INTRODUCTION

1. Last week we started our study of the prophecies of Zechariah
1. We looked at Chap 1:1-6 and the message that God will respond to his people when they come to Him and repent.
2. This was the opening part of the first eight chapters,

                                          i.    We will see how God prepares His people, Israel, for the coming of the Messiah.

1. In these first 8 chapters, God gives His Jewish people 7 messages
1. Messages about His power, love, wisdom and holiness,
2. WHY? So that they can be prepared for the greatest event in the whole of creation – the coming of the Messiah
3. Sadly, many missed the event and many Jews are still preparing themselves for the coming of the Messiah, because they did miss it.

1. God wanted His people to be spiritually ready for the coming of the Messiah when He finally appeared,
1. God did not want them to miss Him
   
   
2. Zechariah’s  first message was all about repentance.
1. God commanded His young servant to call the discouraged remnant to turn from their wicked ways and obey His Word.
2. Zechariah proclaimed what God told him to say - the Lord couldn’t bless His chosen people until they were clean in His sight.
3. Zechariah’s PROPHECY practically CLOSES the Old Testament
1. It is next to the FINAL book

1. The prophecy was written in 520 b.c.
1. Zechariah was CONTEMPORARY with Haggai 

1. In a single night Zechariah saw a series of visions
1. Each were interpreted by an angel
2. Each described the future of the nation Israel.

1. Our understanding of these visions is helped when we recognize that the prophet gives pictures of the future in snapshot fashion
1. The pictures are not in any particular sequence.
2. When we read a passage, we see only what is happening in that snapshot,

                                          i.    Not how it relates to other snapshots.

9.    Zechariah is tells them that the REASON they had been in captivity was that “The Lord hath been sore displeased with your fathers.”

1. Their fathers had SINNED against God, and
2. He is WARNING them against making the SAME mistakes.

c.    God is saying, “Your fathers paid no attention to the prophets whom I sent to them. I sent Hosea. I sent Joel. I sent Amos. I sent Isaiah and I sent Jeremiah. I sent all of these prophets, but your fathers did not listen to them nor heed their message.

1. That is the REASON they went into captivity. #. No repentance

10. The Message is still loud and clear

1. Yet the response is so often the same #. Refusing to believing
2. Refusing to repent
3. Refusing to be saved

FIRST VISION - RIDERS UNDER MYRTLE TREES – first picture

Zech. 1:8  I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white

1. “I saw by night”—he doesn’t say, “I dreamed by night.
1. He was wide awake! #. Zechariah said, “I saw.”

1. “Behold”—Zechariah introduces his vision 
1. Behold = “to look.” “Look! There’s a man riding upon a red horse!”

1. “A man riding upon a red horse.”
1. Who is this man?

                                          i.    He is the Lord Jesus Christ before His incarnation.

                                        ii.    Identified as the “angel of the Lord” in verses 11 and 12.

1. Zechariah sees Him watching over this world.

                                          i.    Even at this very moment, the Lord Jesus Christ is standing in the shadows, keeping watch over His own.

1. The Man that Zechariah saw was riding “upon a red horse.” Was Jesus
1. Why the color red?                                           i.    Red speaks of blood and bloodshed;

                                        ii.    The Rider, Jesus is watching over this earth because He would die and shed His own blood for you and me.

1. “Behind Him were there red horses, speckled, and white.”
1. The colors of the horses—mixture of red and white; speckled.

                                          i.    Red horses would be symbolic of warfare.

                                        ii.    White horses would probably represent victory,  

Zech. 1:9 Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be

1. “Then said I, O my lord, what are these?”

a.    That is what we are asking

a.    Jesus says that He will show us what these things are

b.    God’s people were in fear from the nations surrounding them and oppressing them.

a.    They had very powerful enemies – but God is assuring them that He is in charge of the affairs of the nations.

b.    God is not a distant creator.

c.    He did not make this world and the universe as we see it, and then populate it with vegetation, fish, animals, insects and people and then walk away and leave it to get on by itself.

d.    He is directly involved.

                                                  i.    He is a creator God who cares for His creation.

c.    This is something that the children of God need to remember today.

a.    Israel is surrounded by many powerful enemies: Egyptians, Syrians, Iranians and Palestinians (Hamas) being some of the most significant at the moment.

b.    Their enemies stretch out far wider though, throughout the world.

c.    God is saying to them ‘Yes, be on your guard, but do not fear. I am in charge of all the affairs of the nations. They cannot do anything to destroy My people.’ (2:13) “Be still before the LORD, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.”

d.    We are surrounded by powerful enemies, in the physical world as well as the spiritual world.

a.    We are constantly warned about terrorists.

b.    The politicians are raising our awareness of the problems with Iran and the development of nuclear weapons.

c.    We need to heed the words of Paul to put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes

d.    Are we prepared for the daily battle with Satan and all that he wants to throw at us?

Zech. 1:10 And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom the Lord hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth

a.    “To walk to and fro” means that they were patrolling the earth.

b.    Zechariah saw a group of riders in some myrtle trees.

c.    The myrtle tree is a symbol of Jerusalem.

d.    Myrtle trees grow in the valleys around Jerusalem, and are characterized by their dark, green, glossy leaves.

e.    They are adorned with flowers and during Zechariah’s time were often used as wedding decorations and at the Feast of the Tabernacles (Nehemiah 8:15).

f.     Perfume also was made from myrtle trees.

g.    The green leaves point to Israel’s hope and future.

h.    Jerusalem will not fade.

i.      It will bloom before the Lord forever.

Zech. 1:11 And they answered the angel of the Lord that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest

b.    Where were these myrtles located?

a.    In a deep ravine.

1.    Many expositors consider this to be the Kidron Valley.

b.    The "ravine" symbolizes Israel’s position among the nations.

c.    The time of the Gentiles began with Jerusalem’s first destruction by the Babylonians.

d.    Jerusalem never really has been free since then.

e.    Jerusalem was ruled by the Romans when Jesus was here the first time.

f.     This occupation will last until Jesus returns as Israel’s Messiah: (Luke 21:24) "...Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.".

g.    Jerusalem (Israel) is like the myrtle tree, which grows modestly in a shady, low place.

h.    Israel is a people despised by the nations even today

c.    “All the earth sitteth still, and is at rest” =  was peace on the earth at this time.

a.    That sounds good because during five thousand years of recorded history, there have been only about two hundred years of peace.

b.    Man loves to go to war

c.    So a period of peace sounds wonderful.

d.    We may say that we have peace in our land.

e.    It does not last very long.

d.    Jerusalem is hated, and the nations would like to take the country back from the Jews.

e.    Amongst those riders is one on a red horse, who reports "We have gone throughout the earth and found the whole world at rest and in peace."(11)

a.    This is not good news.

b.    The Messiah will return during times of great trouble, not times of peace.

c.    Look again at those words from Luke 21, Jesus is talking about the time for His return vv10-28.

1.    A time of great turmoil and trouble, heralding the return of our Messiah to rule the earth.

2.    Hag 2:6,7 - This is what the LORD Almighty says: `In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, …””.

Zech. 1:12 Then the angel of the Lord answered and said, O Lord of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?

1. “Against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years”

     a.      For seventy years now Jerusalem has been lying in ruin, debris, and ashes.

e.        But the remnant of Israel that returned to the land is beginning to rebuild.

f.    The cry is, “How long will it be before God is going to bring real blessing to us?”

g.            God will make it clear that He is displeased with the nations which are at

        peace and ignore Jerusalem’s plight.

h.        God is jealous for Jerusalem,

i.          All the nations of the world are indifferent to it.

1.             The world can never have permanent peace until the Lord Jesus is reigning in Jerusalem because He is the Prince of Peace.

a.             The peace which He offers now is peace with God because of sins forgiven.

b.             If we are right with God, we can have peace with our neighbors

c.             And even peace among nations.

2.             Jerusalem is the key to world peace.

a.            The world was trying to have peace and ignore Jerusalem.

b.             This was during the world domination by Media-Persia.

c.             Babylon had put down both Egypt and Assyria;

d.             Media-Persia had put down the Babylonian Empire

e.             Their dominion brought a brief period of peace to the world.

3.             But it wouldn’t be long until Alexander the great would come out of the West 

a.             Peace could not be permanent because Jerusalem was the key to peace.

Zech. 1:13And the Lord answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words

1.    They were good words and comforting words,

a.    Words that were helpful to the remnant.

2.    During this time Haggai was pronouncing judgment, but not Zechariah

1. He was giving God’s message of comfort.

Zech. 1:14So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy

1. “I am jealous for Jerusalem.”

a.    God’s jealousy is not a human sort of jealousy 

a.    Jerusalem is His city,

b.    Israelites are His people.

b.    He is fully aware of the worldwide woe of oppressed Israel even in our day

a.    He is exceedingly jealous for His people.

And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction [Zech. 1:15].

1.    “I was but a little displeased,”

a.    God’s chastisement was intended for a brief period,

b.    But the nations of the world wanted her annihilation.

Zech. 1:16 Therefore thus saith the Lord; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the Lord of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem

1. “I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies.”

a.    God had come back to deal with His people in mercy.

b.    The Scriptures tell us that He is rich in mercy.

2. “A line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.”

a.    Whenever we find a man with a measuring rod or a measuring line, it means that God is getting ready to move directly in that particular case.

a.    In this case, Israel had just returned from the seventy-year captivity,

b.    God is turning to those who have returned to Him.

b.    All the nations of the earth are to understand that there will never be peace on earth until there is peace in Jerusalem.

a.    That is the key to peace on this earth.

b.    It is certainly true that Jerusalem is crucial in the prophecies of the future:

Ps. 132:13–14  “For the Lord hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation. This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it”

Ps. 78:67–68  “Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim: but chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved”

                  c. God says that Jerusalem is the spot He loves.

Zech. 1:17 Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the Lord shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem

 1.   This looks into the future so that these people can recognize that they are working in the

       plan and program of God which extends into the future.

SECOND VISION - FOUR HORNS – second picture

Zech. 1:18–19 Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns. And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What be these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem

1. We will look at the vision of the four horns as one vision,

a.    And the vision of the four carpenters as another vision.

2. Zechariah sees four horns, and these four horns are the ones that scattered Jerusalem and Judah and Israel.

a.    They scattered both the northern and the southern kingdoms.

b.    A horn represents a gentile ruler.

Daniel 7:24: “And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise …”

Revelation 17:12: “And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.”

c.    The horns represent gentile world powers.

a.    The four horns which Zechariah saw represent four gentile world powers.

d.    Who are they?

a.    The four gentile powers that scattered Israel are: Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece, and Rome.

b.    The four ‘horns’ are the nations that had come to devastate Israel.

c.    The horns represent power, even ‘brute power’.

d.    The nations were like bulldozers bludgeoning their way through the land of Israel, pushing out all that is before them.