Today’s passage: Zechariah 8

Helpful thoughts:

• The prophecy of this chapter continues the response to the question from those who had come from Bethel in the beginning of chapter 7.  (Compare verse 19 with 7:3)
• God promises future blessing to Israel and bases the commands for righteous living on these promises.
  • This is NOT, “Do good or else…”
  • It is, “I am surely going to do these things, therefore you should live in light of it.”
• The word is truth (John 17:17), Jesus is the truth (John 14:6), the Spirit is truth (John 14:17), and God’s city will be the city of truth (Verse 3).

Questions to consider:

1. Though the number ten is probably figurative in verse 23, what is the ratio given of Gentiles to Jews in the millennial kingdom?  What is the implication of what the worship of Christ will look like in Jerusalem “in those days?”
2. Why would it make sense to look forward to God’s promises as motivation for obedience?  How is that different (Other than timing…) than looking back at His previous faithfulness?  If God’s future promises are absolutely certain, what does that teach us about His sovereignty?
3. We are motivated to lie and fight because we want something, or we fear the results are not going to go our way.  How does God’s control of the outcome free us to love peace and truth (Verse 19)?  How can we apply that to our relationships today?

Today’s passage: Zechariah 7

Helpful thoughts:

• Different fasts had been observed by the Jews during the time of exile.  This fast in the fifth month was specifically ordered to mourn the burning of the temple.  At the time of this prophecy the temple was still two years away from being completed.
• The motive of the fasting is called into question.
  • It should have been an act of contrition and repentance.
  • Instead it had become an act of self-pity.
• When the chief end of man is to benefit self, wrong-doing and empty religious rituals will feel “right.”  We justify our wrongs by considering the end goals and God even becomes a means to our own ends.
  • When our end goal is to worship and glorify God, we read verses 9 and 10 with a humble heart and a desire to act accordingly.

Questions to consider:

1. In what ways are verses 9-10 so very similar to Micah 6:8?  How is God calling us to live in a world that is not characterized by these virtues?
2. What changes must take place in our own hearts to cause us to live in this way?  (Ephesians 2:8-10)
3. There is a great challenge given to measure the sincerity of our hearts in this chapter?  Why do I give?  Why do I treat people the way I do?  Why do I serve?  Why do I go to church?  (1 Corinthians 10:31)  Thinking honestly about the motives of our heart gives us an even greater appreciation for the work of Jesus Christ on the cross in our place!

Today’s passage: Zechariah 6

Helpful thoughts:

• This vision from verses 1-8 connects to the first vision (1:8).
  • These horses and chariots are working out God’s judgment on the nations and preparing the way for the Messiah to reign (“The Lord of all the earth”).
• It is believed the two mountains of bronze represent the Mount of Olives and Mt. Zion.  The valley that lies between is called the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
  • The name, “Jehoshaphat” refers to the judgment of God.
• The crowning of Joshua pictures the future truth of a priest-king.  A “Branch” who will unite the offices of priest and king, Jesus Christ.

Questions to consider:

1. Jesus is our Great High Priest, our King, He will rule as the Lord of all the earth, and He will bring judgment with Him when He comes.  What is the only right response to these truths?  How then should we live?
2. Can you find different persons of the Trinity in this chapter?  What are they doing? (Or, what will they be doing?)  How is their shared essence put on display?
3. With whose blood has King Jesus made the once-and-for-all priestly atonement for our sin (Hebrews 9:12)?

Today’s passage: Zechariah 5

Helpful thoughts:

• There are two separate visions in today’s chapter:
  • The scroll
    • This scroll measured 30 ft. by 15 ft. and contained God’s word against sin.
    • Lying and theft are mentioned specifically, it is believed that these two specific references were representative of all God’s commands.
  • The woman in a basket
    • This vision continues the idea of God’s commitment to deal with and remove sin.
    • The land of Shinar is that of Babylon (Revelation 17-18).
    • The use of the phrase “Build a house for it” is used as religious terminology.  This would be a place of worship, idolatry.

Questions to consider:

1. What is true of our standing in relation to the contents of that scroll?  What prevents us from being cleaned out or expelled? (2 Corinthians 5:21)
2. What else happened that might come to mind when we think about Shinar (Genesis 11)?  How would this use of Shinar and Babylon continually point us to the idea of rebellion against God?
3. When people reject and rebel against God, they might feel like they have great liberty, but if God is able to show these visions to Zechariah ahead of time, and if this all is within the providential plan of God for the ages, could there ever be a truly successful rebellion against God?  Is God ever not in control?  Instead of liberated, what are people who are rejecting God (John 8:34)?

Today’s passage: Zechariah 4

Helpful thoughts:

• This fifth version encourages the completion of the building of the temple.
• The lamps would have used olive oil.  So, the trees on either side, along with the bowl and the pipes that are represented give the idea of a lamp that continually burns without need of human intervention.
• The two anointed positions depicted in verse 14 are believed to be that of the king and the priest.  At the time of this vision, that would have been Zerubbabel (In the line of David) and Joshua (The line of the High Priests).
  • Christ fulfills both “anointings.”

Questions to consider:

1. In reading verse 7, who might we give all the credit to for the successful building? But then, when we go back and read verse 6, what do we remember?  Whose power is truly at work?  How does this give us confidence when we read verses like Philippians 1:6 and Romans 8:29-30?
2. Can any mountain (Or any other obstacle or opponent) stop God from accomplishing what He has promised?  What are some promises of God we see in His Word that can give you great encouragement to overcome obstacles?
3. The people who had seen Solomon’s temple had mourned the reduction in size and magnificence in the new temple, but God tells the people in verse 10, “whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice.”  How might our perspective on how great things are (Or how insignificant) differ from God’s?

Today’s passage: Zechariah 3

Helpful thoughts:

• Joshua was the high priest who came back from the exile along with Zerubbabel in Ezra 3:2.  The spellings of “Joshua” and “Jeshua” are the same person in these passages.
  • Joshua is standing before God as a representative of the nation.  These accusations, grace, blessing, etc. are not just for him, but for all Israel.
• Israel was worthy of these filthy garments.  Satan did not have to falsify any report or accusation of filth.  But God, who is rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4) graciously clothes his chosen people in clean (righteous) garments.
  • The new priestly outfit was not complete without a new turban.  The priestly turban read, “Holiness to the Lord” (Exodus 28:36-37).  This holiness was gifted to Israel, and was now expected of her.
• There are three references to the coming Christ in verses 8 and 9:
  • My Servant
    • Isaiah 53:11
  • The Branch
    • Jeremiah 23:5-6
  • The Stone
    • Matthew 21:42

Questions to consider:

1. In what ways do we see the themes of guilt, mercy, grace, forgiveness and repentance today?  In what ways do the components of this vision preach the gospel?
2. How did the Stone which the builders rejected remove the iniquity of His people?  Where and when did that removal of sin take place (Romans 5:6-11)?
3. What is the sign depicted of Joshua the priest (And all his companions, who were other priests who would come after him) representing Israel before God?  What would have been true of all of them?  Who alone can righteously stand before God on our behalf (Hebrews 4:14-16)?

Today’s passage: Zechariah 2

Helpful thoughts:

• The vision from chapter 2 again looks forward to the millennial city of Jerusalem.  The man with the measuring line in hand is measuring out just how big Jerusalem will one day be.
• There was practical purpose for building the physical walls around the city of Jerusalem during Nehemiah’s time, but if God determines to protect His people, they need no other wall! (Verse 5)
• Verse 8 reminds us, when you mess with God’s people, you mess with God.  (Romans 8:31)
  • And Christians, by God’s grace we have been included.  He calls us, “My people.” (Verse 11)

Questions to consider:

1. If God’s people are so enamored with His glory in their midst (Verse 5), do you think they would even be worried about what is going on outside the city?  What causes us to fear in this world?  What can turning our attention towards God’s glorious love do for us, even in this life (1 John 4:18)?
2. In the end, regardless of how people “felt” or thought about God in this life, what will all mankind be left to do before our Holy God (Verse 13)?  Who is our God and what is the only right response of His own creation before Him (Philippians 2:10-11)?
3. How can these truths give us confidence (A humble confidence) to love people around us today?

Today’s passage: Zechariah 1:7-21

Helpful thoughts:

• If, like me, you aren’t a horse expert, here is what a “sorrel” horse looks like.
• These angels had been sent to patrol the earth.  They were scouting out the nations in preparation for military-like action.
  • The nations were found to be at rest, which was a stark contrast to the struggles of Jerusalem.
  • God commits here to again defend Jerusalem and bless the people.
• The vision of the four horns and four craftsmen appears to be similar (Pointing to the same events) as that of Daniel 2 and 7.
  • If that’s the case, then the fourth “craftsmen” would be Jesus Christ Himself.

Questions to consider:

1. What do we learn about God in this passage?  He is all-knowing and eternal, and yet He interacts with these angels and with mankind in a way that allows us to interact and learn about who He is, what does that teach us about Him?
2. How does God think about and care for those whom He has chosen?  Even when He used a foreign nation to discipline Jerusalem, what made him angry about their heart in doing that (Verse 15)?
3. Who was the commander of the Lord’s army in verse 11?  The Angel of the Lord is a name used in the Old Testament for the Pre-incarnate Christ…how does this scene showing Him to be the commander tie in with Revelation 19:11-21?

Today’s passage: Zechariah 1:1-6

Helpful thoughts:

• Zechariah was born in Babylon and served as a priest in Jerusalem after the return from exile, during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah.
• This book opens with a call to repentance.  After their return from exile (Which had been a consequence of their sin), the people continued in their sin!  God calls this logic (Or the lack thereof) into question.
• In the end of verse 6, we see the response of the people.  They repented and acknowledged the truth of God’s rebuke.

Questions to consider:

1. Why would the Lord continue to refer to Himself as the Lord of Hosts in this rebuke toward the people?  How had He shown Himself to be the God who commands the armies (Think: Angel armies, Israel’s armies, even foreign armies) to accomplish His will?  Why does it make so much sense to follow His commands even at this level of understanding?
2. With all the logical sense that demands we obey God, do we?  Were the Jews ever going to nail down perfect obedience before God?  Could we?  Why not?  (John 8:31-34)
3. What is our only hope of freedom from this slavery to sin (Romans 6:1-7)?  Who sets us free?