Rejoice Greatly

We just heard from what we know as the Triumphal Entry passage in John’s gospel.

Next Sunday is Easter. This Sunday is traditionally called “Palm Sunday” because of what was just detailed in that passage.

Within that text we heard the people crying out Hosanna! (save us. save us.) Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” They are obviously recognizing Jesus as their king!

Then, John says this in verse 15.

John 12:15 ESV

15 “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!”

This is a quote from the book of Zechariah.

So, today, I want to look at that section of Zechariah closely. Zechariah wrote around 520 BC. Likely either during the period of Nehemiah’s first attempt at rebuilding the temple or between the first attempt and when the second attempt completed the temple.

Zechariah 9:9–13 ESV

9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. 11 As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. 12 Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double. 13 For I have bent Judah as my bow; I have made Ephraim its arrow. I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and wield you like a warrior’s sword.

Prayer

Just for some context:

This is around the time of the jewish exile of Judah and Israel. Judah being the Southern Kingdom and Israel being the Northern Kingdom. All the same people. But separated by their own unique sins and God’s decree. They both were captured and taken into captivity.

Let me read some things others have said about this…

New American Commentary

Zechariah 3. Historical Era

The sacking of Jerusalem by the Babylonians devastated the city (Lam 2:2–12, 20–22; 4:9–20; 5:1–18). Employing essentially a “scorched earth” military policy, the Babylonians leveled the city walls, razed the royal court, and utterly demolished the temple

Zechariah 3. Historical Era

After suffering these indignities, Judah lost not only its national identity, but more importantly the nation also no longer had the means to worship God through sacrifice to the Lord as commanded in the Torah. This unprecedented turn precipitated the single greatest crisis in the history of God’s chosen people

Here’s what had to be going through the mind of these people: “What about all the promises God made to us?” “Where is He!?”

Maybe you’ve felt that way. Maybe you’ve been in a “scorched earth” season. Where is God?

The time in which Zechariah wrote was terrible for these people… It was easier to think that God had forgotten them than it was to trust Him to come through.

This is a very extreme circumstance for the Jews. But, most terrible circumstances leave people feeling this way. Maybe you identify with them?

“Where is God in this situation?”

“Has God forgotten my marriage?”

“Has God forgotten my children?”

“Doesn’t God see me?”

“Has He forgotten about me? I’m in crisis!”

The Jews were in Crisis… Had God forgotten them?

Listen to this…

Zechariah 1. Zechariah the Prophet

The name Zechariah in Hebrew (zĕkaryāh or zĕkaryāhû) means “Yahweh remembers,”

Wow… A perfect name for a prophet for that time…

Zechariah 1. Zechariah the Prophet

The prophet’s name, along with his message, consistently reminded the nation that the Lord had made a covenant with Israel, a binding commitment that God would assuredly keep.

Oh my gosh… But how???

Zechariah 3. Historical Era

without the miraculous intervention of God, the people had no future

So here, now, is Zechariah, Yahweh Remembers, speaking hope and calling for God’s people to “REJOICE GREATLY, SHOUT ALOUD! and BEHOLD”

All three of these are commanded here. Rejoice Greatly, Shout Aloud, and Behold.

Rejoice: Be excited unto happiness.

Greatly: In abundance or exceedingly.

Shout Aloud: Raise a shout, sound the horn, give a loud war cry.

Behold: Look with certainty here for the answer you need!

What I’m about to tell you and who I’m about to point to is worth your visible and emotionally expressive excitement even in the most terrible crisis!

It was back then and it is right now. They waited for it and we have seen much of it already! They had reason to get excited but we have even greater reason to be excited.

They had prophesy. We have both History and Prophesy.

Zechariah’s audience saw zero of this prophesy realized.

Jesus’ followers saw it but didn’t understand it.

We are looking back and seeing it’s realization and looking forward to it fullest completion.

(maybe ask someone to give a shout or “woohoo!” after each point)

INTERACTIVE

Get excited. Rejoice Greatly, Shout aloud, BEHOLD.

1. Our King Has Come

Zechariah 9:9 b(ESV)

…Behold, your king is coming to you;

Behold… Here it is. Here it is! Here HE IS!!

Your King, your confidence, your answer!

For them, he was coming. For us, Jesus has already come.

He lived, He taught, He was rejected, He suffered, He died.

What is next week?

He proclaimed victory in the grave, He set the captives free, he rose from the dead, He showed Himself alive. He gave His Great Commission. He ascended to the throne.

Our king has come!

And King Jesus Will come again!

Look what kind of King He is…

Our King is a righteous and ________ _______

Zechariah 9:9 ESV

9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Righteous: Blameless, innocent, just, and always in the right

We don’t have a king like the unrighteous phonies in DC. We don’t have a king who will take a bribe. We don’t have a king who will look the other way at evil.

OUR KING IS RIGHTEOUS.

Our King is a righteous and humble ________

Zechariah 9:9 ESV

9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Humble: Lowly, submitted, and positioned lower than equal

In a world full of forceful domination, our King establishes His rule through humble service and submission.

Our king didn’t come to be a professional influencer. Our king didn’t come to live in a palace and get us peons to give Him back massages. Our king didn’t come to serve. But He came to serve and give His life as a ransom for many!

Philippians 2:6–8 ESV

6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Our King IS HUMBLE…

Our King is a righteous and humble Savior

Zechariah 9:9 ESV

9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Having Salvation: Not being a salvation unto Himself but bringing Yahweh’s Salvation to those he comes to.

Our King didn’t come only to save himself. Our king isn’t one who in a tragedy puts his needs before others. Our king isn’t one who gets rich while his people suffer in a crumbling economy.

Our king is the good shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep. All others are imposters who save themselves. But our king takes our death in order to give us life!

OUR KING IS A RIGHTEOUS AND HUMBLE SAVIOR!!

This is the king who came to us!!

Praise YAH!

Get excited. Rejoice Greatly, Shout aloud, BEHOLD.

2. Our King Brought Us Peace

Zechariah 9:10 ESV

10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

Ephraim: Northern Kingdom

Jerusalem: Southern Kingdom

Nations: Everyone else

The entire world is effected by our King.

Our King makes instruments of war obsolete

Obsolete: There is no more need for it. Something better has come!

Now and Not Yet Peace

Every people group has access to peace with one another through submission to King Jesus.

Jesus people are their own new holy nation. Jesus people are from every tribe and tongue.

Eventually, every nation will relinquish their weapons, surrender, and bow in humble submission to King Jesus.

Jesus’ second coming will inaugurate a resurrected world ruled under His peaceful reign.

All those who refuse His peaceful reign will be cast out. He will not allow warmongerers in His resurrected world.

The Reality is…

Zechariah 2. Introduction to the King (9:9–10)

The one hope for world peace rests in the person of the Messiah and his righteous reign

Church, are we Jesus people?

We have people here from everywhere. We have white, black, brown, we have gingers, blondes, burnets, we have introverts, extroverts, Americans, Cubans, Mexicans, and so many more HERE, NOW. Webster Baptist Church is an embassy of a heavenly nation. We serve as the passport recognizers. We provide the stamp of citizenship through church membership, communion, and believers baptism.

We are a ragtag group of sinners from many nations saved by grace and living in our King’s peace!

Get excited. Rejoice Greatly, Shout aloud, BEHOLD.

3. Our King Freed Us to Return Home

Zechariah 9:11–12 ESV

11 As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. 12 Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double.

Remember the context: Exile, a partially rebuilt temple, and subjugation to foreign occupiers.

NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible: Follow God’s Redemptive Plan as it Unfolds throughout Scripture Overview

Zechariah deals in the first instance with the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem and the temple after they were destroyed by the Babylonians almost 70 years earlier.

This was written when Jews were given permission to go home from Babylon in order to start to rebuild the temple.

Even though many Jews had returned to their homeland of Jerusalem, it did not feel like home.

They had returned home, but home would never feel like home again.

Honestly, that is an experience for most everyone as life moves on. But this is a nation reeling from terror. This is a people who’ve experienced serious trauma. They are still under authority and slavery to Babylon.

Even after they get the temple built, they never get it back to its former glory and never get out from oppression.

HOME WILL NEVER BE HOME.

This is where we find the Jews when Jesus came. Instead of Babylon or Persia. It’s Rome ruling their “home”.

But, what is important for us to truly understand is that their home… and Our home… isn’t defined by geography.

Home isn’t defined by geography…

Home is defined by theology…

“Jerusalem is special. Jerusalem is home. Jerusalem is holy.”

They are thinking “Our home is holy.”

Jerusalem wasn’t holy because of its location.

It was holy because Yahweh presence was there.

Jerusalem was never going to feel like home for God’s people again until Yahweh Himself returned and kicked every other ruler out!

Humans will never truly be home until they are set free from slavery and reunited with God.

We, Jesus people, have this return now, but also not yet fully.

Now and Not Yet Return

Jesus’ blood shed paid for human freedom inaugurated a new covenant for reunification of God and humanity.

His resurrection later confirmed it.

His Spirit coming guaranteed it.

Jesus’ second coming will be the final and completed realization of our return home.

Sin will be purged from our resurrected bodies.

Satan will be cast into the lake of fire.

God will bodily dwell with us in Jesus with all of His glory shining upon us.

Our King is our freedom and our home

The point is…

Non Christian: You will never be free and at home until you receive the King who can free you and return you home. He defines home for you. He comes to you when you receive Him. He makes His home with you. And will carry you all the way to the finish.

Christians: We have to stop looking for that homely feeling in this world. In our careers. In our pleasure. In our relationships. In anything here. We have to put that off and put on Jesus. HE BRINGS HOME TO US and has promised to COMPLETE THIS BY BRINGING US HOME WITH HIM. He’s prepared a place for you. In His Father’s house are many rooms. If it weren’t true then He would never have promised it!

Get excited. Rejoice Greatly, Shout aloud, BEHOLD.

4. Our King Conquered Our Enemies

Zechariah 9:13 ESV

13 For I have bent Judah as my bow; I have made Ephraim its arrow. I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and wield you like a warrior’s sword.

Judah: Southern Kingdom

Ephraim: Northern Kingdom

Greece: Foreign Oppressors - Alexander the Great came over 100 years after this, but Greece, at the time, was known and recognized as a rising force. Economically and politically. Some argue that this proves later authorship. But it is prophesy.

Zechariah is saying that the Southern and Northern Kingdom would eventually be reunified under Messiah’s rule. Then both would become tools in Yahweh’s hand to expand His rule.

The rest of chapter 9 and some of 10 detail this more.

The commentaries I read focused mostly on this being a future prediction about Jesus’ second coming. I agree.

But, I personally believe Christ’s first coming spiritually brought all the glories that will be physically brought at Christ’s second coming.

**Pastor Caleb’s Opinion

Spiritual and Physical.

Now and Not Yet Conquering

Spiritual: King Jesus’ rule began at his resurrection, ascension, and sending of the Holy Spirit disarming the rulers, authorities, and principalities.

It started in Jerusalem and spread among the Jews first.

Then it went out among the gentiles by the mouth of the Jews.

Physical: King Jesus will eventually return to defeat all earthly demonic kingdoms and bring all of creation under His rule.

Let me put it this way!

Our King conquered and isn’t done conquering!

Get excited, rejoice greatly, shout aloud, behold…

Our King has come and is coming again!

Our King brought us peace and will bring it again!

Our King freed us to return home and will surely take us there!

Our King conquered our enemies and will finalize His victory!

It’s all about the king.

No one else can come give us peace, free us from slavery, return us home, and defeat our enemy.

Only King Jesus can.

Only King Jesus can.

This is why the Jewish people were screaming Hosanna. Save us! The sad part is that they had the right king but they had the wrong expectation. They thought physical first and neglected to see the spiritual. Thats why, by the end of the week the crowds shouted “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”

The reason these people got to the point of needing a physical salvation was because they neglected to acknowledge their need for spiritual salvation!

Ultimately, every crisis is rooted in our need for spiritual salvation. Some crisis’ are caused by our own sin but every crisis was caused by the sin of Adam. And now most are doomed spiritually and physically.

Lets have our band return up. You guys can start playing in the background.

Beloved, where are you looking for salvation? What is salvation to you?

Exalting Jesus in Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi King Jesus Extends God’s Deliverance (Zechariah 9:9–13)

Years ago I heard something called the “Parable of the Pit.” The parable talks about a man who suddenly falls into a deep pit. It’s too deep for him to jump out of. The walls of the pit are impossible to climb, and so he’s stuck there. The question is, How will he get out of the pit?

People begin to pass by.

A self-righteous person passes by, looks down at the man, and says, “Only bad people fall in pits. You must be a really bad person to fall into a pit like that.” And the man’s still in his pit.

A philosopher passes by and says, “You’re not really in that pit; you just think you are.” The man’s still in the pit.

A politician passes by and says, “I’ve got a new program that I’m proposing in Congress, and it’s going to eliminate pitfalls just like yours.” And the man’s still in the pit.

A county inspector passes by and says, “Do you have a permit for that pit?” And the man’s still in the pit.

A pessimist passes by and says, “You’re never going to get out of that pit. And it looks like it’s going to start raining.” And the man’s still in the pit.

An optimist passes by and says, “So you fell in a pit. Make the most out of it. Maybe you could decorate it.” And the man’s still in the pit.

An engineer passes by and says, “The pit you are in is 20 feet deep, 15 feet wide, and 25 feet long.” And the man’s still in the pit.

A preacher passes by and says, “I want you to notice three things about that pit. It’s a deep pit. It’s a dark pit. It’s a dirty pit.” And the man’s still in the pit.

A psychologist passes by and says, “Maybe your mother pushed you into that pit. And how does being in that pit make you feel?” And the man’s still in the pit.

A self-pitying person passes by and says, “You think you’re in a pit? You ought to see my pit!” And the man’s still in the pit.

But then Jesus sees the man in the pit, and He takes him by the hand and lifts him out. He extends God’s deliverance.

Beloved, where are you looking for salvation from your pit?

Have you been looking for money to lift you? For a person to lift you? For a preacher to lift you?

For drugs to lift you? For a president to lift you?