Zechariah’s Third Vision: God's Presence Series

In our study of Zechariah, we have as our text today Zechariah 2:10-13. On February 15, 519 BC Zechariah was given eight visions which are recorded in chapters 1-6.

Chapter 2 is his third vision. Within this vision are four messages:

1) Verses 3-5 contains a message addressed to the man with a measuring line in his hand.

2) Verses 6-9 relays a message directed toward the Jews remaining in Babylon.

3) Verses 10-12 is a message promising blessing to all God’s people.

4) Verse 13 is a message to all of humanity.

Last week we examined the first two messages in this third vision. This week we will expound on the last two messages. Follow with me as we read Zechariah 2 and make a few comments to put today’s passage in context.:

Verse 1: “Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand. 2 So I said, ‘Where are you going?’ And he said to me, ‘To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.’”i

> This man represents the thinking of Zechariah and his companions in Jerusalem at the time. How large will Jerusalem be under God’s restoration? Where will the walls be established?

Verse 3: “And there was the angel who talked with me [interpreting angel encounter in Zech. 1:9], going out; and another angel [Angel of the Lord encountered in Zech. 1:ll] was coming out to meet him, 4 who said to him, ‘Run, speak to this young man [man with the measuring line], saying: 'Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls, because of the multitude of men and livestock in it. 5 For I,' says the Lord, 'will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.'”

> By that statement we know the young man was about to measure out where the future walls would be built under God’s restoration plan.

> The correction given to him was that there will come a day when Jerusalem will need no walls because God himself would be “a wall of fire around it.”

> This was not fulfilled in ancient times because about seventy-four years later (445 BC) God directed Nehemiah to build walls for Jerusalem. This prophecy will be fulfilled during the millennial reign of Christ.

> The correction for the young man with the measuring line is that there is no need to stake out the walls for Jerusalem because there will be no man-made walls when God’s messianic plan of restoration is fulfilled.

> That is the first message in this vision. The second one is in verses 6-8.

Verse 6: “Up, up! Flee from the land of the north," says the Lord; "for I have spread you abroad like the four winds of heaven," says the Lord. 7 ‘Up, Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon.’”

> This message is to the Jews who stayed in Babylon after the seventy years of captivity were fulfilled.

> They must get out because God is about to pour out judgment on Babylon.

> There is a timeless application of this principle of separation from the world and an end-time application of the judgement in Revelation 18.

Verse 8 “For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘He sent Me [Messiah] after glory [in pursuit of glory for the Father], to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye. 9 For surely I will shake My hand against them, and they shall become spoil for their servants. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me [Messiah].

> That is the second message, a promise of judgment on the wicked and a warning to God’s people who remained in Babylon.

> The third message begins in the next verse. This begins our text for today.

Verse 10: “‘Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,’ says the Lord. 11 Many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me [Messiah] to you. 12 And the Lord will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem.

> That is the third message, a promise of blessing on God’s people. The fourth message is expressed to all of humanity.

Verse 13: “Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord, for He is aroused from His holy habitation!”

I. The message PROMISING BLESSING TO ALL OF GOD’S PEOPLE in verses 10-12:

It begins with an INVITATION to rejoice and a REASON for that rejoicing.