Zechariah: The Mensengers of the Lord

We can understand that God does this to keep us focused on the important elements so that our finite mind that cannot see the totality of His glorious design are not overwhelmed with the magnitude of it.

I think we have set the stage here several time so without going in depth we remember that the exiles have returned.

This should put into our minds,

Ezra and Nehemiah

Daniel and his prayer of repentance

“Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak” (Hag 1:1, ESV)

The whole backdrop of the restoration and rebuilding of the temple.

We are near the end of the OT here, this means, we have to keep in mind the totality of the revelation so far and that is a lot.

We know that this temple will continue to be worked on until the about 33 years after Christ’s ascension.

As we have talked about in church history class the temple is completed in 66.AD and only a few short hears later it is torn down.

And justly so because God had built a new temple in Christ and he had torn the vail, and ended the ceremonial law by fulfilling it.

So ever sacrifice made there was a judgment on those that did not see how they pointed to Christ.

It was a mercy then that God destroyed the temple because those practice the sacrifices without seeing the substance, without discerning the body, as Paul said, were heaping up judgement on themselves.

All this context in important so that when we get to verse 17 and the LORD says,

Zechariah 1:17 ESV

17 Cry out again, Thus says the Lord of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.’ ”

Not only did this happen, Jerusalem was one of the most wealthy cities into he world in Jesus’ day.

Think about it, the temple had what is estimated several tons of gold in it.

We are not talking about the poor country you often see in the TV verse of Jesus.

The temple alone probably had more wealth in it then the emperors place in Rome.

This add to the reality that not only is it a violation of the second commandment to view images of Jesus, it is very dangerous to get your Jesus and the world he lived in from a TV screen.

Let’s Read

Zechariah 1:7–17 ESV

7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying, 8 “I saw in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen, and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses. 9 Then I said, ‘What are these, my lord?’ The angel who talked with me said to me, ‘I will show you what they are.’ 10 So the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered, ‘These are they whom the Lord has sent to patrol the earth.’ 11 And they answered the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees, and said, ‘We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth remains at rest.’ 12 Then the angel of the Lord said, ‘O Lord of hosts, how long will you have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which you have been angry these seventy years?’ 13 And the Lord answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me. 14 So the angel who talked with me said to me, ‘Cry out, Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion. 15 And I am exceedingly angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was angry but a little, they furthered the disaster. 16 Therefore, thus says the Lord, I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; my house shall be built in it, declares the Lord of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem. 17 Cry out again, Thus says the Lord of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.’ ”

May God Bless the Reading of His Holy, Infallible, and Sufficient Word

Let’s Pray

Transition

Once again, we see that scripture is God’s testament to himself in time and space. The Lord gives us the specific day and month when Zechariah see verse 7 - 11.

Body

The Army of the Lord

Zechariah 1:7–11 ESV

The man riding the red horse is in a sense Christ

The bloody king (Isaiah 63:1–6)

The commander of Gods armies (Joshua 5:13–15)

What are the Horses and riders,

Gods army, clearly, connected to Rev 6 but more abstract

“With regard to the different colours the Prophet no doubt understood that they designated the offices allotted to angels, as some convey God’s benefits, and others come armed with V 5, p 34 scourges and swords.” [1]

God intends ministry here so that we do not know all the things he is doing but they we do know his army is at work.

All things under his feet

The last enemy death.

“all the earth remains at rest”

Even with all the power of God on display the world remains content in their sin.

Transition

The relate that even the saints are more content with their sin then they should be is the back drop of verses 12 and 13.

The Lord is Gracious?

Zechariah 1:12–13 ESV

12 Then the angel of the Lord said, ‘O Lord of hosts, how long will you have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which you have been angry these seventy years?’ 13 And the Lord answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me.

Remember Haggai’s call, why have you been lazy about rebuilding the Lords house?

The saints were at rest when they should have been at work.

The Lord is gracious by what standard?

“And the Lord answered gracious and comforting words to the angel”

The theme of scripture is God glorifying himself by the covenant redemption of particular people through the person and work of His Son, Jesus Christ, the Lord.

We cannot escape the centrality of Christ’s work for his people in this picture

Transition

Zechariah hears these gracious words and is prompted to call out. See verse 14-17

Jealous for Zion

Zechariah 1:14–17 ESV

14 So the angel who talked with me said to me, ‘Cry out, Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion. 15 And I am exceedingly angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was angry but a little, they furthered the disaster. 16 Therefore, thus says the Lord, I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; my house shall be built in it, declares the Lord of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem. 17 Cry out again, Thus says the Lord of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.’ ”

“Cry out!”

The LORD instruct his prophets to talk about His prizing his people

“I am exceedingly angry with the nations”

We see here that when the man said before in verse 11 that the “all the earth remains at rest” that rest is not a rest pleasing to God.

A lot of people think if I am well, then God is happy with me.

Being successful, is not a sign of God favors,

Actually I can be the opposite

“The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” ’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” (Lk 12:16–21, ESV)

“And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” (Hebrews 12:5–6, ESV)

So when the LORD says here, “My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.’ ” We understand that primarily when God talks about prosperity he is talking about richness toward God.

Saint do you understand that you overflow with prosperity towards God in Christ. Your account is 100% full in Christ.

Your comforter has been set on mount Zion and all the nation have been given to him.

This happened in time and space, Judah in the days of Jesus was extremely prosperous, remember the temple had tons of gold in its construction.

but the ultimate fulfillment is Jesus, he is the treasure of heaven, he is the greatest possession. The poorest christian is infinity richer then the riches.

Calvin comments here, “These expressions refer to the outward appearance of things. God therefore will secure his own election to the end; but as we cannot otherwise perceive but that we are rejected by God when he turns away his face from us, he is said to choose again those whom he has repudiated, that is, when he really and by a clear evidence proves that he has not forgotten their first adoption, but that he continues unchangeable in his purpose.” [3]

Conclusion

We have the unchanging God on our side brothers and sisters. Come hardship, come trial, come difficulty, come sickness, we are still more then conquerors in Christs Jesus.

Remember the early Christian's didn't get in trouble for saying Jesus is King, there were many kings in the roman empires. Think about King Agrippa for example.

They got in trouble when they said Jesus is Lord. Ἰησοῦν, κύριον (I am probably murdering that pronunciation.)

Jesus is God, and in saying they and we are saying my hope is built on nothing less then Jesus’ blood and righteousness.

Benediction

Numbers 6:24–26 ESV

24 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Refrances

[1] John Calvin and John Owen, Commentaries on the Twelve Minor Prophets, vol. 5 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 33–34.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid, 51-52.

Bibliography

Calvin, John, and John Owen. Commentaries on the Twelve Minor Prophets. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010.

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