’WPCœ æ+Ģ•øPÆń— "gü3½øķ‘Ļ 1Et 8› b]ė#ŚAźśćT€„ ĮĪ0Vņh”u³éZŚ]A;æ=]«>Fż„—ė8gėw=ĀyJž9&¬Éķ³#^ļ÷_›S=P\ĪhŒÉ`x³¼šžx%ūĆuVJĶ& +^ÕQv®öu,oÓń4'»U:­ĻĘ'OI(!U'×·-ÉŽé&TZĆō„)?¹„Le…}Į%(Ÿ¾Åæ[Ü}óæ1¹JDōŖƒ’qZV¦’›CŖ;)€”ŅkÆ-ĮEŹ.˜Üv»ē¾2CJųŒćõ“3ąČ{nL»ż^ĘLS•ī°? VŪó ”æ'Į•s¦»šŽ*šwŪ2©—hir/ćŸ>P¹ĘOĖy/?TƦ)©ŗ¾2ifOSĻvU4-Sč«p`žqv‡DŖäŠŃ ģ¹H½ŠE‚hšĪĻ‹¢Æ"¤Õ1bJd½_Sq9»”‡÷Z3ϱöLl ¹č+¾Aļwyø¶ mTকĄķä%GOC”‚µģÓ¼Iū‰·ŽóĮÓĒWb IžŻ…PSx|ļĻ $Ęźķ’[YæNÅ6MVĪ·#.ÜLl–éžYe»(‹N6 /Ćųž‚.QIb|{» 0( ^ 2U:>#!xw@™ Ł /ß"{ ‰• %„!« );N?4AU mWU.n($””ČvĆ$į,†r‰AZ‹"Arial Regular˜HP DeskJet 550CȰ,,,,Ȱ0 pEqrsEtuEvwExyE’’HD<Ō6X9`+Courier’C‰?xxxxhXxgŌž’ž’ž’ž’ž’ž’ž’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’ž’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’•Ņsrœ#|vyXž’"AHOZq|~’’’’’’’’’’’’’’ļ’E?’’’’’ž’ĄĢ0³ĖĢ0ĄĻ<Ąü00//’’’’’’N÷’’ą«’ššHš‡Ÿ’€Č2RP€@LL   sm$’U‹’ĄĄĄ<Ō6X9`+CourierŻ ƒ!ŻŻ  ŻŌ_ŌŌ‡XĒXXXŌą@'ģąņ ņZechariahó óˆŠ ° ŠĢĢPrepares€God's€people€for€suffering.€€When€evil€has€done€its€worst,€God€remains€kingĻand€will€be€perceived€as€such€by€the€nations€(all?).ĢĢAuthor€could€have€been€the€Zechariah€of€Neh€12:16€(12:4)€in€which€case€he€wouldĻhave€been€a€priest€which€seems€to€be€borne€out€by€his€concern€for€the€temple€beingĻrebuilt,€and€the€responsibilities€of€the€priest€as€in€vision€four.€€ĢĢWhen?€End€of€exile€in€Babylon.€€Contemporary€of€Ō_ŌHaggaiŌ_Ō,€(Ō_ŌmalachiŌ_Ō--similar€message)ĻYet€he€knew€and€used€the€language€of€the€pre„Ō_ŌexilicŌ_Ō€prophets€like€Isaiah,€Hosea,€Amos,ĻMicah,€as€well€as€Jer€and€Ezek€his€immediate€predecessors.€i.e.€3:2€cf€Am€4:11€(brandĻsnatched€from€fire.)€€520€BC€after€Darius€had€taken€over€from€Cyrus's€successorĻ(suicidal?)€Ō_ŌCambysesŌ_Ō.€€ĢĢ1:1„6€€Message€sent€to€Zechariah€(for€whom?€€them?€€The€ancestors?€€HisĻcontemporaries?)€€Take€a€lesson€from€your€forefathers.€€I€(God)€told€them€to€return€toĻme,€but€they€didn't€heed€my€warning.€€Now€look€at€them.€€They're€dead,€but€my€wordsĻand€principles€(statutes)€last.€€Everything€that€I€said€would€happen€to€them€did€happen,Ļso€that€even€your€ancestors€admitted€that€what€happened€to€them€was€their€own€fault,Ļjust€as€I€said€it€would€be.€€(When€God€deals€with€us€according€to€ņņouróó€deeds,€He€is€beingŠ d Šfair.€€In€other€words,€He€sets€up€laws€of€cause€and€effect.)ĢĢThis€passage€points€to€the€consistency€of€God.ĢĢWhat€three€steps€does€God€give€to€deal€with€His€anger?Ģ1.€He€calls€to€themĢ2.€They€return€to€Him,€making€possible€the€last€step€Ģ3.€He€returns€to€themĢĢAt€the€heart€of€dealing€with€Godššs€anger,€then,€is€His€being€reconciled€to€His€people.ĢIs€Godššs€anger€something€that€hinders€His€love€for€us?€€No.€How€do€we€know?Ģą0  ąVerse€3.€€God€takes€the€initiative.€€He€is€interested€in€His€people.€€He€wantsĻthem€to€return.€€He€has€not€given€up€on€them.Š (#(# ŠĢHow€is€it€that€the€people€of€God€have€such€power€to€hinder€the€Almighty€God€fromĻreturning€to€them?€€Why€can€He€not€return€to€us€even€if€we€do€not€return€to€Him?€€(InĻcontext?)€€Is€this€salvation€by€works?Ō#†XjXXXĒ+#ŌŌ‡XĒXXXjŌŠ Ą'#& Šą0  ąGod€has€given€words€and€statutes€which€promised€destruction€for€the€deeds€theyĻare€doing.€€God€is€consistent€between€what€He€says€and€what€He€does.€V.6ĻProclamation,€demonstrationŠ (#(# ŠĢWhat€is€God€getting€at€when€He€asks€where€their€fathers€are,€or€if€the€prophets€liveĻforever?€€What€are€the€answers€to€these€questions?€€Where€are€your€fathers?€€TheyŠ H-˜(, Šare€dead.€€They€died€in€exile.€€Do€the€prophets€live€for€ever?€€No,€they€are€dead€also.€Ļņ ņButó ó€did€not€ņ ņMy€Words€and€My€statutes€ó ówhich€I€ņ ņCommandedó ó€my€servants€theŠ œģ Šprophets€overtake€your€fathers?€€Yes,€they€did.€€The€were€exiled€just€as€You€said.€ĻThen€they€repented€and€said€that€I€had€done€just€what€I€had€promised€to€do.€€Will€youĻoutlast€me?€€Do€you€think€I€am€kidding€around€when€I€say€that€trouble€is€coming€uponĻyou€if€you€do€not€repent€of€your€evil€deeds?€€Be€assured€I€am€not€kidding.€€Look€whatĻhappened€to€your€fathers.€€For€once,€trust€me!€€Take€my€word€for€it,€evil€sown€is€evilĻreaped.€€My€statutes€cannot€be€changed.€€They€will€overtake€you.€€Therefore€to€avoidĻmy€anger,€turn€from€your€wicked€ways!ĢĢThe€question€here€is,€š šIs€God€trustworthy?€€Did€what€He€said€come€to€pass?šš€€TheĻanswer€is€a€resounding,€š šYes!šš€even€if€what€He€said€wouńpńńońdńońńpńńqńld€hapńqńńrńpen€is€not€pleasńrńńsńńrńnńrńńsńńtńantńtńńuńńtń.ńtńńuńńvń,€HeĻspoke€thńvńńwńńvń€ńvńńwńńvńńvńńxńe€tńxńńyńńxńhńxńńyńńxńruth.ńxńńwńńvńtńvńńwńĢĢ1:7„17€€Setting:€a€grove€of€myrtle€trees.€€The€horseman€on€a€red€horse.€€Also€red,Ļsorrel,€and€white€horses€(and€riders),€those€sent€by€Yahweh€to€patrol€the€earth.€€TheĻsaid€the€earth€was€at€peace.„„Perhaps€the€horsemen€of€Darius€who€traveled€the€newĻroads.ĢĢSetting:€€the€end€of€the€70€years€of€captivity.€€The€angel€of€the€Lord€asks€how€longĻGod's€anger€will€go€on,€and€how€long€the€Lord€of€hosts€will€withhold€mercy€fromĻJerusalem.€€Ģą8  ąą8` Š Š ąThey'd€been€in€captivity„„trial„„for€70€years€because€they'dĻnot€lived€the€principles€of€love€which€give€life€and€revealĻGod's€wisdom€to€the€universe.€€To€take€the€gifts€of€God€andĻhorde€them€is€to€reject€those€gifts€and€the€giver€since€theyĻare€worthless€unless€shared.€€Love€does€not€bless€theĻrecipient€unless€it€is€given€away!Š ` x` x ŠGod€gave€comforting€words€in€response.€€God€is€very€interested€in€helping€his€people.€ĻHe€was€only€a€little€angry€(only€wanted€them€to€experience€the€consequences€of€theirĻsin€a€little€bit?),€but€the€enemies€of€Jerusalem€have€gone€overboard.€€That's€why€HeĻhas€returned€(repented?)€to€Jerusalem€with€compassion.€€He€will€take€up€dwelling€thereĻamong€them.€€The€measuring€line€will€be€spread€out€over€Jerusalem.€€(Does€this€meanĻthat€much€building€will€go€on€in€Jerusalem€again?€€Much€growth€by€NT€analogy.€€JustĻas€God€is€glorified€in€Jerusalem€being€physically€built€up€by€a€prosperous€andĻsocially/spiritually€healthy€Jewish€nation€so€He€is€glorified€as€we€are€built€into€aĻdwelling€place€for€Him€now.)€This€is€the€message,€since€God€says€proclaim€further€thatĻprosperity€will€come€again€as€God€comforts€them€(though€they€are€now€miserable)€andĻchooses€them€(though€now€they€are€under€the€rule€of€God's€chosen€instruments.)Ģą8  ąą8` Š Š ąą8ø ` x` xąWhat€has€kept€the€Jews€so€unified€during€theĻcenturies?€€Is€it€not€the€combined€sense€ofĻchoseness€and€painful€trials€that€has€boundĻthem€together.€€Where€are€the€Amalekites€andĻthe€Samaritans?€€God€masterfully€kept€aĻ"people€of€the€book"€together€to€keep€the€truthŠ H-˜(, Šalive€until€the€end€when€technology€wouldĻallow€it€to€be€transmitted€more€easily.€€OneĻway€he€did€it€was€to€subjugate€them€to€strongerĻnations€during€times€of€political€and€social€andĻspiritual€crisis,€making€it€plain€that€it€was€theirĻspiritual€weakness€that€led€to€it,€so€they€wouldĻin€their€pain€take€stock€and€recommitĻthemselves€to€the€truth!Š ø ø  ЇĢZechariah€1:18„21ą€HH>(#ąApril€15,€1998ˆŠ ° ЇZechariah€sees€four€craftsman€or€artificers.€€Why€blacksmiths?€€They€have€bigĻhammers€to€strike€down€horns?€€I€don't€know.€€I€wonder€if€it€is€a€way€of€connecting€theŠ @-(, Šbuilding€of€the€temple.€€These€builders€will€throw€down€the€tyrannical€powers€that€haveĻscattered€God's€people.€€They€have€been€God's€instruments€of€discipline,€but€now€theyĻmust€reap€the€consequences€of€their€own€acts.€€They€are€four€who€will€judge€the€fourĻwho€have€stepped€on€God's€people.€€ĢŠ @-(, ŠZechariah€2:1„5ą€HH>(#ąApril€30,€1998ˆŠ ° ЇŌ_ŌThis€is€a€prediction€of€the€prosperity€of€Jerusalem.€€It€comes€out€later€that€God€will€saveĻŌ_Ōthem€in€order€to€make€them€a€blessing.€€Here€He€says€that€He€will€protect€them,€andĻthey€will€be€numerous.€€Their€protection€does€not€come€from€their€numbers,€but€fromĻGod.€€God€will€both€protect€them€by€surrounding€them€with€fire,€but€will€be€in€their€midstĻas€a€bright€glory.€€No€wonder€the€fiery€furnace€didn't€hurt€the€worthies,€God€wasĻsurrounding€them€with€fire€already.€€This€speaks€to€me€of€God's€protection€of€ourĻbodies,€and€His€indwelling€Spirit.€€God€truly€became€a€wall€of€fire€around€the€church,Ļnot€that€no€one€was€hurt€ever,€but€their€mission€of€blessing€could€not€be€stopped€byĻpersecution€or€war.€€Likewise€the€only€way€to€have€that€protection€on€the€outside€was€toĻhave€God€inside€the€members€of€the€collective€church.€€It's€the€same€today.€€ĢĢ2:6„ĢĢHere€God€says,€leave€Babylon,€for€it€will€soon€be€destroyed.€€I€wonder€if€the€phraseŠ @-(, Š"daughter€of"€means€simply€the€daughter€(woman)€who€is€.€.€.€Babylon€.€.€.€Zion,€etc.€€InĻthat€case€it€would€mean.€€Escape€you€who€are€living€with€the€woman€Babylon,€the€falseĻchurch,€the€adulterous€nation,€a€people€whose€name€means€confusion.€€Maybe€it€saysĻflee€from€the€North€because€the€Israelites€had€been€scattered€to€the€south,€east,€andĻwest€as€well€and€judgment€was€only€coming€on€the€North,€Babylon„„though€BabylonĻcould€embody€all€that€meant€exile.€€If€verse€8€means€he€has€sent€me€urgently€againstĻthe€nations,€that€would€fit€well€with€the€sense€of€urgency€and€speed€in€this€exhortationĻto€leave€Babylon.€€ĢĢGod€will€reveal€that€He€has€not€given€up€on€His€people.€€He€is€still€Yahweh€of€theĻcovenant€even€if€he€is€stirring€up€the€nest,€trying€to€teach€His€people€to€fly€(near€theĻreference€to€apple€of€the€eye€in€Deut€32)€When€their€enemies€become€plunder€for€theirĻown€slaves,€it€will€be€apparent€that€He€is€Yahweh,€God€of€the€covenant,€their€Daddy.€€ĢĢVerse€11€says€that€they€will€become€a€blessing€to€many€people€in€that€day.€ĢĢŌ% € ŌĢĢĢ8:1„8ĢĢŌ_ŌChiasticŌ_Ō€center€of€the€center€chiasmus.€€Young€and€old€will€both€thrive„„the€Ō_ŌultmateŌ_Ō€inĻmessages€of€peace€and€prosperity.€€Streets€is€mentioned€three€times.€€I€wonder€why?€ĻOld€will€sit€in€the€streets,€and€the€streets€of€the€city€will€be€full€of€the€young€playing€inĻthe€streets.€€ń ńŌ#†XjXXXĒ0#Ōń ń