Zechariah Part 2: Return To Yahweh

Text: Zechariah 1:1-6.

Recap The Setting, 520Bc, Post-Exilic, Faithful? Messiah, Restoration, God rules the earth.

“THe Bible doesnt apply to us”

The Anger of The Lord, Vs 1-2

Time and Place vs 1

2nd year of Darius (Not a fairy tale book)

King Cyrus (Is. 44:28-45:1) was in control of Persia until 530 BC when he died in battle. His son took over command whose name was Cambyses and ruled until 522 BC when he died. in his place, a military leader took command named Darius and ruled until 486 BC.

Prophet zechariah

Contemporaries with Haggai (Ezra 6:14)

The Word of the Lord came to Zechariah, vs 1

Gods continual faithfulness to Israel (Zechariah name)

His continual faithfulness to us even today

he is not a God who gives up on His people

even when we go into unfaithful seasons

vs 2, God’s anger with Israel: a Recap

Why was He angry?

As soon as you understand the evil of idolatry you will understand the OT

Jer 7:18 (cakes for The queen of heaven; Ishtar, Anat, Astarte, or Asherah)

Ez. 8:14 (god Tammuz)

God is very pointed with Idolatry, Jer. 2:20.

He even gets very graphic with comparing

Idolatry was something not to be messed with and it was met with some of the most severe punishments. Do we think we are exempt?

Gods people were to be different and God warned them to obey him and if not; Lev. 26:31-35.

Jer. 25:11, 29:10

2 Chron. 36:20-21.

We cannot think that God no longer hold his hatred for Idolatry like he did in the OT

find the idols in your life, dont just wait for them to find you

Return To Me and I’ll Return To You, Vs 3-4

God gives open invitation to His people to return to Him

Explain

Illustrate

Like the father with the prodigal son (Not reluctant but ready)

Apply

Not compulsion, but celebration LUKE 15:7.

John 6:37.

God wants reflection on our sin

He wants Israel to think about what lead to the exile

God wants repentance of our sin

Explain

he wants Repentance from the Israelite

Apply

God demand a lifetime of Repenatce (pick up you cross)

Repentance makes us see the evil of sin, not merely as a theory, but experimentally—as a burnt child dreads fire. Morning And Evening, Page 574

Charles Spurgeon

Defend

This is a verse that speaks against universalism

They Reaped What They Sowed, Vs 5-6

Explain

Retorical questions

Your fathers? (Died in the exile)

even the prophets had to go into judgement

This language should take them back to Deut. 28:15.

“overtake” Deut. 28:45.

could be fathers in the exile or Zechariah contemporaries

the point is they knew God’s righteousness, so they repented

Illustrate

God had patience with them but patience ran out. That’s because patience without threat is not really patience

Apply

God is not a God who deals with unrepentant ongoing sin lightly.

we should live a repentant lifestyle

Defend