Zechariah 1:7-17 The Reward of God’s People

Beginning in Zechariah 1:7 and continuing through :8, we learn that the prophet Zechariah had a series of eight visions, all in one night. In the first of these visions, Zechariah saw a group of angelic horsemen. Their report that the heathen were at ease caused the Angel of the Lord to cry out to God on behalf of and God’s people. God answers by assuring Zechariah that His people would be blessed again and the heathen would be punished for their wickedness. There is an important principle illustrated in this vision. No matter how backwards life may seem, we must trust that God will always reward His people for their righteousness. I. The ______(vv. 7-11) • A good rule of thumb when dealing with prophecy is general is this: focus on revelation, not ______. • The heathen were enjoying ______and prosperity. The Jews had repented of not working on the temple and were in obedience to the Lord again. Yet they still faced opposition. (:1-4) • The ______between the condition of the wicked and the righteous leads to Angel of the Lord to cry out to the Lord of Hosts. II. The ______(v. 12) • In this prayer, Christ intercedes on behalf of God’s people. He alone is the ______between God and man. (1 Timothy 2:5) • Based upon God’s promise, the time for ______deliverance was at hand. (:10) • Satan would love to ______the children of God still. But Christ is there, at the right hand of the Father, answering every charge laid against us. (Romans 8:33-34) III. The ______(vv. 13-17) • God was jealous for Jerusalem in the sense that He wanted to see the honor of Jerusalem restored and along with it the honor of its inhabitants. God never ______His people. (Isaiah 49:14-16) • In the end, the way of the wicked is always harder than the way of righteousness, but not always in the ______. (Psalm 73) • God then expounds to Zechariah six aspects of the blessings that God would soon give to Jerusalem. These promises were fulfilled in great measure within a generation. But these promises will find their greatest fulfillment in the ______kingdom of Christ. (Revelation 21:21-24) • The promises of God always find their final and ______fulfillment in the person of Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:19-20) Conclusion While it may seem that the ungodly and the unbelievers are enjoying a better life now, that will not always be the case. Even if every day they lived on earth was more enjoyable that yours, they will spend eternity in misery while God’s people will spend eternity enjoying the splendor of Heaven. No matter how ______life may seem right now, know that God will always reward His people for their righteousness.

Remarkable Prophecies: A Study of Zechariah Zechariah 1:7-17

Zechariah 1:7-17 The Reward of God’s People Have you ever wondered why bad things happen to good people or why good things happen to bad people? Most of us have pondered this question before. It would seem to us that if someone is doing wrong, then their life should be nothing but misery until they begin behaving rightly. But experience tells us this is not the case. The prophet Zechariah and the Jews to whom he preached had to face this question. The people had repented and restarted the work on the temple, but they were still meeting resistance, and life was not easy for them. In contrast, the Gentiles all around them were living lives of relative ease. If they were God’s chosen people doing a job that God told them to do, shouldn’t their life have been easier? We have to accept the fact that God’s timetable and His reasons for what we go through will not always be understandable to us. It is easy to question what is happening in the moment. But we must remember that in the end, the wicked will be punished and the righteous will be blessed. Beginning in Zechariah 1:7 and continuing through Zechariah 6:8, we learn that the prophet Zechariah had a series of eight visions, all in one night. These visions were prophetic and were intended to encourage Zechariah and all of God’s people. Zechariah 1:7 tells us when Zechariah received these prophetic visions. Zechariah 1:7 Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of the prophet, saying, These visions all came in one night three months after Zechariah’s first prophecy (Zechariah 1:1) and almost six months after ’s first prophecy (:1). In the first of these visions, Zechariah saw a group of angelic horsemen, a celestial calvary, if you will. Their report that the heathen were at ease caused the Angel of the Lord to cry out to God on behalf of Jerusalem and God’s people. He asks for mercy and the fulfillment of God’s promise. God answers by assuring Zechariah that God’s people would be blessed again, and the heathen would be punished for their wickedness. There is an important principle illustrated in this vision. No matter how backwards life may seem, we must trust that God will always reward His people for their righteousness. I. The Posse (vv. 8-11) In verses eight through eleven, we are given the specifics about the vision Zechariah saw. Zechariah 1:8-11 I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white. [9] Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be. [10] And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth. [11] And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest. It is important to keep two things in mind when interpreting prophetic visions such as this. First, because Zechariah was seeing into the spiritual realm, there is a lot about it that will always remain mysterious to us. Secondly, we must be careful of reading meaning into details of the vision that are not clearly revealed in scripture. A good rule of thumb when dealing with prophecy is general is this: focus on revelation, not speculation. God has given enough information to be sure that every portion of scripture is “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” While there may be aspects of this vision that make us scratch our head, there are

1 Remarkable Prophecies: A Study of Zechariah Zechariah 1:7-17 also aspects that can be easily understood and are a blessing to us when we take the time to study them. There are several different characters in this vision that are important to distinguish. First, there is a man riding a red horse. He is the central figure of the vision and is later identified as the Angel of the Lord. The language used leads us to believe that this was the second member of the Trinity, God the Son. (Compare with Joshua 5:13-15) Next, you have the angel that talked with Zechariah. This is the interpreting angel who is also present in the other visions. His role was to communicate the meaning of the visions to Zechariah so that he might then share it with God’s people. Also, in this vision were an unnumbered group of angels on horseback. These were angels whose job it was to go through the earth and report back on what they saw. In the vision, they are coming to give their report to the Angel of the Lord. The report that the celestial scouts gave was that “all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.” The heathen were enjoying peace and prosperity. We know from secular history that the early years of Darius’s reign was relatively peaceful. This is in great contrast to the afflictions that God’s people were enduring. Remember, the Jews had repented of not working on the temple and were in obedience to the Lord again. Yet they still faced opposition. Ezra 5:1-4 Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in and Jerusalem in the name of the God of , even unto them. [2] Then rose up the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them. [3] At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall? [4] Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building? Why was God seemingly blessing the heathen with ease while His people were struggling so much? The contrast between the condition of the wicked and the righteous leads to Angel of the Lord to cry out to the Lord of Hosts, the name used most frequently in Zechariah for God the Father. He is the Lord of the hosts of men and the hosts of angels. He is the Almighty God. II. The Prayer (v. 12) We read the prayer offered by the Angel of the Lord to the Lord of Hosts in verse twelve. Zechariah 1:12 Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years? This prayer is given by the Angel of the Lord, who, as we have seen, is God the Son. It is one of the times that we see Christ in the . In some other places, He appears in human form as a “Christophony,” a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ on earth. In this prayer, Christ intercedes on behalf of God’s people. This is one of the strongest indicators that this Angel of the Lord is indeed God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. He alone is the mediator between God and man. 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; The basic question of Christ’s intercessory prayer is, “How long?” God had promised the Jews that after seventy years of captivity, they would return to the land, and their blessings would be restored.

2 Remarkable Prophecies: A Study of Zechariah Zechariah 1:7-17

Jeremiah 29:10 For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. Based upon God’s promise, the time for full deliverance was at hand. Was it not time to turn the tables and begin punishing the wicked and blessing the righteous? Before we examine the Lord’s answer, let’s pause to appreciate the fact that the same Jesus who is here interceding for God’s people still intercedes for us today. Satan would love to condemn the children of God still. But Christ is there, at the right hand of the Father, answering every charge laid against us. We have been declared innocent in Christ, our Advocate, and He will never cease to defend us before the Judge of the universe. Romans 8:33-34 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. [34] Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Having heard the plea of the Angel of the Lord, the Lord now delivers the answer to Zechariah through the interpreting angel. III. The Promises (vv. 13-17) Zechariah 1:13 And the LORD answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words. The answer the Lord gives is a message of comfort and promise. God did not intend to leave Zechariah or His people in distress. He had heard the prayer of His Son and would answer in the affirmative by blessing the righteous and punishing the wicked. The first thing that God establishes to Zechariah is that He had not forgotten His people, and He was, in fact, very upset with the heathen for the way that they had treated His people. Zechariah 1:14-15 So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for with a great jealousy. [15] And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction. God was jealous for Jerusalem in the sense that He wanted to see the honor of Jerusalem restored and, along with it the honor of its inhabitants. God never forgets His people. Isaiah 49:14-16 But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. [15] Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. [16] Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. When Jesus rose from the grave, He still had the scars in His hands and His side. He offered to let Thomas touch them as proof that He had risen bodily from the grave. Those scars, graven on the palms of his hands, are now permanent. We have been etched into God’s hands. He cannot forget His own. The heathen, however, are under God’s wrath. He is “very sore displeased” with them. The relative ease of the heathen was not a sign of God’s blessing. We cannot determine whether God is happy with our actions based on how hard or easy life is. In the end, the way of the wicked is always harder than the way of righteousness, but not always in the moment. If you find yourself struggling with this truth some times, know that you are in good company. Most Christians wonder about this at some point in time, and even some of the writers of scripture did. The writer of Psalm 73 did.

3 Remarkable Prophecies: A Study of Zechariah Zechariah 1:7-17

Psalms 73:3-5 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. [4] For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. [5] They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. As the psalmist thought more about what seemed like a backward set of fortunes, he almost gave in to despair. Psalms 73:13-14 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. [14] For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. But he did not end in confusion. The Lord helped him to put it all in perspective. Psalms 73:17-19 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. [18] Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. [19] How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors. In the end, the wicked will be punished, and the righteous will be blessed. It is inevitable. God then expounds to Zechariah six aspects of the blessings that God would soon give to Jerusalem. Zechariah 1:16-17 Therefore thus saith the LORD; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the LORD of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem. [17] Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the LORD shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem. These promises were fulfilled in great measure within a generation. Zerubbabel would finish the construction of the temple. Nehemiah would come, and the walls of Jerusalem would be rebuilt. The city would become a thriving center of trade and government once again, and its population would blossom so that at the time of Christ, tens of thousands of people lived in the city. But these promises will find their greatest fulfillment in the future kingdom of Christ. The capital of the world will be Jerusalem during the millennial reign of Christ. After that, there will be the new Jerusalem, the City of God, where we will enjoy God’s presence for eternity. Revelation 21:21-24 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. [22] And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. [23] And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. [24] And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. The promises of God always find their final and fullest fulfillment in the person of Jesus Christ. The promise of God’s presence is perfectly fulfilled in Jesus. We are in Him, and He is in us. The promise of God’s provision is perfectly fulfilled in Jesus. He was freely given to us, and, with Him, we are freely given all things. The promise of God’s protection is perfectly fulfilled in Jesus. He is our Savior and our Refuge. And every other promise of God is perfectly fulfilled in Jesus. 2 Corinthians 1:19-20 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea. [20] For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. Conclusion While it may seem that the ungodly and the unbelievers are enjoying a better life now, that will not always be the case. Even if every day they lived on earth was more enjoyable than yours, they will spend eternity in misery while God’s people will spend eternity enjoying the splendor of Heaven. No matter how backwards life may seem right now, know that God will always reward His people for their righteousness.

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