“This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’” Zechariah 7:9-10, NIV An oft-recurring theme with the Minor Prophets and echoed again with Zechariah is the plight … Continue reading –>
In the late fall of 2006 I bought a brand new car. A few days later, or nights actually, I lay in my bed wide awake. I glanced at the clock as it read 4 AM. Then the idea hit me. If I jump in my brand-new car right now, I can travel across Florida … Continue reading –>
If you don’t understand this cultural reference, it’s from the movie, The Karate Kid. The main character in the movie is a teenage boy, Daniel who has just moved to town and is getting bullied. In order to stop it, he wants to learn karate. He meets up with the manager of his apartment building, … Continue reading –>
And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” Mark 4:9, NKJV I recently began wearing hearing aids. Before that, my children would say I was “hard of hearing”. I accused them of mumbling. During the first church service I was aided, I was amazed I could hear the prayer … Continue reading –>
For centuries both Jewish and Christian readers of the Bible have found in Zechariah’s book numerous references to the Messiah and messianic times. Christians, of course, have understood that these passages apply to the life and ministry of Jesus Christ: the triumphant yet peaceful King (Zech. 9:9), the One who was pierced (Zech. 12:10), the … Continue reading –>
Key Thought : Zechariah has some wonderful Messianic prophecies that point to Jesus and affirm our faith in Him. [Teaching plan for Heaven's Best Gift June 17, 2013] 1. Have a volunteer read Zechariah 8:16,17. A. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is. B. Why is it … Continue reading –>
Zechariah chapters 12-14 reveal several things that could have happened had Israel been faithful to God. First, the Lord would have brought total victory over the powers of evil and the hostile nations that had tried to oppose His plan of salvation (Zech. 12:1-9). Although Jerusalem was to be God’s instrument toward this triumph, the victory itself … Continue reading –>
Read Zechariah 9:9. How does the New Testament apply this to Jesus? See Matt. 21:9, Mark 11:9-10, Luke 19:38, John 12:13-15. Jesus’ triumphal entry consisted of the future King riding on a donkey into Jerusalem. In the Bible, rejoicing and shouting for joy especially is associated with the celebration of God as King (Psalms 47, 96, 98). This gentle Ruler will bring righteousness, salvation, … Continue reading –>
Beginning with chapter 8, the book of Zechariah takes a radical turn. A series of messages sent from the Lord tells the future of the world and the role of God’s people in it. Some of the passages from these chapters are not easy to understand, but the ultimate future is clearly positive. Read Zechariah 8. What … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Zechariah 8, Zech. 9:9, 12:1-10, 13:7-9, 14, Matt. 21:9, John 19:37. Memory Text: “The Lord their God will save them on that day as the flock of his people. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown” (Zechariah 9:16, NIV). Key Thought: Zechariah has some wonderful Messianic prophecies that point to Jesus and affirm our faith in … Continue reading –>
“Satan knows that those who ask God for pardon and grace will obtain it; therefore he presents their sins before them to discourage them. Against those who are trying to obey God, he is constantly seeking occasion for complaint. Even their best and most acceptable service he seeks to make appear corrupt. By countless devices, … Continue reading –>
What’s happened to me? Solomoni [sohl-oh-MOH-nee] asked himself. He was still a teenager, but he knew that he had messed up his life. He had disobeyed his parents and joined a gang of teenagers who stole and used drugs. God has condemned me for what I’ve done, he thought. I’m lost. There’s no hope for me; I have … Continue reading –>
” ‘ “In that day each of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and fig tree,” declares the Lord Almighty.’ ” Zechariah 3:10 NIV [Thought questions for Visions of Hope June 12, 2013] 1. We have this hope. How do you think Zechariah would feel to hear us lustily singing the … Continue reading –>
During Zechariah’s third year of ministry, a delegation from Bethel came to Jerusalem to ask the priests and the prophets a question (see Zech. 7:1-3). When they were in exile in Babylon, the people fasted during the fifth month to mourn the destruction of the temple (2 Kings 25:8-9). This was in addition to the fasts … Continue reading –>
Read Zechariah 4. What hope is being presented to the people? In this vision, Zechariah sees a lampstand fed by two olive trees, which refers back to the candlestick located in the Holy Place of the wilderness tabernacle (Exod. 25:31-40). The seven lamps are arranged around a large bowl that serves as a reservoir of oil. … Continue reading –>
Key Thought : Zechariah’s message was for God’s people not to lose hope, but to learn to serve Him in the present. [Teaching plan for Visions of Hope June 10, 2013] 1. Have a volunteer read Zechariah 1:1-5. A. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text … Continue reading –>
Read Zechariah 3. How is the gospel portrayed here? With, perhaps, the exception of Isaiah 53, no portion of the Old Testament better reveals the wonderful truth of salvation by faith alone than does Zechariah 3. In this vision, the high priest Joshua is being tried on accusations brought forth by the official accuser, Satan. The accusations against … Continue reading –>