Zechariah 2
COMMENTARY:
: 5 For I, says the LORD, will be to her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her. (2346 “wall” [chowmah] means protective wall, city wall, protection, protective features of a wall for being safe, or barrier of water.)
DEVOTION: The army of the United States is one of the strongest in the world. We have soldiers everywhere. We have Navy ships around the world. We have bases it seems in every nation. But with all these great warriors we still are not able to protect every citizen of the United States.
The LORD makes the statement that HE is a protective wall of fire around Jerusalem. The children of Israel were a protected people even when HE was sending them into captivity for their sins. The nations that HE used to deal with them have to answer for their treatment of them.
In the future during the Millennial Kingdom the glory of the LORD will be manifest in the city of Jerusalem. All the nations will either worship HIM or suffer the consequences. There is no middle ground with the LORD.
This is a promise of the LORD. HE protects HIS children. We are HIS children if we are believers. We are considered New Testament saints. We have a different reward from the Old Testament saints. We have a different reward than those who are Tribulation saints.
CHALLENGE: Are we looking to the LORD for protection each day to help us be the witness HE wants us to be?
: 8 For thus says the LORD of hosts; After the glory has he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that touches you touches the apple of his eye. (892 “apple” [babah] means eyeball, pupil, cavity, gate, or center of the eyeball.)
DEVOTION: Who is the most important person in your life? Who would you be willing to die for? Who would you fight for if they called you on the phone for help? How many important people do you have in your life? Some people can list no one they would be willing to die for. Many people would be willing to die for their family. Some would be willing to die for a friend.
The LORD is speaking here about the children of Israel. The LORD is going to send judgment to those nations that mistreated Israel. HE allowed it for a time but they would have to pay the consequences for their actions. HE has a long memory.
Why is Israel so important to the LORD? It is because HE considers them the most sensitive part of HIS eye. In a human being the pupil needs to be protected from injury. God’s eyes will never be damaged but those HE considers very important have been hurt and those who hurt them will have to face HIM one day in judgment.
Those who are believers in the New Testament are considered the friend of the LORD. HE gave HIS life for them. HE will protect them. HE has promised never to leave or forsake HIS children.
Time is on the side of the LORD. HIS people are always protected and those who injure them will pay the consequences. Our responsibility is to wait on the LORD to deal with our enemies.
CHALLENGE: Patience in dealing with those who hurt us is necessary. Ask the LORD for help if this is an area where you are struggling.
: 10 Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of you, says the LORD (7442 “sing” [ranan] means to overcome, to cry out, shout for joy, triumph or give a ringing cry.)
DEVOTION: Israel went into captivity and their captives wanted them to sing songs of Jerusalem but they could not. Now things are different. They were returning to the land and there was a future promise of prosperity for Jerusalem.
Zechariah was sent to measure the city of Jerusalem. An angel met him to tell him of the future glory of the LORD dwelling in Jerusalem. There was going to be so much property that the walls of Jerusalem could not contain all the people and animals.
The LORD issued a warning to the nations that they were touching the “apple of HIS eye” and were going to pay the consequences for what they had done to HIS people. The servants were going to have more than their masters in those heathen nations.
The children of Israel were to shout for joy because the LORD was going to deliver them from their enemies. They were to shout for joy because the LORD promised to dwell in the midst of them. They were to shout for joy because many nations were going to join them in shouting praise to the LORD. They were to shout for joy because they would know that the LORD was the one who was still in control in this world. The heathen nations were to stand in silence before HIS presence.
The children of Israel were going to be shouting for joy while the nations were going to stand in awe of all that the LORD was doing for the nation of Israel. They thought they were in control and found out that the LORD was in control the whole time. This time period is telling us about the Millennial kingdom rule of Christ. HE is going to dwell in Jerusalem.
We are also going to be there while HE is reigning in Jerusalem. We are given the promise that we will be kings in that time period. That is, all those who are faithful to the LORD. Are we being faithful to the calling of the LORD? Are we measuring our time here on this earth with God’s measuring rod? Or are we using the world’s measuring rod? What are we doing for the LORD today?
CHALLENGE: Our singing needs to continually come before the presence of the LORD even now. Sing with all your heart each day because you are in HIS presence each day.
: 13 Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation. (5782 “raised up” [‘uwr] means to be awake, stir, start to move, or roused.)
DEVOTION: There is a statement that we can “wake up a sleeping giant.” It was stated back in our history it was thought that America had a “silent majority” that could change the downward turn in America. There are nations that are considered “sleeping giants.”
The world is told to “hush” before the LORD. It seems to the world that the LORD is sleeping. Some even teach that the LORD created the world and then sat back in HIS rocking chair to watch what is happening here in our world. These are all lies of the enemy.
The LORD knows all about everything that is happening in this world. The angels are reporting to HIM but we also know that HE is omniscient. Satan can’t do more than HE allows. We can’t do more than HE allows. HE is not sleeping.
Judgment day is coming to the nations. Judgment day is coming to human beings. Judgment day is coming to the devil and his angels.
CHALLENGE: Watch what you believe and say regarding the LORD. HE is listening!!!
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Silenceverse 13
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Singverse 10
Rejoiceverse 10
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)verses 4-13
I will be to her a wall of fire round about for multitude of men and cattle
I will be the glory in the midst of her
Ho, ho come forth and flee from the land of the north
I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven
Deliver yourself Zion
After the glory has he sent ME to the nations which spoiled you
for he that touches you touches the apple of HIS eye
I will shake MINE hand on them and they shall be a spoil to
their servants and you shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me
I come and I will dwell in the midst of you says the LORD
Many nations shall be MY people
LORD of hostsverses 8, 9, 11
LORD’S peopleverse 11
I will dwell in the midst of youverse 11
Shall inherit Judahverse 12
HIS portion in the holy landverse 12
HE shall choose Jerusalem againverse 12
Raised up out of HIS holy habitationverse 13
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
Another angel (LORD)verses 3-13
LORD of hosts has sent me
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Angel/ manverses 1-9
Talked with Zechariah
Said: Run, speak , to this young man
Saying Jerusalem shall be
Inhabited as towns
Without walls
Multitude of men and cattle therein
Another angelverse 3
Went to meet first angel
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Daughter of Babylonverse 7
Nationsverses 8, 11
Many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day
All fleshverse 13
LORD told to be silent before HIM
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Presence of the LORDverses 10, 11
Silenceverse 13
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Measuring line in his handverses 1, 2
measuring Jerusalem
Zechariah (young man)verses 2, 4, 11
Asks “Where are you going?
To see what is the breadth thereof
To see what is the length thereof
Many nations shall know that the
LORD of hosts has sent me to you
Jerusalemverses 2, 4, 12
Zionverses 7, 10
Apple of HIS eyeverse 8
Sing and rejoice O daughter of Zionverse 10
LORD will dwell in the midst of themverse 10
Judahverse 12
Holy Landverse 12
LORD chose Jerusalem againverse 12
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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