Zechariah 1-7

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7 short chapters.  (But CRAZY)

Chapter 1- Loved the into! paraphrased  “Listen, I warned your mom and dad, and look what happened to them…you want that captivity to happen to you?  No? Then don’t do what they did!  

There are 3 major points to the Intro:

1. Their forefathers failed to respond to God’s word (which resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem and an exile)
2. God never changes
3. Don’t make the same mistake they did-‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty.

If you read the overview (sorry it was late last night, long day) or watched the video from last night, feel free to write out the chiastic…as for me…nah, I’m good.  (But it is a cool way to study God’s word.  There are lots of them).  Let’s begin.

Vision 1:

¹¹ And they reported to the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees, “We have gone throughout the earth and found the whole world at rest and in peace.”…. (The myrtle tree is a fragrant, decorative shrub that sometimes reaches the size of a tree, it was used in connection with the Feast of Tabernacles)

¹⁶ “Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt. And the measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem,’ declares the Lord Almighty.

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(Vision 2 and 3 are external hindrances….vision 6 and 7 are internal hindrances)-Chiastic help.

Vision 2- The 4 Horns.  I DON’T KNOW.  It could be 4 future world powers or it could be the 4 we read in Daniel.  God loves to keep the mystery of His word. (I think it is the statue or the Greek empires?, but maybe I am wrong…thoughts?)

“These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no one could raise their head, but the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter its people.”

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Vision 3.   Not sure what this looked like: The measuring line.  When you see a surveyor on the side of the road, you know construction is coming because the population is increasing.

³ While the angel who was speaking to me was leaving, another angel came to meet him ⁴ and said to him: “Run, tell that young man, ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of people and animals in it. ⁵ And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will be its glory within.’

We know the prophecies by now…the surrounding nations, especially Babylon,  will be destroyed…RUN to Jerusalem!  (But many don’t 😢)

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Vision 4-

Joshua represents Israel.  His cleansing symbolizes the future cleansing of His people.  Satan standing at his side is “the accuser or the adversary”. Satan will do anything to keep us from fellowship with God.    The Lord himself rebukes Satan:

1. He reminds Satan that God has chosen Israel and His plan will not be derailed.
2. The burning stick refers to Israel’s deliverance from Babylon and their restoration.

Man cannot remove their own sin (the dirty garment)- The Lord clothes us with righteousness.

Wait…it gets better!!

⁸ “‘Listen, High Priest Joshua, you and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. ⁹ See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua! There are seven eyes on that one stone, and I will engrave an inscription on it,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will remove the sin of this land in a single day.

¹⁰ “‘In that day each of you will invite your neighbor to sit under your vine and fig tree,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

We know the Branch term from Isaiah and Jeremiah!  Jesus is the “Branch” or the “shoot from the root”.

The stone is the “Cornerstone” (7-meaning complete or Holy Spirit) with the inscription “Lord Almighty!”  Did you know there are 55 scriptures referencing Jesus to the foundation or the cornerstone?  A cornerstone is the first block laid in construction.  It must be perfect because the structure is held and measured from the cornerstone.

1 Peter 2:6-For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

Back to Zechariah-¹⁰ “‘In that day each of you will invite your neighbor to sit under your vine and fig tree,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

Are the Gentiles the neighbor invited in?  (I think so) 🥰

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Vision 5:-Just when I thought the visions were weird enough…they are about to get trippy.  You have two olive trees, that send olive oil into a bowl that funnel down some pipes into a lampstand.  You can’t make this stuff up!

Just like in the tabernacle, the Lampstand represents the Light of the World.  However, in the tabernacle, the priest kept the candles burning.  Now the Lord gives a vision of this contraption of the light being provided continually through supernatural means.

This vision is a word of ENCOURAGEMENT.  They are being asked to rebuild a temple!  I can barely handle my simple life, could you imagine the task in front of them!    Verse 6 says it ALL:

⁶ So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.

The Holy Spirit is the Power source!   This task can only be complete with God’s power not by human strength,

¹¹ Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?”

¹² Again I asked him, “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?”

¹³ He replied, “Do you not know what these are?”

“No, my lord,” I said.

¹⁴ So he said, “These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth.”

The Kingship and the Priesthood (both a foreshadowing of the Messiah to come).  By the way, the irony is that this week a good friend of mine asked me an unrelated question that is so relevant now!  “How is Jesus from the line of David if The Virgin Mary isn’t from the tribe of Judah”? And why is her tribe line significant?  Can you figure it out? 🧐

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Vision 6- The flying scroll (a very large one)- it is seeking unrepentant sin.

⁴ The Lord Almighty declares, ‘I will send it out, and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of anyone who swears falsely by my name.

Judgment will come on those who sin against their neighbor (example: thieves) as well as,  those who sin against God (swears falsely by the Lord)

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Vision 7: Many times things in the Bible were personified.  Wisdom for example was a woman (Ha, I will not make a joke).  This time: Sin is personified.

The sin is held in the Basket and two messengers of the Lord take the basket out of the Land and over to Babylon.

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Vision 8- Go back and look at vision 1- The horse was bringing back a message of Peace.  Now the horses are going out in Judgement.  Have you ever heard of the 4 Horseman of the Apocalypse!  Can you believe in 3 months we will be at Revelation!!

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The crowning of Joshua-(Joshua means The Lord is Salvation)

¹² Tell him this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the Lord. ¹³ It is he who will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.’

The harmony of bringing both Priest and King together represents Jesus.

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I am going to stop there.  That was exhausting!