Gold for the heart - Zechariah 7-10

Zechariah 7

The Lord exposes hypocrisy and implores us to hear His words

1 And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of the LORD came to Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, in Chisleu; 2 When they had sent to the house of God Sherezer and Regem-melech, and their men, to entreat the face of the LORD, 3 And to speak to the priests that were in the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years? 4 Then the word of the LORD of armies came to me, saying, 5 Speak to all the people of the land and to the priests, saying, When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month those seventy years, did you at all fast to me, even to me? 6 And when you ate and when you drank, did you not eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves? 7 Should you not hear the words that the LORD has proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and its cities around about her, when men inhabited the south and the plain?

The Lord reasons with us to listen to the words that He has spoken through His prophets (2 Peter 1:21).
He knew their thoughts and their hearts so He knew that they went through motions but it was not from the heart. Their minds were on other things.

1Kings 8:39 … whose heart you know; (for you, even you only, know the hearts of all the children of men;)

8 And the word of the LORD came to Zechariah, saying, 9 The Lord of hosts speaks this, saying, Judge judgments of truth, and every man show mercy and compassions to his brother: 10 And do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner, or the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart. 11 But they refused to listen, and pulled away the backsliding shoulder, and stopped their ears so that they would not hear.

The title Lord of hosts reminds us just who it is that is speaking, the Maker and Lord of all.
Judgment of truth is according to God and what He has said because He is truth.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.

The Lord doesn’t listen to the people who don’t listen to Him

He scatters them as a whirlwind

12 Yes, they made their hearts hard as a diamond not to hear the law, and the words that the LORD of hosts has sent in his spirit by the former prophets: so great wrath came from the LORD of hosts. 13 Therefore it has come to pass as he proclaimed, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, says the LORD of hosts: 14 But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they did not know. By this the land was desolate after them so that no man passed through or returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate.

Zechariah 8

God is jealous because His love for mankind is great

1 Again the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, 2 The Lord of hosts says this; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury. 3 The Lord says this; I have returned to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem will be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain.

His people had turned away from Him to worship things that were not gods but deceivers.
Zion is the place of victory where the Christian’s last enemy has been conquered.
Now, our heart is God’s dwelling place (Ephesians 3:17-20).

Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying, Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn you.

John 15:13 Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

4 The Lord of hosts says this; Again old men and old women will dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, every man with his staff in his hand for great age. 5 And the streets of the city will be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. 6 The Lord of hosts says this; If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvelous in my eyes? asks the LORD of hosts. 7 The Lord of hosts says this; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; 8 And I will bring them, and they will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they will be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.

God promises good things to come.
He will gather His people to Him and make things right.
The Bible is God’s word of truth to the world.
The battle against the Bible is so vicious and strong that few of God’s people know much of what He has said to us in His word.
His word has been set aside for other books in many of His churches.

John 17:17 Sanctify them through your truth: your word is truth.

9 The Lord of hosts says this; Let your hands be strong, you that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built. 10 For before these days there were no wages for any man or any wage for any animal; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbor.

Proverbs 16:7 When a man’s ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

1Peter 5:5 Likewise, you younger, submit yourselves to the older. Yes, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resists (makes war against) the proud, and gives grace to the humble.

He causes the remnant to take possession of His blessings

11 But now I will not be to the rest of this people as in the former days, says the LORD of hosts. 12 For the seed will be peace; the vine will give her fruit, and the ground will give her increase, and the heavens will give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.

Revelation 21:7 He that overcomes will inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he will be my son.

God makes His people to be a blessing

13 And it will come to pass, that as you were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so I will save you, and you will be a blessing: do not fear, but let your hands be strong. 14 For the Lord of hosts says this; As I determined to punish you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, says the LORD of hosts, and I did not turn back: 15 So again in these days I have determined to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: do not fear. 16 These are the things that you are to do; Every man is to speak the truth to his neighbor; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: 17 And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbor; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, says the LORD. 18 And the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, 19 The Lord of hosts says this; The fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, will be joy and gladness to the house of Judah, and cheerful feasts. Therefore love the truth and peace.

The Lord hates lying, injustice, unrest, false oaths, and imagining evil against a neighbor.
Do you see here that love of the truth brings joy and gladness?

Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man that does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law he meditates day and night. 3 And he will be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in its season; his leaf will not wither; and whatever he does will prosper.

20 The Lord of hosts says this; It will still come to pass, that people will come, and the inhabitants of many cities: 21 And the inhabitants of one city will go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. 22 Yes, many people and strong nations will come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.

Acts 17:24 God that made the world and all things in it, since he is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, since he gives to all life, and breath, and all things; 26 And has made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined the times before appointed, and the boundaries of their habitation; 27 for them to seek the Lord, if perhaps they might feel after him, and find him, though he is not far from every one of us: 28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being

He is with us

23 The Lord of hosts says this; In those days it will come to pass, that ten men will take hold out of all languages of the nations, will take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation/way of life be without covetousness; and be content with what things you have: for he has said, I will never leave you or forsake you.

Zechariah 9

God’s goodness and beauty are great

1 The burden of the word of the LORD in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus its resting place: when the eyes of man, of all the tribes of Israel, will be toward the LORD. 2 And Hamath will border it; Tyre, and Zidon, though they were very wise. 3 Tyre built herself a stronghold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets. 4 Behold, the Lord will cast her out, and he will strike her power in the sea; and she will be devoured with fire. 5 Ashkelon will see it and fear; Gaza also will see it, and be very sorrowful, and Ekron; for her hope will be ashamed; and the king will perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon will not be inhabited.

They trusted fortifications instead of making God their safe place.
They trust money instead of the One who is the source of all things.

Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith

Romans 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

He camps around His own

6 And a bastard will dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines. 7 And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth: but he that remains, even he, will be for our God, and he will be as a governor in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite. 8 And I will encamp about my house because of the army, because of him that passes by, and because of him that returns: and no oppressor will pass through them anymore: for now I have seen with my eyes.

Daniel 4:37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

Psalm 34:7 The angel of the LORD encamps round about them that fear him, and delivers them.

9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, Your King comes to you: he is just, and having salvation; humble, and riding on an ass, on a colt the foal of an ass. 10 And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be cut off: and he will speak peace to the heathen: and his dominion will be from sea even to sea, and from river even to the ends of the earth.

Verse 9 is the first coming of the Son of God to earth, as Savior from sin.
Verse 10 is the Second Coming, the conquering king who will rule earth rightly forever.
Revelation 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, except he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a garment dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies that were in heaven followed him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it he should strike the nations: and he will rule them with a rod of iron: and he treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he has on his garment and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Daniel 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which will not pass away, and his kingdom that which will not be destroyed.

The Lord rewards double and defends

11 As for you also, by the blood of your covenant, I have sent your prisoners out of the pit where there is no water. 12 Turn to the strong hold, you prisoners of hope: even today I declare that I will return double to you; 13 When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up you sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and made you as the sword of a mighty man. 14 And the LORD will be seen over them, and his arrow will go forth as the lightning: and the LORD GOD will blow the trumpet, and will go with whirlwinds of the south.

He will be seen fighting for His own.
He will blow the trumpet and go with whirlwinds.

15 The LORD of hosts will defend them; and they will devour, and subdue with sling stones; and they will roar in battle as those drunk with wine; and they will be filled like bowls, and as the corners of the altar. 16 And the LORD their God will save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they will be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign on his land. 17 How great is his goodness; how great is his beauty! Grain will make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids.

Ezekiel 1:26 And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and on the throne was the likeness of a man above upon it. 27 And I saw as the color of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from his loins upward, and from his loins downward, I saw the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. 28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.

Zechariah 10

The Lord’s anger is kindled against bad shepherds over His people

1 Ask the LORD for rain in the time of the latter rain; the LORD will make bright clouds and give showers of rain, grass to every one in the field. 2 For the terahim/idols speak iniquity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore the people wander like sheep, they are afflicted, because there is no shepherd. 3 My anger is kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the LORD of hosts has visited his flock the house of Judah, and has made them as his majestic horse in the battle.

A majestic horse in battle is magnificent, charging unafraid.

4 Out of him came the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together. 5 And they will be as mighty men who tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they will fight, because the LORD is with them, and the riders on horses will be put to shame.

The Lord of all the universe is with us.
Men often trust their military weapons and machines rather than the Lord.
They can’t understand how a handful of untrained men could beat them.

Psalm 33:17 A horse is a vain thing for safety: neither will he deliver any by his great strength.

Deuteronomy 20:4 for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

He will strengthen, save, and bring His people to His place for them

6 And I will strengthen the house of Judah and I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back again for I have mercy on them. They will be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the LORD their God and will hear them. 7 And those of Ephraim will be like a mighty man, and their heart will rejoice as through wine: yes, their children will see it and be glad; their heart will rejoice in the LORD. 8 I will whistle for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they will increase as they have increased.

1Peter 1:18 you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver and gold, from your vain conversation/empty life received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without spot

9 I will sow them among the people and they will remember me in far countries; and they will live with their children and turn again. 10 I will bring them again out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon until no room can be found for them. 11 And he will pass through the sea of affliction, and will strike the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river will dry up: and the pride of Assyria will be brought down, and the scepter of Egypt will depart. 12 And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they will walk up and down in his name/person, says the LORD.

‘Walk up and down’ is a figure of speech or idiom that means to rule (Ezekiel 28:14, Job 22:14).
The New Testament says that we are IN HIM 75 times.

Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with him a thousand years.

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SUMMARY: Zechariah 7-10

The Lord exposes hypocrisy and implores us to hear His words
The Lord doesn’t listen to the people who don’t listen to Him. He scatters them as a whirlwind
God is jealous because His love for mankind is great
He causes the remnant to take possession of His blessings
God makes His people to be a blessing
He is with us
God’s goodness and beauty are great
He camps around His own
The Lord rewards double and defends
The Lord’s anger is kindled against bad shepherds over His people
He will strengthen, save, and bring His people to His place for them