|
||||||||||||||
 |
|
|
||||||||||||
Commentary on "A Brand Plucked From the Fire"
Day 2: Sunday, May 22, 2011 - Zealous for Jerusalem
The book of Zechariah consists of:
- A call to repentance (1:1-6)
- Eight Visions of Encouragement (1:7 – 6:15)
- Two Oracles (prophetic exhortations or “burdens”) (chpts. 9-14)
Zechariah ministered to the Jewish remnant of 50,000 that had returned with Ezra to their land after the 70 year Babylonian deportation. It had been 15 years since the people had come back to Jerusalem. When they arrived in Jerusalem, they laid the foundation of the temple with great joy and excitement but work on the rebuilding of the temple had quickly lost momentum. Now, 15 years later, the people were discouraged and complacent, and they had lost their passion for the work. Instead of rebuilding the temple and reestablishing the worship of God in the temple, they were busying themselves with building and beautifying their own homes and properties. God sent Zechariah (and Haggai) to call the people to repentance and encourage them to reorder their priorities and rebuild. With this encouragement, the people were able to complete the work on the temple and resume the worship in the temple in just 5 years!
The key verses in the book of Zechariah are Zech. 1:14-17:
“So the angel who spoke with me said to me, ‘Proclaim, saying, 'Thus says the LORD of Hosts: "I am zealous for Jerusalem And for Zion with great zeal. 15 I am exceedingly angry with the nations at ease; for I was a little angry, And they helped — but with evil intent." 16'Therefore thus says the LORD: "I am returning to Jerusalem with mercy; My house shall be built in it," says the LORD of hosts, "And a surveyor's line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem."' 17 ‘Again proclaim, saying, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts: "My cities shall again spread out through prosperity;" The LORD will again comfort Zion, and will again choose Jerusalem.'’” NKJV
The theme of this book as stated in 1:14-17 is that God is jealous for Jerusalem, He will punish the Gentiles for what they did to His city and one day He will restore the city in glory and peace. Zechariah contains not only encouragement for the Jews of his time, but for the future of the nation of Israel. God will one day rule and reign from Jerusalem. God’s choosing of Jerusalem is His gracious choice and is often mentioned in this book (Jerusalem is mentioned over 40 times in the book of Zechariah). God is not through with Israel, the land and the city of Jerusalem.
Although the primary interpretation of the book of Zechariah is to give God’s plan for Israel, her land and the city of Jerusalem, we can find much personal encouragement in this book as well. Like the people of Zechariah’s time, we can become discouraged and lose sight of our true priorities. The enormity of the issues we face can be daunting, especially when long periods of time pass and we don’t seem to see God’s gracious promises being fulfilled in our lives. In the very first verse of this book there is a precious nugget of encouragement for us. Zech. 1:1:
“In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet,” NKJV.
There is a beautiful thought in this verse when you look at the meanings of the names.
- *Zechariah = God has remembered
- *Berechiah = blessing
*Iddo = timely (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
When you put the meaning of the names together you get, “God has remembered to bless us in His time.” Hang in there; God will never forget you. He will be right on time to fulfill His gracious promises to you.
Copyright 2011 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised May 19, 2011. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.
The Sabbath School Bible Study Guide and the corresponding E.G. White Notes are published by Pacific Press Publishing Association, which is owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist church. The current quarter's editions are pictured above.
Official Adventist Resources
Standard Edition Study Guide Week 9
Teacher's Edition Study Guide Week 9
Easy Reading Edition Study Guide Wk 9
Search the Complete Published Ellen G. White Writings
Please Support This Project
