Today’s message is Part 2 on the book of Zechariah. In my last message, Zechariah 3:8 mentioned someone called the Branch, and that is a prophecy of the coming of Jesus Christ. Just as the high priest Joshua was cleansed of his sins, so we are forgiven through the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross. Through God’s message to the high priest Joshua, we are given a glimpse of Jesus, the Savior to come. I would like to touch on this theme as we go through the book of Zechariah over the course of a few weeks.
The book of Zechariah was written in the same time period as the book of Haggai, which we covered just before this. Zechariah’s prophecies were a few months after Haggai’s. Both books share the same major theme of rebuilding the Lord’s Temple. In response to Haggai’s call, the people began rebuilding the Temple and laid the foundation. It was during that period which Zechariah began prophesying. Unlike Haggai, Zechariah speaks more about the nature of the Temple. And the nature of this Temple is linked to the Church in modern times.
Today, we will read from Zechariah chapters 1 and 2. At the beginning of chapter 1, Zechariah recalls the past and challenges the people to repent and return to God. After that, the people work on rebuilding the temple. God himself is present with those who repent. Zechariah’s prophecies do not stop with the rebuilding of the Temple. He also prophesies that the exiles from Babylon will become a people of God again and have close fellowship with God. In the Church today, we too gather as a people of God and Jesus Christ is present in our midst. The Church is the body of Christ. Those who are saved by Christ become part of the Church and build up his body. That is one message of the New Testament. We will come back to that later. Now, let’s read Zechariah chapter 1.
In 1:2, Zechariah says to the people, “The Lord is very angry with your ancestors.” Then, verse 3 says: “Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you.’” Zechariah challenges them to reflect on the past and now walk in repentance. When the Lord says, “I will return to you,” isn’t that such a hopeful message? God promises to be present with those who repent. Next, verse 4 says, “Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the Lord.”
Do not be like your ancestors, he says. Because they did not listen or pay attention to him. They failed to repent. Repentance before God must come before worship. Repentance will result in receiving God’s pardon and his presence with them. I believe that this promise of God’s presence with the people was even more important than the construction of the Temple. God did not want them to work without sincere hearts. Even if the Temple were rebuilt, if God was not present there, it would be nothing more than a mere building. The challenge of repentance must come first.
Next, Zechariah conveys God’s will to the people through 8 visions. The first vision is in 1:8. It showed four horses and a man riding a horse. “During the night I had a vision, and there before me was a man mounted on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, brown and white horses.” They represent those who go out across the world to observe the nations. Then the Lord was asked the following:
Verse 12: “Then the angel of the Lord said, ‘Lord Almighty, how long will you withhold mercy from Jerusalem and from the towns of Judah, which you have been angry with these seventy years?’” God answered in verse 14: “ This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion.” I like the way the Shinkaiyaku version translates this verse: “I loved Jerusalem so much that I was jealous for it.” Then verse 16, “Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt. And the measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem.”
God says, “I will return to Jerusalem with mercy,” and the Temple of the Lord will be rebuilt. Seventy years have passed since the exile, and the people have been permitted to return home. Now is the time. The Lord is returning, and the temple of God will be rebuilt in Jerusalem. Through the first vision, it’s made clear that the time for rebuilding has come. Verse 17 then states again that the time has come for the Lord to choose Jerusalem and comfort Zion.
The second vision is in verse 18. In the vision are four horns. They are described as the horns that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem, so it’s believed they symbolize the nations of Assyria and Babylon, which previously attacked the people of Israel and took them as captives. The word “horn” signifies power. The number four could represent expansion. The vision is saying that God will judge these nations who dominated others and are now living in peace.
That is found in verses 20 and 21. “Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. I asked, ‘What are these coming to do?’ He answered, “These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no one could raise their head, but the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter its people.’” The four craftsmen will cut off the four horns. And then God will once again pour out his love on the people of Israel; they will be set free and molded into a people of God. The time has come for them to return to God’s love. This word of prophecy is spoken powerfully.
The third vision is found in 2:1. It is a vision about a measuring line. In it, a man was going to measure Jerusalem. Through this vision, God reveals that he himself will be a wall of fire surrounding Jerusalem to protect the city. The glory of this city will be God himself. And He calls out to the scattered people, telling them to return to Zion. In fact, there were still some who remained in Babylon. He urges them to flee to Zion. For the Lord himself will protect that city. Let’s also read verses 6 and 7. “Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the Lord, “for I have scattered you to the four winds of heaven,” declares the Lord. Come, Zion! Escape, you who live in Daughter Babylon!”
Next, in verse 8 an angel says: “After the Glorious One has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye— I will surely raise my hand against them.” The apple of one’s eye, which originally referred to the actual pupil or eyeball, is a precious thing that one handles with care. God calls his chosen people Israel the apple of his eye. Verse 10 adds, “‘Shout and be glad, Daughter Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you,’ declares the Lord.”
To those who repent, God says: You are the apple of my eye. I will be a wall to protect you. Sing and be glad, Daughter Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you.
The people laid the foundation of the Temple. They began the work of rebuilding it. Rebuilding the Temple was one way of returning God’s love. As for us, we are gathered today to worship God from our hearts. Though we are imperfect, we have received forgiveness of sins through faith in Christ, and we gather here with grateful hearts. It is a gratitude born of having our sins forgiven and being made new. In the sight of God, we are precious. We have received the invitation: “Shout and be glad, Daughter Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you.” Jesus is present among those who gather to worship. Let us worship the Lord with repentance and joy and all our hearts. For we are God’s people, and God dwells with us.
Let me end by reading some of the promises given to those who believe in Christ:
The church is “his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” (Ephesians 1:23)
“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:20)
日本語