Beyond Appearances 09.28.08

Hello My Friend/Guest,

Today we begin our study on the book of Zechariah, please read Chapters 1-7 in your Bible or Click Here to read them online. You can also cut & paste this link to your browser: biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Zechariah%201-7&version=9

Today we will read and learn about the judgement upon Israel; Zechariah encouraging them to repent; Joshua, the high priest; and Zechariah's visions. Today's message focuses on the importance of realizing that sometimes people look at us as unusable and on no value to God, but God uses all His children. What a wonderful feeling to know that God sees beyond our appearances.

The book of Zechariah is the 38th book of the Old Testament and contins 14 chapters. The author of the book was Zechariah and it was written to the people of Israel. The purpose of the book was to further encourage the Israelites to rebuild the Temple. What we are to learn from the book is that God controls the affairs of all people and nations regardless of what the world thinks.

God through Zechariah foretold of the judgement that was upon Israel, "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, 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. 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." (Zechariah 1:1-4).

However, God assured them that He would restore the nation and even declared that many nations will follow Him, Jesus is also revealed here. "Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD. 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 that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee. 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." (2:10-11).

Zechariah offers a glimpse into heaven to view the confrontations between God and Satan. Joshua, the high priest was speaking to the angel of God in filthy garmets, this was symbolic of his own sins and the sins of the people. He stood before Him unworthy and Satan was there to attack him. "And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel." (3:1-3). The devil will bring out all sorts of accusations in an attempt to keep a guilty Christian from going to God and asking for forgiveness in order to be cleansed from their sins and believing that God will accept him.

God proved Satan as He forgave Joshua and cleaned him up, "And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by." (3:4-5).

There comes a time when we all fall victim to Satan's accusations, we feel like we are always doing something wrong and that nothing we do for God is good enough. It is when we are at the end of our resources that we lose confidence in our own abilities and that is when God intervenes and teaches us that He in fact loves us and accepts us just as we are. We learn from Zechariah that it is not by our might or power, but by His spirit that He is with us. "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." (4:6). Yeilding to the Holy Spirit that indwells inside of us is an act of a true Christian who is accomplishing the Will of God.

In today's message Jesus Christ is revealed through My servant the Branch, (Zechariah 3:8). "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit." (John 15:2).

Have a great and wonderful day!
God Bless,
Christina

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