2. The First Vision
Notes
Transcript
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Introduction - vs 7
Introduction - vs 7
“On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of Yahweh came to Zechariah the prophet, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, saying,”
Significant Date
Significant Date
Dueling Prophets - Haggai 2:10- 24th day of 9th month (end of November)
receives a prophecy after the laying of the foundation of the Temple
Hag 2:21-23 “21 “Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I am about to shake the heavens and the earth, 22 and to overthrow the throne of kingdoms. I am about to destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations, and overthrow the chariots and their riders. And the horses and their riders shall go down, every one by the sword of his brother. 23 On that day, declares the Lord of hosts, I will take you, O Zerubbabel my servant, the son of Shealtiel, declares the Lord, and make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the Lord of hosts.””
Zerubbabel - governor of Judah - descendant of David, Grandson of last Davidic King
YHWH about to shake heavens - overthrow kingdoms and armies
Make Zerubbabel signet ring - symbol of royal honor and authority
Davidic Dynasty still alive
Culmination of God’s plan to shake the heavens in the Son of David
Date comes in early BC 519 - a time of relative peace in the Persian Empire
Vision: The Man Under the Myrtles - vs 8-12
Vision: The Man Under the Myrtles - vs 8-12
I Saw a Man - vs 8
I Saw a Man - vs 8
8 I saw at night, and behold, a man was riding on a red horse, and he was standing among the myrtle trees which were in the ravine, with red, sorrel, and white horses behind him.
Excursus: Who is this man?
Excursus: Who is this man?
Vs 9 - Zech asks for interpretation, the angel volunteers
Vs 10 - then man under myrtle trees gives interpretation
vs 11 - angel of the YHWH also under myrtle trees
Man = angel = angel of YHWH
Exposition
Exposition
Riding a red horse
Red symbolizes wrath and judgement - Is 63
Among the myrtle trees
Myrtle trees are used to construct tents to celebrate the feast of Booths
Celebrates the End of Exodus and Presence of God in the Tabernacle
horses behind him
Red - likely wrath and judgment
Sorrel - brown
White - likely victory
Not just these three - entire army of horses
The Global Patrol - vs 9-11
The Global Patrol - vs 9-11
9 Then I said, “My lord, what are these?” And the angel who was speaking with me said to me, “I will show you what these are.” 10 And the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered and said, “These are those whom Yahweh has sent to patrol the earth.” 11 So they answered the angel of Yahweh who was standing among the myrtle trees and said, “We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth is sitting still and quiet.”
Excursus: Who is this Angel?
Excursus: Who is this Angel?
Seen in Daniel
Daniel 7:15-16 “15 “As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me was anxious, and the visions of my head alarmed me. 16 I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of the things.”
Explains that the Son of Man will have power and victory
Daniel 10:4-5 “4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris) 5 I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist.”
Vision of man clothed in linen (tempted to think of Son of Man dressed similarly in Dan 7)
Daniel 12:7 “7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever...
Angel in linen swears by Him who lives forever - not by His own authority or name
He is a messenger and interpreter who points to the Message
Meet him in Ezekiel
Ezek 40:3 “3 When he brought me there, behold, there was a man whose appearance was like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring reed in his hand. And he was standing in the gateway.”
Man in linen - standing in the gateway - YHWH?
Vision of temple being measured with measuring rode
Ezek 43:4-6 “4 As the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east, 5 the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple. 6 While the man was standing beside me, I heard one speaking to me out of the temple,”
YHWH speaking out of temple
Man in linen standing beside Ezek
Seen in the future in Revelation
Rev 22:8-9 “8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, 9 but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.””
He is just a pointer to the Messiah
Exposition
Exposition
Zech calls the man “my lord”
Like Daniel did
Angel volunteers, Man under the myrtles speaks
Angel = man under the myrtles
Horses report to Angel of YWHW standing under the Myrtle trees
Excursus: Is this Angel of YHWH Jesus?
Excursus: Is this Angel of YHWH Jesus?
If preincarnate Christ, why must He ask YHWH questions?
In OT Angel of YHWH who is Christ proactively claims to be and speaks as if He is YHWH
Gen 22:12 “12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.””
Identifies with YHWH
Gen 22:16 “16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,”
Angel of YHWH swears by himself
If not Jesus, who is he?
He is the man in Zechariah’s vision who commands the patrol of Horses - Heavenly General
He is the interpreting angel in Daniel and Ezekiel - Messenger pointing to Messiah
Exposition Round 2
Exposition Round 2
Report: Earth is still and quiet - what’s the problem?
What’s wrong with peace on earth?
Daniel 11 &12 - Kingdoms overthrow each other followed by time of distress never seen before
Visions comes right after this angel in Zech comes on the scene in Dan 10
Ezek 38-39 - Battle of Gog and Magog
Right before this angel in Zech comes on the scene in Ezek 40
Peace on earth brings these visions into question
Restoration of Israel comes in Day of the Lord after these things
How Long, O YHWH? - vs 12
How Long, O YHWH? - vs 12
12 Then the angel of Yahweh answered and said, “O Yahweh of hosts, how long will You have no compassion for Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which You have been indignant these seventy years?”
Exposition
Exposition
Angel of YHWH - lament to YHWH -
He answers the question of how long in Daniel Daniel 12:6
But he asks it here after getting the report of peace
Lament of God’s judgement and anger on Israel - Ps 80:4, 89:46
No compassion
Daniel 9:9 “9 To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him”
Daniel prays for God to have compassion
Indignant 70 years?
Again Daniel prays Daniel 9:2 “2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.”
End of exile promised in Jeremiah 25:12 “12 Then after seventy years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity, declares the Lord, making the land an everlasting waste.”
Exile has ended and yet has it really?
No triumphant victory over enemies
No glorious temple - barely even have a foundation right now
No Edenic restoration to the Land
How long?!
Oracle: I Will Return - vs 13-17
Oracle: I Will Return - vs 13-17
YHWH’S Answer - vs 13
YHWH’S Answer - vs 13
13 Yahweh answered the angel who was speaking with me with good words, comforting words.
YWHW answers
Good words
Helpful and beneficial words - answers the question, doesn’t avoid
Comforting words
Isa 40:1 “1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.”
Prophecy of the 2nd Exodus
Nahum - means comfort
Nah 1:15 “15 Behold, upon the mountains, the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace! Keep your feasts, O Judah; fulfill your vows, for never again shall the worthless pass through you; he is utterly cut off.”
Beautiful feet of good news of the destruction of Ninevah - God will destroy the enemies of His people
Beautiful feet references back to Isaiah 52:7 “7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.””
Celebrating God’s salvation and redemption of Israel
YHWH’s Jealous Wrath - vs 14-15
YHWH’s Jealous Wrath - vs 14-15
14 So the angel who was speaking with me said to me, “Call out, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, “I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and Zion. 15 But I am very wrathful with the nations who are at ease; for I was only a little wrathful, but they helped increase the calamity.”
Exposition
Exposition
God has a possessive and consuming passion for Israel’s exclusive love
Israel is His bride
Anger when Israel commits spiritual adultery
Protection when Israel is attacked
Nahum 1:2 “2 The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and wrathful; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies.”
He is a jealous and avenging God
Jealous for Jerusalem and Zion
Jerusalem - dwelling place of God, capital of God’s activity
Zion - unique reference that this is the capital city of the Davidic King
Very Wrathful
Zech 1:2 “Yahweh was very wrathful against your fathers.”
Return to me and I will turn
Turn’s his wrathful anger from them onto the nations
Why do they deserve it?
Exceedingly sinful and destructive in punishing God’s people
At ease - at rest vs 11
Not for long - comforting
YWHW’s Return - vs 16
YWHW’s Return - vs 16
16 Therefore thus says Yahweh, “I will return to Jerusalem with compassion; My house will be built in it,” declares Yahweh of hosts, “and a measuring line will be stretched over Jerusalem.”’
Exposition
Exposition
Return to Jerusalem
I will return!
Ezek 11:22-23 “22 Then the cherubim lifted up their wings, with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel was over them. 23 And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and stood on the mountain that is on the east side of the city.”
Ezek 43:1-5 “1 Then he led me to the gate, the gate facing east. 2 And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. And the sound of his coming was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with his glory. 3 And the vision I saw was just like the vision that I had seen when he came to destroy the city, and just like the vision that I had seen by the Chebar canal. And I fell on my face. 4 As the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east, 5 the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple.”
Promise of God’s glory returning to the Temple
Zech’s interpreting angel standing right there with Ezekiel
God tells angel to tell Zech the same message
God remembers!
Measuring Line
Ezek 40-42 - vision of the measuring of the Temple before the YHWH returns
Who’s the one measuring the temple in Ezekiel’s vision - the interpreting angel
Isaiah 28:17 “17 And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plumb line; and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and waters will overwhelm the shelter.””
Not just a physical restoration, a spiritual restoration
God remembers!
YWHW’s Comfort - vs 17
YWHW’s Comfort - vs 17
17 Again, call out, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, “My cities will again overflow with good, and Yahweh will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.”’”
Exposition
Exposition
Cities overflow with good
Deuteronomy 28:64 “64 “And the Lord will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other...”
Same word as overflow
Return to me and I will return
Instead of you being scattered, your cities will be so filled with God’s goodness that they will scatter everywhere
Choose Jerusalem
He will return to His city
Excursus Chiasm in vs 13-17
Excursus Chiasm in vs 13-17
Good Words
Comforting words
Jealous for Jerusalem
Return to Jerusalem, House will be Built
Choose Jerusalem
Comfort Zion
Overflow with Good
Application Questions
Application Questions
What is comforting about calamity?
What is your natural response when you can’t see God at work?
What is Zechariah teaching us about God’s activity in these moments?