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Lessons from Zechariah: Encouragement and Spiritual Restoration

Explore the lessons from the prophet Zechariah during the important dates and events in history. Discover the call to repentance, visions of horses and horns, the coming of the Messiah, and the restoration of Jerusalem. Find encouragement and spiritual restoration in the messages of Zechariah.

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Lessons from Zechariah: Encouragement and Spiritual Restoration

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  1. 70 yrs Important Dates To Remember Studies from the prophet Zechariah. The work on the temple resumes and the temple is finished. 612 B.C. 606 B.C. 586 B.C. 539 B.C. 536 B.C. 520 B.C. 516 B.C. 483 B.C. 458 B.C. 445 B.C. 430 B.C. Babylon defeats Assyria Captivity begins (Daniel & 3 friends) Judah falls to Babylon; captivity begins Medo-Persia defeats Babylon – Zerubbabel (temple) Prophecies of Haggai & Zechariah Temple completed Story of Esther (between Ezra 6-7) – Ezra (spiritual infrastructure) – Nehemiah (city walls) Prophecy of Malachi RETURN #1 RETURN #2 RETURN #3

  2. Lessons from Zechariah 612 520 430 ~520-480 BC • The prophet Zechariah: • Contemporary of Haggai; the word of the LORD comes to Zechariah 2 months after Haggai began his prophecy. • Zechariah & Haggai worked together to encourage the people to rise up and finish the task they had started on the temple but had failed to finish. • The peoples thoughts were about resuming their life, rebuilding their physical city, the physical temple, and the nation. God, through Zechariah, calls their attention to a greater spiritual kingdom, temple, and nation that He wanted and would build.

  3. Lessons from Zechariah 612 520 430 ~520-480 BC • The prophet Zechariah: • Summary of the book: • Chapters 1-6: God gives Zechariah a series of night visions • Chapters 7-8: God calls for repentance and promises blessings. • Chapters 9-11: The Messiah will come and be rejected. • Chapters 12-14: The Messiah will come and reign.

  4. Lessons from Zechariah 612 520 430 ~520-480 BC • Chapter 1: Call to Repentance; Visions of the Horses; Visions of the 4 horns • Repent! Don’t be like your fathers who failed to heed to the words of the prophets. Where are they now? • “Just as the Lord of hosts determined to do to us, according to our ways and according to our deeds, so He has dealt with us.” • God did what He said He would do….

  5. Lessons from Zechariah 612 520 430 ~520-480 BC • Chapter 1: Call to Repentance; Visions of the Horses; Visions of the 4 horns • Zechariah sees a man riding on a red horse with other horses of different colors behind him among the myrtle trees; an angel talked with Zechariah. • Zechariah questions what these are… “These are the ones whom the LORD has sent to walk to and fro throughout the earth.” • “We have walked to and fro throughout the earth, and behold, all the earth is resting quietly.”

  6. Lessons from Zechariah 612 520 430 ~520-480 BC • Chapter 1: Call to Repentance; Visions of the Horses; Visions of the 4 horns • God keeps watch and knows what happens upon the earth. He knows what the nations have done to His people. • Jehovah has come in response to the need Jerusalem has for the need of His mercy, and He will protect and care for His people.

  7. Lessons from Zechariah 612 520 430 ~520-480 BC • Chapter 1: Call to Repentance; Visions of the Horses; Visions of the 4 horns • Zechariah then sees 4 horns and told that “these are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.” • Zechariah also sees 4 craftsmen (blacksmiths) to “terrify them”, and cast out the horns. • God is going to bring judgment upon the nations who have scattered His people.

  8. Lessons from Zechariah 612 520 430 ~520-480 BC • Chapter 2: Visions of the Measuring Line; A call to flee Babylon for spiritual Zion • Zechariah sees a man with a measuring line and is told the man is to measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and its length. • He is told that Jerusalem will be inhabited as towns without walls. • God will be a wall of fire around her and He will be the glory in her midst. • The new Jerusalem will be different than the old. There will be no physical constraints (walls), yet they will be protected by God.

  9. Lessons from Zechariah 612 520 430 ~520-480 BC • Chapter 2: Visions of the Measuring Line; A call to flee Babylon for spiritual Zion • Zion is encouraged to “flee from the land of the north,” and to “escape you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon.” • God will shake His hand against the nations who plundered Zion. • “For he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.” • Sing and rejoice! God is coming to dwell in your midst! • “Many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in your midst.” • Leave the world of wickedness and dwell in the realm of righteousness that God will provide.

  10. Lessons from Zechariah 612 520 430 ~520-480 BC • Chapter 3: Vision of the High Priest; the Coming Branch • Zechariah is shown Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him. The LORD rebukes Satan. • Joshua was clothed with filthy garments which were taken away. • “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.”

  11. Lessons from Zechariah 612 520 430 ~520-480 BC • Chapter 3: Vision of the High Priest; the Coming Branch • The angel of the LORD admonishes Joshua: • If you walk in My ways and keep My commandments, you will judge My house and have charge in My courts. • You and your companions are a wondrous sign - “for behold I am bringing forth My Servant the Branch.” • (Ref. Is. 11:1; Jer. 23:5) • God wants His people, and specifically the leaders of the people (the priests), to purify themselves and dwell in righteousness.

  12. Lessons from Zechariah 612 520 430 ~520-480 BC • Chapter 4: Vision of the Lampstand & Olive Trees • The angel of the LORD “awakens” Zechariah and asks what he sees: • A lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top • Two (2) olive trees by it, one on the left and one on the right.

  13. Lessons from Zechariah 612 520 430 ~520-480 BC • Chapter 4: Vision of the Lampstand & Olive Trees • The angel of the LORD “awakens” Zechariah and asks what he sees: • A lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top • Two (2) olive trees by it, one on the left and one on the right. • Zechariah asks, “What are these, my lord?” • A symbol of God’s continuing presence (His Spirit, His light) to help Zerubbabel complete his task of rebuilding the temple.

  14. Lessons from Zechariah 612 520 430 ~520-480 BC • Chapter 4: Vision of the Lampstand & Olive Trees • Don’t despise the small things! • Although the temple being rebuilt was far inferior to the temple of Solomon’s day, the LORD thought it sufficient to accomplish His plans. The LORD had plans far beyond what the physical temple would withstand.

  15. Lessons from Zechariah 612 520 430 ~520-480 BC • Chapter 5: Vision of the Flying Scroll; Vision of the Woman in a Basket: • Zechariah sees a flying scroll about 30 ft. long and 15 ft. wide. • The curses against those who do evil are written upon a great scroll. God does not intend to tolerate wickedness. The curse will enter the house of the one who does evil and will destroy it.

  16. Lessons from Zechariah 612 520 430 ~520-480 BC • Chapter 5: Vision of the Flying Scroll; Vision of the Woman in a Basket: • The angel then focuses Zechariah’s attention once again to the sky where there was a grain basket with a woman inside. • The woman represented Wickedness and the lid was replaced upon the basket. • Then Zechariah saw 2 other woman flying in, picked up the basket and took it to the land of Shinar (Babylon). • Wickedness will be found among the world but it will not be tolerated among God’s people.

  17. Lessons from Zechariah 612 520 430 ~520-480 BC • Chapter 6: Vision of the Four Chariots: • Zechariah then sees four (4) chariots coming from between two (2) mountains.

  18. Lessons from Zechariah 612 520 430 ~520-480 BC • Chapter 6: Vision of the Four Chariots: • Zechariah then sees four (4) chariots coming from between two (2) mountains. • “These are four spirits of heaven, who go out from their station before the Lord of all the earth.” • Seems to represent forces that go forth from the LORD into all the earth to bring about His will.

  19. Lessons from Zechariah 612 520 430 ~520-480 BC • Chapter 6: Joshua crowned with double crown • Zechariah is told to meet Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah who have come from Babylon at the house of Joshua the high priest. There they would take some of the silver and gold and set the crowns on his head. • This was a symbolization of the joining of the two anointed offices of priest and king. • The one prophesied is the BRANCH (Is. 11:1; Jer. 23:5). He shall build the true temple. He shall be king and priest and bring peace for His people.

  20. Lessons from Zechariah 612 520 430 ~520-480 BC • Chapter 7: Questions from the people • The people question if they should continue to weep and fast in the 5th month as they had been doing. • God asked them if they really did it for Him. No, they do it for themselves. • It would have been better had they obeyed the prophets when Jerusalem was inhabited.

  21. Lessons from Zechariah 612 520 430 ~520-480 BC • Chapter 8: God is zealous for Zion • God promises His favor to those who have returned from the captivity. • “I will return to Zion, And dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, The Mountain of the Lord of hosts, The Holy Mountain” • Their fasting occasions will turn from a time of mourning to occasions of rejoicing.

  22. Lessons from Zechariah 612 520 430 ~520-480 BC • Chapter 9-11: Destruction of the nations; deliverance of God’s own; the Good Shepherd • Chapters 12-14: The holy and indestructible nature of spiritual Israel

  23. Lessons from Zechariah 612 520 430 ~520-480 BC • The Messiah depicted as: • The meek king (9:9) • Mt. 21:5; Jn. 12:15 • One sold for 30 pieces of silver (11:13) • Mt. 26:15 • Pierced Savior (12:10) • Jn. 19:37 • Smitten Savior (13:7) • Mt. 26:31; Mk. 14:27

  24. The Temple is finished; Ezra 5:1-6:22 612 520 430 ~520-480 BC • Work is resumed on the temple • “Then the prophet Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophets, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. So Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak rose up and began to build the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and the prophets of God were with them, helping them.” (Vs. 1-2) • Tattenai, the governor over the land beyond the Euphrates, wanted to know what was happening. But the eye of the LORD was upon the elders of the Jews.

  25. The Temple is finished; Ezra 5:1-6:22 612 520 430 ~520-480 BC • Work is resumed on the temple • Tattenai sends a letter to Darius the king questioning the Jews response. A search is made and a copy of Cyrus’ decree is found in Achmetha, a province of Media. • Darius sends word back to Tattenai that he is not to interfere with the work, and help support it financially. They were to ever provide animals for the sacrifices. Warnings are given to anyone who alters the edict.

  26. The Temple is finished; Ezra 5:1-6:22 612 520 430 ~520-480 BC • The temple is completed. • “Now the temple was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.” (6:15) (Note: this would have been in the Feb/March timeframe and one month prior to the first month, Nisan, when the Passover feast was to be observed.) • The children of Israel celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy.

  27. The Temple is finished; Ezra 5:1-6:22 612 520 430 ~520-480 BC • The temple is completed. • The children of Israel observe the Passover Feast. • “Then the children of Israel who had returned from the captivity ate together with all who had separated themselves from the filth of the nations of the land in order to seek the Lord God of Israel. And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy; for the Lord made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.” (6:21-22)

  28. Lessons for Today; from Zech. 4 1900 2000 2013 • Nothing is too hard for the LORD to accomplish! • “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts. ‘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!” vs. 6-7 “The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Cor. 15:56-58)

  29. Lessons for Today; from Zech. 4 1900 2000 2013 • Don’t despise the small things! • ““The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; His hands shall also finish it. Then you will knowThat the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you. For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven rejoice to seeThe plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.” vs. 9-10 “And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.” (Mt. 10:42)

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