The God of Triumph

This last week was the start of March Madness, the tournament that has 64 of the best teams in college basketball. One of the things people love is the Cinderella stories that happen. You have your blue bloods. Duke, UNC, Kansas, Kentucky and everyone wants to see these teams go down (unless of course it is your own team). We like the Cinderella story, the underdog team that comes from behind to beat the Giants.

But this strange thing often happens when we have these Cinderella stories in the Bible, because what seems like an underdog should really be favorite, and the one everyone sees as the giant is really the underdog. We think of David vs. Goliath or Israel vs the great nation of Egypt and it seems like it isn’t a fair fight, but not in the direction that we expect. Because behind the David, behind Israel, is God the Creator of all things, while behind Goliath or Egypt is just humans. David tells us that he fights “in the name of the Lord”, so we should expect Him to triumph, Moses comes knowing that God will save His people no matter the adversary.

In Zechariah we will see this Messiah who comes to save His people but who is far different then the Messiah we expected. Who in fact seems to lose, but through loss comes glorious triumph. Zechariah isn’t a Cinderella story, it the the true champion coming to claim His throne.

For the nation of Israel we will see the triumph God promises them while they experience exile, through the oppression of wicked leaders, and through the punishment of their sins.

For us we will see that...

God triumphs over sin and all its consequences for those who follow Him.

Zechariah 9-14 is built in a chiasm. We have chapters 9-11 and then chapters 12-14 and this chiasm will show how God will triumph over sin and all its consequences.

But for the prophet Zechariah this is a challenging message to presence. In fact, at the beginning of chapter 9 and chapter 12 when it says it is a “pronouncement” it can also be translated as a “burden”. That this Word from God will come with some troubling news, it is a message that this prophet doesn’t want to give. But the hope is that He will triumph over the power of sin, the presence of in, and the penalty of sin, and we will see 9 and 14 show us the power of sin, 10 and 13 show us the presence of sin, then 11 and 12 show us the penalty of sin.

God triumphs over the power of sin

v. 1-8 give us a picture of the many great nations that exist at this time. Tyre, Sidon, Ekron, Gaza, Philistia…all of them trusting in their own power. Some believe in their wealth, some believe in great leaders, some believe in military strength. Their pride has led them to believe that there will be no punishment for their crimes against Israel. That their sin continue with no consequences. As sin rules over the earth they have the believe that sin will ALWAYS rule, it leads them to believe in order to succeed in this world one must dominate.

Sin leads us to believe what Satan says to Jesus during His temptation, that he can give him all the nations of the world.

But God will bring them low, like he does in v. 4

Then we see in v. 9-10 this Messiah come, and He is riding on a donkey. Now, a donkey was in fact an animal kings would ride on, but it provided a different picture than that of a horse. A horse was associated with war, with a military king. But a donkey presence a king who comes in peace, who comes to bring resolution.

-This Messiah will “proclaim peace”

-Rather than a king who rules through domination, who must express their power in order to prove their might.

-V. 12 tells us that God is a “stronghold”, a strong tower that they should hold onto. That through His power He will release them from their oppression and bring them back to peace. That the enemies of God cannot stand against Him, even when He uses the weakness of His people.

-People notice who God uses in His plan. Judah will be His bow, Israel will be His warriors sword. He uses this extremely fault, weak, oppressed people to show the nations His strength. God doesn’t need His A team, His B team, His C team in order to provide victory for His people. Give Him the bench warmers!

It gives us a picture of Israel flourishing as God gives them victory over the powers of this world.

What Jesus shows us is that what we wait for isn’t just a triumph over nations and their power, but over death and the bondage of sin. Where God’s people know that they now longer fear the sting of death and the power it has on them.

We often over-value having “powerful” leaders. We tend to think that they can save us, that if you have enough power, enough wealth, that you can get rid of your problems. But these are empty promises.

But we also tend to believe that we can overcome sin on our own, that we can release our own chains of sin.

Romans 8:37–39 tells us “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The peace comes from knowing as Jesus comes into Jerusalem that no longer can anything separate us from God’s love as once sin could for us. And if sin no longer has power over us we no longer need to live as if it controls our life. We no longer have to live according to its power. But when we live as if we have to “play the game” in order to succeed than we give it power that it doesn’t deserve.

But in Christ we know that sin no longer has the power to separate us from God.

But before we can experience triumph over sins power, we also need triumph over the presence of sin.

God triumphs over the presence of sin

In chapter 10:2 Zechariah talks to Israel about the idols that they trusted in and the sinful leaders that led them. The idols gave false illusions, empty dreams, and and empty comforts, and so they wandered like lost sheep.

But even worse they wandered because they had no shepherd to guide them, the leaders had failed them in v. 3.

Chapter 11:5 tells us these leaders had sold the people over to wicked rulers and after selling them said “Blessed be the Lord because I have become rich!” An ironic statement that shows how they acted as if God was blessing their terrible acts against God’s people. Much like a prosperity preacher who bankrupts the poor for their own gain, so these leaders had led people astray.

Wickedness didn’t just reign among the nations, but it also had corrupted those who were called to be godly leaders. In fact, the reason that the people had experienced such grief was because of these wicked leaders who had ignored God and His presence with His people.

Now if you read 10:3 and 13:2 we see what God will do with these idols and leaders

He had to remove the presence of idols and wicked leaders so that His presence could dwell for His people. The sad news was that this meant only a remnant would be left, 1/3rd, so that God’s presence could be with those who trust in Him as it says in 13:8-9

But v. 11 tells us that the Lord will “pass through the sea” and God will “strengthen them in the Lord”. It reminds the people of a time when God had led them through the wilderness, that God’s presence was with His people. Why? So that instead of having the presence of sin with them they had the presence of God. For Israel this meant that there would only be a remnant left over who would be called God’s people, but it is so they could be refined like through fire.

Why did they need to be refined? So that 10:8-12 can come to pass

What God’s people desired is for His presence to dwell with them again and to no longer have separation from God. But v. 4 tells us this can only be done through a cornerstone.

Jesus removes the presence of sin so that we can have victory through Him

1 Peter 2:6–9 “For it stands in Scripture: See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and honored cornerstone, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame. So honor will come to you who believe; but for the unbelieving, The stone that the builders rejected— this one has become the cornerstone, and A stone to stumble over, and a rock to trip over. They stumble because they disobey the word; they were destined for this. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

We often like to hold onto sin, keep it close to us in case God fails. But what we know is that it is never good to keep sin close to us. We would never tell an alcoholic to go to a bar, nor someone trying to quit cigarettes would we believe it is helpful to keep a pack in the house or in their car. Yet, we often keep sin close to us like a lifeline.

We tell ourselves lying isn’t bad all the time, we can store up a few treasures for ourselves on earth, we say yeah I do hate my neighbor “but if you just met them you would understand!”.

We can believe if we have the right leaders in place that they can remove sins.

But Jesus is the only one that make us a royal possession and he puts all other leaders to shame.

But some parts of us also believe that we can’t totally remove sin, that it still has a hold on us, but in Christ we believe that He has put to death our earthly nature and we now have new life. That in the presence of God can be no sin.

If we keep the presence of sin around it will always deceive us, it will find any opening it can take in order to poison our hearts.

What our last point shows us is how we can feel free from sin even when sin does still challenge us in this life.

God triumphs over the penalty of sin

In chapter 11 God talks to Zechariah and He gives Zechariah a task. To “shepherd the flock intended for slaughter.” Why are they intended for slaughter, because those who were supposed to shepherd them had no compassion for them, rather than protect them they led them to slaughter. But God tells Zechariah to find those that have been abused by leaders and to care for them.

So that is what Zechariah does, He cares for the oppressed flock, He loves them. He shows them the care they should have desired from their leaders that they trusted in.

Then Zechariah takes two staffs, something that a king would do. One staff would represent a staff to rule and a staff like a shepherd to care. As we see here one staff is favor or grace and one is union or peace. And in ruling he removes these shepherds of Israel who have despised the people but the people do not want him to rule, so instead they revolt against Zechariah.

Matthew 23:33–39 ““Snakes! Brood of vipers! How can you escape being condemned to hell? This is why I am sending you prophets, sages, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. So all the righteous blood shed on the earth will be charged to you, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. Truly I tell you, all these things will come on this generation. “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord’!””

Because of this Zechariah removes the favor and removes the union, he allows for the natural progress of their sin to take place. And he says” if you no longer want God to rule over you then give me my wages. And so they do, thirty pieces of silver that they throw to the potter. Thirty pieces of silver was considered the price of a slave. This is how much they value God’s prophet, the one who speaks on His behalf.

If this sounds familiar it is because after Judas betrays Jesus He is given 30 pieces of silver. And after they refuse to take the money they will use it to buy the “potters field”.

We will also see these same people who on this day proclaim Jesus as the Messiah will a few days like proclaim “crucify Him!” We in fact see this foretold in Zechariah 12:10 ““Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the house of David and the residents of Jerusalem, and they will look at me whom they pierced. They will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child and weep bitterly for him as one weeps for a firstborn.”

They sell of the one who has come to save them, and rather than enjoy this salvation they sell of the one who was going to save them for next to nothing. They allow for Him to be crucified while they let the criminal go free.

But even as Jesus, the perfect and sinless lamb of God is put on the cross, that He does so to pay for the penalty of our sin. That He removes the debt that we owed.

Have you ever had a bill that you forgot to pay? It weighs on you till you pay.

Sin weighs on us as well, it makes us feel guilt, it makes us feel like wrath is going to come on us. Sin tells us we are not good enough, that we can’t get rid of it.

But sin is more like that bill you get which has already been paid. Sure, you can leave it on your counter, and if you do they are going to call you and send you more letters. And that already paid bill will become a burden to you. That is, until you call and say “I do not owe this any longer!”

That is what Jesus does for us

Romans 8:31–35 “What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything? Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?”

We see what mankind meant for evil, the death of Jesus, in fact used so that no one can ever bring accusation against us!

In C.S. Lewis book the The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe we see this scene play out. Edmund had decided to follow the White Witch. But as the oppression came upon him by the witch he recognized his need to come back to Aslan. But as he defects the White Witch comes and says there is a penalty for his defection, that he must die for breaking the law. She describes to Aslan the law that condemns Edmund to witch Aslan says “you don’t need to tell me…I was there when it was written”. And Aslan makes a deal with the Witch, he will take the place of Edmund. This seems like defeat, the White Witch believes this is her time to strike, to go on the offensive! Aslan is gone! Little did she know this in fact would be the defining characteristic of their victory.

Jesus brings us perfect peace

We see that Jesus is also at the center of the chiasm of Scripture. That at the center of it all is Jesus. It then flows outward back to the New Jerusalem of chapter 14. That is what we wait for, the final chapter, the return of the Messiah who will bring peace. No fear, sorrow, worry, or pain.

In it we have a picture of a new Jerusalem (which means “city of peace”) and here there will be “no night” and a river of life will flow through it and people will live there and (as v. 11 says) “never again will there be a curse of complete destruction. So Jersualem will dwell in security.”

The people of Israel waited for a triumph where they would not have to worry about the nations to conquer them and where they could return to their promised land. These nations are a symbol of death and bondage to the ways of the world.