July 27, 2024

Chapter 11 of Zechariah is about Jesus. He says he will cut off three shepherds; they didn’t believe in Jesus and were supposed to lead the people: prophets, priests, and kings, or it could indicate Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians. Whoever they are, they have led the people away from Jesus. One thing I found very significant was the picture of his two staff, one called Beauty and one called Bands. In Zechariah 11:10, he broke the staff called Beauty into pieces, breaking the covenant with all people, rejecting them because they rejected him, making way for those who are Gentiles to come under Jesus’s sheepfold if they believe in him. 

And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the LORD. Zechariah 11:11

Further down in the scripture, it shows that Jesus also broke the staff of Bands, breaking the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. I suppose that’s why today we only hear about Judah. Sadly, they didn’t open their eyes to see they had the Messiah among them because their hearts were hardened. They gave him up for silver, the price of a servant. You’ve got to wonder if Judas was named given that on purpose to represent Judah. They would be given over to a leader, either Rome or the antichrist, who only cared about himself. I’m grateful that a road was paved for us as Gentiles to be saved, but my heart breaks for Judah because they are lost. The lesson is to continue standing firmly in your faith; the rewards belong to us as long as we hold our ground.

July 26, 2024

God intends to bring Israel together, though they're scattered worldwide. When they return to the promised land, they will bring their many children and remember the Lord. I think this portion of Zechariah is referring to when we are all gathered to Jesus at the end of time. Even though Israel has their own land now, they don't inhabit as much as the scripture says belongs to them because, in the end, that land wouldn't hold everyone who loves God, and we would be too numerous and would overflow the land. The promised land is much bigger than what is considered Israel now. What awaits us is the New Jerusalem, which has enough room to accommodate all of us. 

Early and late rain is mentioned, where early rain occurs in the fall during planting time, and later rain occurs in the spring when the crop starts to flourish. The latter rain fills the kernels of corn and wheat right before harvest. Are we getting close to harvest time? It seems like it, but we are still waiting for the latter rain to fill the kernels and for God to bring everyone to the threshing floor and burn the weeds that have been sown among us. What an amazing day that will be!

Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field. Zechariah 10:1

I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them. Zechariah 10:10

July 25, 2024

Zechariah 8 is a beautiful chapter. It begins with the promise of revenge against Israel’s enemies and the triumphs of God’s people. He proclaims that he will encamp around us for our protection, and no oppressor will pass through us anymore. We must remember that the Bible was written by many people from different times throughout history, but all had the help of the Holy Spirit. All of the pieces fit together like a puzzle. Keeping that in mind, the best part of this chapter is the prediction of the coming of the Messiah and His triumphant entry into Jerusalem on a donkey colt. You cannot get a clearer picture! We know from the gospel writers in the New Testament that, on what we now call Palm Sunday, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, and the people honored him by waving tree branches at him as he rode by. Even though Jesus is the King of kings, he positioned himself as lowly to show that he is a King for everyone, rich or poor. Jesus shall save his people, and we will be like the jewels of a crown and displayed like a flowing banner over the land. 

This verse may be my new favorite. It paints a beautiful picture of our position in Jesus. 

And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land. Zechariah 9:16

July 24, 2024

The word of the Lord came to Zechariah again, but this time, it would be about peace and prosperity in Jerusalem. After they were tormented and afflicted by other nations, God would have his vengeance upon those nations. The children would play in the streets, and happiness would abound because they felt safe. Men, women, and old people who were still full of life would also fill the streets. According to my commentary, this happened between the end of captivity and the time of Jesus. This portion of scripture gives us hope for our Christian nation that God would see the torment of our people and seek vengeance upon those who’ve caused it. I would love to see my grandchildren able to run the streets all day without fear and come home at dusk like their parents did. God loves us, and one way or another, whether here on earth or with Jesus in heaven, we will experience peace and tranquility. 

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof. Zechariah 8:4-5

July 23, 2024

Zechariah not only prophesied, but he gave a good sermon. In chapter 7, he mentions fasting and praying and reprimands the people for fasting out of habit rather than doing it to honor God. It’s also a reminder not to say we are fasting for God when we know we are fasting to lose weight. Don’t let selfish ambition get in the way, and genuinely want to honor God with fasting and prayer. If you’re having trouble hearing God’s voice, you need to tune into his frequency, and fasting and praying are the ways to level up to that frequency.

The next portion of this sermon also deals with the heart. This one hit home with me! We know that God wants us to care for widows, orphans, and the poor and deal kindly with them, but did you know that we are not to imagine evil in our hearts towards our brothers (people you know or family)? You are not allowed to think terrible thoughts about your brother. Confession: when someone hurts me, especially when they hurt my family, my thoughts become vindictive against them. My anger causes my heart to devise a scheme to get them back. I may not act on those thoughts, but those thoughts are still sinful. Watch your thoughts, and I will work on mine.

And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart. Zechariah 7:10

July 22, 2024

There are two visions in Zechariah 6. In the first portion, he has a vision of horses with chariots with the horses similar to the horses in Revelation. However, the second vision points to Jesus as the branch growing out of his place and building the temple. In the vision, people who still lived in Babylon came to visit, not to stay and help rebuild Jerusalem, but to bring silver and gold as their contribution. They must have been living in comfort in Babylon. In the vision, God told Zechariah to coronate and crown Joshua the high priest. The Joshua in this story is symbolic of Jesus, and Zechariah is therefore told to make two crowns, one of silver and one of gold, and crown him with both to symbolize that he was a priest in the order of Melchizedek, who was both king and priest. The silver represents a king, and the gold means a priest, which typifies the kingdom of the Messiah. Joshua would understand that he is a figure of the One to come.

Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest; And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD: Zechariah 6:11-12

Significantly, the scripture says The Branch, Jesus, will build the temple of the LORD. We know from experience that Jesus is building His temple with people from around the world, including us. What a beautiful picture. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit of God and are built on the foundation of Jesus.

And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the LORD, and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God. Zechariah 6:15

July 21, 2024

In Zechariah’s next vision, he saw a huge flying scroll that was unfurled. The scroll represents a curse that is extended to the whole earth, not just Israel. This curse is upon anyone who lies (swears falsely in the name of God) or steals, whether or not they are under the law of Moses. Those people who thought they would escape punishment for their sins because they were not Israelites were wrong. We have an unwritten law in our hearts and know the difference between good and evil. 

The angel then directed Zechariah to the vision of an ephah, a measuring utensil with a woman sitting in it and a lead weight on top of it and two winged women carrying it off. When you see a woman in a vision, she represents the church. This vision is harder to understand and was obscured so as not to discourage the Israelites from rebuilding the temple. It is thought that it eludes to them being disbursed throughout the world by the Romans after they crucified Jesus and terrorized the church. The vision said that the ephah would be set on a base in Shinar which is in Babylon. At this point, Israel was scattered. Their hearts were hardened and were lulled to sleep so they wouldn’t turn away from their wickedness to be healed. 

I will bring it forth, saith the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof. Zechariah 5:4