Word Of Hope Series

Zechariah started to speak when the remnant resumed the rebuilding of the Temple.

• His first words were ‘repent and return to God’, never to repeat the mistake of the past and reject God again.

• They would have understood, having suffered the wrath of God and 70 years in exile.

God has not abandoned the people. His covenant with them, given through Abraham and David, remains intact. God did not change.

• If they return to God genuinely, in the land that God has given and which they had now returned to, then they would experience God’s blessings.

• God sent Haggai and Zechariah to encourage them to stay faithful and trust Him for what He has planned for them and through them, as He reveals a glimpse of the future.

• Haggai ended his messages in the 9th month of Darius 2nd year and Zechariah received the visions in the 11th month.

God assures His people, through the 8 visions given to Zechariah In one night that His plan for Israel remains intact. Nothing has changed. The future is in His hands.

• They might be living in uncertain times but God is their certainty, their hope.

• God is not hidden nor is He silent. He send His prophets to speak His mind.

• If He has to do it 8 times in one night, He will. He did! God spoke to encourage His people. The future is not uncertain.

• If God is silent in some of our own experiences, then it is because He has nothing to say. Either he has already spoken (therefore nothing to add, so we just need to recall what He has said), or there isn’t anything more that we need to know.

Let’s read the 3rd vision today - Zech 2:1-13.

The 1st vision assures them God knows and He cares. It’s a word of comfort.

• A man among the myrtle trees sending out surveyors throughout the earth and they found it to be at rest and in peace.

• If the people think that the hostile nations were experiencing good times while they are suffering, they are mistaken.

• 1:14-15 … the Lord Almighty says: “I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion. I am very angry with the nations that feel secure. I was only a little angry, but they added to the calamity.” ESV: “they furthered the disaster.”

• They crossed the line. They had overdone the punishment. And God judged them.

The 2nd vision states that clearly, the four horns (powers) that scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem would be crushed. A word of judgment.

• The 4 empires judged by God would likely be Assyria, Egypt, Babylon and Medo-Persia.

• Those who oppressed Israel would not be left unpunished.

And then Zechariah looked up and saw this 3rd vision. With the judgement on the nations, the Lord reveals He would bless and restore Jerusalem.

• Zechariah saw a man with a measuring line, a surveyor of the city of Jerusalem.

• His purpose, as indicated in his response to Zechariah’s question, was to mark out the boundaries of Jerusalem, apparently to ascertain its size.

• This would be the natural first step if you are planning to rebuild a city.

But another angel came and indicated that this would not really be necessary.

• The city would be expanded beyond its size, beyond its current boundaries.

• 2:4-5 …“Run, tell that young man, ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of men and livestock in it. 5And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,' declares the LORD, `and I will be its glory within.'

• 2:11a “Many nations will be joined with the LORD in that day and will become my people.”

• God has in mind, for His Kingdom, to go beyond the boundaries of Jerusalem.

The Lord says He will be a wall of fire surrounding them and He will be its glory within. The Lord says, “I will live among you,” (2:11b).

• This would mean the coming of Christ. It could mean His first coming and also His second coming.

• Both can be in view here. Biblical prophecy can have multiple fulfilment.

Zechariah was led to see, not the earthly Jewish city of Jerusalem, but the future Kingdom of God. The people of God would include believers from among the nations.

• In the words of John (Revelation), God’s Kingdom would embrace “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language…” (Rev 7:9)

• In the words of Paul (Galatians), “there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female…” for God’s people are one in Christ. (Gal 3:28)

• God will bring in His people from all nations, those who believe in Jesus Christ, the Messiah, and they will overflow beyond any walls.