Bible Reading: Be part of the big picture of prophecy!

Zechariah (continued)
God used the prophets to reveal His plans and send His messages to His people. But we also must know that our knowledge is partial and incomplete and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture.
Seeing Visions:  Zechariah received eight prophetic visions for Israel, which all follow the same pattern, a) introductory words, b) a description of the things seen, c) a question by Zechariah to the angel for the meaning, and d) the explanation by the angel.

In the visions we see that God is righteous as well as merciful. He judges and blesses too!

Zechariah 1:8, “In a vision during the night, I saw…” 1:9, “My lord, what do these horses mean?” 1:18,1:19,1:21, 2:1,2:2,3:5,4:2,4:4 (Read all the verses of how he saw visions and asked the angel what they meant)
1. The Man Among the Myrtle Trees (Zechariah 1:7-17) Meaning: God’s anger against the nations and blessing on restored Israel.
2. The Four Horns and the Four Craftsmen (Zechariah 1:18-21) Meaning: God’s judgment on the nations that afflict Israel.
3. The Surveyor with a Measuring Line (Zechariah 2:1-12) Meaning: God’s future blessing on restored Israel.
4. The Cleansing and Crowning of Joshua, the High Priest (Zechariah 3) Meaning: Israel’s future cleansing from sin and reinstatement as a priestly nation.
5. The Gold Lampstand and the Two Olive Trees (Zechariah 4) Meaning: Israel as the light to the nations under Messiah, the King-Priest.
6. The Flying Scroll (Zechariah 5:1-4) Meaning: The severity and totality of divine judgment on sin in Israel.
7. The Woman in a Basket (Zechariah 5:5-11) Meaning: The removal of national Israel’s sin or rebellion against God.
8. Four Chariots (Zechariah 6:1-8) Meaning: Divine judgment on Gentile nations.
 
God promised prosperity to Israel and Jerusalem
1:17 “The towns of Israel will again overflow with prosperity…” (also read 8:1-3) 2:4 “Jerusalem will someday be so full of people and livestock that there won’t be room enough for everyone! Many will live ouside the city walls. Then, I, myself, will be a protective wall of fire around Jerusalem, says the Lord. And I will be the glory inside the city!”
 
Prophecy of Jesus Christ, the Branch (the divine High Priest, the King)
2:10 ” Shout and rejoice, O beautiful Jerusalem, for I am coming to live among you.”
3:8-9 “Listen to Me, O Jeshua the high priest, and all you other priests. You are symbols of things to come. Soon I am going to bring My servant, the Branch. ..and I will remove the sins of this land in a single day.“
6:11-13 “…make a crown…Here is the Man called the Branch. He will branch out from where He is and build the Temple of the Lord. Then He will receive royal honor and will rule as King on His throne. He will also serve as Priest from His throne…”
Zechariah 9:9, “Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet He is humble, riding on a donkey – riding on a donkey colt.”
 
On That Day” (Future Deliverance); Second Coming of Christ
12:10 “Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on Me whom they have pierced and mourn for Him as for an only son.”
13:1 “On that day a fountain will be opened… a fountain to cleanse them from all their sins and impurity.” 2 “I will remove from the land both the false prophets and the spirit of impurity that came with them.”
13:9, “This third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold.”
14:1 “Watch, for the day of the Lord is coming…” 20 “On that day…and the cooking pots in the Temple of the Lord will be sacred as the basins used beside the altar.”

Foreshadowings: Prophecies about Jesus Christ through Zechariah: Messiah would come and dwell in our midst (Zechariah 2:10-12; Matthew 1:23); the symbolism of the Branch and the Stone (Zechariah 3:8-9, 6:12-13; Isaiah 11:1; Luke 20:17-18); His Second Coming (Zechariah 12:10; John 19:33-37). Jesus is the Savior of Israel, a fountain whose blood covers the sins of all who come to Him for salvation (Zechariah 13:1; 1 John 1:7).

Practical Application: Today, we too must prepare to meet our Lord’s Second Coming. We are called to:

1. Listen to the Holy Spirit and be led by the Spirit.
2. Obey God’s word and live His Word.
3. Live a life ministering to God (as chosen people, royal priests, holy nation).
4. Be the the living temple (the Holy Spirit lives in you) for the holy God.
5. You are called to be a part of the big plan too! Are you praying for Jerusalem?

Who we are in Christ:

1 Peter 1:2 “God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and His Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed Him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.” 14 “So you must live as God’s obedient children.” 2:1 “So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech.”
2:4-5,9 “You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple… And you are living stones that God is building into His spiritual temple. What is more, you are His holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God…for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light.”