Building God's Way Series

Building God’s way. Zech 4:1-14. WBC 4/7/4pm

CONTEXT

We’re about 518BC.

- the Mede/Persian empire has taken over from the Babylonian one and Cyrus has given the edict to return and rebuild the temple (538BC)

HAG 1:13 Then Haggai, the LORD’s messenger, gave this message of the LORD to the people: "I am with you," declares the LORD. 14 So the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the LORD Almighty, their God, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of King Darius.

= September 21st 520BC

The history of the time is in Ezra 5:1 ff.

- (Nehemiah’s trip to Jerusalem to do the walls was later- 480BC)

It’s all about building… rebuilding.

- 1:20 picture of horns that destroyed Jerusalem. But now the ‘craftsmen’ are coming to terrify the horns! (oh! Scary!)

- 2:1 emphatically stated- “then I saw a vision of a man with a plumb-line in his hand!”

all the imagery conveys the power, importance and priority of building.

And God draws together a team to make it happen

- = tremendous in itself

o = structural AND spiritual. Both necessary

- = Zechariah the prophet (& haggai) – who enthuse and encourage

o + Joshua (the high priest)

o + Zerubbabel – governor, civic administrator

May God speak to us and provide US with these things….

- people, anointing & power for what we’re building

GOD’S PRESENCE

When God calls us to a task- He says “I am with you”

- over and over in the Bible (do wordsearch!). To Isaac, Moses, Joshua… the disciples Mt 28;19

Here, it’s the same. It’s the FIRST thing God ‘says’ (pictorially)

- “what do you see” (v2). I.e. ‘don’t miss this!’

o = a gold lampstand. Menorah (of the kind placed in tabernacle Ex 25:31), but DIFFERENT in

 bowl at top

 oil channels to lights (rather than just little bowls & wicks)

 olive trees (note= olive trees, like olive oil)

• more on them, later

It’s God’s presence. He assures them “I AM with you”. “I am here”

- like Rev 1:12 – the one like a son of man walking among the lamp stands (churches)

This is necessary- because we so often rely on our feelings which may say ‘he isn’t’, or ‘the HS isn’t doing much, here.’ ‘not much of God’

But God’s statement is: “I AM”. “let’s get this straight from the start”

- 2 or 3 gathered

- where you are about my work… you get my presence

There’s LOTS of work ahead of them.

- in such circumstances- they need to know HE is with them.

- Can cope with anything if know that.

So- that’s OUR starting place:

- to remember, celebrate and touch into God’s presence among us

o presence led. Presence empowered.

o BBC purpose statement: “the Lord Jesus Christ dynamically present at the centre of all we are and do”

GOD’S POWER

But this picture, here, speaks of more

- the bowl and channels speak of God’s HS power flowing, too

- oil: lubricates, illuminates, heals, warms, invigorates, adorns, polishes

o “dynamically present”

This is incredibly important to

o this vision

o God!

- Note it’s flow. Zech asks about the 2 olive trees (v3)

 (you’re gagging to know what they are, as well, eh?)

o > “do you not know” (v5)

-> well, (v6f) "THIS is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: `Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.

ZEC 4:7 "What are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of `God bless it! God bless it!’ "

ZEC 4:8 Then the word of the LORD came to me: 9 "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you.

God interjects! Seemingly, off at a tangent!

- but actually, = main point

- (the prophetic usually answers the question you weren’t asking…. Or were REALLY asking. Cf TB Joshua)

Saying: what you’re doing is a spiritual work

- strength is good… enthusiasm… zeal… encouragement

- BUT THE WORK WILL BE DONE BY MY SPIRIT

How often… at work…in the church- do you

- labour – but not pray

- make big claims- but not trust

- do God’s work… but not in His way, strength

- “I will build my church”

- (get down, you obstacle, in the name of Jesus!)