The Attributes of God:

The Hope Zechariah 14:9-21 “And the Lord will be king over all the earth; in the day the Lord will be the only one, and His name the only one.”               What we see is not always what it will be.  Today we see all the problems and struggles of a broken and fallen world.  We see a world that lives in fear and without hope.  As we go through the minor prophets, we repeatedly read of the warnings of coming judgment.  Like a long winter; we wonder if there is any hope.               As we come to Zechariah 14, we feel the fresh breeze of hope blowing across the landscape.  In verse 2, we read of the future appearance of the Lord, when the messianic king arrives, and he will bring final victory over the enemies of Israel. It will begin with the final world war as the nations gather together to fight Israe...

When a Nation Rejects God Zechariah 11:1-17 “For behold, I am going to raise up a shepherd in the land who will not care for the perishing, seek the scattered, heal the broken or sustain the one standing, but will devour the flesh of the fat sheep and tear off their hoofs.”               What happens when a nation rejects God?  Our country is in the throes of spiritual rejection.  At every turn, it seems people think of new ways to cast off the constraints of God's moral law in pursuit of its own morality.  But what is the result?             In chapter 11, Zechariah describes the future rebellion of Israel and their rejection of the Messianic Shepherd.  In prophetic terms, Zechariah describes that Judah and Israel will reject God-appointed leader: the Messianic King.  In verses 13 and 14, the shepherd who is rejec...

The Future Plan of God Zechariah 8:1-17 “So I have again purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.  Do not fear!”               Where is history going?  Many people fear the future and what is going to happen. They fear the threat of war that might lead to nuclear disasters, global warming, and environmental and natural disasters.  There is a sense of impending doom that unless humanity alters these things, we face threats to humanity's very existence.  In Zechariah 8, God paints a different picture.  The people were returning to the land of Israel and starting to rebuild the nation. However, in the face of the struggles, they became discouraged, and the task of renewal seemed hopeless in light of the present circumstances (vs. 6).  In response, God reminds them that the reasons for their discouragement have passed.  God i...

When God Delivers His People  Zechariah 2:1-13 “After glory, He has sent me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.”               Although many of the prophecies found in the minor prophets focus on the punishment and judgment of God upon the sins of the people of Israel, the message of Zechariah is one of hope and salvation.  After God used the Assyrians and Babylonians to discipline Israel, in chapter 2, God promised to restore the people.  In this second vision,  Zechariah sees a man with a measuring rod to survey the land again.  In Amos, God used the measuring line to measure the sin of the people of Israel.  But now, the measuring line is used to plan the rebuilding of the city carefully.  But this city will be different, for it will be without walls.  In the Ancient Near East, the city's wa...

The Jealousy and Love of God Zechariah 1:12-17   “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and Zion.”               In our modern usage, jealousy is primarily used as a negative word.  It describes resentment, bitterness, or hostility towards someone because they have something a person wants. In terms of relationships, we use it in the context of hostility and distrust of another, and, in most cases, it is used to describe an unhealthy attitude towards someone with whom you are in a relationship.  However, the word can also have a positive meaning in that it can refer to one who so deeply loves another that they are protective in maintaining or guarding the relationship from anything that harms it. It describes one who is vigilant and devoted in their love so they protect the relationship from any intrusion.  When the word is used to describe God, it speaks of...

The Glory of the Future Days:    The Snare of the Old Days Pt 2. Haggai 2:6-23 “The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,” says the Lord of Hosts, “and in this place I will give peace,” declares the Lord of Hosts.               It is right to remember the triumphs and joys of the past.  Part of the gift of memory is remembering the pleasant events that happened in the past.  A gift from God is that our natural tendency is to remember the good and forgive the bad.  The appeal of nostalgia is that it brings back pleasant events that mark our life. Furthermore, it is good to reflect on and remember the work of God that was manifested in the past.  Remember, God’s past deliverance from adversity is essential to finding hope in the present.  In Joshua 4, after the Israelites crossed the Jordan to enter the land God promised, Joshua comma...

The Snare of the “Old Days” Pt 1 Haggai 2:1-3   “Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not seem to you like nothing in comparison?”               The elation of rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple soon turned to discouragement and despair.  When Ezra brought the people back and began the process of rebuilding, many were rejoicing.  It was a time of renewal and celebration.  For 70 years, the temple was in ruin, and the place of worship was vacant.  When the people arrived with Ezra, there was an air of excitement and anticipation as they sought to restore the nation to its glory.  In Ezra 3, we read that after the initial work of restoring the foundation of the Temple, there was a great joy.  Verse 11 states that they were singing and praising God, and the people were shouting with great joy. ...