I begin a study this week of one of the Old
Testament prophets, Zechariah, Chapter 1, verses 1-6. I have feared
for some time this undertaking because of my weak knowledge of
prophecy. Let us walk down through these verses together and see
what practical fruit they will yield for our daily lives.
I want to magnify this theme from
the book, “There’s Still Hope”. Let us look at verses 1-6
which I have entitled ‘A Promise Of Hope’. Have the Bible
open as we study this text.
As we begin to examine these great
truths let us look at ‘The Time Of Promise’. The text says
in verse 1 that it came in the …eighth month, in the second year
of Darius… as king. Just about 20 months before Daniel had read
the hand writing on the wall that spoke of Belshaazzar,
Nebuchadnezzar’s sons end. Zechariah was probably born toward the
end of the 70-year of exile in Babylon. He preached to the first
remnant of people that Darius allowed to return to the homeland
about 520 years before Christ came. It was but a small group that
returned because the majorities were enjoying the wealthy
circumstances in the land of their conqueror. He will have to make
life hard as He did to the Jews in Egypt before they will desire to
leave. Let us hold the things of this world loosely less we are not
ready to answer our call to the world to come.
Let us see in verses 2-4 ‘The
Test Of This Promise’. He reminds this Jewish nation of His
displeasure with their fathers. It has been 70 years but our God
has not forgotten. The word ‘displeased’ is accompanied with
the word ‘sore’ and both together mean to break out in an
angry rage. The test is found in verses 3-4 when God speaks a word
to them through Zechariah to ‘turn’ unto the Lord. God said
that if you will ‘turn’ to me then I will ‘turn’ to
you. The word means to come back to the staring point. It was the
place the prodigal son came and then found the Father running out to
him and there he smothered him with kisses.
Zechariah tells them in verses 4-5
that their fathers would not ‘hear’ or ‘hearken’ to
the prophets that came before. God asks in verse 5, ‘Where are
your fathers and the prophets?’ They are gone but God’s word
abideth still. It is calling out to you again, ‘Turn unto me and
I will turn unto you.’ The old preacher of yesterday said it
this way, “Turn or you will burn”. Heaven and earth may pass
away but His word remains forever. All flesh is as grass but His
word abideth forever. No word from God will return void. Let us
give great heed to the word of God. We will face it again at the
final Day of Judgment.
Notice the ‘Treasure Of This
Promise’. Zechariah’s name means the one whom Jehovah remembers
or simply ‘God Remembers’. There may be times when we forget
and fail God miserably but rest assured He never forgets us. His
father Berechiah raised Zechariah in a priestly family. His father
probably died young because he is called the son of his grandfather
Iddo. We are told in Nehemiah 12:4 that Iddo went back as a priest
with the first group. Zechariah had great reason to preach hope to
those who could return and build the homeland. He had family
there. We that have family in the land beyond the sky should keep
our eyes upon the heavens looking for our Lord’s return. We find in
this ‘Treasure Of Promise’ that title “…LORD of hosts…”
used five times. (Vs. 3,4,6,) The title means the one who wins all
battles before He fights them. The number 5 is always connected with
grace. What hope this gave to those who returned. The grace of
God’s favor assured them it was impossible for them to lose but they
would conquer all. My what a promise of hope to us who are on our
journey to that land that is fairer than day and by faith we can see
it afar.
