Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20070211.htm

THE PREINCARNATE MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST
Part XXIV: Christ's Work With The Returned Exiles: Comforting Those Who Repent Of Godless Diversions
(Zechariah 1:1-17 with Haggai 1:1-2:9)
  1. Introduction
    1. Paul urged Timothy not to get distracted by "civilian affairs" lest he fail in the ministry, 2 Tim. 2:4 NIV.
    2. The exiles of Israel that returned from their Babylonian Captivity learned this lesson in their experience with the Preincarnate Christ in Zechariah 1:1-17, and we view it for our edification (as follows):
  2. Christ's Work With The Returned Exiles: Comforting Those Who Repent Of Godless Diversions.
    1. The Preincarnate Christ Who we before learned appeared as the "Angel of the Lord" in the Old Testament (Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978 ed., ftn. to Gen. 16:10) presented Himself as the Rider on the red horse in Zechariah 1:8, 11-13 and interceded unto God the Father in behalf of Israel's repentant returned exiles.
    2. This event is detailed in Zechariah 1 and Haggai 1-2 with application for us (as follows):
      1. The prophecy of Zechariah 1:1-17, given in the eighth month of the second year of the Persian king Darius, marks it as occurring the month following the prophecy of Haggai 2:1-9.
      2. That prophecy came to counter the discouragement of those who began to rebuild the temple but had noticed their temple was plain compared to the former one, 2:1-4. (lusts of the eyes; pride, 1 Jn. 2:16)
      3. This appraisal tempted the workers to stop their work as they had in the past, cf. Haggai 1:1-5.
      4. So, to keep them working in their divine calling, the words of Zechariah 1:1-6 called them to repent:
        1. The returned exiles were to repent from ceasing their rebuilding work with a warning to recall how their forefathers had been judged for disobeying God's admonitions in their era, Zechariah 1:1-4.
        2. As God's warning to the forefathers was unheeded to the fall of those forefathers, the exiles were not to hesitate to repent, for the window of opportunity to do so was limited, cf. Zechariah 1:5!
        3. These returned exiles were not to doubt the validity of the warning, either; just as God's warning to the forefathers proved to be true, His warning to keep rebuilding the temple was just as true, 1:6!
      5. Then, as encouragement for repenting by returning to God's assignment, the Zechariah 1:7-17 vision showed God would restore and bless the obedient exiles regardless of her oppressing Gentile nations:
        1. The exiles had repented of the temptation to cease working on the temple, so an encouraging vision came to Zechariah from the Lord in the eleventh month, Zech. 1:7; Ibid., Ryrie, ftn. to Zech. 1:7.
        2. This vision pictured a Commander riding a red horse as the head of other horseback scouts, and the group stood in a low ravine surrounded by myrtle trees, or "evergreens that grow about thirty feet high," Ibid., ftn. to Zech. 1:8, Zech. 1:7-8; Merrill F. Unger, Zechariah, p. 27-28. The Commander on the red horse was the Preincarnate Christ (cf. Zech. 1:11, 12), the other riders His angelic messengers, the myrtle trees in the low ravine the oppressed, lowly returned Jewish exiles under domination by Gentile oppressors who complacently oppressed them (Ibid., p. 26-30).
        3. The Preincarnate Christ interceded to God the Father for the repentant returned exiles, asking the Father how long the Gentiles would be allowed to dominate and oppress Israel, Zechariah 1:12.
        4. God the Father answered with words of wholesome comfort, the words recorded in verses 14-15 that He was angry with the Gentile nations that had gone beyond punishing Israel for her sin in that they also sought to oppress her excessively, Zech. 1:14-15; Bible Know. Com., O. T., p. 1551.
        5. In response to the Preincarnate Christ's intercession for Israel, God the Father promised to (1) return to Jerusalem with mercy (1:16a), (2) to rebuild His millennial temple there (1:16b), (3) to rebuild Jerusalem (1:16c), (4) to replenish Israel's destroyed towns (1:17a), (5) to comfort Jerusalem's people (1:17b) and (6) to focus His love (choose) on the city, 1:17c; Ibid. [Though elements of these promises were partly fulfilled not much later, they stand to be fulfilled in the fullest sense in the future Messianic Kingdom, Ibid., Unger, p. 25.
Lesson: For soon heeding God's call to repent from failing to KEEP DOING GOD'S ASSIGNMENT due to temptations arising from worldliness, the returned Jewish exiles were comforted by a vision of the compassionate intercessory work of the Preincarnate Christ in their behalf before God the Father!

Application: May WE also QUICKLY REPENT from NOT KEEPING AT GOD'S CALLING amid worldly temptations to the contrary that we might know Christ's shepherding care and encouragement!