Zechariah 6: 9-14. Prophetic sign act.

Zechariah 6: 9-14. Prophetic sign act.

Recap where we are History. In the book, -

Verse 9: The word of the Lord comes to Zechariah, (God speaks this next task to Zechariah – another way to for the Lord to communicate).

The prophetic sign act is to go to the people that came back form Babylon, and take the silver and gold, and go to Josiahs house and make a crown, and to set the crown on Joshuas head.

While saying Behold (look see) the man whose name is the Branch (Shamak), he shall branch out and build the temple of the Lord, and it is repeated in the next verse, it is him that 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 counsel of peace between them both. (2 people on the throne) – But the crown shall be in the temple of the Lord as a reminder to, Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen,

Those fare off shall come and help to build the temple of the LORD, then you shall know that God has send me to you,

This will happen if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.

How God communicates with people.

God is creative, he made you, and the giraffe, a bombardier beadle, and the whole world. God is also as we have seen in the visions creative in how he communicates, this time God communicates to Zechariah in words…

Visions, words, (burning bush), a donkey, prophetic acting, dreams, even Gods enemies can do Gods work and speak his word. Written word, 10 commandments + law, prophets, (Psalms). Nature the heavens declare the glory of God. (Prophets, healing, making food, fire from heaven, rain I the NT we see Jesus able to do them all, walk on water calm the storm).

Jesus uses parables, stories, signs and wonders, healings, prayer, visions, tells the disciples of the coming death, his return, knows what people think. Paul saying in Roman’s people don’t have an excuse, because they can see in creation that God is real.

What about today, (Senses/impressions, thoughts, scripture that comes to mind, words our encouragement/rebuke that comes to us as we pray, and worship, the bible, and the revelation of Jesus to us, all of the ways Gods communicates to people – his people are done by the power of the Holy Spirt, to make us able to hear understand what God is saying).

There is no formular like there is no formular for relationships. Example: “last time we had so much fun playing this game” let’s do that again but, there is no grantee that we will feel the same, or let us recrate last time, so we can feel the same, that is not really how relationships work, they develop as people develop and grow. I do find it annoying sometimes, that meeting with God is not just a formular, I do this God does this, - but this is where we are invited to pressure God, what is Jesus lost? No, it is an invitation to keep seeking Jesus, every day, as the Holy Spirts guides us, What are you saying, should we not read our bibles, Yes we should, that is a sure way to hear Gods words, even reading Gods word, we might hear, experience God different, it is not every time God reveals new tings in his word, sometimes it is reminders, sometime we learn something new about God, sometimes we are convicted of sin, or we experice great joy, sometimes sadness, your reminded to call a person, Sometimes nothing. What? Yes, sometimes it feels like nothing happens right? Long obedience in one direction… Somedays it is just Tuesday, we don’t see our children or plants grow… go somewhere, give, love serve. Feel great peace.

We often can’t reproduce experiences, because God is the giver, we ask and draw near to God. And see what happened as we seek. In all of it what is God teaching/telling about him self and what how are you growing in relationship to Jesus, by the Holy Spirts power.

(What about crazy things, test everything, by Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, against the bible and 2 greatest commandments). Do evil, no, that is not from God.

Back to the text: Zechariah, is asked to go to the people and take their silver and Gold, is that not stealing? Well, we don’t see them complain, so they might give it up voluntary and it is not for Zec own gain, it is to make the crown for Joushua.

Why all the names and places, well recall this is instructions in real life, to go to the people, and why who their parents are so that the readers later will know who the people are, it gives contest to people reading later and instruction to Zechariah as he is asked to do the task.

(Issues with names: explanations, about alternative spellings and names, - At this point they might have to names, Babylonian names and Hebrew names, in Jesus time, people like Paul /Saul had to names, Greek and Hebrew, - today, we sometimes meet people from other country’s that take western names, when the come to study. So, people with the same name is sometimes two different people and sometimes people with different spellings are the same person, or a person have to different names. Many of you have many names).

Zec is to crown, Joshua. We heard about Joshua, that in a vision was cleansed from filthy garments, and given new cloths, and charged as the end of todays text to walk in God’s ways. And that the Brance a servant was coming, that would be able to take away sin and make peace. It seems like Zec is saying that Joshua is the Brance, or we are here in the play on words in the Hebrew, - trying to put in in English with the branching out, it would seem it is growing out/like a plant coming out of the ground. He shall build the temple, well we know that from the vision that Zerubbabel is to build the temple of the Lord, he in todays text that he will also have royal honor, and sit and rule on his throne. (But the high priest is not royal and sits on a throne, so what is going on here?)

And going back to chapter 4 we are told it is Zerubbabel that will build the temple/ or the power of Gods Spirt. Then in the meditate context, Zerubbabel and Joshua, are restoring the priests and kingship. They will rebuild the temple restore the temple worship. This is a big deal for the exiles, to restore temple worship and offerings to God. (and there is still 500 years to Jesus’ birth.) In Chapter 3 as the Branch is mentioned, - it would seem more is to come, the two people seem to be shadow or a type of Christ but they don’t rule and establish lasting peace… But the Branch will do that!

We explored the imagery form Jeramia and Isahia about the Branch/ Jesus, Jesus for fills all 3 offices prophet, high priest and king, the 3 OT, structures that, made up relationship to God. – And in the text, there is also a priest that sits on the throne with Joshua, and the do it in council and peace. Then is Joshua a shadow of the true Brance, Jesus that is still to come.

The crown, it to be taken and put in the temple of the Lord, to remind, the people about, what? Exile and Gods faithfulness, that God was merciful and faithful to bring back the people from exile and restore relationship with God in the temple offerings and worship. God was bringing his people back in to relationship as he called them to in Chapter 1. Before that happens, the encouragement is that more people will come join the building of the temple. That people fare off will come and help build the temple.

And when that happen if that happens: because they have to diligently obey the voice of God, then the people will know that Zec was send to them from God. As he said before.

Conditional and unconditional,

Promises in scripture are often with conditional. What you might say? Do I earn my salvation? No, that is not what the bible teaches. It does teach that we don’t get God’s power and strength, and peace, if we do not have any intention to live life with and for God. It is always good to read around when people quote scripture and learn the context and any condition or reequipment. Last week at prayer time I read about the peace that supposes understanding, we can pray all we want for that, but if we don’t rejoice, if we are not comforted that Jesus is coming soon, and are not full of thanksgiving we are not going to experience that peace. (Disclaimer God can do whatever God wants to do… but why do something that leads us away from God). It is to draw us near to God, to follow diligently is a good thing.

Breaking relationship with God is what got the people in to exile, - we might do the same sometimes as we break relationship with God when we sin, - and therefore it is not bad to follow God’s commandments, it is good, if it is done out of love for the one that gave them, life in found in the words of the Lord. Blessing /curse.

The other is also true we don’t earn God’s favor, or love, but we show that God has loved us by loving God and people. Like he loved us first. Salvation is free, and it is by Jesus, the Brance, the true king, prophet, hight prist, that comes again to make all things new.

For the people, build the temple, see what God will do… obey… I have spoken the words of God to you.

And the future of the Brance… Judgment and many people/ nations will come to God… Peace Shalome is restored. We are not there yet.

Where do we set our hope? Christ Jesus. The true Brance.