Read the Bible in a Year (29SEP19)

DAILY REMINDER – Today, September 29’s Bible reading is Zechariah 1-7.

NEXT DAY REMINDER – Tomorrow, September 30’s Bible reading is Zechariah 8-14. May God bless you with the reading of His WORD.

ZECHARIAH’s Introduction 

The book of Zechariah is so named after its author which means The Lord remembers. Zechariah’s ministry began after the Jews’ exile had ended from Babylon and two months after Haggai began His ministry. Zechariah was both a prophet and priest who had returned to Judah in 538 B.C. along with some of the other exiles. He and Haggai both worked in encouraging the people to rebuild Jerusalem and the Lord’s temple.  Scholars believe that his book was written before 480 B.C.  Zechariah encouraged the people to listen to God and not to rely on their own wisdom. He was also concerned with the people’s spiritual condition and encouraged them by telling them of the Lord’s coming glory. Zechariah prophesied about the coming Messiah, his rejection, being betrayed for thirty pieces of silver, his priesthood, Christ’s kingship, the abolishment of the Old Covenant, and Christ’s establishment of prosperity and peace upon the new earth. 

ZECHARIAH MOMENT – (29SEP19) "Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the Lord" (Zechariah 1:4). 

Zechariah 1

Zechariah 1 begins with the Lord giving the prophet a prophetic Word regarding the return of His people back to Him. The Lord had been upset with Israel’s ancestors and warned them to not follow their evil practices. Israel’s ancestors had not paid attention to the earlier prophets’ warnings, and they suffered the penalty for their disobedience.

Zechariah had a vision where he saw a man (angel) who was mounted on a red horse amongst myrtle trees. Behind the man were red, brown, and white horses. When Zechariah asked about their meaning, the man on the red horse explained that they were the ones sent to go throughout the earth. When these horses had gone out in the earth, they would find peace symbolizing the peace that Israel was to experience after their exile as they rebuilt the Lord’s temple. Nevertheless, some Biblical scholars point out the possible two-fold meaning of this vision where the red horse symbolizes bloodshed and judgment, the white horse representing victory, and the speckled brown horse symbolizing a combination of the others. In Revelation, the horses are also a sign of things to come to the earth.

The Lord had allowed Israel to be in captivity for seventy years, but He was determined to punish the nations who had viciously mishandled His people. The Lord, however, was once again going to bless His people and restore what they had lost.

Zechariah saw four horns representing the powers that scattered all of Israel (Babylon, Medes & Persians, Greeks, and Romans), but the Lord raised up four craftsmen who would come up against those nations and give them the judgment that they deserved. 

 

Zechariah 2 

Zechariah 2 begins with the prophet having another vision concerning an angel with a measuring rod. He was about to measure the dimensions of Jerusalem. This Jerusalem, however, was not the one that they were rebuilding, but the future New Jerusalem to come. It would not need the protection of manmade walls because the fire of the Lord would encompass His city and be the glory within. The Lord instructed Zion to flee from Babylon for the Lord was going to judge the nations that plundered the apple of His eye (Zion).  There is a two-fold meaning here because in Revelation, the Lord said to flee Babylon because of her wickedness. The Lord did not want His people to be entangled in sin and He is still the same way today.

The Lord will live amongst His people and Jerusalem will be His holy land. This signifies the nations of the world living in the Lord’s presence both Jews and Gentiles who have accepted Christ into their hearts and honored Him. In God’s kingdom, we are all heirs of Abraham. We can stand on the promises of God because we have been adopted into His heavenly family. As such, we are all the apple of God's eye. The Bible says: "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28).

Zechariah 3

Zechariah 3 begins with the Lord showing the prophet a vision where Satan was bringing accusations against Joshua the high priest. Yet, the Lord rebuked Satan and Joshua, having had on filthy garments, was changed to new garments and a clean head turban. In this vision, Joshua was a representation of Israel whom Satan was bringing charges against because of their sins. Nevertheless, the Lord had forgiven Joshua of His sins in the vision as a sign of Him forgiving Israel. Not only did the Lord forgive them, but He changed their garments so that they would be clean once again before Him. Joshua was told that if he walked in obedience to the Lord, He would govern the Lord’s house. In the same way, if Israel walked in obedience to the Lord, they would receive blessings from Him. Satan loves to point out our flaws before the Lord. Nevertheless, the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins and when we repent and turn from sin, He promises to remember them no more. Therefore, the enemy can finger-point all he wants, but Jesus lets us know that we are conquerors through the work that He did for us on the cross. The Bible says: "Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony;

they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death" (Revelation 12:10-11).

Zechariah 4 

Zechariah 4 begins with the prophet being awakened from his sleep to see a gold lampstand, bowl, pipes, two olive trees, and two gold sprouts. These represent the Light of the world in which there will be an abundant supply that will never run out. The two olive trees represent physical and spiritual Israel. Through Israel came the Messiah, and she enabled the whole world to know who Jesus is. This vision was meant to encourage Zerubbabel, Judah’s governor, to complete the temple project because it would not be by his own power or might but by the Spirit of the Lord. We can never live for God in our own might. We must recognize that it is the Spirit of the Lord who enables us to resist sin and submit ourselves to Jesus. He is the Light of the world and when we submit fully to Him, others can see His light shining on the inside of us. The Bible says: "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden" (Matthew 5:14).

Zechariah 5 

Zechariah 5 begins with the prophet seeing a vision of a flying scroll. This scroll was going to curse everyone who was a thief and swore falsely. This vision symbolizes God’s righteous judgment that would be poured out on those who chose to sin and not be repentant of what they had done wrong. The scroll read on both sides which was God’s standard by which man would be judged.

Then Zechariah saw a basket and inside of it was a woman who represented wickedness. The cover of it was removed to show the women, but then it was closed back up as she was pushed back inside to keep her wickedness from coming out. Sin is a heavy weight upon the sinner. It weighs one down just as the woman in the basket was pushed down with the cover of lead on her. Israel, though the Lord had forgiven them, was not done with their ultimate sin which would be their future killing of the Messiah whom they would reject.

The two women who have wings like starks and who lifted up the basket are believed by some scholars to represent demonic forces who would set up the final evil that the Lord himself would destroy at the end of days. We should make sure that we are never a part of evil but are always willing to live in accordance to the laws of God. The Bible says: "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

Zechariah 6 

Zechariah 6 begins with the prophet seeing four chariots coming between two mountains of bronze with bronze representing a sign of judgment. The first chariot had red horses which symbolizes bloodshed and judgment. The black horses represent war, famine and plagues. The white horses symbolize victory, peace and prosperity. The speckled mixed horses represent prosperity and diversity. Israel had experienced all of these horses throughout their history but were finally at rest from the north (Babylon).

Some of the exiles remained in Babylon but came to bear gifts for the rebuilding of the temple and were mentioned by name, so Zechariah was to receive their gifts. A crown was to be made from the silver and gold received to be placed upon Joshua, the high priest’s head. This was a representation of the coming Messiah who was King over all mankind. Joshua whose name means Jesus embodied Him as the King of kings and Lord of lords being also our High Priest and will reign for all eternity. One day, there will be no more judgments, but those who are saved will rewarded with an eternity with Christ. The Bible says: "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him" (James 1:12).

Zechariah 7 

Zechariah 7 begins with the prophet receiving a word from the Lord during King Darius’ fourth year as ruler. The people from Bethel sent messengers to inquire of Zechariah as to if they were to still fast as they had during their time in captivity. The Lord posed the question as to who they had been fasting for. Was their fasts truly for Him or had it been for themselves. The Lord wanted them to administer justice, have mercy and compassion on others and to treat each other with love. This was more important to the Lord than any of their fasts. The Bible says: "But Samuel replied: 'Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams'" (1 Samuel 15:22).