ZECHARIAH 1: 12-17
ANSWERED INTERCESSION
[Revelation 1: 12-20]
We left off last time with the angels reporting that all the earth was peaceful and quiet (1:11). In the second year of Darius (489 BC) there prevailed an uncommonly peaceful time. The Medes and the Persians had conquered the Babylonian and the Chaldean empires 40 years earlier and established their unquestioned military supremacy over the world. And so the world was content for law and order were established. Yet, Judea, the home of the nation of God, was for the most part lying in waste, and Jerusalem was still without walls, and exposed in the most defenseless manner to all the insults of the opponents of the Jews.
It is not often easy to read God’s providence, but faith grasps that even behind what is indiscernible ‘in all things God works for the good of those who love Him’ (Rom. 8:28). Though the rulers of the world were not watching out for the people of God, the Angel of the Lord was. That is the truth the vision is designed to emphasize. Here we learn of the Mediator’s intercessory prayer and its answer.
Now, let us continue our message from last week.
[III. THE VISION AND ITS MESSAGE]
I. A MESSAGE OF COMPASSION, 12-13.
II. A MESSAGE OF EXPLANATION, 14-15.
III. A MESSAGE OF HOPE, 16-17.
The next two verses are the focus of the first vision and contain its central message. We pick up again in verse 12 with our great Intercessor’s calling out to the Father on behalf of His repentant people. Then the Angel of the LORD answered and said, "O, LORD of Hosts, how long wilt thou have no compassion for Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which You have been indignant these seventy years?"
The temple of Zion was in desolation and the cities of Judah were in pitiful condition as the Angel of YHWH moves to intercede for them with the Father on behalf of the repentant remnant. For the preincarnate Christ, the red horse rider, is identified with His people in their sufferings, degradation and misery (woe) which is shown by His standing amidst the myrtle trees. He desires the completion of a restoration process in both its physical and spiritual dimensions.
So the Angel of YHWH offers a supplication to the Father on behalf of Jerusalem and the cities of Judah (Heb. 7:25). What a message of comfort to oppressed and depressed Israel, to have their Advocate and Intercessor so revealed to them.
Notice what He intercedes for is mercy and what He complains of is lack of mercy (compassion) (Ps. 85:7; 89:2; Ezra 9:8). Lord, are not the 70 years of punishment over (Dan. 9:2) and yet they are still under the correcting anger of the 70 years of captivity first predicted by Jeremiah (25:11-12, 29:10) for their rebellion. But now because of their repentance the Intercessor can request God to send them a new day.
Today Jehovah-Christ, the great Mediator for His churches in the heavenly tabernacle, continues to intercede with God to show mercy to His people. And still today, two and a half millenniums later we the cry "how long, Lord till you come and stand with us?"
In verse 13 the LORD reminds His people that He stands ready to act on behalf of His repentant people. And the LORD answered the angel who was speaking with me with gracious words, comforting words.
Here we find the sovereign Lord answering the Angel of the Lord’s intercessory prayer by informing the interpreting angel so that Zechariah might make known that God has answered His mediator’s plea. Though we do not know what the answer specifically was, we know that in substance it was a message, a promise of good words, even comforting words.
Words which promise good are salvation words (Josh. 23:14, Jer. 29:10). The salvation words mean the removing of their distressful condition and the opportunity to move forward again.
II. A MESSAGE OF EXPLANATION, 14-15.
The remaining verses give greater detail about what the kind and comforting words were. In verse 14 we see the LORD’s reaction to those who are wrongfully threatening His people. So the angel who was speaking with me said to me, "Proclaim saying, ’thus says the LORD of Hosts, "I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and Zion."
Here the interpreting angel begins the summary of the good and comforting words of salvation. He tells the prophet to proclaim literally--’cry out’ (gera) or to call with energy and spirit, the message of momentous import of the LORD of Hosts.
The name LORD of Hosts is used 53 times in Zechariah alone of its 200 usages in all of the Old Testament. This name emphasizes that God is the controller and ruler over all created agencies. It also represents all those gathered under Him.
So from here through verse 17, based on the authority of the Lord of Hosts, the prophet is to proclaim these words of comfort as forcefully as he proclaimed his first message of repentance.
Exceedingly jealous is literally–“jealous with jealously.” Jealousy is a burning, fiery passion. It is an intolerance of a rival or unfaithfulness. People are jealous of that which is their own and is dear to them. Here it means God is jealous for His own people, Israel. It carries the concept of the exclusive rights that come through marriage or covenant relationship. God was concerned that they love Him only and in jealousy He had punished them because of their adulterous life and worship.
God’s anger is aroused when covenant relationship is threatened, and when others take improper action against those who are His. He is determined to promote the well–being of His people against any who would interfere. Jerusalem is still the capital of the kingdom and Zion is the religion center, the place where God’s house is.
Verse 15 is God’s reaction to the nations overreaction in the inflicting of hurt upon His people. But I am very angry with the nations who are at ease; for while I was only a little angry, they furthered the disaster.
Yes, God in His jealousy had punished Israel. But His punishment was only short lived for it was the punishment of jealousy and not the punishment of His wrath. God had called forth nations to be instruments for venting His anger against the adulterous nation (Jer. 25:11-12). But when His anger had subsided the nations did not relent their oppression of Israel. Babylon not only inflicted merited punishment but they let the ill-will or hostility be excessively prolonged against the Lord’s bidding. They prolonged it while in their ease or arrogantly security or carelessness because they had no fear of God.
It was as if while a father was reluctantly punishing his sinful but still beloved child with a stick, a stranger were to come up and continue to smite him with an iron rod. They furthered the punishment in that the continual punishment of keeping Jerusalem and Zion torn down was not part of God’s jealous judgement but the nations persisted in it. Therefore, His great anger was turned against those nations.
Very angry, is literally “continually angry with great anger” (emphatic). Nations were ’at ease’ or content and careless that still oppressed Jerusalem and Zion. The self confidence in their own power and prosperity of these nations who oppressed Israel angered God.
III. A MESSAGE OF HOPE, 16-17.
In verses 16 & 17 we encounter powerful promises of the Lord to His repentant people. In verse 16 God gives His people the needed promise of hope, pardon, and reconciliation so that they might look to the future with confidence. Therefore, thus says the Lord, "I have returned to Jerusalem with ‘mercies’ (a) My house will be built in it "declares the LORD of Hosts,” (b) and a measuring line will be stretched over Jerusalem.
“Therefore”--because of what the nations have done to you and My jealousy for you and in response to the intercession of verse 12. I have returned--meaning the Skekinah Glory that was manifested in the tabernacle and in Solomon’s temple will come upon this new house, His new temple.
Because of the refusal of the people to repent, God had removed His presence, had withdrawn Himself and His face from them. Because of their ways and iniquities, calamities of darkness had fallen upon Israel. So long as YHWH was with them neither Assyria nor Babylon nor all the forces of the universe could prevail against them, but when His glory was withdrawn, evil preyed directly upon them. But the returning remnant had repented, they had declared themselves guilty and sought God’s face in their affliction and now He returned to them with mercies (viscera--seat of emotions).
Four highlights of God granting His mercies are given in verses 16 & 17. First, the house of the Lord, His temple will be rebuilt. The temple was a pledge for a visible sign of the restored fellowship between Him and His people.
Next the city will be rebuilt. The surveyors measured where streets, houses, sewers, water system, etc. should be built. The “measuring line” indicated planning for direction and growth of the city was being marked out.
Have you who have been freed from your captivity to sin grown weary in building the house of God? Then take comfort in the Lord’s words to us all. God’s plans will be accomplished by His repentant remnant!
God had not abandoned His people and His presence will cause His cities to overflow with prosperity as verse 17 promises. "Again, proclaim saying, ’Thus says the LORD of Hosts, “My cities will again overflow with prosperity and the Lord will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.”
The next promise extends itself outside Jerusalem. My cities, YHWH’s cities, will overflow not only with spiritual prosperity but with houses filled with citizens of His kingdom and with abundance and plenty. Those ruins will experience such a transformation that they will be called cities. What encouragement for those down cast who are having to scrape a living out of the barren landscape.
The fourth promise is that “God will again comfort Zion.” After her long era of sorrow and separation, God’s words of salvation would again come to His kingdom people.
He would again choose Jerusalem. In the sight of the nations, God will hold her His original choice up by acts of loving-kindness. He will again renew His choice, meaning renew His covenant. Jerusalem is the city He has chosen for His dwelling place.
The people of God’s destiny was determined by the action of God, and because of that they could face the future with hope and confidence. God had not abandoned His people. Their doubt and perplexity could be resolved in the light of His watchful guard over them, and the intercession that is made on their behalf. From the fact of His choice there can be built up a glorious chain of consequences for their well–being (Rom. 8:30).
Often there may be circumstances that puzzle us, just as the situation of their own day puzzled Zechariah’s contemporaries. How had God let the nations get the upper hand and stay in power, especially when there were the promises that had already been given to Haggai that they would soon be shaken (Hag. 2:6-7)? But this was to test their faith and lead them to put their confidence in the promises of God. Outward appearances are never a sure indicator. What has to be taken into account is the LORD’S judgment on the situation. His people’s misery always evokes His care and concern (Ex. 3:7-9; Isa. 63:9).
CONCLUSION
There is no doubt that these plain words of comfort were partially fulfilled in Israel’s immediate future. God’s house, His temple for which they had laid the foundation was completed about four years later (Ezra 6:15) and sometime later Nehemiah also succeeded in rebuilding the city walls and desolate cities of the Judean hills again became prosperous.
Yet, the enduring character of these words for us is that there are supernatural agencies, horsemen if you will, always at work to correct and contain evil and to hand out justice for the world. And also that we, the church of God, have One who intercedes for us so that our jealous God will show His repentant children mercy.
Yet, even with the first coming of Christ these words have not found their complete fulfillment, though it opened to a new people (us) the possibility of its personal application to them. But their absolute fulfillment will come when Christ returns, Acts 15:14-18.
Are you ready for that return? Are you one of the repentant remnant who personally hear the comforting words of salvation? Do you know the glory of the Lord’s prosperity in your soul?
PRAYER: Almighty God, we often live in thick darkness, and are surrounded with so much darkness of spiritual ignorance, that we entertain doubts about Your providence, and think ourselves forsaken by You whenever You don’t jump to our aid. Raise our minds higher that we may contemplate those things which You revealed to Your servant Zechariah, and not doubt that You look over us also and command Your angels to take care of us, and to raise us up in their hands, and to guide us in all our ways so that we might learn to commit ourselves to be wholly ruled by You, and to be turned from the world. Set before us Your straight and narrow way that leads to the place You have pointed out to us, until we in Your time be gathered into our eternal rest, which has been obtained for us by the blood of Your only-begotten Son. — Amen. [Adapted, Calvin’s Commentaries, ]
