Zechariah Ch.4 & Ezra Ch.5
1. THE MYSTERY REVEALED - v. 2 "And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:" i.e.
There would be:-
(a) The Restoration of the Temple - golden candlestick
(b) The Revelation in the Temple - 7 lamps
(c) The Recognition of the Temple - work of Joshua (priest) and Jeruabbel would be accepted before God
v. 9 & 10 "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth."
2. THE MESSENGERS REVIVED - Ezra 5 v. 2 "Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them."
It was a day of:-
(a) Small Things - v. 10 "For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth."
There was a problem of :-
(1) Difficulty with the work - rubbish and rubble
(2) Apathy in the work Haggai 1 v. 4 "Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste?"
(3) Subtlety to the work - Ezra 5 v. 3 "At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?"
(4) Jeopardy of the work - Ezra 5 v. 4 "Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building?"
(b) Significant Things - Ezra 5 v. 5 "But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter."
God wanted it Ezra 5 v 1 "Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them."
God watched it - Ezra 5 v. 5 "But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter."
God worked it - "They could not cause them to cease"
There was:_
No distracting the work, no disturbing the work, no deserting from the work -
Why? "The eye of their God was upon them"
(c) Spiritual Things - Ezra 5 v. 11 "And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and set up."
They had a right conception of their place - "stewarts", of their power, of the God of heaven, of their purpose - "and build the house" i.e. of their prize - a dwelling place for God - Ezra 5 v. 2 "Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them." their provision - Zechariah 4 v. 6 "Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts."
- not by physical might, nor intellectual power, but by spiritual anointing - "by my spirit"
(a) For Conviction - John 16 v. 8 - 11 "And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged."
(b) For Conversion - regenerates - 1 John 1 v. 12 & 13 "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
indwells - 1 Corinthians 6 v. 19 & 20 "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."
baptizes - 1 Corinthians 12 v. 13 "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit."
seals Eph 4 v. 30 "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."
(c) For Communication -
Romans 8 v. 16 "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:"
ch 8 v. 26 & 27 "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God."
(d) For Control - Ephesians 5 v. 18 "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;" Galatians 5 v. 16 "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh."
3. THE MOUNTAINS REMOVED - v7 "Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it."
Isaiah 64 v. 1 "Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence."
Matthew 21 v. 21 & 22 "Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."
4. THE MEANS RATIFIED - v. 14 "Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth." It demands a :-
(a) Personal Call from God - Romans 1 v. 1 - 3 "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;"
(b) Pure Compassion for People - Romans 9 v. 1 - 4 "I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;"
Romans 10 v. 1 "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved."
(c) Powerful Conern for the Lost - Romans 1 v. 14 & 15 "I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also."
Acts 20 v. 24 "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God."
(d) Perfect Confidence in the Gospel - Rom 1 v. 16 & 17 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith."
(e) Permanent Concentration on the Gospel - Romans 15 v. 17 - 19 "I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God. For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ."
2 Cor 4 v 5 "For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake."
(f) Practical Cost for the Gospel - 2 Timothy 1 v. 8 - 12 "Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." 2 Corinthians 4 v. 17 "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;"
(g) Perpetual Committment to the Holy Ghost - Romans 15 v. 18 & 19 "For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ." Acts 5 v. 32 "And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him."
WITHOUT HIM WE CAN DO NOTHING
A city full of Churches,
Great preachers, lettered men,
Grand music, choirs and organs,
If these all fail-what then?
Good workers, eager, earnest,
Who labor by the hour:
But where, oh where, my brother,
Is God's Almighty Power?
Refinement-education,
They have the very best.
Their plans and schemes are perfect,
They give themselves no rest.
They get the best of talent,
They try their uttermost,
But what they need, my brother,
Is God--the Holy Ghost
