What's Next?
Introduction
There is a plaque on a church building in England that reads like this: "In the year 1653, when all things sacred throughout the land were either demolished or profaned, Sir Robert Shirley built this church. His singular praise is this: To have done the best of things in the worst of times." In 17th century England it was the worst of times. King Charles I had been tried for treason and been beheaded. Injustice was reigning throughout the land. The churches were harassed and many were closed. It was a dark time. But Sir Robert Shirley used the things God had given him and he built a church. He invested in the Kingdom, he did the best of things in the worst of times. What are we doing with our things? It’s a dark time in many respects for us right now: War, aids, abortion, divorce, child abuse, pornography.. "everything sacred being profaned." The question still must come back to each of us- When the Master returns for the final accounting, what will He realize from His investment in us? Are we doing the best of things, in the worst of times?
There is a figure in Scripture who faced a great opportunity and a great challenge during one of the most difficult moments in ancient Israel's history. His story is found in a vision in Zechariah 3.
Text: Zechariah 3 ESV
Introduction:
God chose the Israelite nation for a special purpose. They were given the sacred Scriptures which they preserved (Rom 3:2). They were adopted as the children of God. They experienced the glory of God at Sanai and in Solomon's temple. They received God's law through Moses. They were given the symbols of the temple worship and sacrifices. And it was from them that Christ was born (Romans 9:5).
The Psalmist said it poetically:
Psalm 147:19-20 NKJV
19 He declares His word to Jacob, His statutes and His judgments to Israel.20 He has not dealt thus with any nation; And as for His judgments, they have not known them.
This knowledge of God is powerful.
But, as Peter Parker's Uncle Ben famously said, "With great power comes great responsibility."
As you read through the OT you find the ancient nation of Israel going from struggle to struggle and never measuring up altogether to the responsibility that God gave them. They progressively got worse until finally the nation of Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar came and besieged Jerusalem and eventually carried away the Jews to Babylon where they lived for seventy years.
Seventy years they lived with the consequences of decisions that others had made. Young people married and had children. They kept their culture to a degree. But, they did not offer sacrifices in the temple. There was no temple. They learned to live in a place they had to, but it was not their place. There are times in our lives when we must just do the best we can.
The prophet Jeremiah told them early on to plant gardens, get married, have kids, and just live (Jeremiah 29). But, he also gave them a promise that one day after the seventy years was over God would visit them and bring them back to Jerusalem. There are times when we just have to ride out the season. There is nothing else to do, but do the best of things in the worst of times.
Eventually, the Babylonian empire was toppled and Cyrus the great would issue a decree that allowed those nations who had been taken captive and transplanted to Babylon to return to their own homelands. The Jews were able to return to their place. Only a small group chose to return. There was a rebuilding project that took place. The rebuilt their place of worship, the temple. Eventually they would rebuild the protective walls around Jerusalem. Their were struggles and ups and downs along the way political and spiritual battles.
There will always be battles when you begin to rebuild. Don't let anyone fool you about life. When we decide to have children, start a business, finish a degree, you fill in the blank... there will be battles along the way.
Comments on Text:
1. Zechariah 3:1, 3 ESV
"Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him... 3 Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments."
In our text is a young man named Joshua. He was born in Babylon to a family that belonged to those God had chosen to participate in the temple duties. In fact, he was a descendent of Aaron the high priest and as the heir it was his responsibility to fulfill the duties of leading the entire nation in worship to God.
Imagine if you will the fear and anxiety that he might have experienced as he stood before the altar for the very first time. He had never done this before. It was something new.
He represented the entire nation to God. All of their faults and failures and stumblings. And there standing against him was the adversary. Satan was standing at his right hand. The right hand is the symbol of power.
How often have you began to do the thing that you know you should do and there in your ear is the voice of shame and doubt accusing you. It is a voice that echoes in the shadows of our hearts! Those things that hide in the darkness but come out when we try to go forward. Sometimes the voice is a voice of terrifying fear. It is a voice that attempts to tell us that we cannot. We cannot go forward. Things will not work out. We will fail. We are not qualified.
Satan came out of the shadows to accuse Joshua. When the apostle Paul was gathering sticks after the shipwreck at Melita he as he was placing sticks of the fire a viper came out of the heat and latched hold of his hand (Acts 28:3). What I have seen is that any time we begin to go forward there is resistance. After Israel left Egypt they were tempted in the wilderness. After the Lord Jesus was baptized he was tempted by the adversary in the wilderness. After the church was born it experienced persecution.
We can lament this. We can wish that it was not true. We can kick and scream and live lives that are constantly frustrated... Or we can change our perspectives and just accept that this is just how the game of life is played and play it! We would think it odd if we went to a football game and there was no opposing team. What if that is just how life is? What if we are built for challenge?
In the prophet's vision Joshua was clothed with filthy garments which represented his iniquity and he was the representative of the entire nation of Israel. It was as if all their sins and his sins had marred his life to the place that the enemy had plenty to say. The adversary is called the accuser of the brethren. Each time we see the satan in Scripture this is what he is doing, accusing. But, the angel and the adversary and Joshua are not the only players on the field. Another voice speaks out and first of all rebukes the adversary.
2. Zechariah 3:2 ESV
"And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?”
If you are constantly accusing others, you may be on the wrong side. God's Voice speaks out and first of all tells the enemy to shut up! To rebuke is to express sharp disapproval. God is hear this morning standing at your side as your advocate telling those accusing voices to shut up!
One of the titles for Christ in the NT is Advocate:
1 John 2:1-2 NKJV
"My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world."
He is our defense attorney in the court of God!
1 John 1:4-10 KJV
"And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. 5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."
Romans 8:31-35 NIV
"What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?"
God commands that the filthy garments be removed from Joshua and he be given clean garments and a turban. The turban was the headdress of the high priest.
When we confess our sins, when we make a decision to be baptized in Jesus Name, when we turn towards God and walk in His direction, when we allow ourselves to be filled with His Spirit God justifies us. To be justified is to be just-as-if-I'd-never-sinned.
3. Zechariah 3:4-5 ESV
"And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.” And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord was standing by. "And the angel of the Lord solemnly assured Joshua, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here. Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign: behold, I will bring my servant the Branch. For behold, on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven eyes, I will engrave its inscription, declares the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. In that day, declares the Lord of hosts, every one of you will invite his neighbor to come under his vine and under his fig tree.”
God wants to equip you to do what He has called you to do, what you are destined to do! All you have to do is start walking in His direction and tune out the voice of the adversary and tune in to the LORD's Voice!
It is amazing what power the voices we listen to have in our lives! God's Voice is a voice that says that you can!
God had a next for Joshua. It was not a time of great prosperity. It was a time of great difficulty. But, he chose to walk in God's ways anyway. We need some women and some men who will walk with God despite the contrary voices! Despite the evil that surrounds them.
Conclusion and Exhortation
You may be standing at the entrance to a great opportunity surrounded by challenge. What will you do? Will you allow the voices from the shadows to convince you that all is hopeless or will you listen to the Voice of Truth speaking life into you?
