Feb 20th 2011- Zechariah 6-10

We had four for Wordlisteners on the 20th, and we discussed Zechariah 6-9 and read Zechariah Chapter 10. Come quickly Lord Jesus.

We also discussed the next book we intend to study. It was decided to study Leviticus. One important thing to read Leviticus in light of is how the commands of God to His people foreshadow the coming of Christ. Also the intent of the sacrifices and rules for living as they pertain to us living as Christians today. What was the intent?

It should be a very interesting study, and it will begin in Late April. After this Sunday (2/27), group is taking off the next seven weeks as our church does Praise and worship, followed by Hearts on Fire. Hearts on Fire is when the lay speakers of the church will speak each Sunday night leading up to Easter.

Notes Chapter 6-9

Zechariah 6

Four war chariots patrolling the earth executing God's judgments. They have
been in the presence of God. God sends them out Himself. The ones going north
The black ones have appeased God's wrath in the northern lands.

The coronation of Joshua is a symbolic merging of the house of David
(leadership of the people) with the priestly line. This is done by the Branch
or Messiah (Jesus). Ruler and priest. Jesus will build the temple of the
Lord. Leviticus 26:11-12 Is this a physical temple? Possibly, but our bodies
are temples of the Holy Spirit. For God to make His dwelling among us could
and probably does mean within us. As other Christians allow God to shine forth
through them, we will see God walking among us.

Those from far off will come and build the Temple of the Lord. Physical
building or those people as part of the Church being in a remote location from
Jerusalem letting God's light shine through them. This will only happen if
they completely obey the Lord their God. We as Christians need to move toward
Him, develop our relationships continuously, and go deeper, or we may never see
this.


Zechariah 7

Time stamp, forth year of Darius. A question about fasting during the fifth
month which they did in exile, mourning the loss of the temple. As the temple
is getting rebuilt they question to continue the practice. The Lord's response
was to question their intention of the fast. Were they really seeking to draw
closer to Him or had become a ritual? A similar chapter exists in Isaiah (58)
We eat for self, to give that up is to practice denying self.

What God intended was for it to draw us closer to Him. Denying self creates a
void we should be filling with God. It can however feed selfishness through
pride when we marvel at what we are able to accomplish. At that point fasting
becomes a ritual of self exaltation, and actually feeds our selfishness.

Dispense true justice, practice kindness and compassion. These are selfless
traits that should be developed through the practice of fasting and truly
drawing nearer to God. So are not oppressing the widow, orphan, stranger, or
poor and not devising evil against another.

The people before the exile were warned- multiple multiple times, and closed
their ears. Seemingly not hearing. In our minds we are quick to rationalize
that not hearing the Lord means we don't have to obey Him, we can then do the
selfish things we want to do, causing almost assuredly the hurting of another.
In our hearts we know what God wants, and He knows us better than we know
ourselves, and we do hear from Him whether we deny it or not. Furthermore He
knows we have heard Him whether we acknowledge it or not. Do we want to stand
before Him at the end of the age and deny we heard something from Him that He
both knows He told us and knows that we heard?

From the this life standpoint God knows we heard Him, and He knows we are
falsely denying that we did, and thus are disobedient. Through the course of
our selfish actions God lets things happen to us that will cause us to cry out
to Him. Which He acknowledges He hears, but then He pretends He does not hear.

Now it follows that our selfish actions cause unpleasant circumstances, and God
knows how to get our attention. This in no way means that bad circumstances
are the result of selfish actions- which is the lessen of Job. Someone in bad
circumstances may be there as a result of pretending not to hear God (selfish),
or may be in bad circumstances because the Lord is wanting them to come into a
deeper relationship with Him, and bad circumstances often get our attention and
our focus on God.


Zechariah 8

The Lord is jealous for Jerusalem and will return to Zion and dwell there.
This sounds physical, but part of it also means He will dwell in the hearts of
His people. Old women and old Men, and children playing represent a city at
peace and secure. The remnant of His people may have a hard time seeing this,
and the thought of God actually dwelling in Jerusalem - based on all our
experiences does seem unrealistic from our standpoint, but not too difficult or
unrealistic for Him, the creator of it all and us all.

God will pull the remnant of His people back to Jerusalem, and will be their
God. Therefore let your hands be strong, we should be expecting and planning
and building the temple in preparation for the Lord's return. If we wait on
Him, He may further delay because He is waiting for us to act in faith- whether
we realistically can see it or not.

God will again bless His people and make them blessing to the world. Just like
their disobedience brought about wrath, He looked ahead to the day He was to do
good for them. He instructs them to act: speaking the truth, judging with
truth, don't devise evil against others, do not love perjury. Hate what He
hates.

The Lord says the days of fasts will become days of feasts. People will seek
the Lord and will so love truth and peace. They will seek the Lord at this
time, and as His people we should start now. The Lord will bless these
relationships and that will draw even more people into desiring to know God.
Isn't this what He wants.


Zechariah 9

This chapter seems to forecast the Greek invasion by Alexander the great, which
happened 200 years later. The cities referred to fell in the order listed.
Tyre was partially destroyed by the Babylonians - the part that was on the
mainland. The Babylonians gave up, and Alexander the great took the rubble
from the destroyed land city, and built a bridge to the island city and
destroyed it. Even though Alexander invaded Palestine, he did not conquer
Jerusalem. He camped around His house, protecting it.

Then a vision of Jesus entering Jerusalem. Which happened prior to his
betrayal and crucifixion (which will be referred to in a future chapter). It
also shows Him setting up His kingdom at the end of the age, which hasn't
happened yet.

The Lord runs all these things together several times. Is He waiting for His
people to walk in His ways, at least start, and will then come. If His people
truly do walk in His ways then people will have to make a clear choice, which
would lead to desparation on the part of those that refuse to follow Christ.
Those that so don't believe they would be willing to attack the people of God
in order to protect themselves. They too however are created by God and He has
given them a choice. They like us have taken not listening to God as a reason
to do their own thing.