Teacher: Pastor Chet Lowe

Main Scriptures: Zechariah 1, Isaiah 63, Hosea 5, Revelation 8

• Zechariah came in as an encourager to return the nation to return to God
• Things to remember
  • The visions are a word from the Lord
  • Compare spiritual things to spiritual things to understand
  • The spirit of the prophets are subject to the prophets
  • God has a plan for the nation of Israel
  • The eight visions are received in one night
  • These visions are given after Haggai preaches (Haggai 2:6-9)
  • These visions are meant to encourage and exhort the nation of Israel (and applicable to encourage the church today)
    • 1 Corinthians 14:3
  • These prophecies speak of Jesus
    • Luke 24:44 – Jesus explained Himself through the law, psalms and prophets
• Vision #1: Zechariah 1:7-11
  • An Angel of the Lord appears to Zechariah
    • The Angel of the Lord is the pre-incarnate Christ
  • The myrtle tree is the symbol of Israel
    • Isaiah 57:15 – God dwells with the humble
    • Jeremiah 30:11 – God would restore Israel
    • Isaiah 41:10 – God would help His people
  • The horses
    • Red  – Jesus is riding on a red horse coming as a conquering king
      • This is not the red horse of Revelation; this is a horse of redemption
    • Sorrel (speckled)
    • White – represents Jesus’ final victory
  • Zechariah 1:12-13
    • God is interceding for the people; get busy doing what He wants you to do
    • v. 13 – God comforts the people
    • God has my best interests at heart even when I don’t think so
    • v. 15 – the times of the Gentiles
      • God used a heathen king to discipline the children of Israel
      • Satan hates the nation of Israel; but God says that Israel will last forever
    • Isaiah 47:6 – God was angry with His people, but the heathen nations went too far
    • Hosea 5:15-6:3 – the Lord will heal His people
    • Isaiah 51:3 – the Lord will comfort and restore Zion
    • Application – God will comfort His people today
      • The Word of God will inspire and motivate believers (that’s what Zechariah was hearing)
• Vision #2 (Zechariah 1:18-21)
  • The Four Horns
    • Horns are representations of governmental power
    • Israel was dominated by four Gentile nations: the time of the Gentiles (Luke 24)
      • Babylonians
      • Persians
      • Greeks
      • Romans
  • There will be a fifth kingdom: Rome will resurrect
  • The nations that defeated Israel will be broken
• Application: When we’re feeling discouraged, we need to remember that God is encouraging us