Zechariah 2
Notes
Transcript
Recap?
Recap?
The recap for anyone new now that we've started the kids and youth for wednesday night is that we're early in the book of Zechariah we've just finished the first chapter in that chapter we are encouraged that Yahweh remembers, which is also what the name Zechariah means. The people have been taken captive in Babylon but were freed by Cyrus the Persian ruler who gets called out by name by God in the book of Isaiah. The people have returned to Jerusalem with Cyrus' permission to rebuild the temple. In Haggai the people were called out for building their own homes nicely and yet still not working on the temple they all agreed to do this and had begun that work when Zechariah's ministry starts. Now Zecharaiah has a series of 8 visions we've already looked at the first two. Now we'll look at another one.
_______-
The nice thing about these visions is that they are self explanatory, or at least that there is an explanation of the vision in the vision, not that it's obvious and we'll just immediately get it.
We're in Zech 2 and the whole chapter is our third vision.
And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand! Then I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.”
This is our vision and the following is our interpretation. But I want to pause for a moment here and reflect on the vision. It brings to mind two passages immediately and it's very likely if you have one of those study bibles that has reference markers these two passages are referenced in your Bible. First is Ezek 40:3
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.
Here Ezekiel is a contemporary of Daniel, he's in the exile and this is after the Temple and all Jerusalem was utterly destroyed by Nebuchadnzer. He also has a vision with someone measuring things as it relates to the new temple. Then our next reference is Rev 11.1
Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there,
Again the temple is being measured. In the next verse John is told specifically not to measure the court outside the temple. So both the other verses that just jump to mind as a vision of someone measuring things are talking about the temple. Zechariah’s vision is about Jerusalem… so these aren't connected in a way I think some people try to squeeze in. They are connected however in a similar purpose for the measurement. God’s in control, he has a design, he is the architect and he ensures his plans are built to spec. The fact that someone is there measuring is an encouragement. If Lennox was at one of his construction sites and absolutely no one had a ruler, tape measure, leveler… or other measuring instrument he'd probably start getting rather worried that he has a crew who isn't going to get things right.
And behold, the angel who talked with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him and said to him, “Run, say to that young man, ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and livestock in it. And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the Lord, and I will be the glory in her midst.’ ”
Jerusalem will at some point be so big it can’t be contained by a wall so even with walls that are added later what eventually becomes the population of the official city of Jerusalem flows beyond those ancient walls because it’s just too many people.
Then we have this wall of fire, and I will be statements. The are very much like the I AM statements of exodus and the the Lord being a wall of fire certainly brings us back to remembering Him as the Pillar of fire that went before the Israelites at night. The next verses become urgent though.
Up! Up! Flee from the land of the north, declares the Lord. For I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heavens, declares the Lord. Up! Escape to Zion, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon.
Here we seem to have left almost the vision and start talking to the people who are reading this scroll. We’re clearly now addressing the people who are still in the old areas of Babylon that could have returned but didn’t. They’re being pleaded with to flea and come back to the protection of God in Zion (Jerusalem) They need people for the rebuild project. Odd statistic but did you know it wasn’t until 2003 that Israel had more Jews than the United States. Today Isreal has 7.2 and the US 6.3 million. France is next at 440,000 so a big gap there. And now you know the return is slow. There are still plenty of the Jewish people in the Persian capital when the book of Esther takes place in the next century. Why should they return during Zechariah’s time? There’s no fortified city to protect them, the amenities of the big city aren’t there… plenty of reasons exist for their choices. What’s God’s draw here?
For thus said the Lord of hosts, after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye: “Behold, I will shake my hand over them, and they shall become plunder for those who served them. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me. Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the Lord. And many nations shall join themselves to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people. And I will dwell in your midst, and you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. And the Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem.”
This is a clear warning to the other nations and people again that if you mess with Israel you’re messing with God. He will take offense and you will suffer for that wrong you did to God and Israel. God’s people will plunder you who come against them. Does this echo a lot of the exodus too? That the Egyptians will be plundered by the Hebrews?That prophecy made no sense and it’s fulfillment happened in a surprising fashion where the Egyptians just handed over their valuables. Prophecy doesn’t always work out the way we think it will. There is reason to celebrate and people are called to do so. Many nations will join themselves to the Lord when he returns and dwells with the people. This takes us back to Genesis 12:3 “I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”” that we have talked about many times. These threads come in and get tied up neatly together here and move out again to interconnect through the Bible.
To conclude the chapter we have almost an aside or closing phrase that calls to reflect on God.
Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord, for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.
So, with us we should reflect and meditate on the Word.
How does this tie in for us? For one this prophecy has not been entirely fulfilled, and we are also still waiting the day the Lord returns and brings all nations to himself and makes them His people.
ADVERTISEMENT