(Through the Bible) Zechariah — Zac Poonen

Haggai and Zechariah: Older and Younger Servants Working Together

Okay let's turn to God's word in the book of Zechariah in chapter 1. Zechariah was a young man who prophesied along with Haggai when the people came back from Babylon and those who came back as a remnant to build the temple.

Haggai and Zechariah prophesied together. It's very rarely in the Old Testament that we see two prophets working together. Elijah was alone, Elisha was alone, Jonah was alone and even if Jeremiah and Habakkuk and all lived around the same time we never see them working together.

In that sense Haggai and Zechariah are different and I believe it was as it were God was slowly preparing people for the new covenant where nobody works alone. Jesus as soon as he began his ministry he sent out his disciples two by two.

Fellowship is the essential thing in the new covenant and as we approach the end of that old covenant period here we find a wonderful example of an older man like Haggai and a much younger man like Zechariah working together and Zechariah has a much larger prophecy than even Haggai even though he was a very young man.

We read about that in chapter 2 verse 4 that he was a young man when God gave him his vision and he began to prophesy. It's a great encouragement for all of us who are young that God can pick you up when you are a young man or a young woman, anoint you with his Holy Spirit and even team you up with an older godly brother like Haggai and ultimately you may have a larger ministry than him and Haggai was such a gracious godly old man and he not only pushed Zerubbabel forward but he also pushed Zechariah forward.

A true man of God is always like this. He wants to push up other young people and pull back and certainly in a country like ours where the need is so great I believe we need older people who train younger people to take over that ministry, pull out and go and do something else.

Train up young people there, pull out, go and do something else. This is how it should always be. It's not God's will that a man should just settle down and forever live comfortably in one particular place and Haggai is a wonderful example of that.

As we know that we're moving towards the new covenant here and he was a person who tried to encourage these discouraged people. So you've got to get a picture of these people who come back in poverty from Babylon and 70 years ago their forefathers had come as slaves and they have come back beaten.

It's like in a sense descendants of slaves not very cultured or refined or rich or any such thing and Zechariah was encouraging them and because the people received Haggai's message God sent them further messages through Zechariah.

If you receive the message of one prophet then God will send you another but if you don't receive the message of one prophet then God says there's no need for you to listen to another. So that's how Zechariah begins and we could divide the book of Zechariah into three parts.

First of all chapters 1 to 6 you have eight visions that he has and each of those visions has a spiritual meaning and then we have chapter 7 and 8 messages that he gives on different subjects like hypocrisy, disobedience, Israel's restoration and then from 9 to 14 we have the last section which is about the Messiah.

The Messiah rejected that's coming of Christ and finally the second coming of the Lord and Messiah reigning over all the earth. Again the burden is from Babylon to Jerusalem. Jerusalem is the burden of these prophets.

Haggai's burden was the temple, Zechariah's is not just the temple but Jerusalem itself, the house of God, the church of God and we look at these visions. The first vision is first of all the Lord says in verse 2 I was very angry with your ancestors he's telling the people whose ancestors 70 years ago were taken captive therefore say to the people return to me and I will return to you and don't be like your ancestors 70 years ago 1 4 who did not listen when the prophets spoke to them and your ancestors and their prophets are both dead now verse 6 but the things that I said through my servants the prophets to your ancestors have all been fulfilled just like I said as a result they repented.

These people repented and they said we have received what we deserve from the Lord. He has done what we said we should do. And then begins the visions. The first vision is from verse 8 onwards a man sitting on a red horse among some myrtle trees.

Myrtle trees speak of humility. Low trees in the valley behind him were red brown and white horses. And he asked what are these for. And they said we have patrolled the earth. They report to the angel of the Lord and the whole earth is at peace.

And this is a picture of a picture of God watching everything that happens on the earth. We have patrolled the earth and the whole earth is at peace. Upon hearing this the angel of the Lord prayed this prayer Lord 70 years you've been angry with Jerusalem.

How long will it be until you show them mercy. And the Lord spoke kind comforting words to the angel who talked with me. And the angel said shout this message for everyone to hear. Verse 14 my love for Jerusalem.

And remember when you read Jerusalem and Mount Zion it's a picture of the church the body of Jesus Christ on earth people. My love for the church is passionate and strong. Therefore I have returned to show mercy to Jerusalem.

Verse 16 my church will be built. This is what the Lord Almighty says. So the message that comes through from here is even though we are in a shady place it says here that in a small valley that's a picture of God's people in a shaded small valley.

There is someone watching over the whole earth interested in this small group of people in the shaded area in a small valley trying to build God's house. That's the message of the first vision. Sometimes you can be in a very lonely place.

It's like a sort of big city or anything. Small place small valley. You feel well. What am I doing here. The Lord is watching the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth. Like it says here in verse 11 we control the whole earth.

And he's working on your behalf. And he says be encouraged. My love for building for the church is passionate and strong. These are words of encouragement. That's how Zacharias sought to encourage the people.

The Four Horns and God's Servants Against Satan's Work

And now we come to verse 18. Then I looked up and saw four animal horns. And these are speaks of the enemies of the church. What are these. These are these horns represent the world powers that scattered judah israel and jerusalem.

And we can say in those days it represented say egypt assyria babylon and medo-persia the four nations that before zacharias time had persecuted israel. In our time we could refer it to the forces of darkness that come against the church from four sides north south east west.

Forces like horns. Horns in the bible are always a picture of strength the gates of hades the powers of death. And these are the ones it says who scattered see the work of the devil is always to come into the church and scatter.

Divide the church. Divide this brother from that brother this sister from that sister. Make this one gossip against that person. Make this one have a misunderstanding of that person. Scatter them. This is what the devil does north south east west.

He's always in this business. Four sides four horns. And against this four horns we read in verse 20. The lord showed me four blacksmiths. Blacksmiths are the people who are going to destroy these horns.

You know these people who got huge hammers. They deal with iron blacksmiths. And the lord he asked zacharias what are these men coming to do. The blacksmiths have come to terrify the four horns that scattered and humble judah.

They will throw them down and destroy them. These are god's servants. And in that day it was haggai zachariah joshua and zerubbabel. Today god's prophets on all sides god raises up one here one here one here one there north south east and west to terrify satan god's servants.

It applies to you my brother my sister you are to be a servant of god who terrifies satan. Verse 21. Most believers are terrified by satan by demons. I remember once when i encountered a demon possessed person and they are so fiery and furious that i got a bit taken aback.

And i asked myself one question immediately to strengthen my own faith. I said was this demon conquered on calvary. Or was this one of those demons who somehow managed to escape. No i said to myself this demon was also conquered on calvary along with satan.

Then i had faith to cast that demon out immediately. So whenever you see something terrifying a demon possessed person ask yourself is that conquered on calvary. When you see satan working intensely in one area when he stirred up people against you ask yourself this question.

Was satan defeated on the cross. You are to terrify satan. Can you imagine how it was when jesus was on this earth wherever he went satan got scared. Oh jesus coming. All the demons. Jesus coming here he's moving in this direction.

We better run. And the bible says 1 john 4 18. As jesus is so are we in this world. As he is so are we in this world. That means if you're walking with a clear conscience you're walking in humility. You have no ambition on earth but to glorify god.

No desire for anything on earth except to glorify god in your life. Wherever you go the demons will begin to tell hey he's coming he's coming. This is not like anybody else. This man's a man with a clear conscience.

This man's a humble man. He's not like these other fellows. We are in danger. Isn't it something my brother sister to be one like that a blacksmith in god's hands to hammer the devil's work and to destroy it.

And to be stronger and stronger as you grow older instead of the way it is with so many preachers nowadays who only become fatter and richer and less anointed. Don't go that way become thinner and more anointed and poorer.

Perhaps. That's that's how it that's how true servants of god are. Yeah just think of it. Don't go the way christendom is going and its leaders are going decide to go in another direction. The way jesus went and the early apostles went they went from strength to strength to strength.

There's a lovely promise in deuteronomy. Is it 33 27. I'm not sure. I think it is as your days so shall your strength be in the king james version i think it's like that. That's a lovely verse. I want to claim that in my life as your days so shall your spiritual power be.

I want all of you to from your youth to claim that. Say lord i want my spiritual strength to grow more and more with every year as i grow up as a young man. I want to be one who terrifies satan. Okay that's the second vision.

Measuring the Church by the Heavenly Book of Life

We go to the third one which is chapter 2 verses 1 to 13. It says i see a man who's measuring jerusalem with a measuring line in his hand. And he's he asked where are you going. And he said i'm going to measure jerusalem to see how wide and how long it is.

You know the lord is trying to teach people how to measure the church. And to me this is a picture of um you know getting a membership list and seeing how strong our church is. And a wonderful thing is that for the church there is only one membership list that is up in heaven the book of life.

Any membership list that you keep here on earth is useless. That one is the only one that's going to matter in the final day. And all these earthly membership lists why would you measure how big your church is.

Your work is worth nothing. And the angel came to me as went to meet a second angel who was coming toward him. And the angel said hurry up and tell this young man zachariah jerusalem will someday be so full of people that it won't have any room for everyone.

Many will live outside the city walls yet they'll be safe. You know there were a small group of people then and they were thinking who's going to come to this despised group of ours. All the people are living comfortably in babylon but comfortable there here we are a small despised group trying to be a testimony for the lord trying to build this temple build jerusalem again.

Who's interested. And the angel came to encourage him said don't worry. People from here and there will hear about you and will come and join you one day today you may be small. All of god's work starts very small.

But if god can find leaders who will hang on and not compromise his principles even if they are small one day from north and south and east and west. Those who have a hunger for godliness those who have a hunger for reality will gradually hear of this group and come and meet with you.

Because they say here is where god is here is where life is. Because i myself will be a wall of fire round about the church. It's not going to have any earthly walls. It's not denominational walls. You please sign this doctrinal statement.

Come and join this church. Those are all denominational walls. God says i will be a wall of fire around about this church. You're not going to get somebody's signature and make him a member. I'm going to be a wall of fire.

You're not even going to just baptize him and make him a member. The man has to come through the wall of fire with all his earthly ambitions burnt up with all his desire to live for himself burnt up. Then he can come through to this church.

Can you imagine if a city is surrounded by a wall of fire how do you get through to that city. You've got to go through the fire. God says i will be a wall of fire round about the church. And anybody who wants to come in has to come through that wall of fire.

And only what cannot be burnt will come through. Everything that can be burnt will be burnt up by god at that entrance itself. There's no gate. You got to come through the wall of fire who can dwell with the consuming fire.

We saw in isaiah chapter 33 hebrews 12 it says our god is a consuming fire. And so whenever preachers try to lower the temperature of the fire till it's not shooting up with big flames and bring it down to almost nothing so that anybody can walk into the church which all with all their worldly ideas and worldly ambitions and love of the world.

You can be pretty sure that's not a church where god is. Because it says if you allow me to be a wall of fire round about your church it says i will be the glory inside it. You want the glory of god to be inside the church.

Then let him be a wall of fire outside the church. The two go together. You don't want him to be a wall of fire outside the church. You say oh these are too high standards. We can't have all that. Okay.

When he goes away the glory in the midst of the church will also go. The two go together. I want to be a part of a church which has got a wall of fire on about it. No earthly membership lists or doctrinal statements primarily.

But god as a wall of fire. I'm not saying doctrine is not important. All i'm saying is that alone is not enough. The doctrine is not a wall of fire. God is a wall of fire. And when god is there there will be right doctrine.

But the most important thing will be more important than the doctrine is the glory of god will be in the midst of the church. So that's what i um zachariah saw in this vision. God is a wall. And so the exiles are called in verse six.

Come away from babylon escape to jerusalem. What a word that we need to proclaim today. You come out of babylon yourself. God is not going to catch you by the neck and pull you out of babylon and say come here.

No the responsibility is yours. You decide i don't want to be in a system that doesn't honor god. I want to be with god's people. I want to be with those who are wholehearted. I want to be with those who are gathering around inside a wall of fire where the glory of god is seen in the midst.

And those of you who are seeking to build the church build a church like this. Everything else is useless. You have to pay a price. Don't think. You can just get a doctrine get a pattern. Look somewhere else where somebody else has done it that way and reproduce the same thing yourself.

If god has not burnt up everything that is combustible that can be burnt in your life you're not going to be able to build that church. Make sure that every earthly ambition is burnt up in your life. Make sure that everything that god does not love you don't love.

And everything that god hates you hate. I'm not going to make a list of that. You ask god to show you the thing that he hates and you hate it. And the things that god loves love with a fiery love. And then you can be used of god man or woman to build the church of jesus christ.

And the lord says verse 10 shout and rejoice. For i'm coming to live among you many nations not just individuals from many many countries. People will come from many many countries. They will come to hear what you have to say because they have heard that god is with you.

And the land of judah he will choose and be silent before the lord for he is springing into action verse 13 from his holy dwelling. And then we come to the third vision here in chapter 3. And that's a vision of cleansing of the crowning.

Joshua the High Priest, Cleansed and Crowned

The cleansing and the crowning of joshua the servant of god. Very interesting that i told you. There are two movements in the old testament. One is egypt to canaan speaking about the individual life. And from babylon to jerusalem speaking about church life.

And in both of them there is a joshua. There's a joshua in to canaan. And there's a joshua in to jerusalem. Here he is. And joshua is the it's just the hebrew word for jesus savior. That's not just a coincidence.

It's more meaningful than a coincidence. And joshua was the high priest today christ is a high priest with one difference that this joshua was a sinner. And just like the other joshua and who led people into canaan was deceived by the gibbonites.

They were human beings. In one way they were types of christ but they were human and they had their limitations and they had sin whereas jesus is absolutely pure and sinless. But other than that joshua is a picture of christ.

But what i want to show you here is not joshua is a picture of christ but joshua is a picture of a leader. He was the leader one of the leaders one of these four blacksmiths. And the four leaders who was leading the people into building god's temple in jerusalem.

And this leader has got sin in his life not deliberate known sin. If it was deliberate known sin it would be a very serious thing. Paul could only say in one corinthians 4 4 i don't know anything against myself.

My conscience is clear. But the one who judges me is the lord. And there are many things that he sees which i cannot see. And as and when god shows it to me i confess it and cleanse it. There is conscious sin in our life and unconscious.

And even in leaders there will be unconscious sin. There is no leader anywhere in the world who is christ like he. Not even the apostle paul. When they slapped jesus he did not threaten the high priest.

When they slapped paul he said god might give you whitewashed wall. You know there's a difference between christ and even paul. Paul fell into sin at that time he was a bit upset but then he immediately confessed it and asked forgiveness and set it right.

So let me tell you this. You'll never find a leader anywhere in the world who is christ like we become like jesus. Only when he comes again we are. We will never be sinlessly perfect on this earth not even the greatest leader.

And that is why sometimes you may look at a leader and you may see some defect in him. There are defects in the greatest leaders. Nobody is perfect. You'll find defects in the greatest prophet in the world.

When he speaks there'll be defects in his speech. Don't worry about those defects. Some of those defects where it may be very minor. So here it teaches us that the greatest of leaders on earth can still have some deficiency in their life.

And what should you do when you see that defect. I'm not talking about now. You should not misunderstand this to apply to a leader living in adultery or leader running after money. Or i'm not talking about these things.

I'm talking about you know little defects which are not serious but which are still unchrist likenesses. That's the theme here. Joshua the high priest was standing before the lord and satan was there to accuse him.

Satan targets leaders. He's always looking for leaders. Targeting them. Targeting their wives targeting their children. Remember this. Don't be harsh to judge a leader because he is a bigger target of satan than you are.

His children are bigger targets of satan than your children are. His wife is a bigger target of satan than your wife is. And he is there to accuse joshua to the lord. And here is the great encouragement that the lord said i the lord were to reject your accusations.

We have an advocate with the father jesus christ the righteous. We don't only have an accuser. Satan accusing us. We have an advocate. Sometimes we are so taken up with the accuser that we forget the advocate who is praying for us.

There are two ministries going on in heaven right now. One is satan's like in the book of job. You read accusing. Look at job. He's like this this this this this look at joshua. He's like this accusing and accusing you accusing me.

And there's another ministry going on in heaven at the same time. And it says in hebrews 7 25 jesus ever lives to make intercession for us a ministry of accusation and a ministry of intercession. And those who are in fellowship with satan will accuse believers on earth.

Also every time you gossip against another believer speak evil against another believer whether you know it or not. You're holding hands with satan there. Yeah yeah. You're. I agree with you satan. He's like that.

And every time you pray for somebody you pray for some brother maybe who's weak. You're holding hands with jesus and saying lord i agree with you. We got to pray for that brother and deliver him from that problem.

How many times have you held hands with satan. And how many times have you held hands with you. You know at least it can be different in the future. And there we see joshua was standing there. The lord says i reject your accusations.

And that is what i also say when people come to me with accusations. I know i've had people come to my house and say brother zach i want to tell you about so and so so and so this this this is i say thank you very much.

I'm going to call him up or meet him today itself and tell him that you told me all this. He said no no no brother please don't go and tell. I said no. I have to tell. I am faithful to all my brothers.

If somebody comes and tells me about you i will come and tell you also. And if you tell me about somebody else i will go and tell about somebody else. You know what is the result. My house has been protected from gossiping for a long long time.

But people don't come with all their stories now because they know i'll go and tell the other person. And they also know that i will not speak against the person behind his back. I will tell him straight to his face be like that.

The lord says i reject your accusations. I'm sorry. Maybe what you say is right. But this man is a child of god. He's a burning stick snatched from the fire. Now joshua was having filthy garments. And so the angel said take away his filthy clothes.

This is jesus pleading for us take away his filthy clothes put on new clothes on him. And he stands there clothed in the righteousness of christ. That is the way we must see god's children clothed in the righteousness of christ.

And then zachariah. This is the best part. And see it and follow the example of zachariah. He says lord this is wonderful. Put a good turban on his head. Also he cooperates with jesus in making his filthy brother glorious.

Do you want this ministry to cooperate with jesus that when jesus puts a robe of righteousness on that brother you cooperate with him and say lord not only a role. Put a turban on his head. Make him really glorious.

What does this mean in practical terms. Somebody comes and tells me something bad about a brother. And i say but you know he's got some good qualities. And suddenly the fellow is mouth is shut. Yeah. It's wonderful to have this ministry particularly in prayer.

When you go before god. I never forget what i read about john hyde. That great missionary who came to north india was known as praying hyde. He says how one day he was kneeling down and praying and lord he was saying lord you know that pastor.

He is like this. And suddenly he felt as if he was being choked. So holy spirit was choking him and said don't get into a ministry of accusation pray for him. And he learned something that day not to accuse even in prayer but to pray.

So that's what zachariah did. And that's the. And then we read joshua is crowned. And he continues in his ministry. I want to say to you pray for god's leaders. Don't join the devil in criticizing them.

They've got enough people to criticize them whenever you think of them. Offer a brief prayer. Whenever the lord reminds you of a true servant of god please spend one minute or half a minute or 15 seconds praying for him.

Lord. You reminded me of that person. I don't know what he's going through. I don't know how the devil is attacking. I want to pray for him. Hold him up protect his family. Bless his ministry. Chapter four.

The Golden Lampstand and Ministry by the Holy Spirit

Here we see a fifth vision. Um fifth vision. We've seen one of the horses. We've seen the one of the horns and the measuring line in jerusalem and crowning of joshua. The fifth one is the golden lamb stand.

The lord sees showed joshua zachariah picture of a solid gold lamb stand. Verse three. With a bowl of oil on top and on the side of the lamb stand were two trees. This is automatically in the in the temple.

The priest said to go and put the oil in the lamb stand every day because it would burn up. But this is automatic. There were olive trees growing by the side of the lamb stand and there were pipes connected to this lamb stand.

And as the olive trees produced oil it was automatically pouring it into the lamb stand. And the lamb stand was burning all the time. There's a picture of the church revelation chapter one. You read the lamb stand is a picture of the church.

And this is the ministry of the holy spirit continuous ministry. And these two branches are a picture. Verse 14. Zachariah asked him what are these two branches. Uh these two trees. Verse 11. And they said these are two anointed servants of mine verse 14 who are assisting the lord in keeping the church fresh spirit filled all the time.

That means two anointed servants of the lord who are spirit filled all the time who are fresh all the time. Anytime you meet them they are in touch with the spirit. Anytime you meet them there's some oil coming out of them to bless you.

Oh what a picture. Don't you think the church needs people like that two like haggai and zachariah cooperating together. Not one person trying to get all the glory to himself. One here one here. This servant of god needs a balance from that servant of god.

This person pours oil from here that person boils from there. And both together make this lamb stand of the church burn. And two brothers together can work together for the building of the church without competition without jealousy both filled with the holy spirit both seeking that the lamb stand should burn.

No personal ambitions no desire to show that i'm a better olive tree than the other one on the other side only interested in lamb stand to burn. I believe we can build a church there which the gates of hell will never be able to prevail against.

And that's what the lord says here when you find something like this this could be a picture of joshua and zerubbabel. It could be a picture of haggai and zachariah. It could be anyone. Two people working together.

This is new covenant ministry. This is what the lord says to zerubbabel verse 6. It's not by might not by power but by my spirit says the lord. Every mighty mountain will be flattened in front of you.

When the church moves out like this the gates of hell will never be able to prevail against it because it is filled with the spirit. Now notice what we have seen in chapter 2 chapter 3 chapter 4. In chapter 2 we see the ministry of god the father being a wall of fire round about the church.

In chapter 3 we see the ministry of god the son as the advocate of god's people and god's leaders. And in chapter 4 we see god the holy spirit filling and anointing the church. It's a whole trinity here.

It's beautiful what zachariah saw. Then we come to the next vision in chapter 6 it's always like this. We saw in the old testament when the rivers began to flow from the rock. Immediately amalek came.

Judgment on Theft, False Religion, and Babylonian Commerce

And here we see in a little while. First of all chapter 5 we have a vision of a flying scroll about 30 feet long. Chapter 5 verse 2. 15 feet wide 30 feet long 15 feet wide. A scroll. A scroll is like a book.

In those days they didn't have books like this. They had scrolls. And he says this scroll contains a curse. The curse of the law that is going to go upon all those who tell lies and who steal. Particularly two things.

And i'm sending the curse into verse four to the house of every thief and every liar. And my curse will remain in that house till it is completely destroyed. This is a picture of judgment upon those who disobey god's word.

It will go into every house and expose sin swiftly. It's flying and it's going to bring judgment. That's the other vision as jared zachariah saw about the fact that god's law will come forth and bring judgment in every little corner wherever it's hidden.

And then we see the sixth. Sorry the seventh vision is about babylon. It's a woman similar to the woman you read in revelation chapter 17 and she's a businesswoman. Babylon is a business system as you read in revelation 18 it's a vision.

Verse 5. Chapter 5 verse 5 to 11 of a basket which is used for measuring grain. It's a measure. It's called a bushel. A basket by which you measure grain. You put the grain in and wipe it off. And that's one measure.

And it's filled with the sins. Verse six of everyone in the land. And there's a lead cover verse seven on top. That means the real motivating force is hidden today. In a lot of christian systems we don't realize the motivating force is the devil.

For example when you gossip how many of you recognize that the motivating force behind your gossip and backbiting is the devil. It's hidden under a lead cover. Lead is a very heavy metal underneath that when you lift it up there's a woman sitting inside and that woman is mystery.

Babylon. The woman's name is wickedness. And he pushed her back into the basket and closed. The heavy lady just showed it to you zachariah i'll show you. Most of these other people don't see it. They think we are just doing business.

You know a lot of people who are involved in business. There's a lot of things underneath that lead cover which is black money cheating lying. And the lord shows his prophet. Look inside. It's all corrupt.

Put it back in. These fellows can't see it. Be careful. And when that comes into the church like in the days of jesus people were making business inside the church. Others couldn't see. Yeah we need sheep.