The Day of the Lord (Zechariah 14:1-21)

#zechariah #nightvisions #dayofthelord

We can think of the "Day of the Lord" in scripture as being the final day. We do see the day of the Lord as a day when the Lord makes all things right. We think of this as one day rather than one day that is manifested at different times in history. In fact, God by his providence shows his deliverance in patterns throughout covenant history. The point is to give the assurance and warning to the nations that there is a day of reckoning. There is warning to the nations that they better assemble to worship with God's people rather than make war against them. These patterns give assurance that the Lord will bring his people to dwell with him on his holy plateau in the heavenly city that comes down from heaven when all things are created new.

(Preached October 9, 2022)

On That Day (3) (Zechariah 13:7-9)

We know that God's people will be pierced through the heart after they send the Lord's shepherd to death. We can see the future promise of this reality. However, what is the Lord going to do at the end of the day? The Lord says that he will scatter his sheep, he will cut off two thirds of the sheep. He will sanctify the last third of the sheep.

(Preached 9.25.2022)

On That Day (2) (Zechariah 12:10-13:6)

Zechariah set a scary stage in the previous context. The setting is the nations marching against Jerusalem. The nations were meeting for the battle at the mountain of the assembly. This is not assembly for worship, but assembly with the intent to destroy God's city. God's holy mount Zion is being reclaimed as the mountain of war. The Lord promises to secure his holy mountain and his holy city. The Lord is going to establish his "vision of peace" or what we know as Jerusalem. History is moving to the goal of the Lord's heavenly city where God dwells with his people forever. Zechariah continues to describe the "Day of the Lord" with the assurance that the Lord's Spirit will be poured out. His people will repent. Idolatry will be removed. His people will grieve that they have pierced the messiah. However, the Lord's people will dwell in peace in the Lord's heavenly city dwelling in the presence of God himself.

(Preached September 18, 2022)

On That Day (Zechariah 12:1-9)

The prophets speak of the "Day of the Lord." This is the day when the Lord makes everything right. This is a wonderful day when the Lord establishes his justice, manifests his mercy, and sees to it that the world is fully in the true rest of the kingdom. Zechariah is concluding his prophecy with this vision of the lord making all things right. Our call is to bow our knee to Christ, submit to his reign, and see that as we seek first his kingdom our Lord will deliver us.

Preached September 11, 2022 (9/11/2022)

False Shepherds and Fake Sheep (Zechariah 11:1-17)

Zechariah prophesied that the Lord's judgment is going to come to all people. This means that it is upon those outside the believing or covenant community as well as those inside the community or the church. Zechariah warns the false shepherds they will be judged. Zechariah also points out a troubling time when his people treat one another as commodities to be traded rather than fellow members of Christ. Zechariah leaves us to see that our only hope is bowing our necks under the Lord's redeeming mercy.

(Sunday August 28, 2022)

God’s Purpose Will Stand (Zechariah 10:1-12)

The prophet Zechariah gives a warning to the false shepherds. This is pretty scary considering that Joshua is not a perfect priest as we witness the vision in Zechariah 3. The assurance that the prophet gives the Lord's people is to pray and ask God. Zechariah assures us that God does in fact listen to our our prayer and God will provide for us. God desires a people who wrestle with him. We know that God will prevail, and so we seek to conform to his image. We do not make God in our image.

(Sunday August 21, 2022)

Behold! Your King (Zechariah 9:9-17)

Christ rides a donkey into the holy city of Jerusalem. This is upsetting to the rulers, but we might wonder why is riding on a donkey so upsetting? Why do the people chant praises to Christ as their king when he is on a donkey rather than a war horse? Zechariah provides the backdrop to this prophecy. Zechariah declares that the Lord will establish his vision of peace unlike the fallen nations. It is not through the war horse, but through the king laying down and taking up his life to establish the Lord's eternal kingdom.

(Sunday August 14, 2022)

Prophecy of Doom and Deliverance (Zechariah 9:1-8)

Zechariah receives word regarding some cities that we barely know. However, these cities better pay attention because the Lord's judgment is coming against them. This is not just a prophecy that declares death, but there is assurance that the Lord will establish his heavenly city as symbolized in Jerusalem.

(Sunday August 7, 2022)

Fasting to Feasting (Zechariah 8:18-23)

The prophet tells us about the promise of eternal life. The prophet makes a very pregnant promise that the Lord's people will be from the nations. The Lord's great feast will be an international community joining together as a new Israel. The Lord truly has wrestled and the Lord has prevailed to bring his people into his rest.

Discerning God's Will (Zechariah 7:1-14)

The Israelites inquire about fasting. They want to know if they should continue their fast regarding the temple's destruction. Their history is a place of limbo. On the one hand they are back in the land, but on the other hand the temple is not finished. This question is very pious as they are inquiring about how to honor the Lord. However, the Lord questions why Israel is asking about this fast. The Lord does not want our outward acts, but we learn that God wants his people.

The Counsel of Peace (Zechariah 6:9-15)

Zechariah moves from being the recipient of visions to the prophet who brings the word of the Lord to the Lord's people. He brings a revelation that a crown is to be placed on the priest's head, and then the crown is the be placed in the temple. The promise is that the branch brings the council of peace between them both. We might think that there is a tension between the king in Israel and the priest. However, it is not an issue of the people, but the separate offices. Zechariah is speaking of the priest king who has no beginning of days nor end of days that we know as Melchizedek.

Heaven's Visitation (Zechariah 6:1-8)

Zechariah moves to another location where he sees two bronze mountains. There are chariots that pass between the mountains and survey the world. The horses resemble or echo the horses in the first vision, but now they are pulling chariots. These mountains show the entrance to heaven or the exit from heaven. These chariots are no longer surveying, but they are moving to judge the north country.

Wicked Women (Zechariah 5:1-11)

Zechariah sees a woman in a basket and then two women carrying her away to the land of Shinar. This is a vision of the Lord removing wickedness from the midst of his people in his holy land. Those who desire to worship other gods or being rebellion against God will be carried over to he Babelite community

God’s Priestly People (Zechariah 3)

Zechariah sees a court room. This court scene is in heaven. In this vision Zechariah sees the Angel of the Lord, Satan, and Joshua the high priest assembled for court. Joshua is dressed in a garment that is ceremonially unclean. It is uncouth and not something that the priest should wear. The Lord commands the priest to be unclothed and clothed once more. The priest's condemning garments are removed, but not to humiliate him. This testifies to the Lord's redeeming mercy not only for the priest, but even for his people. The Lord demonstrates in his vision his passion to redeem, cleans, and dwell with his people forever.

A City Guarded By God (Zechariah 2:1-13)

The Lord places his people back in the promised land only to have their progress stalled by a letter. It is a letter that goes forth seeking to halt any progress Israel makes in rebuilding the Lord’s holy city. The Lord has affection for his people, and his dwelling in their midst. Can the Lord bring about his redemptive promise to dwell with his people? Is the Lord stronger than the nations?

God's Holy City Will Stand (Zechariah 1:18-21)

We are tempted many times in our Christian walk to doubt whether God is strong enough to fulfill his promises. We can survey the world and it is not as we think it should be. We might pray to God and in our perspective it seems that he is not listening to us. The prophet Zechariah gives us the absolute assurance that God does listen to our prayers. The prophet assures us that the Lord will build his heavenly city. The prophet assures us that the Lord has all this in check. How can this brief vision give us the assurance that God's plans do not fall flat when it seems his redemptive program has failed?

Man's City Under Surveillance (Zechariah 1:7-17)

People in the city of man think that they are safe. They trust in their military might and their strategy. However, the city of man looses sight of the reality that it only functions in the confines of God's providence. The Lord sees the actions of the city of man and the Lord will act on behalf of his people. We can take comfort in Zechariah seeing the Angelic Horsemen surveying the earth.

God Returns to His People (Zechariah 1:1-6)

God says through his prophet, “Return to me and I will return to you.” This is a promise that sounds rather conditional. This is strange considering that the Lord promises to send a redeemer to Adam. The Lord calls Abraham out of his idolatrous land to sojourn to heaven. The Lord is the one who walks between the cut up animals as the Lord cuts a covenant with Abraham that we call the “Covenant of Grace.” So, how can the Lord say to Israel “return to me and I will return to you?”