The resources God has given us to live a thriving life are His Word, Spirit, and People.
Read God’s Word:
Zechariah 1-7
Act 2: God’s Covenant People
Scene 9: Return: God Delivers His People Again
Background Information: Zechariah 1-7
Zechariah preached to the returned exiles. They had experienced the fulfillment of the promise, and yet their lives remained full of chaos, opposition, and difficulty. God gave Zechariah eight visions; the word used indicated literally that he “saw.” Prophets were sometimes called “seers.” How he saw these things we do not know. We do know that what he saw was given to him by the Lord. The phrase translated variously Lord almighty, Lord of hosts, or Lord of Armies is used two hundred times in the Old Testament. Fifty of those occurrences are in the book of Zechariah. Clearly, the Lord’s sovereign control over all powers, both earthly and heavenly, is a key theme for Zechariah. His eight visions are strange, but we must sympathize with him. Imagine trying to use mere words to describe fantastic visions of spiritual and physical realities. The visions paint an overall picture of the Lord of Armies, mustering his troops to bring about victory for his people.
1. In the first vision, the rangers report that the enemies of God’s people were experiencing peace. However, judgment was coming, their rest was going to end, and God would judge these nations.
2. In the second vision, horns (ancient symbols of strength) have been cut off.
3. In the third vision, the restored city of God has no walls, for it no longer needs protection. God will protect his beloved, “the apple of his eye.”
4. In the fourth vision, the high priest, representing all the people, stands unclean in clothes stained in excrement, before the accuser. Suddenly he is forgiven, cleansed, and dressed in festive garments.
5. In the fifth vision, Zerubbabel (the human authority in charge of rebuilding) is given an inexhaustible supply of oil. Oil was a symbol for the Spirit of God. Zerubbabel would be able to accomplish his work, not by human might, but rather by the Spirit’s empowering.
6. In the sixth vision, a large flying scroll with the same dimensions of the Holy Place in the Temple goes forth to judge sinful people who continue to rebel against God.
7. The seventh vision portrays how God will not only deal with sinners, but will deal decisively with sin itself.
8. The final vision mirrors the first. In the first, the enemies of God are at rest, unjudged. In this final vision the Spirit of God is pacified, and the enemies (symbolized by “land of the north”) have been judged.
God gave these visions to a people looking for hope in chaos, and he has given them to you so that you will have hope. He is the Lord of Armies. Chaos is everywhere; the news is full of it. It often seems that history is a runaway train, no one is controlling it, and no one can stop it. This is not true. Take your concerns to the Lord of Armies. You have direct access, through Jesus, to the Commander in Chief of heaven and earth.
Pray:
Praise God for…
Thank God for…
Confess your sins to God
Ask the Holy Spirit to cause revival to break out across our land. Pray that turn hearts would turn to God. Pray that people would repent and place their faith in Christ.
Ask God for… (what else concerns you?)
Reflect:
Write down one passage of scripture that stood out to you today.
Write down why this passage stood out to you.
Engage Community:
Text or call someone now and tell them…
– What you are praying for.
– What stood out from God’s word today.