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2024-07-21- Sunday School- Zechariah's Message of Victory
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The transcription is discussing the book of Zechariah and its main theme of the second coming of Christ. The speaker apologizes for not being able to cover everything in one session. They mention meeting someone named Brother Matthew Vance and discuss the importance of obedience to God's word. They also talk about the response of the people to Haggai's message and the need for encouragement. The speaker then introduces Zechariah as another post-exilic prophet and begins reading from Zechariah 1. The passage emphasizes the importance of turning to God and not repeating the mistakes of their ancestors. The speaker encourages being a godly example to future generations. Well, I think we could just go on with church this morning. Someday, I don't know the hour, I don't know the day, and you don't either, but someday, some happy day, from sin set free and live with Christ forever. Well, let's get into lesson six. The book of Zechariah is largely about the second coming of Christ, and we probably won't get there this morning. This is going to be another, at least, two-parter, and I apologize, but there's just so much in here. I know Brother Anthony has already passed this up, but we're going to be in lesson six this morning. I got to talk to Brother Matthew Vance myself. Brother Tim kind of introduced me to him. Well, I don't guess you really introduced me. You showed me who he was, and then when you had your spell, I met him right there as we were standing over you, so it just happened that you kind of introduced me, but I got to talk to him shortly, and his first things was kind of like what Brother Tim told me. He said, this is just an outline, and it really is, especially this morning. I mean, you get to where it says, be future victory, and just in a couple of columns, he shoots chapter seven through 14, and just two or three columns, it's just no way, or no way I can do it, but we'll try to get as far as we can. We're going to, Zechariah was, well, let's just get into it. Lesson six, Zechariah's message of victory, the theme says, God used Zechariah to proclaim the ultimate victory of Israel by the power and spirit of God. Our victory also will only be accomplished by God's spirit. Our golden text says, and the Lord shall be king over all the earth, and that day shall there be one Lord, and his name, one, Zechariah 14 and nine. The introduction this morning reads, we have studied how that the work of the house of the Lord had ceased, and the people had become preoccupied with their own houses and needs. God anointed Haggai to speak boldly to the Jews about getting their priorities right and renewing their efforts to build the Lord's house. Two months after Haggai first prophesied, God raised up another prophet, Zechariah. He also began to boldly proclaim God's word for the Jews. Zechariah not only spoke of the victory that God would give to Israel as far as the completion of the house of the Lord, he also spoke important words concerning the coming of the Messiah, the anointed one, the Christ. As it was stated, last week we studied the book of Haggai. It's a small book, only a couple of chapters, but it's very important. There's a lot of important scripture in it, as it all is, and we mentioned that Haggai was a post-exilic prophet, came after the exile, and he's also referred to as a minor prophet, and so you might hear him referred to as a minor prophet, a post-exilic prophet. Not minor is less important, but it might cover less ground than, say, like the book of Isaiah. We abruptly ended last week by saying that the people responded quickly and positively to Haggai's word from the Lord to resume building the temple after 14 years. Remember, they come back from Babylon, started building the foundation. After two years, they got the foundation built, and then they was put on hold, and Haggai, bringing a word from the Lord, encouraged them, and after 14 years, they got started again. And Haggai 1 and 12 says, then Zerubbabel, the son of Shittil ... I'll let y'all turn here real quick. Sorry, I'm a little bit ... That song got me going, I'm a little bit worked up, so ... That's a good thing. I ain't complaining, but ... Haggai 1 and 12 says, then Zerubbabel, the son of Shittil and Joshua, the son of Josedek, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people ... That's the people that come back, the 50,000 ... obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the words of Haggai, the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him, and the people did fear before the Lord. Notice from the top to the bottom, there had to be obedience, from the leadership down to the remnant. There's no exemption. Everybody was obedient to the word of the Lord here. God will do a mighty work in this place if we're all in obedience to his will, every one of us. Even in a great service, there will be spectators sometimes. They report things after the service, which is okay, but some people are like, I got a text, did you see that one shout? Did you see that one run in the back of the pews, so-and-so did this? I've even seen pictures, and if you're into that, that's fine, but I thought on the day of Pentecost and Acts 2, it all started with the people that were of one accord and in one place. And this isn't about 3,000 was added to the church, Brother Anthony. They all showed up to church. That's number one. You got to show up to God's house. But just as importantly, your heart has to show up to the Lord's house, for where your treasury is, your heart will be also. Many people showing up on Sunday morning, but their heart is out working on a truck or fixing this or that or going shopping at Target or eating at Chick-fil-A, and of course we know Chick-fil-A's closed on Sundays, but the house of God is open. So where's your heart this morning? I know you're physically here, but where's your heart? I'm tired and my body hurts and didn't get a whole lot of sleep, but I've been praying. That's one thing I've noticed, Brother Anthony, about getting in the presence of the Lord. It don't require physical strength. Sometimes that gets in the way, but I want to get my heart on God this morning. Haggai 1 and 13 says, "'Then speak, Haggai, the Lord's messenger and the Lord's message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the Lord.' And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel, the son of Shittil, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua, the son of Josedec, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came and did work in the house of the Lord their host, their God.'" Look at the response. A lot of times the Israelites would oppose the man of God. There's a lot of opposition. We read a lot of times the man of God will say something and they'll oppose it. They'll become a stiff-necked people, kind of like, I've never had horses or ox or nothing like that, but I've got some dogs that will get kind of stiff-necked when you try to put something on them. They don't want you to put that leash on them, Brother Jameson, but they become a stiff-necked people. They responded positively to Haggai right away, and that tells me that the problem wasn't really so much about their priorities, or at least it didn't start that way. The root of the problem was the discouragement, and a man came along named Haggai during this time, and he encouraged them. And we need to be encouraged this morning, we need to stay encouraged. But today we'll be reading about Zechariah, and Zechariah's name means the Lord remembers. And if I do a good job this morning, at least by next Sunday, you will realize that Zechariah was named properly, the Lord remembers. He is another post-exilic minor prophet like Haggai, one of Haggai's contemporaries. And with that, we'll start in Zechariah 1 and 1. It starts by saying, in the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, come the word of the Lord unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, the prophet. Letting us know that this is two months after Haggai's first prophecy, and the book of Haggai ends in the ninth month. And notice that time is being told by the king of Persia here, since there's no longer, and we discussed that last week, there's no longer a king of Israel at this time, so time is kind of being stamped by the king of Persia. Jesus will come back and be the king of kings, and we're waiting that day, someday. So we can gather that Zechariah and Haggai ministered here at the same time, and reading on in verse 2, the Lord hath been sore displeased with your fathers, 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. What New Testament scripture does that remind you of, that we've been quoting a lot here lately? James 4 and 8, draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Verse 4, be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, thus saith the Lord of hosts, turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings, but they did not hear nor hearken unto me, saith the Lord. He's saying, don't make the mistakes that your father made, and I've said this to my kids many times, and I sure wish I could say, do as I did every time, but there's sometimes I can't do that, and by the grace of God, I will be able to say that from now on, Brother Anthony. The old saying, do as I do, or do as I say, not as I do, it never really works, it doesn't translate. Let's be a godly example to our children. Zechariah 1 and 5 says, your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? God is telling them some hard truths here. Your fathers are gone. They've either died by the sword or natural causes in a foreign land. They're not here. Don't be like them. Long after I'm dead and gone, I want God to be able to remind my kids of a dad that stood for the truth, someone that lived it. And I'm sad to think of your children, your grandchildren, going to God in prayer someday, and God having to say, don't be like your father now, don't do as your father did. I don't want that to take place. Zechariah 1 and 6 says, but my words and my statutes which I commanded my servants, the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? My word come to pass, just as I said it would. And they returned and said, look, as the Lord of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us. God will always get the final say. When he speaks something, he's not just giving his best guess. He knows. He holds tomorrow in his hands. We can trust him at his word. And here we start the visions, Sister Allie, that Zechariah has, and I believe there's eight. And here's the first one. We'll try to break this down the best we can. It says, in verse 7, it says, upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month's sabbat, in the second year of Darius came the word of the Lord unto Zechariah, the son of Bechariah, the son of Iddo, the prophet, saying, I saw by night, so it's nighttime, and behold, a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom, and behind him were their red horses, speckled and white. Then said I, O my Lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be. And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom the Lord has sent to walk to and fro through the earth. And they answered the angel of the Lord that stood among the myrtle trees and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and behold, all the earth sits still and is at rest. Then the angel of the Lord answered and said, O Lord of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation? Peace threescore in ten years, seventy years. And the Lord answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words. So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion, with a great jealousy. And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease, for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction. Therefore, thus saith the Lord, I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies. My house shall be built in it, saith the Lord of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem. Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, my cities, through prosperity, shall yet be spread abroad, and the Lord shall yet comfort Zion and shall yet choose Jerusalem. I won't try to interpret everything in this vision. I'll just simply tell you what I know. Brother Tim told me when I first started teaching, just teach what you know, so I'll teach what I know. But study these for yourself and get in, there's a lot in here and a lot that I'm probably going to miss, just to be honest with you, but I'll tell you what I get out of this. Zechariah has a vision, we know that, an angel of the Lord riding a red horse, followed by a few more speckled horses. They're riding through some evergreen trees and stop at some sort of ravine or bottom. Some others show up and Zechariah asks the angel, who is that? The angel said, well, I'll tell you, there are men that have been dispatched by God to walk around the earth to see what's going on. God has dispatched some men to kind of see what's going on. The messenger's report displeased God because the world was at ease while his children suffered. Then God promises to restore Jerusalem. Remember, Zechariah means the Lord remembers. Roughly four years after this prophecy, Jerusalem was completely restored. We move on to the second vision in verse 18, then I lifted up mine eyes and saw and behold four horns. And I said unto the angel that talked with me, what about these? And he answered me, these are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. It's speculation, but most commentaries I read believe the four horns probably stood for Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. Which were always a symbol of strength and authority in the Bible. We do know that. An ox would show his strength through his horns. And I thought, don't forget that this used to be the horned town gas station. So we're here having church at the horned town gas station. Zechariah 1 and 20 says, and the Lord shewed me four carpenters. Then said I, what come these to do? And he spake, saying, these are the horns which have scattered Judah. So that an old man did lift up his head. But these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it. So we got the four carpenters, the four carpenters were nations raised up to judge the nations that scattered God's people. God promised from the beginning to curse the nations that rise against his people. We read that in Genesis 12 and two, and I will make of thee a great nation and I will bless thee and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing. And I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curses thee. And in these shall all families of the earth be blessed. Here's the third vision, Zechariah 2 and 1, a vision of a man with a measuring line. It says, I lifted up mine eyes again and looked, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand. So Zechariah sees an angel in the form of a man. An angel can't be a man, but we know an angel can take on the form of a man. Hebrews 13 and two says, be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained strangers unaware. This is one of many reasons we should be hospitable to our fellow man. Reading on in Zechariah 2 and 2, Zechariah asked, whither goest thou? And he said unto me, to measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof and what is the length thereof. I looked it up. Jerusalem is only about 49 square miles. It didn't have much water. It really didn't have very tillable land. But God loved it, and he chose Jerusalem. He loved that land. And there's nothing anyone can point at and say, well, I see why God would want Jerusalem. Not much tillable land, not much water. It's kind of in the middle of a whole lot of fighting, you know, some bigger nations. And I thought, there's nothing in me that God could point into me and say, yeah, I see why God chose him, why God would use him. But he did. He chose me because he loved me. I have no redeemable qualities, yet God loves me and he chose me. As we stated before, only 50,000 returned to Jerusalem, but Zechariah sees a vision of a man measuring its size because God would be leading more home. I think it's time we start measuring around here and just see how many people we could hold here. Just like God led Shannon here a couple weeks ago, I believe he's got more on the way. And I want to be ready. I want to start measuring, just see what we can do here, what we need to be doing. Let's measure this building, but let's also measure our prayer life. Let's measure our Bible reading. How does it line up? Let's measure just how much we spend thinking about the next service. Are we making preparations for the next sinner that walks through them doors? Will we accommodate them with something from the Lord or will we not be ready? I want to be ready for what God has planned for gospel life. Verse 3 says, And behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him and said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls, for the multitude of men and cattle therein. God is going to fill Jerusalem with so many that there won't be any borders to be seen. Verse 5 says, For I say that the Lord will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her. Now I believe this is for Jerusalem, but this is kind of a two-fold vision here. Yes, it's for the Jewish people, but it's also a foreshadowing of the coming Messiah and the new Jerusalem that we shall be partakers of. John the Revelator sees the 144,000 of the children of Israel in Revelation 7 and 4, but then in 7 and 9 is where we show up. It says, After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations and kindreds and people, and tongues stood before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes and palms in their hands, and cried with a loud voice, saying, Unto our God which sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. So this is not only speaking of this great multitude. When God tells in the last part of Zechariah 2 and 5, He will be the glory in the midst of her. It's reminiscent to me, Brother Anthony, of heaven when John writes in Revelation 21 and 23, And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it, for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. One day, some happy day, verse 6, Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the Lord, for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the Lord. Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon. God's pleading for His children to return home, those ones that lingered in Babylon. He's pleading for them to come back to Jerusalem. Come home is what He's asking. Please come home. Yes, God allowed them to be scattered because of their disobedience, but it's time to come back to Him. And that's just like a backslider this morning. He will allow us to be led away if that's what we choose. He will allow it. We have the choice to live life for ourselves or the devil, but He says today is the day of salvation. It's high time to return to Him, and He has made the way through His Son, Jesus Christ. Verse 8 says, For thus saith the Lord of hosts, After the glory hath He sent me unto the nations which spoiled you. For he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of my eye. I'll read it again. For after the glory hath He sent me unto the nations which spoiled you. For he that toucheth you, talking to his children, toucheth the apple of his eye. Have you ever heard that saying? I mean, I'm sure we all have. Some still use that phrase today. If you are your daddy's favorite, and all my kids are in here, so I won't say who it is. So, yeah. If you're your daddy's favorite, you are the apple of his eye. You could say that. His most precious possession, the eye is precious, but also fragile, Brother Ronnie, and in need of protection. Spurgeon's commentary on this idiom says, He esteems them as much as men value their eyesight, and is as careful to protect them from injury as men are to protect the apple of their eye, their eyeball. The pupil of the eye is the tenderest part of the tenderest organ, and very fitly sets forth the inexpressible tenderness of God's love. The Israelites were the apple of God's eye, and if you were saved this morning, you too can say that you are the apple of God's eye. He sent his only son to die on a cross so that you would have a way to come home to him, and he's pleading for Israel to do this, and he's pleading for you to do that this morning if you need to return home. Now that son sits at his side, and as my son preached Wednesday, he ever liveth to make intercession for you. That means his sole purpose, all that he does, Brother Ronnie, is to be a peacemaker between you and our Heavenly Father. Who would have thought this morning? Ever liveth to do that. Verse 9 says, For behold, I will shake my hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants, and you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me. How many times do we feel hopeless? The devil tells us to give up. Our situation is too great. The problem is just too big. Our lost loved ones have gone too far. But God can reverse any situation by just the shaking of his hand. He doesn't even have to leave his throne. War, cancer, financial struggles, addictions, mere child's play for the shaking of the hand of the Lord. Verse 10 says, Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord. Here's our portion, and what I feel is our greatest failure, what we should be doing. Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion. Hasn't he done great things this morning? Let's show ourselves thankful with song and rejoice, and turn with me to Psalms 136 and 1 and 26. I'd like to read this together if you have a Bible this morning, 136 and 1 through 26. Let's read this psalm together. Verse 10 says, Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord. Psalm 136 and 1, it says, O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth forever. O give thanks unto the God of gods, for his mercy endureth forever. O give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his mercy endureth forever. To him who alone doeth great wonders, for his mercy endureth forever. To him that by wisdom made the heavens, for his mercy endureth forever. To him that stretched out the earth above the waters, for his mercy endureth forever. To him that made great lights, for his mercy endureth forever. The sun to rule by day, for his mercy endureth forever. The moon and stars to rule by night, for his mercy endureth forever. To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn, for his mercy endureth forever. And brought out Israel from among them, for his mercy endureth forever. With a strong hand and with a stretched out arm, for his mercy endureth forever. To him which divided the Red Sea into parts, for his mercy endureth forever. And made Israel to pass through the midst of it, for his mercy endureth forever. But overthrow Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his mercy endureth forever. To him which lead his people through the wilderness, for his mercy endureth forever. To him which smote great kings, for his mercy endureth forever. And slew famous kings, for his mercy endureth forever. Sion king of the Amorites, for his mercy endureth forever. And Og the king of Bashan, for his mercy endureth forever. And gave their land for an heritage, for his mercy endureth forever. Even an heritage unto Israel, his servant, for his mercy endureth forever. Who remembered us in our low estate, for his mercy endureth forever. And hath redeemed us from our enemies, for his mercy endureth forever. Who giveth food to all flesh, for his mercy endureth forever. O give thanks unto the God of heaven, for his mercy endureth forever. Couldn't we all write one or two or a dozen of them ourselves? To him who saved me out of addiction, for his mercy endureth forever. Does anybody have one that they'd like to share? To him that cured my daughter from anxiety, for his mercy endureth forever. To him that called my son into the ministry, for his mercy endureth forever. Would anybody like to share one? To him that healed my daughter, his mercy endureth forever. Zechariah 2 and 11 says, And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people. And I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know the Lord of hosts has sent me unto thee. God is not only calling his children there, he will dwell in the midst of them. Psalms 22 and 3 says, But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. If you want to get in the presence of God this morning, you can start praising him, and it will happen. I thought there'd been many times, Brother Ronnie, that I found my prayer closet just a little cold, especially when you first get in there. Sometimes you've got other things on your mind, and you're trying to get in the presence of God, and so many things going on. But when I start praising him, I often feel a shift. And I know that his presence is there, and it will make all the difference in my prayer life. Verse 12 says, And the Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again. Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord, for he is raised up out of his holy habitation. We'll move on to the fourth vision, a vision of Joshua the high priest. I know it's a little different reading visions and prophecies, but there's a lot in here, and we can relate it. I believe God wants us to read them. Now, a lot of people I've listened and read a lot of commentaries on this, and studied a lot on it, and a lot of people just kind of bypass these visions, but I think they're important. Zechariah 3 and 1 says, And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing in his right hand to resist him. And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuked thee, O Satan. Even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuked thee, is not this a brand plucked out of the fire. Remember, a lot of this Old Testament is strictly for the Jewish people, and I know that. And we've not taken their place. We've discussed that before. We haven't taken the place of the covenant that God has for Jerusalem. And we say that often, but it's important because sometimes it gets taught wrong, and I don't want to be guilty of that. The church hasn't taken their place, but as Camden read the verse Wednesday, where Paul tells the Romans in Romans 8 and 15, For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. We are his children by the spirit of adoption, joint heirs with Christ, his children. Adoption is a beautiful thing because it's a choice that someone makes. If you're saved this morning, that means God sought you out, made a choice, knowing exactly who you are and what he was getting into. And he said, I want them to be my child. I'm making this choice. You see, the sad fact is many children are born into this world by accident. They're unwanted. But that's never the case with adoption. Nobody has ever accidentally been adopted. You have been chosen this morning by your heavenly Father. So while a lot of the scriptures for the Jewish people, it relates to us as well and also shows us a pattern of God's love towards his children. Zechariah 3 and 2 reads on, And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuked thee, O Satan, even the Lord. We're reading it again, actually. And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuked thee, O Satan, even the Lord that had chosen Jerusalem rebuked thee. Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? God is displaying his love for Jerusalem in telling Satan, I rebuke you for what you have done to my child, my children. And then doubling down by reminding him that he has chose Jerusalem as his children. This shows God's pattern of behavior, including us. It reminds me of the New Testament in Matthew 10 and 32. Matthew 10 and 32 says, Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess. Jesus speaking to his 12 disciples. I confess also before my father, which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my father, which is in heaven. God loves his children. And if you will love him back, he will confess that to any adversary that you might face. That you are his son and he is your father. He will stand for you in the midst of trouble. I couldn't imagine my son getting into some trouble in town and facing some adversary, Brother Quentin, somebody much bigger than him. And me standing there and just being like, no, I don't know him, I'm not with him, this is his fight. I would never do that in a million years, even if I was scared. I would never do that. I would fight for him, I would stand for him. And God would do the very same thing and has done the very same thing for you. He is your father and he will fight for you, he will stand for you. He is bigger than anything that you might face this morning. And he will confess it to any enemy that you might face. And they will flee. And I'm sorry for getting stuck on this verse, because I know we need to move along. But verse 2, it says, the last question there that God spoke to Satan at the end, it says, Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? I thought we've all stoked a fire at some point. I know Brother Quentin has a wood stove, but we've all been around a campfire and been privy to a fire and worked a fire or whatever. But I thought, have you ever lost something important in a fire? Like something maybe fell in there? Almost thematically, it's useless. It's in a fire. You can't get to it. Even if you could, it's probably waste. If you dropped your phone in there or whatever, it's useless at that point. You probably couldn't recover it. And even if you did, it would be useless. You couldn't take a stick that has been sitting in a fire for some time and try to use it to build a house or anything for that matter. A fire would render it completely useless. If that piece of wood could have ever served a purpose, its only purpose at that point would have been part of that fire. It's gone. But God can pull something out of a fire, discard it, black as coal to the very heart, and everyone would agree, well, it's gone now. It's no use for anything. Don't even try to save it. It's gone. But God said, oh no, I can use that. I thought of my own situation, Brother Anthony, as I read this. It really stirred me. You know, I was in a fire for a long time. And I became useless. And there was no saving me. And my kids and my wife, they would try to pull me out of that fire. They would get too close to a fire that they should have never even been around. But they had somebody they loved right there in that very fire. And they could see me getting burnt up. And they would pray for me. And they would talk to me. And getting way too close to the fire and getting kind of burnt themselves. And a fire just brewing in their very house. And how they tried to save me, but they couldn't. I remember many times my wife having conversations with me. And she said, Michael, you're killing yourself. And I don't know how to help you. You're dying. And I didn't know how to help myself. She couldn't reach in and grab me. She couldn't pull me out. And it looked so hopeless. But Sister Glenda, God came along and He pulled me out of the fire. And He saved me. And no matter how much the devil likes to tell me that he can still smell smoke on me. That he can still smell soot on me. God has completely changed me and made me new. And only He can pluck someone out of the fire and make them new again. Verse 17 says, 2 Corinthians 5 and 17 says, So if you're saved this morning, you've not only been plucked out of the fire, you're a new creature. Satan would like to remind you where you came from. But God pulled you out of the fire and made a use out of you and cleaned you up. No smoke, no black, no smell of soot. He makes all things completely brand new. And I want to give Him the praise this morning. Zechariah 3 and 3 says, This is that Joshua that Haggai 1 and 1 we read about. He is the high priest at the time. Zechariah sees him standing before the angel in dirty clothes in this vision. And the Lord rebukes Satan and says that He pulled His children out of Babylon. Just like pulling a stick out of a fire. And verse 4 says, Didn't He do the same thing for us this morning? He pulled us out of the fire, took off our old clothes that were tattered and dirty, and clothed us in His righteousness. Verse 5 says, A fair mitre, if I'm saying it right, is what we would refer to as maybe like a white turban or a headdress. Verse 6 says, And I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by. The instruction given to Joshua the high priest is reminiscent in those seeking the office of bishop today in 1 Timothy 3 and 1. We won't go through them. I had them here, but we'll move along. But it reminds me of 1 Timothy 3 and 1 through 7. Zechariah 3 and 8 says, Many times the Bible refers to Jesus as a branch or a vine. Isaiah in particular says in verse 4 and 2, Jesus talking about Himself in John 15 and 5 says, The same bringeth forth much fruit, for without Me you can do nothing. Reading on in verse 9, it says, The Holiness Heritage says, I don't think you'll have it, but it talks about the stone and the branch. I'll read it real quick. It says, In that day, says the Lord of Hosts, shall you call every man his neighbor under the vine and under the fig tree. This coming Messiah will bring peace, and God is encouraging the high priest Joshua by having him set his eyes on the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ Himself. We might have time to get through vision 5. The vision 5 here, chapter 4, verse 1, And the angel that talked with me came again and waked me as a man that is awakened out of his sleep. And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and the seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes, the seven lamps which are upon the top thereof, and two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. So Zachariah, picture this, gets woken up by the angel, and it sounds like he was sleeping pretty good, the way it was. It's happened to me a few times, not all the time, I'm nothing great, but it's happened to me a few times. The Lord has woken me up, brother Ron. It's probably happened to you all too, I'm sure it just kind of woke you up and stirred in the spirit. It would do you good to not ignore that, and just get down and get to your prayer clothes. You might be a little tired, but I've had some of the sweetest moments with the Lord when he just woke me up in the middle of the night over something. It just, there's just something about it. But Zachariah's being woken up here in the middle of the night, and he sees this golden stick with seven lamps, with an olive tree on both sides. So, golden stick, olive tree on both sides. Verse 4 says, So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my Lord? Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my Lord. I like the way Zachariah talks here. He gets woken up from the vision, the angel's like, You know what this is? And he's like, I have no idea. And verse 6 says, Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. Who art thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain, and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it. Moreover, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 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 has sent me unto you. The last chapter spoke about division, spoke about purity. They had to have that, but Zerubbabel needed encouragement beyond that. And God is letting him know, You built the foundation, but you need to finish my temple. And it won't be by your might or your strength, but the power will come from me. Isn't it good to know that we aren't alone in trying to establish a church here at Gospel Light, that we have the Lord leading on our side? I believe that is helping. I believe He's helping us all the way. I know He is. Verse 10 says, For who hath despised the day of small things? For they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the head of Zerubbabel with those seven. They are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth. 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? 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? So Zachariah is like, Well, that's awesome, but what does the two trees on either side of the candlestick have to do with all this? Verse 13 says, And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my Lord. And this is a very meticulous conversation, but I think the angel of the Lord really wants Zachariah to get this point. Verse 14 says, Then said he, These are the two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth. And I thought if you casually read the Bible sometimes, especially these visions and prophecies, you might have the same response as Zachariah. You know, you read it and you're like, I don't know what's going on here. I don't know what this means. And we may never know everything about the Bible down here, but by studying it and going to the Lord for understanding, we can get a lot out of it and what God wants us to know. And if you take this vision and knowing that the oil refers to the power of the Holy Ghost throughout the Bible, we can make a pretty fair assumption that this is a vision of the Holy Ghost who has an abundant supply of power, which is what the church needs. In Solomon's temple, Brother Anthony, you know, there was candlesticks and they was needing constant care. I mean, somebody would have to fuel these candlesticks with oil and they would have to clean them, the wicks and all that stuff. Well, today's temple, the church of God, us, we can and should be constantly fueled with the power of the Holy Ghost. It's not through us. It's through God and the power of the Holy Ghost. It's helping us and fueling us. And all we got to do is go to prayer for that thing, Brother Ronnie. Remember, in verse six of this chapter says, Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord undeservable, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. And we'll have to end there and we'll pick up in Zechariah. Let's repeat that one more time as our closing verse. Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord undeservable, saying, Not by my might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. Let's apply that to our church this morning.
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