Milo

JULY 12

Reading 193

MESSIAH’S REIGN Zechariah 10–14

“I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on Me, the One they have pierced, and they will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child” (Zech. 12:10).There is no passage in the Old Testament that explores more thoroughly the relationship of the Messiah to God’s plan for His Old Testament people. Nestled here we find vivid pictures of Christ in both His first and second comings.

Background

History’s end.

The Old Testament gives many dramatic visions of events to take place at history’s end. The focus of these visions is invariably on this earth, and on the Holy Land. These passages universally portray a special role for the people of Israel, and repeat God’s consistent commitment to restore Israel to a place of blessing. Students of prophecy who treat these passages in a literal way seek to put the different passages together, to gain as accurate a picture of God’s end-time plan as possible. Other Christians tend to treat such passages in an allegorical or spiritual way, and thus study them for personal application today. Both schools see the prophets’ messages as affirmations of God’s sovereign control of history, of His total commitment to His people, and of the ultimate triumph of righteousness. When coming to an extended passage like this one, we might take either approach. Or we might take a third. One of the most exciting aspects of these Zechariah chapters is that they focus on the person and role of the Messiah. Here we have intimations of what Jesus would do in His first coming, and of what He will do at His return. So for devotional reading of these chapters, it may be most meaningful to look at specific messianic images—and see what these images have to say to us about who our Saviour is, and what He will do. For a more traditional treatment of the picture of the future provided in Zechariah 10–14, see Victor Book’s Bible Knowledge Commentary or Teacher’s Commentary.

Overview

Zechariah portrayed God’s future care of Judah (10:1–12), despite rejection of their Shepherd-King (11:1–17). When Jerusalem is besieged and then saved (12:1–9), Israel will first recognize and then mourn for “the One they have pierced” (vv. 10–14). Judah will be cleansed from sin by the stricken Shepherd (13:1–9), who will return to reign forever (14:1–21).

Understanding the Text

“From Judah will come the cornerstone” Zech. 10:4. The Jewish Targum viewed the Person identified in this verse as the Messiah, who was destined to come from Judah (cf. Gen. 49:10; Jer. 30:21). Here Messiah is pictured as the cornerstone, or foundation of the future. He is also the “tent peg,” the chief support of the future state, and the “battle bow,” or its war leader. In essence Zechariah said that the future for Israel hinges on this one Person. How true this is for us. He is the foundation, the chief support, the only hope we have as well. “I will not be your Shepherd” Zech. 11:4–14. In the Old and New Testaments the “Good Shepherd” stands for a godly ruler. Christ specifically took this title for Himself (cf. John 10). Here Zechariah portrayed not only rejection of the Messiah, but His betrayal for the sum of 30 pieces of silver. The first overwhelming impression is simply this: Rejection of the Messiah brings diaster. The “dying die, and the perishing perish” (v. 9). It’s the same today. Our destiny depends on whether we accept or reject Christ, the Good Shepherd whom God has chosen to care for His flock. The 30 pieces of silver mentioned here are prophetic. This was the price that Judas received for betraying Jesus the night before He was crucified. In ancient Israel, 30 pieces of silver was the price of a slave (cf. Ex. 21:32). In later times it was used much like our “two cents.” Why do people reject Christ today? Essentially because they see Him as insignificant to them personally. They feel no need for personal salvation or for deliverance, and thus set no value on the Saviour’s cross (see DEVOTIONAL). Reference to the potter’s field is also prophetic. After Christ was taken, Judas found no pleasure in the money and tried to return it. The priests refused to take it, and so Judas threw the coins on the floor. Since it was the “price of blood,” the priests were unwilling to put it back in the temple treasury, and used it to buy a plot of land from a potter to be used for the burial of indigents, thus literally fulfilling the prediction of Zechariah. How strange that the priests tried to distance themselves from the money—when they themselves paid the money in the first place. There is no way that we can ever separate ourselves from responsibility for our response to Jesus—no matter how hard we may try. “They will look on Me, the One they have pierced” Zech. 12:10. This is an obvious reference to Christ, pierced by the nails on Calvary’s cross. The Hebrew preposition is perhaps better taken as “look to” rather than “look on.” The thought here is that at Christ’s second coming, after God has “set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem” (v. 9), Israel will look to Jesus in faith (as Num. 21:9; Isa. 45:22). “Strike the Shepherd” Zech. 13:7. This is another passage that the New Testament applies to Jesus (cf. Matt. 26:31–32). The Hebrew term “strike” clearly indicated the death of the Shepherd. The Babylonian Talmud, an ancient Jewish commentary, deals with the divergent images of the Messiah in His suffering and triumph by suggesting there are to be two Messiahs: a suffering Messiah, and a triumphant Messiah. Not until Christ’s resurrection was it clear how one Person could die for the sins of the people, and later appear in power to rescue them. “His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives” Zech. 14:1–21. After the Shepherd is stricken, he returns as “the Lord” to fight against Israel’s enemies and stand physically on the earth. Again only New Testament events enable us to understand how this is possible. The Messiah is both man and God, both stricken and triumphant. When He returns He will stand on the mountains of Israel, and by His presence change their topography—and at the same time transform the whole land, until it at last is holy to the Lord.

DEVOTIONAL

The Cost of Salvation(Zech. 11)

The 30 pieces of silver that Judas accepted to betray Jesus reflected the value placed on His life by that disciple. That price, predicted here in Zechariah, was the amount paid for a slave in Moses’ day (cf. Ex. 21:32). In the first century, though it represented some 30 days of labor for a hired man, 30 pieces of silver was viewed by the well-to-do as an insignificant sum. The price tells us that, in the eyes of Christ’s enemies, His life and death were totally unimportant. What a contrast with the value implied in a story Jesus once told. Jesus told of a servant who owed his king “ten thousand talents.” Translated, the sum represents millions of dollars. No person, by working, could earn such a sum in a thousand lifetimes. And yet, in the story, Jesus portrayed the king—who stands for God—forgiving the debt completely. What’s significant, of course, is that God forgives sinners solely on the basis of the death of His Son. The value that God places on Jesus’ life and death is vastly greater than 30 pieces of silver. It is more than any human being could hope to earn, and yet it was not too great a price to pay for our salvation. How important is Jesus to you and me? That depends on how aware we are of our sins. And of the greatness of the forgiveness that Jesus won for us at the cost of His own life. When we understand this, nothing else in the universe has any value at all compared to Him.

Personal Application

Value nothing more than Jesus. Make Him your all in all.

Quotable

“I no longer wish to find happiness in myself or in created and perishable things, but in Jesus my Saviour. He is my All, and I desire to belong wholly to Him. It is the most extreme folly and delusion to look elsewhere for any true happiness. Let us, then, vehemently and courageously renounce all other things and seek only Him.”—Jean Eudes

JULY 11

Reading 192

JUSTICE, NOT FASTING Zechariah 7–9

“These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; do not plot evil against your neighbor, and do not love to swear falsely” (Zech. 8:16–17).This passage deals with a repeated Old Testament theme. The measure of true religion is not in any outward observance, but in the quality of one’s daily life.

Background

Fasting.

Fasting in Old Testament times was never undertaken to lose weight. It always had a religious purpose. A fast might be undertaken by a person desperate for an answer to prayer, as in 2 Samuel 12:16–22 or Jeremiah 36:1–10. A fast often expressed deep grief and sorrow, as in 1 Samuel 31:13. Or fasting might indicate repentance, as in Joel 2:12–15. Fasting was also associated with the Day of Atonement. Fasting to show repentance is the only fast commanded in the Old Testament (Lev. 16:29, 31), and was intended to underline the solemn character of that high holy day. Fasting in biblical times usually meant going without food only from sunrise to sunset. In Christ’s time, especially religious Jews fasted each Monday and Thursday. One early church father encouraged Christians to fast too, but changed the days to Tuesday and Friday! The New Testament describes two kinds of fasting: one, a public display intended to promote the notion that the fasting person is especially spiritual (cf. Matt. 6:16–18; Luke 18:12), and the other Spirit—led when seeking divine guidance or empowerment (cf. Matt. 4:1–2; Luke 4:1–3; Acts 13:2; 14:23). Zechariah 7–8, which is Scripture’s most direct discussion of fasting, suggests that we carefully examine our motives before undertaking a fast and makes it clear that God is far more concerned that His people live righteous and holy lives than with fasting.

Overview

When a delegation from Bethel asked about fasting (7:1–3), God rebuked them (vv. 4–7) and called for commitment to justice (vv. 8–14). Still, God promised Israel His favor (8:1–17). She will know joy in worship (vv. 18–23) and her enemies will be punished (9:1–8) when her King comes (vv. 9–13) and her Lord appears (vv. 14–17).

Understanding the Text

“Should I mourn and fast?” Zech. 7:1–3 The fasts the men of Bethel inquired about were fasts instituted by the exiles to commemorate events associated with the fall of Jerusalem, some 68 years earlier. The first generation of exiles felt that fall deeply, and undoubtedly had mourned with great sincerity. But now another generation, just 2 years away from finishing a new Jerusalem temple, wondered if there were any reason to keep the traditional fasts. Note two things about the query. First, God had not commanded these fasts, so they were not binding. Yet it was right of the men of Bethel to raise the question with Jerusalem’s spiritual leaders and seek God’s guidance. However our religious traditions began, it is wise to seek God’s guidance before changing them. Second, the fasts had become mere tradition to the present generation. There is a difference between “tradition” and “mere tradition.” What may be a vital form by which to express a real spiritual experience can seldom be passed to the next generation without becoming a mere tradition: form without the meaning or vitality. Each generation should have freedom to find ways to express its personal experience with the Lord. “Was it really for Me that you fasted?” Zech. 7:4–7 God answered the question about fasting through the Prophet Zechariah. His answer was through a pointed question. Did the people really fast “for Me” all those years, or were they fasting for themselves? In essence, God asked, “Were you sorry for your sins—or just sorry you got caught!” Was the motive for fasting one of guilt for the sins that caused the Exile? Or was the grief simply self-pity, a selfish expression of that very attitude which had led earlier generations to desert God in the first place? What a question for us to ask ourselves when we experience the discipline of the Lord. We’re sorry. We hurt. But does our heart ache over the sin, or just over the punishment? Have we shifted the focus of our concern to God, or are we still concerned only about ourselves? “This is what the Lord Almighty says” Zech. 7:8–14. The men of Bethel had asked, “Should we fast?” God seemed to dismiss this question as unimportant, and responded, “Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other” (vv. 9–10). How often we become passionately concerned about unimportant issues! In Jesus’ time the Pharisees were careful to tithe the leaves of tiny herbs grown by their doorsteps. But, Christ said, they neglected the weightier matters of the Law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness (Matt. 23:23). One of Satan’s most effective ploys is to get believers to major on the minor. When the less significant dominates our thinking, we will ignore the truly central aspects of our faith. Note that both Zechariah and Jesus focused on a lifestyle marked by justice, mercy, and compassion. If we are faithful in showing our commitment to the Lord by living holy and loving lives, the “little things” will fall into place. Do you feel God wants you to fast? Then fast. But you know God wants you to do justice, show mercy, and care for the needy. Compared to these, fasting has at best a minor role in your spiritual life. “I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem” Zech. 8:1–15. When God said, “I am very jealous for Zion” He meant, “I have a passionate desire to do her good.” The Hebrew word translated “jealous” is also rendered “zeal,” and depicts a deep and abiding passion for its object. What God said through His prophet to men concerned about fasting is this: “It’s My love that motivates Me to do you good, not whether or not you fast.” What will God’s love motivate Him to do for His Old Testament people? He will fill Jerusalem’s streets with healthy, happy people (vv. 4–5). He will bring those who are dispersed back home (vv. 7–8). He will make the land productive (v. 12), and the people a blessing to all nations (v. 13). We can have confidence that the Lord, in His love, will do the same for us. We may at times experience discipline. But we can claim for ourselves the promise that the Lord made to the little community in Judea: “Now I have determined to do good again to Jerusalem and Judah. Do not be afraid” (v. 15). “These are the things you are to do” Zech. 8:16–17. How significant that this expression of God’s will follows rather than precedes the promise of verse 15. Why is that significant? If “the things you are to do” had come first, we might have concluded that God blesses us because of what we do for Him. Since, however, “the things you are to do” follow the promise, we understand that our obedience is prompted by gratitude. The legalist does what is right in an effort to win God’s favor. The believer does what is right because he knows that he has already obtained God’s favor through grace. We obey God because we love Him. We seek to please God because we understand all that He has done for us. “The fasts . . . will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals” Zech. 8:18–23. The Jewish Talmud links each of these fasts with a specific event related to the fall of Jerusalem in 586 G.p. The fast of the fourth month commemorated the day the walls of the city were breached, of the fifth the day the temple was burned, of the seventh, the date Gedaliah was assassinated (cf. Jer. 41:2), of the tenth, the day the siege of the city was begun. Why should these dates be celebrated joyfully, rather than remembered with sorrow? In part at least because these moments of intense anguish for the inhabitants of Jerusalem were at the same time occasions of divine purification. Out of the ruins of the city and temple came a spiritual revival that turned the Jewish people away from idolatry, back to Scripture and to God. In the last analysis, every purifying judgment God imposes on His own, no matter how painful it may seem, will one day be remembered with joy. In God’s time we will see its purpose, and will realize how the Lord used it to draw us closer to Him. Then, when joy floods in to force even the memory of anguish out, we will understand. “I will defend My house against marauding forces” Zech. 9:1–8. When God spoke through Zechariah, Judah was an utterly insignificant district in a mighty Gentile empire. Weak and helpless, the Jews could look back over centuries of oppression by many foreign powers. As the theme of blessing was continued, God promised to deal with Judah’s external enemies. You and I too are subject to two kinds of hostile forces. There are the hostile forces within us—the pull toward sin, the fascination with temptations—and the forces outside—circumstances, a corrupt society, personal enemies, Satan himself. We are responsible to deal with only one: the enemy within. As we commit our hearts and even our desires to the Lord, we can be sure that He will defend us too and “never again will an oppressor overrun My people.”

DEVOTIONAL

Gentle, but Oh So Tough (Zech. 9)

For years Nicholson ran ads picturing a big, rough-looking workman with a beatific smile holding up one of their files. And the ads always said, “Tough, but Oh So Gentle.” This chapter reminds me of those ads. Of course Zechariah turned the ads around in order to introduce us to the Person who will fulfill all those wonderful promises God made to His people. Yet in just a few verses, he showed a gentle and tough side of the coming Messiah. First there’s the gentle side (v. 9). The image is significant, for in the ancient East kings went to war riding horses. When they wished to signify peace, they traveled on a donkey. We think, of course, of the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, which Zechariah predicted here. Jesus came in peace, to bring peace. But the Jewish people wanted a conqueror, who would lead an uprising against Rome. Yet only through the covenant sealed by the blood of the Man of Peace could all who are captive to sin within have a prospect of peace. But then Zechariah went on. The Man of Peace will appear again, this time as “the Lord . . . over them” (v. 14). Then He will sound the war trumpet, to shield His people and destroy all their enemies (v. 15). He will come again as the conqueror Israel yearned for, “save them on that day as the flock of His people.” Only then will all realize that that gentle King is also the Lord Almighty, the universe’s sovereign Lord. Gentle, yes. But God, and as God mighty to save. In a way, history is recapitulated in our experience with Jesus. We see Him first suffering and dying for our sins. We are moved by His love, we respond to His gentleness. Then, as we respond in faith, we discover His resurrection power. The suffering Saviour is also our resurrected Lord, and we kneel before Him in full surrender. How important not to have a one-sided vision of Jesus. The Old Testament’s quiet King is also Israel’s overpowering God. Our gentle Jesus is Lord of all. We know Jesus well only when we are familiar with both aspects of His identity. We know Jesus well only when we know Him both as Saviour and as Lord.

Personal Application

If you know Jesus only as Saviour, don’t miss knowing Him as Lord.

Quotable

“He only asks thee to yield thyself to Him, that He may work in thee to will and to do by His own mighty power. Thy part is to yield thyself, His part is to work; and never, never will He give thee any command which is not accompanied by ample power to obey it.”—Hannah Whithall Smith

Zechariah

JULY 10

Reading 191

NIGHT VISIONS Zechariah 1–6

“During the night I had a vision—and there before me was a man riding a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, brown and white horses. I asked, ‘What are these, my lord?’ ”(Zech. 1:8–9)Much of Zechariah consists of visions which may seem hard to interpret. Yet each vision conveyed an important message to his community, and speaks to us today.

Background

There were only some 50,000 Jews in the tiny province of Judea. They had been permitted to return to their ancient homeland when Cyrus of Persia overthrew the Babylonian Empire. They had been in Judea for nearly 20 years when Zechariah began to minister, and were stirred by religious enthusiasm to complete the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple. Despite their small numbers, they had great hopes. One day, according to God’s promises, Jerusalem would be the center of the world, the capital of the Messiah destined to establish a worldwide kingdom of righteousness and peace. Zechariah, in a series of night visions, encouraged this hope. But at the same time he warned the little community that there would be centuries of Gentile domination before that hope was realized. Zechariah, whose name means “the Lord remembers,” is rightly called the “prophet of hope.” No Old Testament prophet spoke more clearly of the coming Messiah, or of His kingdom. Kenneth L. Barker, in the Expositor’s Bible Commentary series, summarizes these twin themes. “Zechariah predicted Christ’s first coming in lowliness (6:12), his humanity (6:12), his rejection and betrayal for thirty pieces of silver (11:12–13), his being struck by the sword of the Lord (13:7), his deity (3:4; 13:7), his priesthood (6:13), his kingship (6:13; 9:9; 14:9, 16), his reign and second coming in glory (14:4), his building of the Lord’s temple (6:12–13), his reign (9:10, 14), and his establishment of enduring peace and prosperity (3:10; 9:9–10). “As for the apocalyptic and eschatological aspect, Zechariah predicted the final siege of Jerusalem (12:1–3; 14:1–2), the initial victory of Israel’s enemies (14:2), the Lord’s defense of Jerusalem (14:3–4), the judgment of the nations (12:9; 14:3), the topographical changes in Israel (14:4–5), the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles in the messianic Kingdom Age (14:16–19), and the ultimate holiness of Jerusalem and her people (14:20–21).” Few Old Testament books, despite the obscurity of some of Zechariah’s visions, contain a clearer picture of Christ’s first coming or of events associated with that triumphant return that you and I look forward to today. Thus, for us too, Zechariah is the “prophet of hope.” The power of our sovereign God guarantees a salvation and a restoration destined to come to you and me also through God’s Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Overview

God called Zechariah (1:1–6), and gave him a series of eight visions concerning the restoration of Israel (vv. 7–17), the coming world powers (vv. 18–21), judgment of the nations (2:1–13), the coming Priest-King (3:1–10), present spiritual re- sources (4:1–14), the judgment of the guilty (5:1–4), cleansing from evil (vv. 5–11), God’s final victory (6:1–8), and ultimately concerning Messiah’s rule (vv. 9–15).

Understanding the Text

“Return to Me . . . and I will return to you” Zech. 1:1–4.

Zechariah, who later became head of a priestly family that returned from Babylon (cf. Neh. 11:4), began his ministry with a lesson from history. God had urged earlier generations to turn to Him and away from their “evil ways and . . . evil practices.” They had refused, and because they rejected the Lord, Israel and Judah had fallen. Zechariah warned his generation: “Do not be like your forefathers.” Note the association of turning to God and turning away from evil ways and evil practices. No one who had turned to the Lord would continue to practice evil. But also note the lesson Zechariah drew from history. Evil ways and practices have consequences. Someone has said that experience is the best teacher. But how much easier for us it is to learn this lesson from the experience of others rather than from our own! “How long will You withhold mercy?” Zech. 1:7–17 Though the first few verses of Zechariah look backward, the rest of the book looks ahead. We may be warned by lessons from the past. But we are motivated by bright prospects for the future. Zechariah’s first vision offers just such a hope. The riders of his vision had just scouted the nations, and found the world at peace. This itself was not good news, for the Gentile world powers had to be overthrown before Messiah’s kingdom could be established. However, the Angel of the Lord told Zechariah that the Lord was “very angry” with the nations. He would overthrow them, and “return to Jerusalem with mercy.” This first vision does not answer the question, “How long?” In essence, the Lord was saying that “when” was not His people’s concern. What He wanted them to know was that He would triumph. You and I are to build our lives on the certainty of God’s ultimate triumph, without being concerned about when. Christ may return in our lifetime. He may not. What gives us hope and motivates us to serve the Lord is not knowing when, but knowing that Christ’s coming will surely take place. In Zechariah 1:18–21 the four horns are world powers that will dominate Jerusalem, as in Daniel 7 and 8. The workman represents historic forces that operate to throw down each in turn, as history marches toward God’s grand conclusion. This vision does deal with the prophet’s question of “when?” It says, “Not soon, but certain!” “I Myself will be a wall of fire around it” Zech. 2:1–13. The third vision was of a man surveying the city of Jerusalem. The angel explained it to Zechariah. God would crush the nations that had plundered His people. The Holy City will need no wall of stone then, for God Himself will be “a wall of fire” that guards a people who are “the apple of His eye.” The prophet was even told of a great movement toward God that would sweep “many nations” into His fold. But Judah and Jerusalem would be His special portion. How amazing. When Zechariah spoke, Judea was a tiny district in one of 120 provinces in the vast Persian Empire. Yet one day Judah and her capital, Jerusalem, were destined to become the center of the world! What gave the exiles hope was not present blessings, for the Holy Land was then a barren and briar-filled waste. What gave the exiles hope was the vision of what the Holy Land would become. We too may find little cause for pride or confidence in our present situation. But when we look ahead, and remember God’s promises, we will overflow with confidence! What gives us hope is the vision of what we will be—as Christ continues His work in us, and when He comes again. “Men symbolic of things to come” Zech. 3:1–10. What must happen before the Holy City can experience the restoration Zechariah’s visions promise? The prophet was given another vision, in which the angel calls the actors “symbolic of things to come.” The vision was complicated, but its major thrust is clear. When Messiah comes, and renews the priesthood by taking up His own priestly ministry, God’s people will at last be secure. There are implications for us too in the symbolism. For any human being to know God’s peace, he or she must be cleansed by God and clothed in His righteousness (vv. 1–5). Then, as we walk in His ways, we will have assured access to the Lord and the power to live holy lives (vv. 6–8). “Seven channels to the light” Zech. 4:1–14. This fifth vision teaches dependence on God’s Spirit, the resource who enables us to live holy lives while we await the Promised One’s appearance. The vision was directed to Zerubbabel, the governor who was also of David’s line. Even though, in that “day of small things,” Judea seemed completely insignificant and powerless, the Lord reminded the governor that progress is made, “Not by might nor by power, but by My spirit” (v. 6). This is one of those Old Testament verses that we would each do well to remember. In all we do, we are to rely not on our own might or power, but on the Spirit of God. If we serve in His strength, nothing that we do for the Lord will be a “small thing.” God will use even the smallest in a great way. “This is the curse that is going out over the whole land” Zech. 5:1–4. The scroll that Zechariah saw was a rolled-up book, on which were written God’s commandments. These are called a curse because violation of the commands brings punishment. How is this a message of hope? Simply in that when the guilty are punished, the innocent in the community are safe. When those who do wrong go unpunished, soon no one is safe! Modern society can only be safe when its laws are rooted in God’s commands, and when those laws are enforced. “It is a measuring basket” Zech. 5:5–11. The earlier visions were explained to Zechariah, or their symbolism was clear. Now we come to visions that are more obscure. What is clear is that in this vision wickedness, personified as a woman, is carried away to Babylon. What a reversal. Earlier the people of Judah had been carried off to Babylon because of their wickedness. Now evil itself is taken away from God’s people and sent to Babylon. We today have a similar choice. We can either hold on to wickedness, and suffer terrible consequences. Or we can let the Lord bind the evil in our hearts, and isolate us from its power. The Holy Spirit can do in our hearts what Zechariah predicted He will one day do for His people, Israel. “The four spirits of heaven” Zech. 6:1–8. In his final vision Zechariah saw war chariots manned by heavenly warriors setting out in every direction. The pronouncement of rest (v. 8) suggests the final victory of God. “The man whose name is the Branch” Zech. 6:9–15. The visions over, Zechariah was told to make a silver and gold crown and to crown Joshua, the high priest, who represented the “Branch,” a common prophetic term for the coming Messiah. The crown is not a normal priest’s headdress, but a royal crown. The impact of this symbolic act is to affirm that the promises God has made to His people will be carried out—but only by the Messiah, who will unite in His own person the offices of Priest and King.

DEVOTIONAL

Not Soon, but Certain(Zech. 1)

“Can we go to the mall tonight, Mom?” Nine-year-old Sarah desperately wants to get a special folder to keep her school journal in. She only has 15 or 20 folders now, but you know how that goes. It’s the one she doesn’t have that’s special! But what fascinates me is the sense of urgency. “Let’s go find it. Now!” Her mom has promised they’ll look. But not now. Mom works all day, has to cart Sarah to music lessons, and had to go to school open house last night. Yes, they’ll go look for that folder. But Mom won’t make any commitments as to when. Sarah will have to be satisfied with a simple commitment. It may not be soon, but it is certain: They will look for her folder. I understand why Sarah’s not happy with the “not soon, but certain” answer. For a child, everything is urgent. Everything has to be “now”—except of course cleaning up her room, practicing the piano, or doing homework. Still, everything she wants has to be “now.” Zechariah 1 reminds us that God, like a good parent, tells us to be satisfied with “certain.” Even to be satisfied with “not soon, but certain.” The prophet began by reminding his audience of the disasters that struck their forefathers because of disobedience (vv. 2–4). God’s threatened judgment came. Not soon. But certain. Then God gave Zechariah two visions. After seeing the first, the prophet begged God to tell him, “How long will You withhold mercy from Jerusalem?” God didn’t answer at first, though He did make a binding promise. “I will return to Jerusalem with mercy.” God’s commitment to do good to His people is certain (vv. 7–17). But then God gave Zechariah another vision; a vision of a series of world powers that would arise to dominate the Holy City, and would only gradually be worn away. This was God’s answer to Zechariah’s question about when. “Not soon.” Zechariah had to be satisfied with that. God had promised. The promises would be fulfilled. It would not be soon. But it was certain. Sometimes you and I have to live with just this kind of answer to our prayers. “God, I’m hurting.” “God, I need help.” “God, work in my loved one’s life.” “God, meet our needs.” When an answer is delayed, we grow so impatient. Like little Sarah, we want what we think we need now! The next time you feel that kind of pressure, remember God’s message to Zechariah. His word to us is often the same. “Not soon. But certain.” If we focus on the “not soon” we will be agitated and distressed. But if we focus on the “but certain,” we will have peace.

Personal Application

Whatever your circumstance, God’s commitment to do you good is certain and sure.

Quotable

“God in His unspeakable providence has arranged that some received the holy reward of their toils even before they set to work, others while actually working, others again when the work was done, and still others at the time of their death. Let the reader ask himself which one of them was made more humble.”—John Climacus

Zechariah

INTRODUCTION

Zechariah ministered to the little group of Jews who returned to Judah after the Babylonian Captivity. His first prophecy is dated just two months after Haggai’s call to finish rebuilding the Jerusalem temple (520 B.C.). Zechariah too encouraged the temple builders. But he went beyond Haggai in calling for personal spiritual and social renewal. Only continuing commitment to the Lord and to justice would prevent further judgment. Zechariah did predict that Judea would be dominated by Gentile powers for centuries. Yet he foresaw the appearance of the Messiah, who in God’s time will establish a purified Jerusalem as capital of His glorious kingdom.

OUTLINE OF CONTENTS

I.	Eight Night Visions	Zech. 1–6
II.	True Fasting	Zech. 7–8
III.	Messiah’s Advent/Rejection	Zech. 9–11
IV.	Messiah’s Return and Kingdom	Zech. 12–14

Haggai

JULY 9

Reading 190

PUTTING GOD FIRST Haggai 1–2

“Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?” (Hag. 1:4)The fall of Israel to Assyria, and of Judah to Babylon, illustrates what happens when people fail to put God first. The response of the postexilic community to Haggai’s preaching illustrates what happens when people do put God first.

Background

The return.

The Babylonians had taken the Jewish people into Captivity in a series of deportations between 605 and 586B.C It was not until the fall of Babylon and the ascension of Cyrus of Persia in 538B.C that a small contingent of some 50,000 returned to their devastated homeland. During the years of Exile once-fertile fields had become overgrown with weeds and briars, houses had fallen into ruin, while orchards and vineyards had died. The returnees faced a formidable task: they must reclaim the land, plant crops, and rebuild houses, for once-prosperous Judah was now a wild frontier. In the grip of their first enthusiasm, a foundation for a new temple of God had been laid. But soon that enthusiasm was worn away under the pressures of survival. The focus of the community shifted from putting God first to putting their own many needs first. For some 18 years they struggled to reestablish a viable society. But somehow they seemed unable to make progress. Every step forward seemed matched by two back. It was at this point that Haggai was sent by God to speak to the discouraged pioneers, to urge them to once again put God first. Haggai is an encouraging book for believers today. It reminds us that blessings lie ahead for those who put God first.

Overview

On August 29, 520B.C, Haggai urged Judah to finish the temple (1:1–11). The people obeyed God’s voice and set to work (vv. 12–15). On October 17 Haggai promised the completed temple would be filled with glory (2:1–9), and on December 18 Haggai promised that from now on, God would bless (vv. 10–23).

Understanding the Text

“Give careful thought to your ways” Hag. 1:1–11. Haggai’s initial message was blunt and practical. He reminded the community how they had struggled to survive the past 18 years. They had worked constantly, and yet seemed to have made no progress. He also reminded them that they had put aside rebuilding the temple in order to concentrate on meeting their own needs. And Haggai had just three questions for them: Had it worked? Were they really better off than they were before? Had setting God aside helped them get ahead? The answer was no! They “expected much, but see, it turned out to be little.” The fact of the matter was that the prosperity of the postexilic community depended entirely on God. He was the One who controlled the reins; He was the One who could make them prosper. In setting God aside they abandoned the one essential for success. Christians too might well be practical. Never mind for the moment whether it’s right to set God aside for a time to concentrate on getting ahead. Just ask the question, “Will it work?” The answer today, as in Haggai’s time, is no! Our God is a sovereign God, who is able to bless our efforts, or to withhold blessing. If we set God aside, and fail to give Him the priority He deserves, we abandon the one resource essential for our own success. “They came and began to work on the house of the Lord Almighty, their God” Hag. 1:12–14. While the practical argument is compelling, it takes more than argument to cause a person to change his or her priorities. The text says that “the Lord stirred up the spirit” of the leaders and of the people (v. 14). You and I may give others the best of reasons why they should trust the Lord or follow Him. And there are many good and practical reasons. Yet people will only respond if the Lord Himself stirs up their spirits within them. Christian witnessing and Christian counseling both call for more than knowledge and more than skill in presenting good reasons for wise choices. Effective witness and counsel demands prayer that God will take our good reasons and good advice, open the heart of the hearer, and stir him or her up to respond. “Be strong . . . and work” Hag. 2:1–4. As the work commenced it became clear that the new temple would be far less splendid than the first. So the people became discouraged. It hardly seemed worthwhile, when what they were doing fell so far short of what others had done. You and I often fall into this trap. We compare our accomplishments or the tasks we are called to do with those of others. What we’re doing seems so unimportant. So we become discouraged, and let our hands fall to our sides. God’s first response to such an attitude is to give us a simple prescription. He says, “Be strong. . . . Be strong. . . . Be strong. . . . and work” (vv. 3–4). Our calling is not to compare, but to be strong, and work at the task God gives us. “I will fill this house with glory” Hag. 2:5–9. The dimensions of the new temple were far less than those of Solomon’s. The new temple would also lack the expensive adornment of the earlier house of worship. Yet God not only promised to fill the new house with glory, but said that “the glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house” (v. 9). The ancient rabbis saw this as a messianic prophecy. The “desired of all nations [who] will come” (v. 7) they held to be the Messiah. The temple would be filled with glory not because of its material trappings but because of His presence. How accurate this insight. Over half a millennium passed. But then Jesus of Nazareth did come, first as a Boy and then as an Adult, to the second temple. Herod had expanded and beautified the original structure. But the temple was glorious, not because of its ostentatious wealth, but because of the enfleshed presence of the God in whose honor it had been built. There is a lesson here for us. What we do may seem unimportant when compared with what some accomplish. Yet as long as what we do is done for Christ, His presence floods the simplest task with glory. “The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine” Hag. 2:8. The struggling community in Judah, hardly able to make ends meet, must have been discouraged by its poverty. How could it afford the high costs of construction, to say nothing of the costly equipment required for worship? Here God simply reminded His people, “The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine.” The people of Judah were responsible to work. God was responsible to provide. And God did! Ezra 6:8–12 tells us that when local opponents of the Jews complained, they were ordered by the Persian ruler to finance the entire project from tax revenues! We need not know where our resources will come from. But we do need to be sure that what we do is in the will of God. “From this day on I will bless you” Hag. 2:10–19. God promised to bless His obedient people. But He protected the little community, and us, from a common error. Haggai was told to raise a question of ritual purity with the priests. If a defiled person touched a holy object, would he be made holy? The answer was no. In fact, if a defiled person touched a holy object, that object became defiled! God was about to pour out blessings on His people in Judea. They might conclude that it was because they once again worshiped at a temple. The questions and their answers showed that no one would be made holy by going up to the temple. God’s blessing was to be poured out not because of the holiness of the people, but because of the grace of their God. In choosing to put God first, the little community had placed itself on the one path that led to the blessing God was eager to bestow. God’s blessing today is evidence of His grace. We can never earn the good things He gives us. Yet our obedience does bring us to that shore of the river where His blessings flow. “I will shake the heavens and the earth” Hag. 2:20–23. The book concludes with a word to Zerubbabel. This member of the royal family represented the Davidic line. The words mean that while the present generation will be blessed, a future generation will experience the full blessing promised by God. Then, at a future date, One from the house of David, the Messiah, will appear. He will shake the nations and establish the earthly kingdom of God.

DEVOTIONAL

After Putting God First (Hag. 2)

Haggai 1 invites us to look at the empty spaces in our lives, the disappointments and frustrations, and ask if this is what we want our lives to be. He then urges us to stop living selfishly, and put God first. The little Jewish community in Judea in Haggai’s day did just this—and decided to change their priorities. From then on, they would put the Lord first. I suppose if this were all there were to this little book, it would be well worth reading. But actually, there’s much more. Haggai 2 goes on to show us how life changes when we do put the Lord first in our lives. What do we see there? First, we find significance in even little things. The rebuilt temple seemed small when compared to Solomon’s spectacular structure. But then the Lord said, “I am with you,” and we know that when we have put Him first, what we do is important indeed. In fact, we have the assurance that there is far more glory in the littlest thing we do for the Lord than in anything we have ever done before (vv. 1–9). Second, we find repeated evidence of blessings we do not deserve. We discover that in putting God first, we have put ourselves in the center of that channel through which grace constantly flows. There are material blessings, yes. But even more important, there is the knowledge that we are pleasing God, and fulfilling ourselves. And in this we find peace.

Personal Application

The only way to get ahead is to put God before us.

Quotable

“Do not wait to do a great thing. The opportunity may never come. But since little things are constantly claiming your attention, do them for a great motive—for the glory of God, and to do good to others.”—F.B. Meyer