Journal Through the Bible: Week 99 Saturday

Zechariah 9:1-10:12

Chapter 9 begins a separate section in the book. It was probably written many years after the first 8 chapters. The first part of the chapter contains prophecies against several cities of Syria and Philistia. These prophecies came true during the conquests of Alexander the Great.

The remainder of chapter 9 contains Messianic prophecies.

Does God issue any commands?

• God told the people to rejoice because their King would come to them having salvation and riding on the foal of an ass.
• God told the people to pray for rain upon the land.

Does God make any promises?

• God promised destruction to Tyrus, and fear upon Ashkelon, Gaza, and Ekron.
• God promised illegitimacy to Ashdod and the cutting off of the pride of the Philistines.
• God promised to encamp around His house because of the invading army (verse 8) and defend His people (verses 13-16).
• God promised to cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem.
• God promised to render double to the prisoners of hope that turn to the stronghold.
• God promised to strengthen Judah and save the house of Joseph: He will bring them again to place them. They would greatly increase.
• God promised again to part the sea! Assyria would be brought down and the scepter of Egypt would depart.

Does this passage teach anything about Jesus?

• 9: 9 is easily identifiable. It tells of Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.
• Verses 10, 14-17 of chapter 9 detail what Jesus the Messiah will do in the future.
• 9:11 seems to detail the saving work of the Messiah, the "pit wherein is no water" could be descriptive of hell.
• I believe that Jesus is the stronghold of 9:12. It seems to fit the context of the passage.

Does this passage teach anything about yet-future events?

• The real triumph of the King over all the powers of the earth is still to come.
• The time when the multitudes from Judah and Ephraim will live peacefully in the land is yet future.

Journal Through the Bible: Week 99 Friday

Zechariah chapter 8

Does God issue any commands?

• God commanded the people who heard the words of the prophet to be strong in building the temple because of the message of future hope.
• God told them to speak truth to their neighbor, execute the judgment of truth and peace in their gates (the place where court decisions were decided), not to imagine evil against their neighbors, and not to swear falsely. In other words, they were to follow the precepts set forth in the Ten Commandments.

Does God make any promises?

• God told Zechariah that He had returned to Jerusalem and would dwell there. He also said Jerusalem would be called the city of truth and the mountain of the holy LORD of hosts.
• God promised that the city of Jerusalem would once again be teeming with people of all ages.
• God promised to bring His people from the east and from the west to live in Jerusalem. They would be His people and He promised to be their God.
• God promised that the seed of the Jewish remnant would be prosperous.
• The Jewish nation was once a curse among the Gentiles but God promised that they would be a blessing.
• God promised that the feasts that the people had been following would have their purpose changed. They were first done in mourning but later would be done in rejoicing over the great things the LORD had done for them.
• God promised that people from many nations would come from afar to Jerusalem to seek the LORD.

Does this chapter teach anything about Jesus?

• Ultimately, Jesus is the seed of the remnant (singular, see verse 12) since His ancestors came out of that period of captivity and restoration. (Their protection as found in the book of Esther shows just how determined Satan was to destroy the remnant so the promised seed could not come!)
• Although verses 20-23 might have future fulfillment, they were also fulfilled during the time of Jesus' ministry. People from many nations sought Him for healing and to hear His teachings.

Does this chapter teach anything about yet-future events?

• Jerusalem can only be the city of truth and the mountain of the holy LORD of hosts when its King dwells there. This will be fulfilled in the Millennium reign of Christ.
• Although the promise that God gave Zechariah concerning people of all ages living in Jerusalem again was partially fulfilled in the time between Zechariah's time and the destruction in AD 70 there is a further fulfillment yet to come. One day in the Millennium men will live longer and the streets of Jerusalem will be filled with people. (See Isaiah 65:18-25)
• The prosperity promised to the remnant and their descendants will be fulfilled once and for all in the future kingdom.

Journal Through the Bible: Week 99 Thursday

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Zechariah 6:1-7:14

This section begins with Zechariah's eighth and last vision. This one was of four chariots coming between two mountains of brass. The chariots were led by red, black, white, and grisled horses.

Does God issue any commands?

• Following the last vision the LORD commanded Zechariah to take three men who were previously Babylonian captives to make crowns of silver and gold to crown Joshua, the high priest.
• Two years after Zechariah's visions the LORD told him to speak to the people reminding them that they were hypocritical when they fasted and prayed in the fifth and seventh months while in captivity.
• Through Zechariah God told the people to execute true judgment, shew mercy and compassion to their brother, not oppress the widow, orphans, poor, or strangers among them, and not to plot wickedness against others as signs of true repentance. He reminded them that this was exactly why they were taken into captivity in the first place.

Does God make any promises?

• God promised that they who are far off would come and build in the temple of the LORD. (6:15)

Does this passage teach anything about Jesus?

• Again, the "angel" with whom Zechariah is speaking is the Lord Jesus Christ.
• The BRANCH is Jesus Christ.
• Joshua, the high priest, is a type of Jesus. Both names "Joshua" and "Jesus" mean "savior" and Joshua is symbolically crowned as an object lesson denoting that the coming King would one day definitely come. It also says that the BRANCH (Jesus) will build the temple of the LORD, a task that Joshua was charged with helping Zerubbabel complete. Remember though that Joshua was the high priest of the line of Levi and not of the ruling tribe of Judah. Jesus was of the family of Judah, not of the priestly tribe of Levi, but the Bible tells us that He is our High Priest. The symbolic crowns placed upon the head of Joshua were to be placed in the new temple that Joshua and Zerubbabel were building as object lessons reminding the people that their King was coming!
• Ephesians 2:13 says that now in Christ Jesus ye who were sometimes far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Since the temple was a picture of the atonement of Jesus the promise of God is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. 

Does this passage teach anything about yet-future events?

• Zechariah's last vision appears to be about the future judgment of the earth. Chariots denote war.

TAKE TIME: May 25-30, 2015 Assignment

Introduction:  We will finish reading the book of Zechariah this week and briefly return to our background story in Ezra. Then we will begin reading the book of Esther, the account of the Jewish maiden who did not return with the group of exiles who were rebuilding the homeland but who found herself instead strategically placed in the palaces of Persia!

 Assignment:

• Monday - Zechariah 11:1-12:14
• Tuesday - Zechariah 13:1-14:21
• Wednesday - Ezra chapter 5
• Thursday - Ezra chapter 6
• Friday - Esther chapter 1
• Saturday - Esther chapter 2

Memory Verse

 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.  Zechariah 12:10


Prayer Journal (ACTS)

• Adoration - Praise God for being the Redeemer. What an amazing thing that our God died for us!
• Confession - Ask God to reveal hidden sin in your life and then confess it.
• Thanksgiving - Thank God for any answers to your prayers.
• Supplication - What are your prayer requests this week? List them for future reference so that you can see how God answers.

Search the Scriptures

Look for references for each of the following:

• Promises that God made and to whom He made them. Do they apply to you?
• References that either refer to or infer something about future events.
• What does this passage teach about Jesus?
• Commandments that God made and to whom He made them. Do they apply to you?

Putting the Word into Action
Sometimes we find ourselves in places where we do not wish to be and in positions we did not seek. Esther was ill-equipped to be the Queen of Persia and yet that is just the position where she found herself! We who know the story look back and see that God had placed her right where she needed to be so that she could do an important task. Take a look at your life to see if you find yourself in some awkward place or position not of your own choosing. Then spend some time in prayer asking God to use you to advance the work He has for you as you fulfill your duties there.