’WPC#  0(R m#z ‰ s /"{¾! ) %9U.?($””Canon BJ-200)(08@HPX`BJ200.PRSS|,XhhhhX,’HĄø$(1i$e°’’Č=<Ō6X9`+Courier’d‰?xxxxhXxgŌž’ž’ž’ž’ž’ž’ž’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’ž’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’X<Ō6X9`+Courier’’H=Ü«˜Š|v†ž’"AHOZq|~’’’’’’’’’’’’’’ļ’E?’’’’’ž’ĄĢ0³ĖĢ0ĄĻ<Ąü00//’’’’’’N÷’’ą«’ššHš‡Ÿ’€Č2RP€@LL  Ż ƒ!ŻŻ W Żņ ņThe€facts:ó óĢĢThe€date:€€What€was€going€on€during€this€time?€€Look€at€HaggaiĻ1:2.€Rebuilding€of€the€temple.€€Close€to€the€end€of€the€70€yearsĻof€captivity.€€Dan€9:1„2ĢĢWhat€sort€of€relationship€between€himself€and€his€people€was€GodĻattempting€to€avert€through€Zechariah's€message,€and€what€sort€ofĻrelationship€is€God€attempting€to€create?€€ĢĢą0  ąYahweh€was€very€angry€with€your€fathers.Š (#(# Šą0  ą(Thus€says€the€Lord€of€armies,€Return€to€me,€declares€YahwehĻof€Armies,€that€I€may€return€to€you,€says€Yahweh€of€Armies.)Š (#(# Šą0  ąDo€not€be€like€Your€fathers.Š (#(# ŠĢWhat€three€arguments€does€Zechariah€then€give€in€favor€ofĻreturning€to€God?ĢĢ1ą0  ąBe€ye€not€as€your€fathers,€unto€whom€the€former€prophetsŠ Ą Šcried,€saying,€Thus€saith€Jehovah€of€hosts,€Return€ye€nowĻfrom€your€evil€ways,€and€from€your€evil€doings:€but€they€didĻnot€hear,€nor€hearken€unto€me,€saith€Jehovah.€5€YourĻfathers,€where€are€they?€and€the€prophets,€do€they€live€forĻever?€Š (#(# ŠĢ2ą0  ą6€But€my€words€and€my€statutes,€which€I€commanded€myŠ 8ˆ Šservants€the€prophets,€did€they€not€overtake€your€fathers?€Š (#(# ŠĢ3ą0  ąand€they€turned€and€said,€Like€as€Jehovah€of€hosts€thoughtŠ ą Što€do€unto€us,€according€to€our€ways,€and€according€to€ourĻdoings,€so€hath€he€dealt€with€us.Š (#(# ŠĢ(What€does€"return€to€me"€mean?€€What€does€Zechariah€say€is€theĻway€to€turn€from€ones€evil€ways€and€practices?€€ĢĢą0  ąListen€and€pay€attention!€v.4ń„ń€€ń„ńWhat's€included€in€thisĻreturning€business?€€Is€this€salvation€by€works.€€God€won'tĻlove€me€unless€I€get€my€act€together€first?€€The€word€returnĻis€more€literally€"turn."€€What€is€your€direction€in€life?€ĻGod€has€to€be€against€those€who€do€evil.€€He€cannot€prosperĻthem€and€still€be€responsible.€€Therefore€our€direction€inĻlife€limits€God's€ability€to€be€"on€our€side."€€God€is€goingĻone€way,€and€He€is€bound€by€His€character€to€go€that€way,€weĻcannot€be€on€the€same€track€unless€we€turn.€€Š (#(# ŠĢĢWhat€two€fatal€mistakes€does€Zechariah€urge€his€hearers€not€toĻrepeat€when€confronted€with€a€message€of€repentance?ĢĢą0  ąThey€did€not€listen€(understand)€or€give€heed€(prick€upĻears).)Š (#(# ŠĢņ ņInterpretation:ó óĢŠ .h)5 ŠContext:ĢĢRead€the€context.€€What€current€events€make€this€message€soĻimportant€for€Zechariah's€audience?€€ĢĢą0  ąThe€end€of€the€captivity.€€It€was€their€unfaithfulness€thatĻled€to€it€in€the€first€place.€€God€doesn't€want€a€repeat.€ĻGod€wants€to€live€among€them.€€He€must€have€a€faithfulĻpeople€if€2:11€will€be€true.€€The€reinstatement€of€the€highĻpriest.€€The€completion€of€the€temple!€€The€reinstatement€ofĻthe€law€in€the€land.€€Š (#(# ŠĢLet's€make€a€list€of€the€things€that€happen€to€those€who€ignoreĻGod's€warnings€and€persist€in€evil€ways€and€deeds.ĢĢIf€one€is€on€an€evil€path€first€God€says,€"Return€that€I€mayĻreturn,"€second€hearers€choose€whether€to€heed.€€If€they€do€notĻhear€or€pay€attention€three€things€happen.€€ĢĢ1ą  ąThey€don't€live€foreverŠ ˆŲ Š2ą0  ąBut€first€the€words€of€God€regarding€them€overtake€them.ŠP (#(# Š3ą0  ąAnd€then€even€they€recognize€that€they€were€treated€by€GodŠ h Šin€a€way€that€fit€their€lifestyle€and€actions.ą0x(#(#ąŠą0x(#x(# ŠĢWhy€would€it€be€fair€to€expand€this€to€include€everyone€whoĻignores€the€warning€messages€of€God€through€His€prophets?€€GiveĻme€scripture.€€For€the€sake€of€time,€I'll€just€restrict€you€toĻthe€whole€Bible.ĢĢą0  ąGod€is€no€respecter€of€persons.€€Shows€no€partiality.€Š (#(# ŠĢą8  ąą8` Š Š ąWhen€does€this€happen€for€most?€€SecondĻresurrection.€€If€you€choose€sin,€you€becomeĻa€captive€of€sin,€like€they€became€captivesĻin€Babylon.€€Unless€you€repent€you€willĻremain€a€captive€in€sin€until€you€die€there.€€Š ` x` x ŠĢą8  ąą8` Š Š ąWhat€principle€is€being€taught€here?€€What€isĻthe€subject€of€the€book€of€Zechariah,€and€howĻdoes€this€section€speak€to€that€subject?€€TheĻsubject€is€revival€and€the€purification€ofĻGod's€people€so€God€can€accomplish€HisĻpurpose€in€them.€€Š ` x` x ŠĢą8  ąą8` Š Š ąThe€principle€that€God€is€teaching€is€that€itĻdoesn't€matter€who€you€are,€chosen€or€not,Ļthe€universe€runs€on€principles€and€you€mustĻheed€them€or€be€destroyed€by€not€heedingĻthem.€€Because€God€is€fair,€no€one€can€beĻblamed€for€our€troubles€but€us.€€Ō% € ŌŠ ` x` x ŠĢIn€what€way€is€God€limited€in€this€passage?€€How€does€our€failureĻto€return€to€Him€prevent€Him€from€returning€to€us?€€Is€God€reallyĻthat€limited?€€ń†ńŌ% € Ōń†ńŠ .h)5 Šń…ńWhat€is€involved€in€turning€fromń…ń‡ĢWhat€does€it€tell€us€about€God€if€His€word€overtakes€those€whoĻchoose€to€ignore€the€warnings€given€through€His€prophets?ĢĢą  ą1.€God€is€merciful€enough€to€warn€usĢą0  ą2.€God€is€truthful„„He€is€not€kidding€when€He€warns€us€toĻturn€from€evilŠ (#(# Šą0  ą3.€God€is€so€fair€that€even€the€evildoers€will€that€theyĻhave€received€what€they€deserve€when€His€word€overtakesĻthem.Š (#(# ŠĢWhat€does€the€thrice€repeated€phrase€Yahweh€of€Armies€suggestĻabout€Yahweh?ĢĢą0  ąStrong.€€Š (#(# ŠĢWhat€does€the€interspersed€message€of€repentance€indicate€aboutĻYahweh?€€ĢĢą0  ąWeak?€€Reliant€on€human€choice!€€An€interesting€dichotomy.€ĻGod€is€infinitely€stronger€than€us,€but€He€works€with€us€inĻsuch€a€way€that€we€are€able€to€foil€His€plans,€of€course€weĻspoil€ourselves€in€the€process,€but€God€never€hinders€ourĻability€to€choose.Š (#(# ŠĢWhy€does€Zechariah€use€the€expression€"My€words€.€.€.€overtakeĻthem."?€€What€does€this€expression€tell€us€about€God?ĢĢą0  ąHe€is€consistent.€€He€does€not€change€His€mind,€but€letsĻpeople€know€ahead€of€time€that€they€will€get€what€theyĻdeserve,€and€then€He€follows€through€with€it.€€Š (#(# ŠĢ(Is€it€possible€for€God's€word€to€overtake€us€if€we€are€headed€inĻthe€wrong€direction€even€if€we€do€not€have€a€chance€to€do€theĻwrong€actions?)ĢĢ(What€difference€is€there€between€ways€[attitudes?]€and€practicesĻ[actions]?€€Is€it€in€any€way€similar€to€the€difference€betweenĻlistening€{hearing/understanding€[attitude?]}€and€payingĻattention€{considering€important€enough€to€'perk€up€theĻears'[action]}?)ĢĢą0  ą(Ways/attitudes€are€in€the€heart€as€isĻhearing\understanding.€€Practices€are€visible€and€physical,Ļas€is€paying€attention,€perking€up€the€ears.€€You€can€seeĻboth€of€these,€but€you€cannot€see€the€former€two.€€GodĻjudges€both€what€others€can€see€and€what€only€He€can€see,Ļand€those€who€find€themselves€on€the€short€end€of€HisĻjudgments€will€admit€that€they€received€what€was€fitting€forĻboth€their€actions€ņņandóó€their€intentions/attitudes/what€wasĻin€their€hearts.€€This€word€hearken/pay€attention€is€from€aĻroot€that€refers€to€the€physical€aspect€of€payingĻattention.)€Š (#(# ŠŠ .h)5 Š(Why€is€it€important€that€God€calls€His€people€to€turn€from€theirĻevil€ņņwaysóó€first€and€deeds€second?ĢĢą0  ąOur€actions€follow€our€attitudes.€€There's€no€cure€if€theĻattitudes€on€the€inside€don't€change.€€The€actions€willĻnever€change€if€the€attitudes€don't.)Š (#(# ŠĢWhat€are€some€principles€of€revival€Zechariah€is€trying€to€teachŠ .h)5 Šhere?ĢĢą0  ąLearn€from€the€mistakes€of€others€who€have€disobeyed€God.Š (#(# Šą0  ąņņRevival€comes€from€reformation,€not€from€excitement.óóŠ (#(# ŠĢą0  ąRevival€happens€in€us€not€in€God.Š (#(# ŠĢą0  ąRevival€begins€with€listening€to€God,€but€must€end€in€aĻchange€of€direction€and€actions.Š (#(# ŠĢą0  ąProphets€do€not€make€revivals,€the€response€of€theirŠ .h)5 Šaudiences€doesŠ (#(# ŠĢWhat€are€some€false€beliefs€about€revival€that€we€have?ĢĢą0  ąRevival€is€about€feeling€good€about€God.Š (#(# ŠĢą0  ąRevival€comes€through€miraculous€events.Š (#(# ŠĢWhat€principle€is€Zechariah€teaching?ĢĢą0  ąGod€does€not€want€to€be€angry€with€us€so€he€warns€us.€ĻListen!€€Š (#(# ŠĢWhat€does€this€say€about€the€purpose€of€prophecy?€€Shouldn't€theyĻhave€been€able€to€see€this€cause/effect€stuff€without€an€oracleĻfrom€God?€€ĢĢWhat€does€this€say€about€revival?€€It€allows€God€to€return€to€us.ĢĢWhat€does€it€mean€for€God€to€return€to€us?€€ĢĢGod€does€not€force€us€to€return€to€Him,€but€He€is€so€mercifulĻthat€even€if€we€do€not€return€to€Him,€we€will€admit€that€weĻshould€have.€€The€emphasis€of€God's€anger€is€that€He€cannot€abideĻpeople€beating€their€heads€against€a€wall.€€Turn,€repent,€don'tĻgo€there€anymore,€it€leads€to€captivity€and€death.€€ĢĢWhat€are€some€ways€I€beat€my€head€against€a€wall€today?€€Lord,€isĻthere€some€sin€I€am€repeating€to€my€own€detriment€over€and€over?€ĻAm€I€still€resentful€toward€my€parents?€€I€am€still€trying€toĻcontrol€Coreena.€€I€must€not€steal€others'€thunder.ĢĢIs€there€an€example€for€me€to€follow?€€Is€there€a€command€for€meĻto€obey?€€„„€€Repent.€€A€sin€to€avoid?€€„„€€Hear€and€payĻattention.€€€A€promise€to€claim?€€„„€€All€will€be€€understood.€€ĢWhat€does€it€tell€me€about€God?€€He€is€fair,€loving€enough€toĻwarn€me,€consistent€in€word€and€action,€truthful.€€What€processĻdoes€God€use€to€save€people?€€Information€comes€first,€thenĻdemonstration.€€If€that€doesn't€work,€he€tries€to€use€theĻdemonstration€as€information€for€the€next€generation.€€How€manyĻgenerations€will€He€have€to€use€as€demonstrations€before€one€ofĻthem€will€believe€the€information?€€Maybe€it's€because€we€don'tĻlisten€to€the€information€or€pay€attention€to€it.€€This€is€whyĻit's€important€to€read€the€prophecies€of€the€Bible€and€EllenĻWhite?€€Have€you€listened€and€paid€attention€to€the€messages€ofĻour€Zechariah?ĢĢĢņ ņApplication:ó óĢĢWho€here€has€something€to€tell€ń"ńusń"ń€about€God€in€response€to€whatĻwe've€learned?ĢĢ