SUNDAY SCHOOL Lesson 6

May 10, 2020 A NEW DAY IS COMING!

Bible Background: Zechariah 8 Lesson Text: Zechariah 8:1-8, 11-17 UNIFYING TOPIC: PEACE AND JUSTICE REIGN

LESSON TEXT:

1. Again! (Zechariah 8:1-8) 2. Speak the Truth to Another (Zechariah 8: 11-17

THE MAIN THOUGHT: So, again have I thought in these days to do well unto and to the house of : fear ye not. (Zechariah 8: 11-17). LESSON AIM: God desired to restore His people to a place of blessings. He sent the prophet Zechariah to encourage them to remain hopeful. God had not forgotten them.

LESSON AIM: God often calls us to tasks that cannot be accomplished without His intervention. We are to maintain our hope in His promises and to remain encouraged in difficult times.

FOCUS Christine and Michael walked slowly through the immense destruction of their house. They were searching and hoping to find some photos of their children and Michael’s wedding ring. He had just taken the ring off to work on their car when the tornado siren sounded. Michael’s only thought was to run to the house to gather his children and wife. They met as he bounded up the steps on the porch. They went to the special room he has just completed for a storm like this. He never thought they would really use it or at least not this soon. After two minutes that felt like forever, the winds ceased. Michael slowly opened the door and walked cautiously up the steps. The darkness was replaced with bright sunshine. As his eyes adjusted, he had seen utter destruction. In the midst of this chaos and calamity, how would they ever find his wedding ring or the picture?

Michael decided he and Christine should stop and pray. As they prayed, others joined them. After the prayer, they walked and found the family photo of all the children and themselves. They smiled and hugged each other Even if they did not find the ring, the picture was a reminder of how God had shown mercy and blessed them in many ways.

What would you look for if your possessions were devastated in a powerful storm or an unbelievable situation? Do you pray and trust God right away, or do you turn to God later? What are ways God blesses people even when all hope is lost?

SCRIPTURE: ZECHARIAH 8:1-17

The LORD Promises to Bless Jerusalem

8 1 The word of the LORD Almighty came to me.

2 This is what the LORD Almighty says: “I am very jealous for ; I am burning with jealousy for her.”

3 This is what the LORD says: “I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City, and the mountain of the LORD Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain.”

4 This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each of them with cane in hand because of their age. 5 The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.”

6 This is what the LORD Almighty says: “It may seem marvelous to the remnant of this people at that time, but will it seem marvelous to me?” declares the LORD Almighty.

7 This is what the LORD Almighty says: “I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west. 8 I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.”

9 This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Now hear these words, ‘Let your hands be strong so that the temple may be built.’ This is also what the prophets said who were present when the foundation was laid for the house of the LORD Almighty. 10 Before that time there were no wages for people or hire for animals. No one could go about their business safely because of their enemies, since I had turned everyone against their neighbor. 11 But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as I did in the past,” declares the LORD Almighty. 12 “The seed will grow well, the vine will yield its fruit, the ground will produce its crops, and the heavens will drop their dew. I will give all these things as an inheritance to the remnant of this people. 13 Just as you, Judah and , have been a curse[a] among the nations, so I will save you, and you will be a blessing.[b] Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong.”

14 This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Just as I had determined to bring disaster on you and showed no pity when your ancestors angered me,” says the LORD Almighty, 15 “so now I have determined to do good again to Jerusalem and Judah. Do not be afraid. 16 These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; 17 do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this,” declares the LORD.

(8:1-23) Introduction: this passage is one of the most encouraging among all of Zechariah’s messages. It is full of hope. God gives promise after promise, one right after the other, with the promises building up until they reach a climax. God’s promises are rich and wonderful, offering blessings to all who trust in Him. No matter how desperate we may feel, no matter how hopeless our circumstances may seem, we must cling to the great hope and mighty promises God gives us in His Word. Any who dare to trust in the promises of God will not be disappointed but, rather, will find the glorious gift of eternal life. Zechariah’s generation needed encouragement and assurance. The returned exiles were gripped by a spirit of despair over the slow progress on rebuilding the temple. They doubted it could ever be finished. For that reason, the LORD offered His people several great promises—promises to encourage and motivate them. However, these promises were not meant only for them. The promises pointed to a day when the LORD Himself would return to establish His kingdom on earth. This is the subject of the present passage, The Promise of Restoration: A Picture of God’s People Being Restored and Richly Blessed in the Promised Land (Christ’s Kingdom on Earth), 8:1-23.

1. The foundation of restoration: God’s Word and His love (vv. 1-2). 2. The promises of restoration: five wonderful promises (vv. 3-8). 3. The encouragement of restoration: hear God’s Word and be strong—complete the work of God (rebuilding the temple) (vv. 9-15). 4. The life demanded by restoration (vv. 16-17). 5. The joyful day of restoration (vv. 18-23).

1. (8:1-2) Israel, Restoration of, Promised—Love of God, Demonstrated, in Prophecy—Word of God, Promises of, Restoration—Assurance, of What, Restoration of God’s People: the foundation or assurance of restoration is God’s Word and God’s love. God will restore His people to the promised land. He will do so because He said He would and because He loves them. Note the Scripture and outline: 2. God spoke to His dear prophet (v. 1). Once again, we are reminded of the Source of the message. The words about to be spoken were not the words of Zechariah nor of any other man. They were the Word of God. The promise of restoration was coming directly from the LORD. Note that prior passages say, “the word of the LORD came…” to the prophet. Throughout this passage another title is added: “the word of the LORD of hosts came….” Some modern versions translate this title as:

the LORD Almighty (NIV)

⇒the LORD All-Powerful (NCV)

⇒the LORD of Heaven’s Armies (NLT)

⇒These descriptive words shed light on the title’s literal meaning. Hosts (ṣābā’) can refer to the angels of heaven who worship and serve the LORD, who help execute His will on earth (see Ps. 103:21). The same word can also refer to the heavenly bodies such as the sun, moon, or numberless stars, oftentimes called the host of heaven (see Jer. 33:22). For example, in the creation account of Genesis, hosts referred to the heavens, the earth, and everything that was created. Hosts also has overtones of warfare and armies organized for battle.

Taken together, all these shades of meaning remind us that the LORD is sovereign— Ruler of all. He is the Creator and Sustainer of everything that exists on earth and in heaven. He is the Ruler and Commander of all the angelic armies of heaven who live to do His will. The LORD is not just any god nor one of many gods. He is the only God, the only true and living God, the LORD of hosts is He—the LORD Almighty who holds all power in heaven and earth—who was promising His people that they would be restored. Because of who He is and His great power, believers know that His promises are sure and that they can be trusted. The LORD of hosts will carry out or fulfill everything He has ever promised, including the restoration of His people.

1. God declared His love for Jerusalem (Zion). His love for the Holy City is passionate and strong—a jealous and all-consuming love (Ex. 20:5; 34:14; De. 4:24) (v. 2). The LORD’s promise of restoration was based on this great love for His people. He desired to cleanse, heal, renew, and bless the Holy City in addition to its people. Notice: that God’s love was both jealous and zealous. He reminded His people that He was very jealous over them, even burning with jealousy. He desired their love and devotion and was therefore angry when they gave themselves to idols and false gods. He was jealous for them like a husband is jealous for the affection and devotion of his wife. It was because of this great and jealous love that He had judged and humbled His people. Through affliction, He had sought to stir His people to cry out to Him in repentance. Some had cried out for God’s help and returned to Him. They finally heeded His warnings and came home to the promised land. Now, it was time for God to pour out His love and restore them.

Thought 1. God is just as jealous and passionate for His people’s love today as He was in Zechariah’s day. He longs for our complete and unconditional devotion. Knowing this, imagine how much it must grieve the LORD when we…

• neglect Him • sin over and over again • rebel against Him • give our time and devotion to so many things other than to Him

Keep in mind that even though the LORD of hosts loves us with a godly jealousy He longs for our fellowship. He is also jealous for His Name, His honor. He will not share His glory with false gods or the idols of our hearts. If we are called by His Name, we must bring glory to His Name. Note how God’s jealousy, His great love for His people, and His fierce wrath toward idolatry are closely connected. In fact, they are inseparable. The following verses speak openly about His jealousy for His Name and honor as well as His people—you and me:

“How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?” (Ps. 79:5).

“I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images” (Is. 42:8).

“For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another (Is. 48:11).

2. (8:3-8) Restoration: the results of God’s restoration will be extraordinary. In this message, the LORD gave His people five wonderful promises. These promises spoke first to the immediate restoration of Jerusalem in Zechariah’s day. Ultimately, however, they point to the Messianic Age when Christ will establish His Kingdom on earth. This will be the final and perfect restoration of Israel and of all God’s people. This is the great hope all believers share. It is a hope that empowers us to endure the trials of this life. God gives these five amazing promises to true believers in Israel and in all other nations of the world for this very reason: that we might hope and persevere to the end. Note the Scripture and outline: 3. The LORD’s first promise to his people was that the Messiah ( Christ) will return to Jerusalem to live among His people once again (see 2:10-13) (v. 3). Remember that God had deserted Jerusalem prior to the Babylonian destruction of the city. God had given the prophet Ezekiel a vision of His presence and glory departing from the temple (Eze. 9:3; 10:4,18; 11:22-23). The people’s sin and rebellion had grown so great that the LORD could no longer bear to dwell among them.

But here, in the present Scripture, the LORD vowed to come back to the city He so loved to live among His people once more. Their seventy years of captivity were over; judgment had cleansed the land and prepared the people’s hearts to live in the presence of God. God’s presence would now strengthen them to complete the work of rebuilding the temple. In fact, it would be His presence that would lead to all the other blessings promised in this passage, for the LORD’s presence is the very basis of the promises of God. The same is true today. We cannot enjoy the blessings of God unless we practice and make room for His presence in our lives. God’s promise to return was not limited to Zechariah’s generation. The promise pointed to a far greater demonstration of God’s presence—a more complete and enduring revelation. God will fully dwell among His people through the person of His Son, the Messiah, Jesus Christ (Col. 3:9-10). When Christ returns to establish His kingdom on earth, His kingdom will be eternal. At that time, sin will be abolished from the earth and God will fully dwell in the midst of His people. There will be no hindrance to the full enjoyment of His presence, nor will His presence ever again be withdrawn. The LORD will abide with His people forever. There will be two dramatic, world-changing consequences of God’s dwelling in Jerusalem. God’s presence will change the character of the city forever. As a result, the entire political and power structures of the earth will also change forever. 1) Jerusalem will become the world’s capital (v. 3a). When Christ returns to earth, He will establish His throne in Jerusalem and make the Holy City the capital of the world (see Mic. 4). All power, law, government, and judgment will be administered from this world capital. Justice, truth, and righteousness will flow from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. And the nations of the earth will stream to the LORD to learn of Him and His ways. The prophet Micah saw a beautiful picture of this in a vision given him by the LORD:

“But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem” (Mic. 4:1-2). 2) Jerusalem will be called the city of truth or faithfulness (v. 3b). The Hebrew word ’emet could be translated as truth, true, or faithful. Jerusalem will be the faithful city of truth for many reasons. First, Christ Himself will live and rule there. Christ is the way, the truth, and the life (Jn. 14:6). Second, truth, justice, and righteousness will flow forth from the city. Third, its inhabitants will be true and faithful. They will serve God faithfully and obediently—they will know the truth and obey it. Fourth, people from all nations will stream to the city to learn the truth of God and His ways. They will earnestly seek the LORD’s counsel, justice, truth, and righteousness for their lives. Fifth, God will be faithful to His people; He will live among them forever. Never again will His presence be withdrawn from them; rather, He will eternally bless and care for them. This promise is also given in verse eight.

1. The second great promise the LORD gave was most comforting: His people would live in absolute peace and security (vv. 4-5). Scripture describes this beautifully in two striking images:

1) The aged will sit and walk safely in the streets. 2) The children will gather and play safely in the streets. The cities of Zechariah’s day and succeeding generations have seldom been this safe. There have been few places where children could play in the streets unguarded by their parents. Likewise, cities in which the elderly felt free to sit and walk wherever they wanted have been sparse. Certainly, Jerusalem has never been such a place. It has always been filled with violence and bloodshed. Therefore, we know that this promise points to the future—to the coming kingdom of Christ. In that day there will be total peace and security. Every man, woman, and child will be completely safe. Justice and righteousness will rule the city and the whole world. Think how different that world will be:

People will slow down, even help others to cross the street rather than shoving them out of the way. ⇒ People will care for each other’s children as if they were their own.

⇒People will care for the elderly as if they were their own parents.

⇒People will be gracious and friendly, not hostile.

⇒People will be gentle, not rough or bullying. ⇒People will be loving and kind, not hateful or vicious.

⇒People will be generous, not greedy.

⇒When the Messiah returns to establish God’s kingdom on earth, His peace and justice will rule the land. All people will long for the LORD’s rule. They will freely and happily submit to the LORD’s love, and His love will secure the whole world. What a marvelous day that will be!

1. The LORD’s third promise is that He will demonstrate His amazing and miraculous power: He will completely fulfill His Word and every one of these promises (v. 6). Though the promises were marvelous, almost too amazing to believe, God has the power to fulfill them. Looking at these promises through the eyes of the returned exiles, they must surely have seemed incredible to them. Their lives— the reality they lived with from day to day—seemed so different from the picture the LORD was painting. The walls of the city still lay in ruins. The temple was only partially complete. They faced opposition from within and without. They lived in partially restored houses, had few necessary resources, and were barely able to feed themselves. They were struggling to survive. Even so, no matter how unbelievable the promises may have seemed, the LORD had the power to fulfill the promises. Therefore, He reassured the people that He would fulfill every one of them.

1. The fourth promise stated that the LORD would save His people and bring them back to the promised land (v. 7). Remember, not all of the exiles had returned. In fact, most Jews did not respond to God’s call to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city and temple. As a result, there are still many Jews scattered throughout the world. In light of that, there will be a second call to go out to all Jews in the last days (see Is. 11:11-12; 43:5-6). At that time, all of the true remnant of Israel will be returned to their homeland where Christ will rule the world. The reference to east and west simply stresses the fact that the Israelites had been scattered throughout all the earth and oppressed by nations on every side. Nevertheless, the LORD was promising to gather them again to restore them to the land He had given them—the promised land. Every member of the remnant—every Jew who trusts and obeys the LORD—will return to his or her homeland (Jerusalem represented all of Israel and the promised land). In Jerusalem, they will be safe from all enemies. Think about the application of this prophecy: it is a picture of the salvation and security God gives to every true believer. We will all be safe from enemies and live securely in the eternal promised land—the coming kingdom of Christ.

1. The fifth and final promise is that the LORD will restore His relationship with the people (see Zech. 13:9; Hos. 2:19-20; 2:21-23) (v. 8). This particular promise deeply touches the heart: the LORD will be their God and make them His people forever. Note the two sides of this heart-warming promise, the relationship of God with His people:

1) They will be His people. In other words, the LORD was going to completely reclaim His people, that is, those who truly trusted in Him. He was going to restore the relationship He once had with them. This is the ultimate objective of all the promises. It had always been the LORD’s desire to have fellowship with His people. He had long yearned to love and bless them and to be loved and glorified by them (Eph. 2:1-7). In fact, Israel had been formed as a nation for this purpose and all of mankind had been created for this same reason. God had created both Israel and the human race—made a covenant with them, judged them, delivered them, and was now restoring them—for this single purpose: that He might have fellowship with them and they with Him. All other promises pointed to this one goal: that they, and we, might have fellowship with the LORD (Eph. 2:1-7, .v. 7). 2) He will be their God and will prove faithful and just. The relationship between God and Israel had formerly been severed, at least temporarily. That happened when God abandoned the city due to the people’s sin. Now, however, God was promising to restore the relationship with His people. The renewed relationship would be built on truth, faithfulness, and righteousness. This was an expression of the LORD’s complete devotion and loyalty and of the people’s renewed devotion to Him. The LORD had always been righteous but the people had not been. The day is coming, though, when God is going to make all things right by His own power and might, His own faithfulness. He will establish a perfect relationship with all of His people. Furthermore, He will forever protect every believer in the coming kingdom of Christ. Faithfulness, truth, justice, and righteousness will be the standards of this restored relationship.

Thought 1. God created us for the purpose of fellowship with Him. Think about this amazing truth: the true and living God, LORD of all the earth, Sovereign LORD and majesty of all that is, longs for fellowship with us. Everything the LORD has done and everything He is presently doing is for the purpose of turning our hearts to Him. And this He has been doing since the fall of the human race. Starting with Abraham and Moses, He first formed the nation of Israel. Then, through His beloved nation, He brought the Messiah, His very own Son, the Lord Jesus Christ to earth. God did all of this to reconcile the world to Himself—to restore the broken bond of love between us. It is because of Christ’s sacrifice that we can now have fellowship with God, for His Word teaches that this fellowship is available only in and through Christ and Him alone. It is possible because of Christ’s death—His sacrifice on behalf of our sins. Listen to what God’s Word says about abiding in Christ and the fellowship we have with the Father and Son:

“Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (Jn. 14:23).

“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him” (Jn. 14:21).

3. (8:9-15) Encouragement, Given by God, to His People—Encouragement, for What, the Work of the LORD; Reconstruction of the Temple—Promises, of God, to Remove All Obstacles—Believers, Charges to, Be Strong and Finish: God’s promise of restoration offered great encouragement to the returned Jewish exiles. The exiles had grown discouraged because of the obstacles that were slowing progress on the temple. Many of them were probably wondering if it would ever be finished. They had been given a job to do and longed to complete it, but they were opposed at every turn. Their only hope of completing the task was to have God’s presence and power among them. In the following Scripture, note that after the LORD gave each command to be strong, He followed it with a great promise (vv. 9, 11, 13, 14). Consequently, each promise was an encouragement to the people to be strong, to finish their work on the temple.

1. The people were to be strong because God had removed all discouraging factors, all obstacles (vv. 9-10). God’s message was simple and direct: the remnant was now to finish the temple because the Lord either had already removed or was in the process of removing the problems or obstacles that the people were facing. Two obstacles in particular were named: 1) Lack of wages. Apparently, the people had not been paid for their work in the past. Perhaps there were insufficient funds or there might have been corruption of one sort or another. Regardless of the reasons, the LORD was promising that the workers would now be paid. Think what a relief this must have been. The laborers no longer had to worry about feeding their families. In addition, they could use their earnings to help with the cost of re-storing their own homes. Note how the LORD always provides for His people, those who truly love and serve Him. Because the people were now taking care of the LORD’s work first, He would take care of them.

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Mt. 6:33). 2) Lack of safety and peace due to enemies and the constant pressure of daily insecurities. Besides the daily concerns over wages and resources, the workers faced constant threats from enemies. The enemies referred to here were mainly those within Israel. As with any large project, the people were probably squabbling and arguing over the best way to proceed. There were also many Israelites who opposed the work indirectly by working on their own houses first (see Hag. 1). The picture painted in verse 10 was one of daily insecurity: no matter where the workers went, no matter what they tried to do, they faced adversaries. In addition, there were continuous threats from surrounding nations, those tribes and peoples who were threatened by the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

1. The people were to be strong because God would no longer judge the people but rather bless them (vv. 11-12). In other words, God had withdrawn His judgment. When the exiles first returned, they had sinned by neglecting the work of the LORD. While they were working on their own houses and businesses and reestablishing their community, they ignored the LORD and made little preparation for worship or for rebuilding the temple. For that reason, the LORD had withdrawn His blessings. He withheld the rain, which caused their crops to dry up. Thus their work was unproductive (see Hag. 1:6, 9-11; 2:16-19). He had also allowed other obstacles to hinder the work of His people— disorganization, lack of resources, unfruitful labor, and discord among the workers. All of this was to teach them a lesson, to correct their ways. They had reaped what they had sown. Now that He had their attention, though, He promised to bless them again. This blessing was described in terms of an abundant harvest. God would give them productive seed, fruitful crops, dew from heaven, and prosperity as their inheritance. These great promises represented more than just enough food to eat. The abundant harvest was a symbol of all of God’s blessings. The LORD would provide every resource the people needed to complete their great work. In addition, they would enjoy material and spiritual prosperity as their inheritance—a prosperity that would last forever.

1. The people were to be strong because God would save them and make them a blessing to others instead of an object of cursing and scorn (v. 13). God would bless all nations—all people of the earth—through them. This had always been God’s intention (Ge. 12:2-3). However, because Israel had sinned and been judged by the LORD, they had become an object of scorn among the nations. Neighboring peoples had often used the name of Israel in their curses and oaths. They mocked and ridiculed the Israelites—God’s very own people. What a tragedy! A tragedy made worse because it was the people’s own sin and rebellion that had brought about the mockery and scorn. Furthermore, the people were inexcusable, for God had warned the people about this very consequence when He first established His covenant with them (De. 28:37). In spite of everything, God was going to change the abuse of His people. Their neighbors would soon begin to see their progress on the temple and the LORD’s blessing upon them. As a result the neighbors would no longer curse and scam God’s people. Rather, they would admire and praise them. Even so, this praise and honor from the nations was not the end goal. God had determined to bless the whole world through Israel. This prophecy of blessing has already been fulfilled in Christ. People from all over the world have been blessed by Christ’s life, death, and resurrection—the gift of the Savior. It was from the seed of Abraham, the royal lineage of , and the nation of Israel that the Messiah was born. Therefore, Israel has already been a blessing to the nations. Yet, this prophecy will have its final fulfillment when Christ returns to establish His kingdom on earth. At that time, all nations will stream to Jerusalem to learn of the LORD. The whole world will be blessed through the just and righteous reign of God’s Son. Moreover, Jerusalem and Israel will be at the center of His reign. For all these reasons, the people were not to fear but to be strong (v. 13b).

1. The people were to be strong because God determined to bless His people and their capital Jerusalem (vv. 14-15). God would absolutely fulfill His Word. He was determined to bless them and He reassured them of this. Such reassurance was no doubt a great comfort, for several previous generations had suffered terribly. While the LORD had called His people back to the promised land, many were still unsure of His favor. The LORD therefore reassured them, repeating His promise to bless them.

1) The LORD would no longer punish them nor be angry with them.

2) The LORD would do only good for His people and Jerusalem. These two promises were a solid basis for hope. The people could be strong and complete the LORD’s work because He would always fulfill His Word, whether it is a word of judgment or the promise of blessing. In fact, the LORD stated that He was determined to bless them. He was as determined to bless this generation as He had been determined to judge the former generation. What the LORD says He is going to do, He does. His people knew this from firsthand experience.

Thought 1. Every human being has been discouraged at times, including believers. As believers, we have been given work to do for the LORD. Like the Israelites, we are often opposed in that work, for Satan uses every channel he can to distract, delay, or destroy the LORD’s work. People can test us and circumstances can sometimes overwhelm us. During such times, discouragement can become utterly debilitating. Whether brought on by heavy responsibility, ill health, severe hardship, or a host of other reasons, we must remember: God is with us. If we will look to Him, He will give us great encouragement just as He did for Israel. He promises to either remove all obstacles or to strengthen us to walk through whatever obstacles confront us. He further promises to provide for our every need, to help us complete the work He has assigned to us. Therefore, we are not to be discouraged. Instead, we are to be strong and keep working. We are to finish the work the LORD has given us to do.

“Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord” (Ro. 12:11).

“Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1 Co. 4:2).

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Co. 15:58).

4. (8:16-17) Believers, Duty, Four Commandments—Restoration, Response to, Four Behaviors—Salvation, Duty to Live Righteously—God, Blessings of, Should Lead to Righteousness: restoration was a wonderful promise given to the returned exiles. Along with the promise, the LORD clearly spelled out four challenges to His people. He was going to abundantly bless Zechariah’s generation both spiritually and materially. Along with these blessings, however, came the obligation to live lives that were pleasing to God. The people could not be a blessing to other nations if they returned to their lives of sin. So immediately after promising His richest blessings, God reminded the remnant of the righteous lives they were to lead. Note the Scripture and outline: 5. First, the people were always to speak the truth (v. 16a). Centuries earlier, the LORD had given His people the ten commandments. The ninth commandment clearly tells us that we are not to bear false witness (Ex. 20:16). This covers all forms of deception and lying, including withholding the truth. Withholding the truth is certainly not speaking the truth. Simply stated, truth was to govern the people’s relationships; honesty was to be a priority.

Thought 1. Today, we need to understand that telling the truth is not optional—it is not a suggestion from God. It is a commandment. However, today’s society has whittled down the necessity of honesty by simply saying, “Honesty is the best policy.” In God’s eyes, though, honesty is not just the best policy—it is the only policy. Note: how the New Testament takes this commandment to an even higher level, as it does for all ten of the commandments.

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice” (Eph. 4:29-31). Thus, our speech should not only be truthful but also edifying. It should encourage others and build them up, not discourage and tear them down.

1. Second, the people were to practice and execute true justice and peace (see 7:9) (v. 16b). These qualities were to characterize and define the people’s relationships. They were to treat each other honestly and fairly, striving for peace in all their associations. Note: that justice and peace are not negative concepts; that is, they are not merely the absence of something but the presence of something essential. For example, true peace is not merely the absence of war or ill-will. It is the presence of safety, security, and goodwill. Likewise, justice is not merely the absence of injustice or abuse. Rather, it is the presence of fairness, honesty, and concern for the well-being of others. Justice also implies the presence of righteousness, that is, right relationships and ethical conduct. True justice actively seeks the good of other people. It seeks to protect them and to ensure they are treated fairly—that they have their basic needs met. This is why the LORD so often commanded His people to care for widows and orphans.

Thought 1. True justice must fight against injustice wherever it is found, for injustice can quickly spread if left unchecked. True justice cannot stand idly, merely refraining from doing evil. It must seek out and show concern for those who are in need or oppressed. Thus, the LORD calls His people to be peacemakers and practitioners of justice. Only as we practice justice and create a just society can we be a blessing to others.

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Mt. 5:9).

“Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven” (Col. 4:1).

“I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality” (1 Ti. 5:21).

10. Third, the people were not to think evil nor plot evil against each other (v. 17a). This command was given earlier in Zech. 7:10. The LORD now repeats it; therefore, it must be important. God’s people could not be peacemakers if they held grievances or thought or planned evil against one another. Notice that the people were not even to imagine or think evil in their hearts. Just refraining from evil was not enough—not in God’s eyes. God was concerned with His people’s hearts.

Thought 1. The LORD is always concerned with our hearts, for out of evil thoughts flow evil actions. Harboring bitterness or resentment in our hearts can destroy our relationships with others and with God. Think how often petty grievances arise among people and then turn into bitter animosity. Soon, people start wishing that evil would fall on their adversaries. Or they resent and speak maliciously about them. God’s people are not to live like this. They are to live peaceably and mercifully with their neighbors. Christ set an even stricter standard in the New Testament:

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Mt. 5:44).

1. Fourth, the people were not to swear falsely nor even desire to do so (v. 17b). Perjury was condemned by God on many occasions (see Le. 5:4; Nu. 30:2; Jer. 5:2). Lying under oath in a court of law perverts justice and is an offense to the God of truth. The LORD had already commanded His people to speak only truth and to practice justice (v. 16). Those two commands went hand in hand with this one. But this fourth command, the command not to swear falsely, went even further. God told the people not to love false oaths nor even to desire perjury or falsehood. Several occasions when a person might desire perjury would be in a trial, a court of law. Perhaps the person on trial might want a witness to lie under oath in order to protect his interests so he will not be found guilty. Or, a witness testifying in court might want to lie to protect someone he or she cares about. Or, the same witness may want to lie in order to condemn someone for his or her own advantage. This is common in lawsuits and trials related to business matters, and these are just a few examples. Notice how all of these pervert justices.

Thought 1. As God’s people, we are not to commit perjury and are even to fight the temptation to do so. We are to uphold justice and love the truth, not lies and falsehood. Naturally, this applies not only to courts of law but also to every other area of life. Believers are to be honest in all their relationships and speak the truth in every situation. Lying or distorting the truth in any area violates basic trust and destroys our integrity. Even if no one else finds out, the LORD knows. The LORD requires truthfulness in every situation and from all of His people. Only a truthful and trustworthy person can be a blessing to others.

“But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne” (Mt. 5:34).

“But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment” (Mt. 12:36). Thought 2. No one, including genuine believers, should quickly dismiss passages that warn us of sin. God’s Word often confronts us with sin and warns us against it. Whenever it does so, we need to pay close attention. The warnings in this passage against lying and thinking evil, as well as its commands to be just and peaceable, may seem obvious to many of us. We may be tempted to gloss over them, to consider ourselves innocent.

However, we would be wiser to consider each sin carefully and ask the LORD where we may be guilty. The heart is deceitful, and our basic human instinct is to focus on the good we do, not on the bad we might be doing. Think how often we excuse or justify ourselves with little reflection on our faults. Rather, we need to ask the Holy Spirit to expose the hidden sins in our lives—sins of which we may not be aware. We must guard against the blindness of our hearts. The LORD promises to search our hearts and to forgive our sins as we confess them.

“But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man” (Mt. 15:18).

“Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart” (Eph. 4:18).

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn. 1:9).