Zechariah 5:1-4

 

Zechariah 5:1-4

Escape the Wrath that is to Come!

Zec 5:1  Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll. 

Zec 5:2  And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying roll; the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits. 

Zec 5:3  Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it. 

Zec 5:4  I will bring it forth, saith the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof. 

 

           1.     Zechariah Receives his 6^th Vision, that of a Flying Scroll – vs. 1

a.     The Scroll represents God’s reveal will, through written revelation

                                               i.     Old Testament scriptures were primarily written on scrolls of paper

1.     Ezekiel 2:9-10 

                                             ii.     God’s word never returns void

1.     Isaiah 55:11 

                                           iii.     God’s word is swift to reach her targeted audience

1.     Psalm 147:15 

                                            iv.     God’s word pierces the heart of man

1.     Hebrews 4:12 

           2.     Zechariah Describes the Dimensions of the Flying Scroll – vs. 2

a.     The dimensions tie together with the actual location in the temple, from where the scriptures were read.

                                               i.     1 Kings 6:2-3 

            3.     Zechariah Receives the Meaning of His Vision – vs. 3-4

a.     The meaning of the vision is a curse

                                               i.     God hates sin

1.     Psalm 5:4-6 

                                             ii.     God does not stand by and do nothing when evil is practiced

1.     Habakkuk 1:12-13 

b.     The whole earth is affected by the curse

                                               i.     The blessing and cursing were originally a deal between God and the people of Israel

1.     Deuteronomy 30:19-20 

                                             ii.     Yet Paul reminds us that all have the Law of God written in their heart and are therefore held accountable to it.

1.     Romans 2:14-16 

                                           iii.     All will ultimately be judged by God’s standard of righteousness

1.     Isaiah 24:5-6 

c.     Those that steal will be cursed

                                               i.     Theft is wrong

1.     Exodus 20:15 

                                             ii.     During Zechariah’s time the people of Israel were stealing from God by not giving the much-needed funds for the rebuilding of the temple.

1.     Malichi 3:8-10 

d.     Those that pledge falsely will be cursed

                                               i.     Many were probably caught up in the initial enthusiasm of the plans to rebuild the temple and had pledge funds to help. Yet instead of following through, as was expected, they held them back.

1.     Nehemiah 13:10-12 

                                             ii.     Be careful not to make promises that you do not intend to follow through with.

1.     Matthew 5:33-37 

e.     There is no escape from this curse

                                               i.     There is no escape from God’s wrath

1.     Job 21:7-9 

f.      The curse is all consuming

                                               i.     Any violation of God’ law brings complete condemnation

1.     James 2:10 

                                             ii.     Sin is a transgression of God’s Holy Law

1.     1 John 3:4 

                                           iii.     What is the punishment for sin?

1.     Romans 6:23a 

                                            iv.     What are we to do when it is clear that we are all violators of God’s Holy Law?

1.     Acts 2:37-41 

Tucker And The Pope Tell Us To Stop Fearing Islam

 I know this is a highly charged topic but we all need to take a hard look at the facts. Please remember to pray for your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who continue to suffer so much.

The Seminaries are Cooked! And the Church Will be Too if We Don't Solve this Problem!

 This video from Matthew Everhard is fantastic. I would heartly agree. How long will the church tolerate the abuse of liberalism and so many other problems being pushed in modern seminaries.

Zechariah 4:11-14

 

Zechariah 4:11-14

What is the Meaning or the Olive Trees with the Menorah?

 

Zec 4:11  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? 

Zec 4:12  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? 

Zec 4:13  And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. 

Zec 4:14  Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth. 

 

         1.     Zechariah Asks What the Olive Trees Are – vs. 11

a.     Zechariah wants to know what the olive trees on the side of the Menorah are in the vision he experienced.

                                               i.     Zechariah 4:1-3 

b.     The Menorah or the Candlestick is Jesus, who is the light of the world

                                               i.     John 8:12 

        2.     Zechariah Asks Again What the Olive Trees Are – vs. 12

a.     The most important questions need to be asked multiple times

                                               i.     Genesis 32:24-30 

b.     Do not give up easily, rather pursue the things of God with your whole heart

                                               i.     Matthew 7:7-8 

        3.     The Angel Interpreter Asks Zechariah if He Knows What the Olive Trees Are – vs. 13

a.     Sometimes the answers to the hardest questions are the most obvious

                                               i.     Hebrews 5:11-12 

        4.     The Angel Interpreter Tells Who the Olive Trees Represent

a.     This answer is both complex and simple. It is hard, yet so obvious: The olive trees are those that stand with Jesus

                                               i.     The Angel of the Lord is Jesus

                                             ii.     The Candlestick or the Menorah is Jesus

                                           iii.     The Olive Trees are representative of:

1.     Joshua and Zerubbabel in the short-term fulfilment

a.     Ezra 5:1-2 

2.     The Priestly Order and the Kingly Order throughout History

a.     The Priestly Order was to establish worship

                                                                                                     i.     Leviticus 8:12-14 

b.     The Kingly Order was to establish law and justice

                                                                                                     i.     Deuteronomy 17:18-19 

3.     Moses and Elijah who appear during the coming of the Messiah, both His first and last advent

a.     Moses and Elijah were at the mount of Transfiguration

                                                                                                     i.     Matthew 17:1-3 

b.     While they are not named, it is possible that the two witnesses in Revelation are also Moses and Elijah, come to herald the Second Coming of Christ

                                                                                                     i.     Revelation 11:3-4 

4.     Israel and the Church who are the people of God throughout history

a.     Israel, even though they are unrepentant at this time, are still the people of God

                                                                                                     i.     Romans 11:26-32 

b.     The Church, primarily made up of Gentile believers, is also the people of God

                                                                                                     i.     Romans 11:17-24 

c.     Election is of God alone, and it is God that preserves us. None of the representations of the Olive trees mentioned before sought God. It was God who sought them and called them and used them so mightily.

                                                                                                                                      i.      Romans 11:33-36

Has the Bible Been Corrupted? Textus Receptus vs Modern Manuscripts Debate

 This is a very interesting debate. While there is much said on both sides of the debate that I do not agree with, I think there is some interesting logical fallacies that keep cropping up in this debate. Furthermore I do agree that we need to stop depending on German theologians to set the terms of the debate. The Church as a people, led by the Holy Spirit are the final authority. Stop using the argument from authority to prove a point. "I am smarter than you therefore I know" 

Zechariah 4:8-10

 

Zechariah 4:8-10

Beware of Despising the Day of Small Things

Zec 4:8  Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 

Zec 4:9  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. 

Zec 4:10  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. 

          1.     Jesus Has More to say to Zerubbabel – vs. 8

a.      This is a continuation of the message to Zerubbabel from the Logos who is the Word of God – vs. 8

                                               i.     Zechariah 1:10-13 

         2.     Jesus is Going to Help Zerubbabel Build the Temple – vs. 9

a.      Zerubbabel will start the rebuilding of the temple

                                               i.     Zerubbabel was a descendant of David and therefore an inheritor of God’s covenants to David

1.     2 Samuel 7:5-16 

                                             ii.     Ezra tells us that Zerubbabel did indeed get to lay the foundation of the temple

1.     Ezra 3:8-13 

b.     Zerubbabel will complete it with God’s help

                                               i.     Ezra also tells us of the later completion of the temple just as Zechariah predicted

1.     Ezra 6:13-16 

                                             ii.     Yet all of that cannot be a complete fulfillment of what Zechariah is predicting

1.     Haggai 2:1-9 

c.      The miraculous completion of the temple will be a sign of the promise of the coming of the Logos or the Messiah.

                                               i.     Isaiah 11:1-3 

         3.     Zerubbabel, No Matter How Unlikely, is the One Whom Jesus Has Chosen – vs. 10

a.      Beware of Despising the little things, after all Jesus came to Jerusalem riding on a donkey

                                               i.     Zechariah 9:9 

b.     To the temple that Zerubbabel helped to build

                                               i.     Matthew 21:5-12 

c.      Which is why only Jesus can be the one and only King of Kings and the true fulfillment of all prophesies

                                               i.     Revelation 5:5-9 

Interesting Article

 A very interesting proposition regarding the Biblical Esther. To be there must have been a reason for the shift in Persian sympathies from indifference to the plight of the Jews to invigorated support.