Day 267

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An Announcement of Coming Peace


Zechariah Introduction

The temple rebuilding had begun amid great excitement in 536 B.C. But the early enthusiasm had waned, and sixteen years later, the only movement in the unfinished building was the stirring of the wind. Enter Zechariah, commissioned by God to join Haggai in motivating the workers to finish what they had begun. His message is one of consolation: the temple will be no ordinary building, but will house Messiah himself. All hands to the task, "For look—your King is coming!" (9:9).

A Name Worth Remembering: The Hebrew name Zekar-yah (Zechariah) literally means "Jehovah remembers"—a theme that permeates Zechariah's ministry. Indeed, God has remembered his promises to his people and always will! 

Scripture

September 23—Zechariah 1-2: Horses, Horns and the Surveyor

Observation

Zechariah and Haggai are contemporaries with much the same message to deliver: "Finish the temple!" But they use strikingly different methods to achieve God's purpose. Haggai is an exhorter, using strongly worded sermons to prod the people into action. Zechariah is an encourager, sharing visions of a glorious future for God's faithful ones. The longest of the Minor Prophets, Zechariah, opens with visions of four horsemen (an announcement of coming peace), four horns (a proclamation of coming judgment), and a surveyor (picturing great growth and "urban renewal" for Israel).

Application

Scene One: A worker, new to his job, makes frequent mistakes. His supervisor demeans his character and constantly criticizes his performance. Result: the worker soon quits in frustration.

Scene Two: A worker, new on his job, makes frequent mistakes. His supervisor patiently reviews job procedures with him until they are thoroughly familiar. He encourages the worker with praise and friendship. Result: the worker's performance and productivity soar.

Zechariah was the second kind of "supervisor," with a good word of encouragement for those facing a difficult task.

Now change the word "worker" to "young Christian," and put yourself in the place of the supervisor. Which kind of supervisor would you most closely resemble? In your daily dealings with others, do you criticize more than compliment, blame more than defend, tear down more than build up? A word of encouragement costs you nothing to give, but its value to the recipient is often immeasurable. Try one on a fellow worker for God today and watch him grow!

Prayer

We thank you, God, for the inward assurance given by your Holy Spirit that we are your children. Help us to encourage new Christians to know that the new birth of their walk with you is a definite Christian experience. We need to encourage them with the fact that the walk with you through the Holy Spirit is an experience that brings conscious joy, peace and love. It is a divine experience attained by constant prayer and it is kept alive and enlarged by constant prayer. We worship you, Lord, for the revelation of spreading your Word to other so that they too can receive the Blessed Hope of our Savior, Jesus Christ! In His Holy Name we pray! Amen!

Be Filled with the Holy Spirit!




© Odessa Mathis about my Father's business! 2020

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