International Sunday School Lesson Lesson Text: Haggai 2:20-23; Zechariah 4:5-14 Lesson Title: Hope for a New Day Introduction The prophet Haggai and the prophet Zechariah lived and prophesied at the same time in history (Haggai 1:1; Zechariah 1:1). The days in which they lived and prophesied was a time of deep discouragement for the Jewish people. The Jewish people had returned from the Babylonian captivity but many had lost their will and desire to continue the task of rebuilding the Temple and reclaiming the land. Eighteen years passed during which no construction was done on the Temple, and the people nearly gave up hope of ever completing the work (Ezra 4). There are twenty-seven people in the Bible who are named Zechariah. It was a very common name. The name Zechariah means whom the Lord remembers or God remembers, which is the theme of his prophecy. Zechariah joined Haggai in challenging the people to resume the building of the Temple. Haggais primary message was to motivate the people to rebuild the temple. His messages have a tone of rebuke for the peoples indifference, sin, and lack of trust in God. He was used to start the spiritual revival, while Zechariah was used to keep it going strong by calling the people to repentance and reassuring them regarding future blessings. God used Zechariah to encourage the people to build the temple in view of the promise that someday Messiah would come to inhabit it. The people were not just building for the present, but with the future hope of Messiah in mind. A Word of Hope to Zerubbabel from Haggai (Haggai 2:20-23) Verse 20-23 And again the word of the LORD came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying, Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother. In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts. The four and twentieth day of the month is the same day as verse Haggai 2:10, December 24, 520 B.C. Again means the Lord sent a second message on the same day. This would be the fourth message God gave to Haggai in his prophecy. There is no reason given for the giving of two messages in one day. The second message given on December 24, 520 B.C. is addressed to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah. He is the governor of Judah, or, the civil ruler in the lineage of King David. The message sent to Zerubabbel is a promise that was desperately needed for Zerubabbel and the nation. Zerubbabel found himself in a challenging and discouraging situation. He was the grandson of King Jehoichin, the last ruler of Judah before Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and carried the people into Babylonian captivity. Although they are free and back home, they were still under Persian rule and surrounded by hostile neighbors who opposed the Jewish resettlement. There was a good response to Haggais call to rebuild the temple, but many of the Jews were still not right with God (Haggai 2:14). The walls of Jerusalem were still torn down, leaving the city vulnerable. Somehow, Zerubbabel was supposed to govern in this bleak situation. God promised Zerubbabel the He would shake the heavens and the earth. Notice the personal pronoun, I in these verses. God is speaking directly and personally to Zerubbabel and telling him that He, God Himself, would take care of the situation. The sovereign Lord will prevail in His plan. Notice what God will do in the future for His people: I will shake the heavens and the earth (v.21). The word shake means to cause to spring or leap. God is going to turn everything upside down and start over from the top to the bottom. I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms (v.22). Overthrow means to turn over, to change, and to transform. In the future God will dismantle the powers that be. I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen (v.22). Destroy means exterminate and annihilate. The Gentile world powers will one day be politically destroyed. I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother (v.22). In Haggais day, the people trusted in the chariot and those who rode in them. They trusted in the power of the horse and the skilled warriors that rode upon them (Psalm 20:7). By the sword of his brother speaks of the confusion that God will send upon men when He destroys the world powers. At the Battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:16-18) man will turn the sword against his own brother. I will take thee and make thee as a signet (v.23). In many ancient kingdoms, a king who wanted to mark or secure a document with his seal used his signet ring. He pressed it into softened wax and allowed it to harden into an unbroken seal that bore the mark of his ring. The signet ring represented the honor, authority, and personal guarantee of the king. It also represented royal blood and royal reign. It was the same as a legal document today. God said He would make Zerubbabel as a signet. This was an amazing statement when you consider the fact that the Lord had placed judgment on his grandfather Jehoiachin and his family line (Jeremiah 22:24-30). Now, after Zerubbabel led a group of Jews back to Jerusalem and because of his obedience to God and his efforts to rebuild the temple, the Lord referred to Zerubbabel as a valued signet ring. What hope! Note: We know that God is just and that sin carries its consequences. But we must not forget that God is also merciful and blesses those who do what He asks them to do. We cant change the politics of our day or the choices others before us have made. But we can be faithful and obedient and know in our hearts that God is forgiving and merciful. I have chosen thee (v.23). God is speaking through Haggai to Zerubbabel who is a descendant of the royal lineage of David. In spite of the sad conditions and discouraging atmosphere, God had chosen elected, picked out Zerubbabel purposefully to be in the lineage of the coming Messiah who will bring all Gods promises to pass. The Messiah will not only come through David, He will also come through Zerubbabel. If you read Matthew 1:12 and Luke 3:27, the genealogy of the Lord Jesus includes Zerubbabel, spelled Zorobabel in the gospel accounts. In that day looks forward to the day when the Lord Jesus will come at the end of the Great Tribulation. When that day comes, God will put Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is of the lineage of David and Zerubbabel, upon the throne of this earth to rule and reign forever. The Lord refers to Zerubbabel as my servant. The term servant means one of significance and is often used in reference to Jesus. The Lords purpose in calling Zerubbabel my servant is to stress the significance of what is taking place. God is using Zerubbabel and this rebuilding of a Temple that is inferior to the first one in His great plan. A Word of Hope to Zerubbabel from Zechariah (Zechariah 4:5-14) The prophecy of Zechariah opens with a sermon on repentance (Zechariah 1:1-6). After the opening sermon, the prophecy takes the form of a series of eight night visions (Zechariah 1:7-6:8). The first four visions given to Zechariah offered Israel some hope. The Lord promised to remove and destroy all her enemies and to cleanse and forgive the people. While all of those promises were encouraging, it is not until the fifth vision that the Lord promised Israel she would once again be the shining light He had promised she would be. Zechariah 4 records the fifth vision of the golden lampstand and the two olive trees (Zechariah 4:1-4). Zechariah was awakened by an angel who asked him, What seest thou? (Zechariah 4:1-2). Zechariah told the angel he saw a candlestick all of gold...and two olive trees by it (Zechariah 4:2-3). What Zechariah saw was a golden lampstand and a seven-branched candelabra, similar to the one in the holy place of the Temple. Zechariahs description of what he saw is consistent with what would have been seen in a restored Temple. There is hope in the vision of the lampstand and the olive trees that the Temple will be restored. Note: While all of the visions in Zechariah had an immediate impact of hope and comfort for Gods people, the literal fulfillment of all the visions is yet future. When Christ comes the second time, He will fully and finally destroy all Israels enemies and set up His kingdom of righteousness and peace. Verse 5 Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. As Zechariah is shown the vision of the lamps and the olive trees, he is asked by the angel, the messenger of God, if he understands what he has seen. Knowest thou not what these be is asked in the form that Zechariah ought to know what the lampstand and olive trees represent. But Zechariah is not hesitant to tell the angel that he doesnt understand what he has seen. The point of the angels question and Zechariahs answer is, that without supernatural help, Zechariah, and none of us could understand the present or the future without Gods help. Verse 6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel means the vision as a whole is a message from God through Zechariah to Zerubbabel. While this message is directly addressed to Zerubbabel, we should remember that Scripture in our day is Gods message to us (2 Timothy 3:16). Gods Word is just as personal and true in our day as it was in Zechariah and Zerubbabels day. The message is not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. The word might means strong or firm. The word in this context refers to mental ability, that which has to do with a wise decision. The word power means human strength most often exhibited in military battle. God is saying, Zerubbabel, it is not my brain or battle that the work is going to get done. This was a great encouragement to Zerubbabel. As the civil ruler, God is telling Zerubbabel that what is going to be done is not going to rely upon his physical strength or clever ability. The Temple will be built by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. If the work of the Lord rests upon anyone or anything other than the Spirit of the Lord, it will come to naught. Notice the two words not and nor. The negative emphasis on the complete insufficiency of human strength is magnified in the use of these words. But means, only by. Help only comes by Gods Spirit. The first message of hope in this fifth vision for Zerubbabel is that the Temple will be completed by the power of the Lord. Note: We live in a very clever age when people lean heavily upon their own abilities to carry out the work of the Lord. The clever man is probably one of the most detrimental individuals to the work of the Lord. Verse 7 Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it. The great mountain referred to here represents opposition and the great obstacles that stood in the way of the completion of the Temple. Before Zerubbabel means that he will see the great mountain...become a plain. God will level out all the opposition and obstacles. The headstone is a reference to the cornerstone of the Temple. When the Spirit of the Lord removed the obstacles and Zerubbabel and the co-workers set the cornerstone in place, the people will shout, Grace, grace unto it. Their shoutings of Grace, grace is a verbal understanding that God has not forsaken them after all. He is still in control (Ezra 3:11-13). The second message of hope in this fifth vision for Zerubbabel is that every obstacle preventing the Temple completion will be removed. Verse 8-9 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. Me and the end of verse nine refers to the angel, or messenger of the Lord, who we believe to be none other than the preincarnate Christ. That truth should cause us to rejoice today more than Zerubbabel and the people of his day! Me is our Lord and Savior! Me is the one who will bring all things to fulfillment. Me is our hope (1 Timothy 1:1). The promise of verses 8-9 emphasize the certainty and the immediacy of the completion of the Temple. The re-building of the Temple would not drag on indefinitely. Zerubbabel himself is going to finish it and when he does, everyone will know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. The Apostle Paul said, Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6). The third message of hope in this fifth vision for Zerubbabel is that he will finish the work he began and Gods Word will be fulfilled. Verse 10 For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth. The day of small things is a period of time when only small things occur. It is a time when it appears that nothing significant is happening. And thats the way it appeared in the many years of the re-building of the Temple. The word despised means to scorn, look upon with contempt. It refers to people who look down upon little things that glorify God. Who refers to anyone in Zerubbabels day or our day who cant see the hand of God in anything but the big and the modern. Most Christian leaders have written off the past ways of worship and service to the Lord as outdated and not relative. Today, the successful church is seen as the church that has the crowd and the user friendly mentality. However, if you carefully study the Bible you will find God doing much of His work in the smallness and the stillness of life. Those who have despised the smallness and the inferiority of the second Temple will change their tune when they see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel. The plummet was a weight on the end of a string that set the right angles for the finishing of a building. The plummet in Zerubbabels hand was a symbol of his being busy in the overseeing of the re-building. The seven eyes is a reference to the seven eyes in the fourth vision in Zechariah 3:9. These seven eyes or perfect vision of the Lord is sweeping through the whole earth. As the people rejoice to see the plummet in the hands of Zerubbabel, they will also know that nothing in all the earth, then or now, escapes the all-seeing eyes of God. Illus. Little is still much if God is in it! The fourth message of hope in this fifth vision for Zerubbabel is that all the critics will one day be silenced. Verse 11-13 Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof? And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves? And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. These verses record a double question by the prophet Zechariah to the angelic messenger. I, meaning Zechariah, asked the angelic messenger for an interpretation of the vision of the olive trees and the candlestick. The first part of the question is asked in general and then the second part is more specific and concentrates on the outstanding features of the vision such as the branches, golden pipes, and golden oil. The vision of the candlestick and the olive branches recorded in Zechariah 4:1-3 is now explained to Zechariah. What Zechariah saw was basically two olive trees with two branches, out of which was coming oil into a bowl that supplied the candlesticks by means of two spouts. But he didnt have a clue as to what all of this meant. The angel answered Zechariahs question again, Knowest thou not what these be? Again, the angel is saying, You ought to know what the candlestick and the trees are. But he doesnt. Verse 14 Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the LORD of the whole earth. He, the angel said, These are the two anointed one, that stand by the LORD of the whole earth. The two anointed ones speaks of the two olive trees and the two branches coming from the tree. It also refers to two spirit-filled men, Zerubbabel, the civil ruler and Joshua, the religious ruler. They are the two trees and the two branches that represent the office of king and priest in the nation of Israel. Together, Zerubbabel, a descendant of King David, and Joshua, a descendant of Eleazar the priest, foreshadow the Messiah, in whom these two offices are combined. The olive trees and the oil coming from them through the golden pipes to the bowls is what fuels the seven lamps and the candlestick. The message is that through Zerubbabels work and Joshuas ministry, the lights in the Temple will shine again. And primarily, through the office of king and priest, Messiah, the true source of blessing, will make Israel shine as the spiritual light of the nations (Isaiah 60:1-3). Conclusion The message of this fifth vision was without a doubt an encouragement to the people of Zechariahs day. The Temple would be finished and the walls rebuilt. Far more important than the finishing of the Temple and the city walls, the nation of Israel would shine again. But, in order for that to happen, Gods two servants, Zerubbabel and Joshua, must lead and work and depend upon the power of the Holy Spirit. Zerubbabel and Joshua were instruments of the Lord through which Gods Holy Spirit flowed in order to accomplish His purpose and plan. Because they were willing to rely solely upon the Lord, there was renewed hope in the nation. There was nothing easy about what these leaders and the people were asked to do. And there is nothing easy about obeying the Lord in these last days. Remember, dont despise small things. Dont rely upon your own cleverness or strength. And remember, the eyes of the LORD run to and fro through the whole earth. Hes watching while we are working! There is hope! Amen.
Posted on: Mon, 23 Jun 2014 00:00:45 +0000
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