God’s Return to Jerusalem

God’s Return to Jerusalem

Series: The Minor Prophets

Text: Zechariah 8:1-23

Introduction: (What?)

Zechariah’s sermon took a decided turn at this point. Moving away from judgment, he began to stress the blessing that was coming to Israel as God returned to Jerusalem. He drew a graphic word-picture of the blessings that were coming to Jerusalem in the future. He also included the responsibility they bore stemming from God’s blessings.

Examination: (What?)

1. Promised Blessings

Zech 8:1-6 “The word of the Lord of Armies came: The Lord of Armies says this: “I am extremely jealous for Zion; I am jealous for her with great wrath.” The Lord says this: “I will return to Zion and live in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City; the mountain of the Lord of Armies will be called the Holy Mountain.” The Lord of Armies says this: “Old men and women will again sit along the streets of Jerusalem, each with a staff in hand because of advanced age. The streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing in them.” The Lord of Armies says this: “Though it may seem impossible to the remnant of this people in those days, should it also seem impossible to me?”—this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies.”

Zechariah is still responding to the delegation that had come from Bethel to inquire about fasting. He tells them that God has not abandoned them. As a matter of fact, He is extremely angry with those who have mistreated them during their captivity in Babylon. Because the Israelites could only see what WAS at the moment they needed to get God’s view of what IS since He sees the end from the beginning. God said, “I’m coming back. I know you have a hard time grasping this, but it is going to happen. And when I come the elderly and the children, who are most vulnerable, will live in absolute safety and peace.” Today I hear people moaning and groaning about what they see and hear on the “news”. As long as we only see what is happening at the moment around us, it is easy for us to lose heart. What we need is a word from God that assures us that His plan has not changed. We need God’s POV in order to alieve our fears and trust in His promise of restoration. And we get God’s POV from His Word, the Bible. In it He clearly shows how He deals with those who are His (Israel and all who surrender to Him.) I watch the news a lot, not to be informed on what those presenting the news think, but to know how I should pray for America and the world.

2. God’s Plan Revealed

Zech 8:7-13 “The Lord of Armies says this: “I will save my people from the land of the east and the land of the west. I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their faithful and righteous God.” The Lord of Armies says this: “Let your hands be strong, you who now hear these words that the prophets spoke when the foundations were laid for the rebuilding of the temple, the house of the Lord of Armies. For prior to those days neither people nor animals had wages. There was no safety from the enemy for anyone who came or went, for I turned everyone against his neighbor. But now, I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days”—this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies. “For they will sow in peace: the vine will yield its fruit, the land will yield its produce, and the skies will yield their dew. I will give the remnant of this people all these things as an inheritance. As you have been a curse among the nations, house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you will be a blessing. (the Abrahamic Covenant) Don’t be afraid; let your hands be strong.”

There will be (and now is) a world-wide gathering of Chosen People to Israel. When that en-gathering is complete the Millennial Kingdom will begin. Because of this certainty, we can be courageous (let your hands be strong). We need to get God’s Point of View. In His time-line IT IS A DONE DEAL! Think about what Jesus said about praying in faith in Mark 11:24 “Therefore I tell you, everything you pray and ask for—believe that you have received it and it will be yours.” Believe that you already have what you just asked for and you will get it. In this passage in Zechariah God is saying “consider what I’m promising as a current reality”. God then renews the Abrahamic Covenant (all nations will be blessed through you Gen 12:3 “I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” ). Therefore, don’t despair; don’t give up. As bad as things might seem at the moment, remember what I told Abraham; “Nothing is too difficult for God”.

3. The Responsibility of the People

Zech 8:14-23 “For the Lord of Armies says this: “As I resolved to treat you badly when your ancestors provoked me to anger, and I did not relent,” says the Lord of Armies, “so I have resolved again in these days to do what is good to Jerusalem and the house of Judah. Don’t be afraid. These are the things you must do: Speak truth to one another; make true and sound decisions within your city gates. Do not plot evil in your hearts against your neighbor, and do not love perjury, for I hate all this”—this is the Lord’s declaration. Then the word of the Lord of Armies came to me: The Lord of Armies says this: “The fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth will become times of joy, gladness, and cheerful festivals for the house of Judah. Therefore, love truth and peace.” The Lord of Armies says this: “Peoples will yet come, the residents of many cities; the residents of one city will go to another, saying: Let’s go at once to plead for the Lord’s favor and to seek the LORD of Armies. I am also going. Many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the LORD of Armies in Jerusalem and to plead for the LORD’s favor. The LORD of Armies says this: ‘In those days, ten men from nations of every language will grab the robe of a Jewish man tightly, urging: Let us go with you, for we have hear that God is with you”

God has given His promise to Israel. He has reversed the curse of sin. In Jer. 32:42 ““For this is what the Lord says: Just as I have brought all this terrible disaster on these people, so am I about to bring on them all the good I am promising them.” However there are responsibilities that go hand-in-hand with the fulfillment of the promise. The promises of God are not dependent on the circumstances of man, however, if man chooses to disobey, they opt out of the promises of God. Now, here are the requirements God places on His people. These are the things you must do: Speak truth to one another; make true and sound decisions within your city gates. Do not plot evil in your hearts against your neighbor, and do not love perjury, for I hate all this”

When we do these things to the degree that they become a life-style, the blessings of God will overflow. Then the times of remembering the bad events (destruction of the temple and Jerusalem, the 70 year captivity because of sin; those fasts that they had observed for years) will be transformed into times of rejoicing because of the blessings of God. When you surrender your life to Christ, the sufferings you have endured because of sin and disobedience will be replaced by the joy of being in Christ.

Also, when you exhibit this kind of joyful exuberance because of God’s blessings, people will come up to you and say, “How come you are so full of joy? Don’t you know that the world is going to hell?” You will have the perfect opportunity to tell your story of what Jesus has done for you. Can you imagine someone grabbing your coat-tail and saying “Can I come to church with you? Because I have heard that God really doing something at your church?”

The reputation of Faith Baptist Church should be, here is a place where a person can find peace with God; where people are accepted, and prayed for and where you can find assurance of eternity with Christ in His kingdom.

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

Dr. David Jeremiah notes 3 reasons that God COULD turn His back on America.

1.The national sign of ingratitude. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (“Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”)

2. The national sin of idolatry (Jer 2:5 “This is what the Lord says: What fault did your ancestors find in me that they went so far from me, followed worthless idols, and became worthless themselves?”)

3. The national sin of indifference (Revelation 3:15-22 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth. For you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’ and you don’t realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. I advise you to buy from me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be zealous and repent. See! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. “To the one who conquers I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.”” )

Source: https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Indifference