Zechariah 1: God spoke good, even comfortable words

In our previous day’s post' (please refer to: http://kzlam36.wordpress.com/2014/10/01/zechariah-1-return-to-me-and-i-will-return-to-you/ )

 

we read the Bible verse from the book of Zechariah in New Living Translation. Today we read Zechariah 1 American Standard Version (ASV). This prophecy is for the Americans too. God spoke about the past and the future of the children of Israel, the children of Abraham by faith, and the children of America today too. Let us review what God spoke yesterday. (quoting in excerpts)

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² Jehovah was sore displeased with your fathers.

³ Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Return unto me, saith Jehovah of hosts, and I will return unto you, saith Jehovah of hosts.

⁵ Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?

⁶ But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? and they turned and said, Like as Jehovah of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us.

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Yesterday God told us how He felt about our fathers, those who turned away from God. He spoke further on this subject and what He intended to do. He is speaking to a new generation now.

Today we continue reading as follows: Zechariah listened and pondered. Three months later he received further messages accompanied by visions from the Lord.

a summary for pondering and meditation like Zechariah did.

1. Zechariah saw an angel riding upon a red horse, standing among the myrtle trees at the valley. He was not surprised at the supernatural. He spoke to the angel. What was Zechariah doing there? He was led in the spirit to go out in the middle of the night to the valley where the myrtle trees were. If he had stayed in his bed and slept on, he would have missed God’s messenger and the whole night of eight visions!
2. He asked the angel what each vision meant. An honest and humble prophet (watchman) of God.
3. The angel was not surprised that Zechariah saw him and he replied him. Hebrews 1:14 “Are they (angels) not all ministering spirits, sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation?”
4. The angel was actually doing his work: watching the other angels who were sent out on assignments to patrol the earth, then came back and reported to the one who talked to Zechariah.
5. The angel who spoke to Zechariah interceded to God and asked about the timing of intervention from God for the happenings to God’s elect people on earth. (The angel knew God’s intention and he spoke to God about fulfillment of the timing).
6. God actually replied and told what He intended to do and why. (In verse 16, God used the present tense ‘I am returned’ to put a time to the physical application of his intention.)
7. God gave a positive message (good and comfortable words) to the prophet: “My cities shall yet overflow with prosperity; and Jehovah shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.” Wow, what a merciful and awesome God to His people!

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⁸ I saw in the night, and, behold, a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle-trees that were in the bottom; and behind him there were horses, red, sorrel, and white.

⁹ Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will show thee what these are.

¹⁰ And the man that stood among the myrtle-trees answered and said, These are they whom Jehovah hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth.

¹¹ And they answered the angel of Jehovah that stood among the myrtle-trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.

¹² Then the angel of Jehovah answered and said, O Jehovah of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?

¹³ And Jehovah answered the angel that talked with me with good words, even comfortable words.

¹⁴ So the angel that talked with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.

¹⁵ And I am very sore displeased with the nations that are at ease; for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.

¹⁶ Therefore thus saith Jehovah: I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies; my house shall be built in it, saith Jehovah of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth over Jerusalem.

¹⁷ Cry yet again, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: My cities shall yet overflow with prosperity; and Jehovah shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.

¹⁸ And I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, four horns.

¹⁹ And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.

²⁰ And Jehovah showed me four smiths.

²¹ Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head; but these are come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations, which lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.

Yeshayah 11:11 And it shall come to pass in Yom HaHu

Yeshayah 11 Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB)

And there shall come forth a Khoter (Branch) out of the Geza (Stem, Stump, Stock) of Yishai, and a Netzer [Branch [see Tzemach, Moshiach Jer 23:5; 33:15; Zech 3:8; 6:12, Ezra 3:8 which give as Moshiach’s Namesake Yehoshua/Yeshua; compare Mt.2:23 OJBC] shall bear fruit of his roots:

² And the Ruach [Hakodesh] of Hashem shall rest upon Him, the Ruach of Chochmah and Binah, the Ruach of Etzah (Counsel [see Isaiah 9:5) and Gevurah, the Ruach of Da’as and of the Yir’at Hashem;

³ And His delight shall be in the Yir’at Hashem: and He shall not judge after the sight of His eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of His ears:

⁴ But with tzedek shall He judge the needy, and reprove with mishor (equity, justice) for the anvei eretz: and He shall strike the earth with the shevet of His mouth, and with the Ruach of His lips shall he slay the reshah.

⁵ And tzedek shall be the ezor (belt) of His loins, and emunah (faithfulness) the ezor of His waist.

⁶ The ze’ev (wolf) also shall dwell with the keves, and the namer (leopard) shall lie down with the gedi (young goat); and the egel and the lion whelp and the fatling together; and a na’ar shall lead them.

⁷ And the parah (cow) and the dov (bear) shall feed together; their yeladim shall lie down together; and the aryeh shall eat teven (straw) like the ox.

⁸ And the yonek (sucking infant) shall play on the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his yad in the viper’s me’urah (hole).

⁹ They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My Har Kodesh; for ha’aretz shall be full of the da’as Hashem, as the mayim cover the sea.

¹⁰ And in Yom HaHu there shall be a Shoresh Yishai, which shall stand for a nes (banner) for the peoples; to Him [Moshiach] will the Goyim seek; and His menucha (resting place) shall be kavod.

¹¹ And it shall come to pass in Yom HaHu, that Adonoi shall set His yad again the second time to recover the She’ar (Remnant) of His people, which shall be left [as survivors], from Assyria, and from Mitzrayim, and from Patros, and from Kush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Chamat, and from the islands of the sea.

¹² And He shall raise up a nes [a banner, i.e., send a signal] for the Goyim, and shall assemble the outcasts of Yisroel, and gather together the dispersed of Yehudah from the four corners of ha’aretz.

¹³ The kinah (envy, jealousy) also of Ephrayim shall depart, and the adversaries of Yehudah shall be cut off; Ephrayim shall not envy Yehudah, and Yehudah shall not harass Ephrayim.

¹⁴ But they shall swoop down upon the shoulders of the Pelishtim toward the west; they shall plunder them of the east together; they shall lay their yad upon Edom and Moav; and the Bnei Ammon shall obey them.

¹⁵ And Hashem shall utterly destroy the leshon Yam Mitzrayim (tongue of the Red Sea); and with His scorchimg Ruach shall He shake His Yad over the Nahar [i.e., Euphrates River], and shall break it into seven streams, and make men go over dryshod.

¹⁶ And there shall be a mesillah (highway) for the she’ar (remnant) of His people, which shall be left, from Assyria; just as it was for Yisroel in the Yom that he came up out of Eretz Mitzrayim.

End Times Witnessing: TODAY’S Key word for Survival is COVENANT

The watchman was called to wake at 3am but he waited for the second round of alarm and got up at 3:10am. After intercession he went back to bed at 5:30am. But he could not sleep and heard distant sounds. Later around 7am he heard the Lord said, “The key for end time survival is COVENANT.” He was also told that he should write this down today. He was also told to write a new story on End Times Survival. The details will be given to him as he obeys.

The previous day was a fruitful day in the Spirit.

He preached about the rebuilding of the Nehemiah’s Jerusalem Wall. He went through the anointing of the banners and ram horns with the whole congregation. He also obeyed the Lord and stayed in the sanctuary to fast and pray until after sunset. The verse he received and carried out by faith was Joel 2. This day he had to stand in the gap to intercede as a priest who ministers at the altar! A watchman indeed must be prepared to stand anywhere as called for any assignment at an appointed time. He needed to hear further instructions from the Lord for his class as well.

The Intercession Joel 2:17: Let the priests, who minister before the Lord, weep between the temple porch and the altar. Let them say, “Spare your people, O Lord, Do not make Your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is your God?’”

Claim the promise of God in Joel 2:20: ”I will drive the northern army far from you, pushing it into a parched and barren land, with its front columns going into the eastern sea and those in the rear into the western sea. And its stench will go up; its smell will rise.” (This is also a prophetic declaration for what is happening in Israel today).

Why should God answer? The key word is “COVENANT”.

God is a covenant keeping God. He has a covenant with Abraham, who followed and obeyed the Lord by faith. The same covenant has been extended to those who by faith become descendents of Abraham (Gal 3:29). All who have faith in Jesus, the Seed from Abraham, inherits the same covenant blessing promised to Abraham (Gal 3:16). The confirmation of this covenant is through the blood of Jesus.

Matthew 26:28 “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” Jesus said.

God’s covenant with Abraham:

Genesis 17:4 “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. Genesis 17:7 And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.

God’s instructions to Moses:

Exodus 2:24 So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. Exodus 19:5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. Exodus 23:32 You shall make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. Exodus 24:7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the LORD has said we will do, and be obedient.” Exodus 24:8 And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you according to all these words.”

The Ark carried the Covenant of the Lord recorded by Moses:

Joshua 3:3 and they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it.

How the Lord keeps and remembers His covenant

Nehemiah 1:5 And I said: “I pray, LORD God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments, Nehemiah 9:38 “And because of all this, We make a sure covenant and write it; Our leaders, our Levites, and our priests seal it.”

Psalm 25:14 The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant. Psalm 50:5 “Gather My saints together to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.” Psalm 89:34 My covenant I will not break, Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips. Psalm 105:8 He remembers His covenant forever, The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations,

God promised another Covenant – Jesus Christ (the Ark) !

Isaiah 42:6

“ I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles, Isaiah 59:21 “As for Me,” says the LORD, “this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants,” says the LORD, “from this time and forevermore.” Acts 3:25 You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ Hebrews 10:16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,”

Believers receive the New Covenant through Jesus


1. Through His blood

Matthew 26:28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 1 Corinthians 11:25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” Hebrews 9:18 Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. Hebrews 9:20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.”

Hebrews 10:29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?

2. A better Covenant

2 Corinthians 3:6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Hebrews 7:22 by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant. Hebrews 8:6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. Hebrews 9:1 [ The Earthly Sanctuary ] Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary. Romans 11:27 For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.” Hebrews 9:15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

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At the end times everyone will be identified by their mark. They either have the mark of the beast or the mark of God. The mark of the beast is described in Revelation 13:16-18. The covenant mark/seal of God is described in Ezekiel 9:4 and Revelation 7:3, 9:4, and 14:1.