The Promised Messiah

Transcription

1 SESSION 5 The Promised Messiah The Lord is passionately committed to His glory through mercy to all who are in covenant with Him. He will save and restore them. Session 5: The PROMISED MESSIAH 51 DATE OF MY BIBLE STUDY: 51

2 ZECHARIAH FORESAW JESUS GRAND ENTRANCE INTO JERUSALEM MORE THAN FIVE CENTURIES BEFORE IT OCCURRED. HAVE YOU EVER SEEN OR BEEN PART OF A GRAND ENTRANCE? IF YOU RE A HUSBAND, YOU MIGHT THINK OF WHEN YOUR BRIDE ENTERED THE ROOM ON YOUR WEDDING DAY. OR MAYBE YOU VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO WITNESS AN OPENING CEREMONY AT AN OLYMPIC GAMES, WHERE YOU SAW A GRAND SPECTACLE AS THOUSANDS OF ATHLETES AND THEIR COACHES MARCHED INTO THE STADIUM. One of the most famous photographs from World War I shows a different type of grand entrance. In the picture, British General Sir Edmund Allenby and other military personnel can be seen walking triumphantly into Jerusalem on December 11, 1917, having passed through through a huge, arched gate in the city wall. British troops liberated the city after engaging in hardfought battles with the forces of the Ottoman Empire. Allenby entered Jerusalem on foot rather than by horseback or vehicle to show his respect for the holy city. Centuries before General Allenby walked into Jerusalem to announce the city s liberation, a far greater Deliverer, Jesus, entered the city humbly riding on a donkey. Jesus came into Jerusalem not to battle human foes but to defeat our fiercest enemies: sin, death, and the Devil. Zechariah foresaw Jesus grand entrance into Jerusalem more than five centuries before it occurred. With his words, the prophet drew a vivid picture of the moment, capturing not only the Deliverer s great purpose for entering the city but also the great changes that would result from His victory. 52 EXPLORE THE BIBLE YOUNG ADULTS

3 ZECHARIAH 8:1-8; 9:9-12 8:1 The word of the Lord of Hosts came: 2 The Lord of Hosts says this: I am extremely jealous for Zion; I am jealous for her with great wrath. 3 The Lord says this: I will return to Zion and live in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City, the mountain of the Lord of Hosts, and the Holy Mountain. 4 The Lord of Hosts says this: Old men and women will again sit along the streets of Jerusalem, each with a staff in hand because of advanced age. 5 The streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing in them. 6 The Lord of Hosts says this: Though it may seem incredible to the remnant of this people in those days, should it also seem incredible to Me? this is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts. 7 The Lord of Hosts says this: I will save My people from the land of the east and the land of the west. 8 I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem. They will be My people, and I will be their faithful and righteous God. [ ] 9:9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout in triumph, Daughter Jerusalem! Look, your King is coming to you; He is righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem. The bow of war will be removed, and He will proclaim peace to the nations. His dominion will extend from sea to sea, from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth. 11 As for you, because of the blood of your covenant, I will release your prisoners from the waterless cistern. 12 Return to a stronghold, you prisoners who have hope; today I declare that I will restore double to you. Think About It Underline the various words and phrases the prophet used in these verses to describe Jerusalem. Circle the promises the Lord made to the city and its residents. Session 5: The PROMISED MESSIAH 53

4 UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT The name Zechariah means the Lord remembers. The prophet so completely hid himself behind his message that little can be said about his personal life and calling. However, Zechariah provided three pivotal references in his writings that help us identify his historical context. The references are found in Zechariah 1:1, 1:7, and 7:1; they position the prophet s ministry during the first few years of the reign of the Persian king Darius I, who reauthorized the work of rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem. Zechariah and his fellow prophet, Haggai, were instrumental in exhorting the Jews to complete the work on the temple. King Darius extended a policy toward the Jewish exiles with the first Persian emperor, Cyrus the Great. After defeating the Babylonians, Cyrus allowed many of the Jewish exiles living in Babylon to return to their homeland (see Ezra 1:1-4) and to rebuild the temple. The returning exiles found deplorable conditions in Jerusalem, yet they successfully laid the foundation for the temple. However, with few building materials, low morale, and opposition from the leaders of surrounding districts, the reconstruction efforts came to a standstill for more than a decade. With Darius s authorization and support, and with the prophetic urgings of Zechariah and Haggai, the people of the Lord resumed construction on the temple around 520 B.C. Zechariah, having lived and ministered during some of the most challenging times in the history of the covenant people, wrote his book to encourage the Israelites. Zechariah and Haggai enjoyed a degree of success in that the people dedicated the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem around B.C. (see Ezra 6:15). The Book of Zechariah has an overarching theme of God s salvation. In particular, this prophet foresaw amazing details concerning the coming Messiah. Thus Zechariah s message not only emphasized hope for his first hearers but for all generations since. 54 EXPLORE THE BIBLE YOUNG ADULTS

5 EXPLORE THE TEXT FAITHFUL (Zechariah 8:1-8) Idolatrous pagan peoples faced the judgment of God. Yet the Lord also would hold accountable Israelites who turned from Him to the idol-worshiping ways of the pagan nations. Nevertheless, Zechariah also declared the Lord s unchanging nature. The Lord is faithful to keep His covenant promises. Zechariah reminded his readers of the Lord s intense zeal for His people; represented in verse 2 as the city of Jerusalem (Zion) itself. Jealousy that is, His intense protectiveness motivated the Lord to act in a redemptive manner. That protectiveness could be exhibited in the form of wrath against the Lord s enemies while at the same time exhibited as intense love for His repentant people. Beginning in 8:3, Zechariah focused on the Lord s promise to restore the city and its people.the Babylonians had destroyed the temple and city of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. (see 2 Kings 25:8-10). The prophet Ezekiel preached that in order for the temple and Jerusalem to be destroyed, the Lord had to withdraw His presence from them (see Ezekiel 10:18-19; 11:22-23). But the Lord had returned, just as Ezekiel (see Ezekiel 43:1-5) and Haggai (see Haggai 2:6-9) said He would. God s presence meant that Jerusalem would have a new character and would be called a city of truth and the holy mountain. In the Old Testament, a change in character often resulted in a name change as well. When Jacob the name can mean trickster, deceiver had a character change, the Lord changed his name to Israel, meaning He who strives with God (see Genesis 32:28). Similarly, the old city of Jerusalem, now filled with the presence of the Lord, underwent both a character and a name change. God s presence in Jerusalem meant that life for its residents would be much different too. The city would once again see elderly residents sitting Session 5: The PROMISED MESSIAH 55

6 KEY DOCTRINE: Peace and War The true remedy for the war spirit is the gospel of Jesus Christ. The supreme need of the world is acceptance of His teachings in all the affairs of men and nations, and the practical application of His law of love. ZECHARIAH DECLARED THAT THE LORD WILL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM WHEREVER leisurely along the streets, having lived long, secure lives in the holy city. Meanwhile the streets would also be filled with children playing together without any worry or fear. The presence of the Lord provided for this glorious future. This reversal of fortune, understandably, seemed marvellous to the remnant of the Israelites! The Hebrew term translated marvellous can mean wonder, astonishment, even miracle. But the Lord of Hosts had declared it. What seemed impossible for humans to imagine was no problem at all for Almighty God. Another Old Testament account serves to illustrate the too-incredibleto-believe power of God s promises. In Genesis 18:10-14, the Lord promised that the aging Abraham (99 years old) and his wife Sarah (90 years old) would give birth to a son. The couple both thought this was a laughable promise. Yet it occurred just as the Lord promised that it would (see Genesis 21:1-7). Zechariah declared that the Lord will save His people from wherever they are. The two directions of east and west simply point to everywhere. He will bring His people back from all over the world to live in Jerusalem and restore the broken covenant relationship. How does the promise of heaven serve as a source of hope for Christ-followers? THEY ARE. KING (Zechariah 9:9) Verse 9 expresses an amazing prophecy concerning the Messiah- King. All four Gospel writers report its fulfillment that is, when Jesus Christ, on the Sunday before His crucifixion and resurrection, entered the city of Jerusalem riding on a donkey (see 56 EXPLORE THE BIBLE YOUNG ADULTS

7 Matthew 21:1-5; Mark 11:1-7; Luke 19:28-38; John 12:12-15). Matthew s Gospel reports that the inhabitants of Jerusalem were shaken about the entrance of Jesus and asked about His identity. The crowds answered that this was Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee (see Matthew 21:10-11). His entrance marked a momentous event. Yet centuries before Jesus royal entrance, the prophet Zechariah foretold that the daughter of Zion would have reason to rejoice greatly. This One who entered the city would be none other than the Promised Messiah, the King of kings. He would display in equal fullness the remarkable characteristics of righteousness, victory, and humility. Neither pride nor arrogance would characterize this King. He would be humble and truthful. How does the fulfillment of Zechariah s prophecy help you better understand who Jesus is? CREATOR OF PEACE (Zechariah 9:10) Zechariah declared the results that would flow from the Messiah-King s return to the holy city. The prophet anticipated a time when wars would never again strike God s people. Even the implements of war would be taken away. The prophet envisioned a time of genuine peace inaugurated by the triumphant King. Zechariah prophesied of a time when the chariot, the horse, and the bow would be removed. In the Old Testament age, the horse-drawn chariot was one of the earliest forms of mechanized warfare. Kings built up great chariot units, because just the sight of these mobile, deadly forces approaching could strike terror in the heart of an opposing army (see Exodus 14:9-10). While the bow could refer to a hunting implement, in this context it refers to another deadly war instrument. The prophet Isaiah wrote about the Babylonian bows that shredded young men to pieces (see Isaiah 13:18). However, Zechariah prophesied that the chariot, the warhorse, and the war bow would one day be taken away. Session 5: The PROMISED MESSIAH 57

8 Bible Skill: Identify imagery in a verse and discover what it communicates. Observe the imagery used in Zechariah 9:9 to refer to Jerusalem and Zion. Use a concordance to find other examples in Scripture where the term daughter is used as a descriptor of Jerusalem or Zion. In each case, observe if the message is one of hope or of disaster. Take note of your findings. In removing the implements of war, the Messiah-King will usher in genuine peace. In Scripture, peace means more than the absence of war. The Hebrew word shalom depicts health, blessing, completeness, and wholesomeness. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ ultimately fulfills Zechariah s prophecy of the King who brings peace. In what ways has faith in Jesus brought peace into your life? VICTOR (Zechariah 9:11-12) Zechariah told his hearers that the Lord would give them victory. The prophet referred to the Jews experience in exile as a waterless pit. For many of the exiled Jews, life in Babylon for years no doubt felt like being trapped in a giant pit. But the Lord had promised to eventually deliver His people from exile, based on His faithfulness to the covenant. Zechariah told his hearers that Jerusalem would once again be a secure place to live. The prophet encouraged the covenant people to have hope. He declared that the Lord would bless His people with more than they had lost. What does victory in Jesus mean to you? 58 EXPLORE THE BIBLE YOUNG ADULTS

9 OBEY THE TEXT God can be trusted to provide a sure salvation. Jesus is the promised Messiah in whom we find salvation. We can only find peace, freedom from sin, and restoration through faith in Jesus. List specific examples of God s faithfulness in your life. Also list ways God s faithfulness motivates you to remain faithful to Him. What does the peace of the Lord look like in your life? Make a list of people you need to share this peace with throughout the coming week. Discuss ways your Bible study group can encourage each other to be faithful to Jesus in your church, your families, and your communities. MEMORIZE Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout in triumph, Daughter Jerusalem! Look, your King is coming to you; He is righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Zechariah 9:9 Session 5: The PROMISED MESSIAH 59

10 Use the space provided to make observations and record prayer requests during the group experience for this session. MY THOUGHTS Record insights gained and questions to discuss during the group experience. MY PRAYERS List specific prayer needs and answers to remember this week. MY MISSION Acknowledge ways you will obey God s Word this week. 60 EXPLORE THE BIBLE YOUNG ADULTS