Journal Through the Bible: Week 99 Tuesday

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Zechariah 2:1-3:10

In these chapters we read of Zechariah's next visions. In the first one Zechariah sees a man with a measuring stick preparing to measure Jerusalem. The next vision was of the high priest, Joshua, who had gone back with Zerubbabel to rebuild the temple.

Does God issue any commands?

• God calls His people home. (2:6-7)
• God calls the daughter of Zion to sing and rejoice as a testimony among the nations.
• God told all flesh to be silent before Him.
• In the vision, God commanded that the filthy garments be removed from Joshua, the high priest.
• God told Joshua, the high priest, to follow His commands faithfully. (This would include helping with the rebuilding of the temple.)

Does God make any promises?

• God promised that Jerusalem would be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein. God Himself promised to be a protection wall of fire around the city and the glory in the midst of her.
• God promised that any that touches Zion touches the apple of God's eye and He will spoil Israel's enemies.
• God promises to dwell in the midst of Zion.
• God promises that many nations shall be joined to the LORD in the day that He dwells in Zion's midst. The people of those nations will also be called His people just as those of Israel are.
• God promised to possess Judah in the holy land and to choose Jerusalem again.
• God promised in Zechariah's vision to take away the filthy garments of Joshua, the high priest, and to clothe him with a change of garments. Since it is Jesus, the angel of the LORD, speaking we know that this is exactly what He does for each sinner that turns to Him in repentance and faith! He takes away our filthy garments and clothes us in robes of righteousness.
• God promised Joshua that if he would walk in His ways Joshua would judge His house, and keep His courts, and He would give Joshua places to walk among those that stood by.
• God promised that through "the stone" (Jesus) He would remove the iniquity of the land in one day. Then everyone would live peacefully ("call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree" which speaks of living safely on one's own land).

Does this passage teach anything about Jesus?

• Jesus was still present with Zechariah in the 3rd vision. He is "the man that talked with me" of verse 2:3. He is the man (or angel) with the measuring line.
• Jesus will dwell in the midst of Zion. He it is that provides the glory of the LORD there.
• The angel of the LORD is Jesus (3:1)
• Jesus is the BRANCH. (3:8)
• Jesus is the stone. (3:9)

Does this passage teach anything about yet-future events?

• The time when Jerusalem will be a town without walls because God will be the wall of fire of protection will take place in the Millennial Kingdom of Christ. Then Jesus in all of His glory will be in the midst of her.
• Just as the man had a measuring stick to measure Jerusalem an angel had a measuring rod in Revelation chapters 11 and 21 to measure the temple and New Jerusalem. This city has gates but they are never closed which means it has no reason to defend itself. Also, the glory of the LORD shall always dwell there.