I.
BACKGROUND OF ZECHARIAH 4.
1.
Israel had been in captivity in Babylon for 70 years.
2.
King Cyrus made a Decree that they should return.
3.
About 50,000 people made the 700 mile journey back to
Jerusalem in 536 BC and found it in ruins.
4.
Nehemiah miraculously rebuilt the wall to the city in
52 days
5.
They immediately attempted to rebuild the temple. They
laid the first foundation but they did not complete it. The work laid dormant
for 16 years. The work stopped in 536 BC.
8 Now in the second month of the second year of their coming to the
house of God at Jerusalem, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, Jeshua the son of
Jozadak, and the rest of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all
those who had come out of the captivity to Jerusalem, began work and
appointed the Levites from twenty years old and above to oversee the work of
the house of the Lord. (Ezra
3:8)
24 Thus the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem ceased, and
it was discontinued until the second year of the reign of Darius king of
Persia. (Ezra 4:24)
6.
They began to rebuild
the temple a second time on September 22nd 520BC and five months
later on February 15,
519 BC God gave Zechariah these visions.
7. God gives Zechariah 8 visions in one night. Visions 1-3 speak of God’s mercy in
restoring Israel as a light to the nations. Vision 4 speaks of God
cleansing Israel and granting mercy. Vision 5 speaks of God granting
supernatural provision.
II.
ZECHARIAH’S FIFTH VISION.
1Now
the angel who talked with me came back and wakened me, as a man who is
wakened out of his sleep. 2And he said to me, “What do you see?” So
I said, “I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold
with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven
pipes to the seven lamps. 3Two olive trees are by it, one
at the right of the bowl and the other at its left.” 4So I answered
and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, “What are these, my lord?” 5The
angel who talked with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these
are?” And I said, “No, my lord.” (Zechariah 4:1-5)
1.
Lampstand -
Israel’s calling to be a light to nations.
2.
Olive Trees – The two main Leaders who are called to
lead the restoration of the temple (Joshua and Zerubabel).
3.
Zechariah question of the meaning of the vision. God
often wants us to seek Him for answers.
III. INTERPRETATION OF THE VISION.
6“This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power,
but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts. 7‘Who are you, O
great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain and he
shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”’”
(Zechariah 4:6-7)
1.
The vision is about supernatural supply.
a.
The trees are continually pouring oil into the bowls
without human effort.
b.
The oil is continuous so the fire stays burning.
c.
The vision was given to encourage the leadership that
God was on their side and would not let them fail.
2.
The vision encourages them to speak what He is
releasing Grace! Grace!
a.
Shouts of Grace were encouraged.
IV. THE OPPOSITION THEY HAD TO OVERCOME.
1.
Samaritans (Political and Civil Opposition).
4 Then the people of the land tried to
discourage the people of Judah. They troubled them in building, 5 and
hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus
king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia. (Ezra 4:4-5)
16 Then the same
Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in
Jerusalem; but from that time even until now it has been under construction,
and it is not finished.” 17 Now therefore, if it seems good to the
king, let a search be made in the king’s treasure house, which is there in
Babylon, whether it is so that a decree was issued by King Cyrus to build this
house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send us his pleasure concerning
this matter (Ezra 5:16-17)
2.
Spiritual Lethargy, Discouragement, Fear and Strife.
2 “Thus speaks the Lord
of hosts, saying: ‘This people says, “The time has not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built.” 3 Then
the word of the Lord came by
Haggai the prophet, saying, 4 “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and
this temple to lie in ruins?” (Haggai
1:2-4)
3.
Economic Crisis.
10 Therefore the heavens above you
withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit. 11 For I called
for a drought on the land and the mountains, on the grain and the new
wine and the oil, on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock,
and on all the labor of your hands.” (Haggai 1:10-11)
4.
Desolation and Ruins.
6Now
therefore, Tattenai…7Let the work of this house of God alone…8Let
the cost be paid at the king’s expense from taxes on the region beyond the
River; this is to be given immediately to these men, so that they are not
hindered. 9And whatever they need…let it be given them day by
day without fail…11I issue a decree that whoever alters this
edict…let him be hanged… 13Tattenai…diligently did according to what
King Darius had sent…15The temple was finished. (Ezra 6:6-13)
V.
THE SECOND WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT.
9 “The hands of Zerubbabel Have laid the foundation of this temple; His
hands shall also finish it. Then you will know That the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you. 10
For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven rejoice
to see The plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the Lord, Which scan to and fro throughout
the whole earth.” (Zechariah 4:9-10)
1.
Joshua started and he will finish it.
a. The
first time was in their second year (after returning from Babylon), which was
536 BC (Ezra 3:10). The second time was in 520 BC, after a sixteen-year delay,
(8:9; Hag. 2:18)
b. Jesus will ensure it. The Angel may have been the
one sent here.
2.
Heaven rejoiced to see the initial efforts of Joshua.
a.
Plumb line – The starting process. This is necessary
for the foundation. God rejoices in the little things we do.
b.
We must not despise the day of small things because
God does not.
No comments:
Post a Comment