Zechariah 1:1-3 (cont.)
Turn to Me
1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, 2 The LORD hath been sore displeased with your fathers. 3 Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.
Have you ever played handball? You slap the ball against a wall and it keeps bouncing back to you. Sinners are like that ball. God slaps them over and over, but they keep bouncing back to their sinful ways. That is the subject of verses 2-6 in this first chapter of Zechariah. Those verses serve as an introduction to Zechariah's eight night visions found in the first six chapters.
The prophet says that the LORD had been extremely unhappy with Judah's fathers. He had sent them into captivity for seventy years in Babylon. His repeated warnings and lesser punishments had only resulted in their repeated returns to sin. Now, their children had returned from the captivity and nothing had changed. They abandoned the rebuilding of the temple for their own interests and pursuits. They rearranged their priorities to place themselves ahead of God.
But, we cannot judge them, because we are just as bad. Since the fall of Adam, all men have been conceived in sin. "The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one." (Psalms 14:2-3)
So, Zechariah sets the stage for what he will write in the coming chapters. Here is the reason for his ministry. He speaks the word and the will of the LORD of hosts to the people of Judah and to all who would follow them. He will give them warnings, "Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts." We cannot fail to notice how the authority for those words is emphasized. They are not Zechariah's words, but the words of YAHWEH, the Commander in Chief of all the armies in heaven and earth. He will judge all men so turn to Him.
And, he will give them promises, "...and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts." Despite all of His power, His displeasure with us notwithstanding, He is willing to turn to us and bless us with unconditional love and grace. Our God is One who delights in mercy and stands ready to receive us the minute we repent of our sins and turn to Him.
God is patient with us, but He is not interested in a game of handball. And the LORD said, "My spirit shall not always strive with man,.." Therefore, since man suffers from an inherent depravity, God sent His Son to take the punishment for our sins once and for all. Those who receive the Son are given eternal life and will be able to resist sin. They belong to Him and no one can pluck them out of His hand.
Now the words "Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts," have more impact. Now, we see the promises of a relationship with God, of an eternity with Him and of a security that man had not understood in the days of Zechariah.
Will you turn your life over to Him today or are you content to be a bouncing ball? God's Spirit will not always strive with you. One day you will suddenly find yourself before the judgment seat. If you have not turned to Christ, He will reject you.
Before The Throne:
Pray for God's forgiveness. Have you, like the people of Judah, placed your own interests above the interests of God? Have you laid aside the work of building His temple? Pray for the faith to get back on track. He is ready to receive you.
For Further Study:
(v.1) ** the eighth: Zech 1:7, 7:1; Ezra 4:24, 6:15; Hag 1:1, 15, 2:1, 10, 20; ** Zechariah: Ezra 5:1; Mat 23:35; Luk 11:51; ** Iddo: Neh 12:4, 16;
(v.2) ** Lord: 2Kgs 22:16-17,19; 23:26; 2Chron 36:13-20; Ezra 9:6-7, 13; Neh 9:26-27; Psa 60:1; 79:5-6; Jer 44:6; Lam 1:12-15; 2:3-5; 3:42-45; 5:7; Eze 22:31; Dan 9:11-12; Zeph 2:1-3; Mat 23:30-32; Act 7:52;
(v.3) ** Turn: Deut 4:30-31; 30:2-10; 1Kgs 8:47-48; 2Chron 15:4; 30:6-9; Neh 9:28; Isa 31:6; 55:6-7; Jer 3:12-14, 22; 4:1; 25:5; 35:15; Lam 3:39-41; Ezek 33:11; Hos 6:1; 14:1; Joel 2:12; Mal 3:7; Luk 15:18-20; Jam 4:8-10; **and: Jer 12:15; 29:12-14; 31:18-20; Hos 14:4; Mic 7:19-20; Luk 15:21-22;
1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, 2 The LORD hath been sore displeased with your fathers. 3 Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.
Have you ever played handball? You slap the ball against a wall and it keeps bouncing back to you. Sinners are like that ball. God slaps them over and over, but they keep bouncing back to their sinful ways. That is the subject of verses 2-6 in this first chapter of Zechariah. Those verses serve as an introduction to Zechariah's eight night visions found in the first six chapters.
The prophet says that the LORD had been extremely unhappy with Judah's fathers. He had sent them into captivity for seventy years in Babylon. His repeated warnings and lesser punishments had only resulted in their repeated returns to sin. Now, their children had returned from the captivity and nothing had changed. They abandoned the rebuilding of the temple for their own interests and pursuits. They rearranged their priorities to place themselves ahead of God.
But, we cannot judge them, because we are just as bad. Since the fall of Adam, all men have been conceived in sin. "The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one." (Psalms 14:2-3)
So, Zechariah sets the stage for what he will write in the coming chapters. Here is the reason for his ministry. He speaks the word and the will of the LORD of hosts to the people of Judah and to all who would follow them. He will give them warnings, "Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts." We cannot fail to notice how the authority for those words is emphasized. They are not Zechariah's words, but the words of YAHWEH, the Commander in Chief of all the armies in heaven and earth. He will judge all men so turn to Him.
And, he will give them promises, "...and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts." Despite all of His power, His displeasure with us notwithstanding, He is willing to turn to us and bless us with unconditional love and grace. Our God is One who delights in mercy and stands ready to receive us the minute we repent of our sins and turn to Him.
God is patient with us, but He is not interested in a game of handball. And the LORD said, "My spirit shall not always strive with man,.." Therefore, since man suffers from an inherent depravity, God sent His Son to take the punishment for our sins once and for all. Those who receive the Son are given eternal life and will be able to resist sin. They belong to Him and no one can pluck them out of His hand.
Now the words "Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts," have more impact. Now, we see the promises of a relationship with God, of an eternity with Him and of a security that man had not understood in the days of Zechariah.
Will you turn your life over to Him today or are you content to be a bouncing ball? God's Spirit will not always strive with you. One day you will suddenly find yourself before the judgment seat. If you have not turned to Christ, He will reject you.
Before The Throne:
Pray for God's forgiveness. Have you, like the people of Judah, placed your own interests above the interests of God? Have you laid aside the work of building His temple? Pray for the faith to get back on track. He is ready to receive you.
For Further Study:
(v.1) ** the eighth: Zech 1:7, 7:1; Ezra 4:24, 6:15; Hag 1:1, 15, 2:1, 10, 20; ** Zechariah: Ezra 5:1; Mat 23:35; Luk 11:51; ** Iddo: Neh 12:4, 16;
(v.2) ** Lord: 2Kgs 22:16-17,19; 23:26; 2Chron 36:13-20; Ezra 9:6-7, 13; Neh 9:26-27; Psa 60:1; 79:5-6; Jer 44:6; Lam 1:12-15; 2:3-5; 3:42-45; 5:7; Eze 22:31; Dan 9:11-12; Zeph 2:1-3; Mat 23:30-32; Act 7:52;
(v.3) ** Turn: Deut 4:30-31; 30:2-10; 1Kgs 8:47-48; 2Chron 15:4; 30:6-9; Neh 9:28; Isa 31:6; 55:6-7; Jer 3:12-14, 22; 4:1; 25:5; 35:15; Lam 3:39-41; Ezek 33:11; Hos 6:1; 14:1; Joel 2:12; Mal 3:7; Luk 15:18-20; Jam 4:8-10; **and: Jer 12:15; 29:12-14; 31:18-20; Hos 14:4; Mic 7:19-20; Luk 15:21-22;
Trackbacks
No Trackbacks
The author does not allow comments to this entry
Comments
Display comments as Linear | Threaded