So maybe you’ve heard it said, ‘read your bible’ so you tried and failed. Our hope as leaders is that all of us will pick up God’s word and come to understand the true nature of God. After all, the bible is God’s Word curated over centuries detailing His nature, His will, the meaning of life and humanity’s historical interactions with Him. The Bible details the hidden keys to the Kingdom. Hence, the reason we are reviewing a new book each week.
This week we move ahead to the book of Zechariah. His name means “Yahweh remembers.” The book of Zechariah is particularly interesting if you like digging deep into symbology and deciphering the meanings of images and dreams. It is a prophetic word for the Jewish nation around 520 BC and it asks a key question many are asking again in our society
It's a natural question when a person sees the continued decay of society’s traditional morals and our willingness to accept more and more of the “isms” that affect our society. Our racism, sexism, consumerism, individualism, nationalism, classism, ageism, colonialism, capitalism, terrorism. All of which tear at the fabric of unity creating fear, disillusion and distrust of those around us.
A unity that was being challenged by the reintegration of those who were pulled into exile and those who were left behind 60 years before who were left to fend for themselves. The zeal for returning was met with the reality of humanity.
THE QUESTION “Is the messiah coming soon?”
Take a listen to Zachariah 8:1- 23
The word of the Lord Almighty came to me. 2 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her.”
God was letting the remnant know He is still with them. It’s interesting that the translator would use the word jealousy. Does God get jealous? When used in scripture this word does not mean: suspicious or uneasy with fear that another has withdrawn. It means: concerned for the character of. God is concerned for the people He chose to be his remnant.
3 This is what the Lord says: “I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City, and the mountain of the Lord Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain.”
Are they able and willing to put Him first without the reminder of the promise He made years before. In an effort to encourage them, He gives them a visual of the future if they will once again repent, submit and commit. To be faithful means to be loyal and steadfast to the original idea. In this case, it means living under and for one God and forsaking all others. The prophet then relays the future outcome if the people will re-commit. Take a listen…
4 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each of them with cane in hand because of their age. 5 The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.”
6 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “It may seem marvelous to the remnant of this people at that time, but will it seem marvelous to me?” declares the Lord Almighty.
7 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west. 8 I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.”
What an encouraging vision of the future being offered - the city rebuilt, repopulation and reestablishment of a relationship with God and God’s favor. Good times were a promise IF…
9 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Now hear these words, ‘Let your hands be strong so that the temple may be built.’ This is also what the prophets said who were present when the foundation was laid for the house of the Lord Almighty. 10 Before that time there were no wages for people or hire for animals. No one could go about their business safely because of their enemies, since I had turned everyone against their neighbor. 11 But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as I did in the past,” declares the Lord Almighty.
It’s a straightforward command. Build the temple in remembrance of what God has done and in belief of what He will do again.
This command was before He came to earth as Jesus. It's a command for a people who had never had experienced the power of Jesus and the Holy Spirit dwelling within. Whereas the temple was then a building, today it is within you. Take a listen to these next few verses as a promise about your future as a believer.
12 “The seed will grow well, the vine will yield its fruit, the ground will produce its crops, and the heavens will drop their dew. I will give all these things as an inheritance to the remnant of this people. 13 Just as you, Judah and Israel, have been a curse[a] among the nations, so I will save you, and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong.”
A second round of encouragement. Not only will you prosper but so will the land and the nation. For this point, the nation will once again be called to be a blessing to other nations. God is telling the remnant though the prophet that the original blessing to Abraham back in Genesis 12:2-3 is still His Will. Remember the words:
“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
At this point, I want you to consider your biggest screw-up or sin in your life. The moment when you turned away from the Lord and did something you now wince at. I want you to think about having a person come up to you and tell you that God sees all the pain and suffering you have gone through as a result and He is willing to restore you If you will do a few simple things again. Notice I did not say easy but simple. Take a listen…
14 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Just as I had determined to bring disaster on you and showed no pity when your ancestors angered me,” says the Lord Almighty, 15 “so now I have determined to do good again to Jerusalem and Judah. Do not be afraid. 16 These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; 17 do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this,” declares the Lord.
Speak Honestly
Be Just
Love One Another (Do Good)
Keep your Commitment (to God in front of others)
Whether God is dealing with His people in the Old Testament or the New Testament, His standards don’t change. While the church today doesn’t live under the Old Covenant law, the intent of the law doesn’t change. God wants us to evolve after we have come to know Him through His son Jesus. The churchy word for this is sanctification. Basically it is founded on the principle, God didn’t save you, to leave you as you were (Roman 8:1-4). As Peter quotes the Old Testament (Lev 11:44) in 1 Peter 1:15-16: “Be holy, for I am holy.”
Holiness can be an abstract concept. It’s almost easier to say what is not HOLY. It's not holy when people turn to sin and darkness, making themselves strangers to God and His nature. In other words, Holiness is the opposite of sin. It’s a striving to have a relationship with God defined by obedience to His will and being shaped to have His character; “For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness” (1 Thessalonians 4:7).
The pursuit of holiness is a lifelong journey to get closer to God. The simplest three ways to pursue holiness everyday are:
Seek God’s wonder in our lives and allow Him to reveal new facets of his majestic holiness to us. Exodus 15:11 says of God: “Who among the gods is like you, LORD? Who is like you – majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?” As we’re inspired it will motivate us to move closer to God. The Bible points out that living in awe of God is the beginning of wisdom, and when we’re living with wisdom, we naturally become more holy.
Confess and repent regularly. Rather than allowing sin to accumulate in our lives, we can regularly confess our sins to God, repent by turning away from sin and amend any harm done. As we do, we purify ourselves so we can become more holy. (2 Corinthians 7:1)
Pursue the fruit of the Spirit. We can also ask the Holy Spirit regularly to help us grow more holiness in our lives by renewing our minds. The Holy Spirit will help us renew our minds (Romans 12:2) and cultivate attitudes of holiness in us that are called the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).
Simply put, the more we pursue to be more like God, He will meet us where we are at, so that over time we will become more and more like Him (or Holy). This weeks challenge is simple - seek God by looking for his majesty all around us, confess, repent and amend sin and ask God to renew your mind and commitment to pursue being more like Him.
Creative: https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/zechariah
References: Quest Bible Overviews p:1375-81, The Bible Exposition Commentary (Wiersbe) p.462-464,
Websters 1828 Dictionary of the English Language p. 465, https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/what-does-it-mean-be-holy.html
To see this sermon on video, go to facebook under @church4therestofus
