets proclaimed to them: This is what the Lord of Armies says: Turn from your evil ways and your evil deeds. But they did not listen or pay attention to me—this is the Lord’s declaration. 5. Where are your ancestors now? And do the prophets live forever? 6. But didn’t my words and my statutes that I commanded my servants the prophets overtake your ancestors?’ ” So the people repented and said, “As the Lord of Armies decided to deal with us for our ways and our deeds, so he has dealt with us.” 7. On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, so of Iddo:”

The eighth month corresponds to late October and early November, 520 BC. Zechariah began his ministry two months after the start of Haggai’s ministry. Consequently they covered some of the same events. When the Israelites first returned from Babylon (some 50,000 Ez 2:64-65 “The whole combined assembly numbered 42,360 not including their 7,337 male and female servants, and their 200 male and female singers.”) They immediately began rebuilding the temple. (Ez 3:1-4:5). However they ran into opposition from their neighbors which led to apathy on the part of the returnees. 16 years later God called Haggai and Zechariah to stir the people to resume the rebuilding of the temple. This corresponds with what Ezra wrote in Ez 4:24 “Now the construction of God’s house in Jerusalem had stopped and remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.”

Through Zechariah God reminded them that He had sent prophets to urge them to repent and return to Him before they were exiled to Babylon, but they did not. God got mad, and His anger burned for 70 years. We must understand that the anger of God is designed to bring the fulfillment of His purposes. Sin and disobedience on the part of His people anger the LORD. Repentance and faith please Him.

Then He prompted the pagan King Cyrus to send any Israelite who wanted to go back to rebuild Jerusalem. He even paid for the materials for the rebuilding. Now God once again urged them to return to Him so that He could bless them. God asked a pertinent question; Where are your ancestors now? And do the prophets live forever? The pre-exilic prophets had repeated the message over and over. Isa 31:6 “Return to the one the Israelites have greatly rebelled against.”

Jer 3:22 “Return, you faithless children. I will heal your unfaithfulness. “Here we are, coming to you, for you are the Lord our God.”

Ezek 18:30 ““Therefore, house of Israel, I will judge each one of you according to his ways.” This is the declaration of the Lord God. “Repent and turn from all your rebellious acts, so they will not become a sinful stumbling block to you.”

This reminder seemed to jar the people loose from their passivity and they repented. God then sent Haggai and Zechariah to prod them to renew their efforts to rebuild the temple. Following this call to repentance, Zechariah had 8 “night visions”, the first two we will consider in this message.

2. The horses

Zechariah 1:8-17 “I looked out in the night and saw a man riding on a chestnut horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in the valley. Behind him were chestnut, brown, and white horses. I asked, “What are these, my lord?” The angel who was talking to me replied, “I will show you what they are.” Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They are the ones the Lord has sent to patrol the earth.” They reported to the angel of the Lord standing among the myrtle trees, “We have patrolled the earth, and right now the whole earth is calm and quiet.” Then the angel of the Lord responded, “How long, Lord of Armies, will you withhold mercy from Jerusalem and the cities of Judah that you have been angry with these seventy years?” The Lord replied with kind and comforting words to the angel who was speaking with me. So the angel who was speaking with me said, “Proclaim: The Lord of Armies says: I am extremely jealous for Jerusalem and Zion. I am fiercely angry with the nations that are at ease, for I was a little angry, but they made the destruction worse. Therefore, this is what the LORD says: in mercy, I have returned to Jerusalem; my house will be rebuilt within it—this is the declaration of the LORD of Armies---and a measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem. Proclaim further: this is what the LORD of Armies says: My cities will again overflow with prosperity; the LORD will once more comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.”

The man on the chestnut (red) horse was an angel appearing in human form. Some say that he was the angel of the LORD (like the one who appeared to Abram). Others believe him to the the archangel Michael. Whatever the case, he was the one in charge. The one to whom the others reported. The others were dispatched to patrol all over the earth (the enemies of Israel) and then brought back their reports. Their report was that “right now the whole earth is calm and quiet.” This was in stark contrast to the situation in Jerusalem. The temple was still not built nor were the walls restored. They were fair game to any possible invader. Upon receiving this report, the angel of the LORD brought a plea to God. “How long, Lord of Armies, will you withhold mercy from Jerusalem and the cities of Judah that you have been angry with these seventy years?”

God’s response was delivered to Zechariah by another angel (the angel who was talking to Zechariah). God expressed His “jealousy for Jerusalem and Zion” and His anger toward the nations who had afflicted them beyond what God had decreed for their discipline, and were now “at ease”.

God then told of what was in the future for Israel. His temple would be rebuilt, the city would be expanded due to their prosperity and the number of people returning as they flourished. Today there are scores of Jews returning to Israel almost daily it is called aliyah which means: Aliyah is the word that describes the return of the Jewish People from the exile in the Diaspora back to the Land of Israel. The word Aliyah is derived from the verb "laalot" which means "to go up", or "to ascend" in a positive spiritual sense. A person who makes Aliyah is called an Oleh, meaning "one who goes up".

3. The horns

Zechariah 1:18-21 “Then I looked up and saw four horns. So I asked the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these?” And he said to me, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.” Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. I asked, “What are they coming to do?” He replied, “These are the horns that scattered Judah so no one could raise his head. These craftsmen have come to terrify them, to cut off the horns of the nations that raised a horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.””

The second “night vision” elaborated on God’s judgment against those who had persecuted Israel. The four horns symbolized the power and pride of the four empires (Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome) who at various times oppressed Israel. However the application may also include other countries/empires that continue to this day to oppress Israel. The “horns” will require skilled “craftsmen” to destroy them. According to John McArthur Babylon was taken down by the Medo-Persians in 539 BC; the Greeks, under Alexander the Great took down Darius of the Medo-Persian empire in 333 BC. Then the Roman Empire displaced the Greeks and other nations including Israel in 63 BC. In the last days, according to Daniel, the Roman Empire will be resurrected and eventually destroyed when Messiah returns.

Application: (How should I respond to this message?)

Until mankind finally “gets it” God will raise up people to discipline them.

Even though we may have to endure discipline, by our individual repentance and faith we can become part of the remnant through whom God will restore His people.