Zechariah Chapter 1:7-18 or 21 A promise of restoration.

Where are we PPT Maps and intro slides:

Recap: First and main point of Zechariah “Return to me, said the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you.

The wrath of God is good. Because God is just and hates sin and evil.

The word of the Lord stands 4ever and will complete it purpose it will happen.

One of the things I forgot to say last week was this:

PPT: “New Testament writers were quite fond of this book. It is quoted in Revelation the most after Ezekiel. It is the most frequently quoted prophetic book by the Gospel writers with regard to the Passion or Suffering of Jesus.” William J. Bryan Olt Testament III

# A few people commented on that I am brave for taking this book, - I don’t think so, If God wants to reveal him self in the bible and to us, and Jesus said the OT is about him so we ask that the…

Let the Lord show us what we need to from his word. Let’s read.

In verse 7. This is the 2 time the word of the Lord comes to Zachariah, a few months after the first time.

In Veres 8 we read that he sees something in the night, - first he sees a man riding on a read horse, among trees in a glen, and behind are more horses red, sorrel/chestnut and white horses. The question is what does that mean?

And in verse 9 Zechariah asks the question what are these my lord, - the good thing is that an angle (About angels’ messenger from God not a fat baby with wings and a harp, angles don’t have wings PPT). He will help relay the massage to Zechariah and us.

In 10 the man/ angel explain that God has send the group to patrol the earth,

In 11 the horseman responds to the angle: “We have patrolled the earth and behold; all the earth remains at rest”. (We have done the job God send us to do).

In verse 12 the angle appeals to the Lord, to have mercy on Jerusalem and Judah, asking how long will you have no mercy on them, you have been angry for 70 years…

In verse 13 God enters the dialogue, responds with gracious and comforting words to the angle messenger with Zechariah, (We are not told what God said, but it was grace and comfort). It could be something like what the angle asks Zac to cry out in verse 14.

I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion, - Jealous – have zeal for, PPTX2

The in 15 God expresses his exceeding anger for the nations that are at ease, God was angry a little at his people, but the nations furthered the disaster, - (Don’t take delight in your enemy’s sufferings – God may relent at come ask you questions, don’t exploit people that are suffering). Proverbs 24:17–18 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, [18] lest the LORD see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him.

Verses 16 God shows comfort and grace towards a people that are known to be rebellious, and stiff necked, and idol worshipers greedy and exploding one another for money, that did empty rituals and prayers for stuff and not relationship with God, (hope for us all?)

God respond with coming back to Jerusalem, “ I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy, - stating the fact that his house shall be built in it, Lord of heavens army’s. And that the city will be rebuilt so it can me measured. A strong encuargemt to resume the building of the temple and the city.

Verse 17 the mission of Zec to cry out that the Lord of heavens army’s say: my cites shall overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem.

The first vision, brings hope of restoration of Gods people, the temple, Jerusalem and God’s city shall again overflow with prosperity, and God will comfort Zion and choses Jerusalem.

And don’t be afraid of you enemies, I God an eye on them and I will judge them as I judge you, because they made your down fall worse.

Original meaning. (encouragement and hope of restoration)

Then for the exiles that have returned, the report of the patrol is not what they might have hoped for, they were hoping for God to judge other nations and free them from their enemies that, stopped the building of the temple. God responds to the plea from the angle to have mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Juda, and God speaks with comfort and gracious words. (God that comforts us in hard times, and speaks with grace, the people still did rebel against God but God shows them grace.)

That God is zealous for Jerusalem and Zion, and say I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy, and that it will be rebuild and it will overflow with prosperity and the Lord will again comfort Zion and again chose Jerusalem. Oh, what great words of comfort and motivation, for the returned exiles, that God is back and is choosing to rebuild Jerusalem and make it a great city again. A vision of restoration, a new a better time, where God again prosper his people.

You might say I am not a Jew in 520 BC. What does this have to do with me?

Good question, if we recall what Jesus said and Paul wrote we, know that all parts of scripture are good and can instruct us. And the text shows us many attributes of God,

For us:

We read that God is in control of all things, - also when things are not going our way. We don’t need to despair because as we talked about last time God will do what he said he would. (A challenge in my life, when reading Paul, why was he so filled with Joy and askes us all to rejoice and give thanks, because he knew that God was with him and was in control also when he was in jail, and that God had sent his son to make God known, and that was the way Paul was restored to God, not by his works, but by Jesus works). What gives you joy about God being in control of all? (or frustrates you? Like the Jews).

We read that God hears the pleads /prayers knows what happens to people, God hears us, as we read in 1. John, what does that do in us? Dose it make us pray and comminate more with God? Or we know how much we need Jesus because God also hears our complaints and selfish thinking. But I think it might have us marvel that the God of the universe the Lord of Heavens armies, listens to our requests and prayers.

Not only does he listen he responds to our prayer, as we read in the text with grace and comfort, because as the Israelites, we also have rebelled and been in exile, in darkness and sin children of wrath. God shows us grace and comfort draws near as we were running the other way, serving our self or other God’s of this world. In Christ Jesus, we can return, God shows his great love for us in the coming of Jesus. In him we can find comfort and he is grace, the gift we need but could not earn, and God provided for us. – What great grace and comfort.

But God is also Jealous, what? Yes, that is like God anger is good so is Gods jealousy, this is good because it shows us God love and care devotion, to the people that belong to him, It is not like God as one cometary said is an old man with no emotions Jesus and God are not stoic’s, no, God has strong “emotions” Love, Anger, Jealous, and they teach us about who God is. Also we see Jesus has emotions, he cry’s, feel sad, has concern, and gives up his life for God honor and showing us Gods love. (Looking at Jesus and God, people in churches that show no emotions, in worship and life, are propley more influenced by culture that God and Jesus). Okay then why is it good that God is jealous, like the ppt said, it is a call to be holy as he is holy, that other Gods and sin destroy the people that he has created, and for Jesus the people that he shed his blood for, some say this is God showing us is passion, passion original meaning is suffering, That God would suffer for our salvation. And being jealous, about us, he will keep us, and calls us to himself, everytime we go astray. (Faith in Jesus Christ.)

We covered Gods anger last time.

God will Judge and justly perfectly, ether Jesus blood covers sin, or payment will be made, God is fully just and will handle that, nothing will be hidden for God all will come to light and God will perfectly by Jesus judge everyone. (That is so comforting for me, on one gets away with anything, whatever injustice and scam, human trafficking, abuse of power etc., God will settle it all) Also in me and In you that is why Jesus salvation by death no a cross is so great, and rising to give his work to us as riotous. --

But when that is also one of the hopes in the vision that God will restore all things new heaven new earth, - Jesus said see I am making all things new, that is our blessed hope, all restored to shalom, and we will also be made new and we are with God, all trouble of this world done, the race complete, sin gone, and God is it with us, (Imanuel). Do you believe that sees us?

What about you? How will you respond? Gospel…