Why Are You Doing This? Part 1 -Zechariah 7 God is more concerned with motive than actions

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2 Why Are You Doing This? Part 1 -Zechariah 7 God is more concerned with motive than actions A. A Question Asked (7:1-3) 1. God will always have a answer (7:1) 2. A delegation sent from Bethel (7:2) 3. Do we still have to fast? (7:3) a. Origin Related to 586 BC Fall of Jerusalem 1). Tenth month Jerusalem besieged 2). Fourth month City penetrated 3). Fifth month - Temple was burned 4). Seventh month - Gedaliah assassinated and rest of remnant fled 2. The occasion of the question Temple is being rebuilt 3. The opinion behind the question We don t want to do this anymore

3 When Is A Ritual Right? The Test Is Motive

4 Why Are You Doing This? Part 1 -Zechariah 7 God is more concerned with motive than actions B. Right Heart Right Ritual (7:4-7) 1. God is concerned with how we are (7:4) 2. God wants everyone to get the message (7:5) 3. Fasting (worship) is not about you (7:5-6) 4. Fasting (worship) is about God moving you, not you moving God (7:7) 5. God s perspective Isaiah 58:1-7, Micah 6:6-9, Hosea 6:5-7 1 Corinthians 8:8, Matthew 6:7, Matthew 15:9

5 Why Are You Doing This? Part 1 -Zechariah 7 God is more concerned with motive than actions C. Wrong Heart Wrong Ritual (7:8-14) 1. God will keep speaking until we get it right (7:8) 2. This is what you should be doing (7:9-10) John 14:15 3. This is your reaction to my words (7:11-12) Exodus 32:9 4. These are the results that you have reaped (7:13-14) a. I will not hear you (7:13) b. I will not bless you (7:14)

6 Why Are You Doing This? Part 2 Zechariah 8 Rituals will not change God s plan

7 Jeremiah 31:3 The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

8 Hosea and Gomer

9 2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

10 Zechariah 8:1-3 1 Again the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, 2 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury. 3 Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain.

11 A. The LORD is jealous for and will return to Jerusalem (vv 1-3) 1. From God s own mouth 2. The magnitude of His jealousy 3. The meaning of His return An observable change in those on whom God acts Isaiah 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

12 Zechariah 8:4-5 4 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age. 5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.

13 B. The population will increase in a setting of peace 1. Two signs of blessing Old age and young age 2. The setting of blessing Where they are from John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

14 Zechariah 8:6 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the Lord of hosts. C. The power of the LORD will be demonstrated again God is not limited by our understanding of Him but His power in our lives is limited by our faith 2 Chronicles 16:9a For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.

15 Zechariah 8:7-8 7 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; 8 And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness

16 D. The LORD will re-gather Israel from among the nations (7-8) Isaiah 2:1-5 1 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

17 Isaiah 2:1-5 - continued 3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. 5 O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.

18 Zechariah 8: Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built. 10 For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour.

19 E. The LORD promises the temple will be rebuilt and warns of past devastation from disobedience 1. Let your hands prevail 2 Timothy 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 2. Be the changed, not the chained

20 Zechariah 8: But now I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the Lord of hosts. 12 For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. 13 And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.

21 F. The LORD will reverse the state of His people 1. From poverty to productivity = material 2. From cursing to blessing = spiritual 3. From fear to strength = emotional

22 Zechariah 8: For thus saith the Lord of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the Lord of hosts, and I repented not: 15 So again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not. 16 These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: 17 And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord.

23 G. The LORD want to do well to Jerusalem Commands His people to righteous living 1. Back to the basics God s law Zechariah 5:3-4, 7: Back to the basics God s love John 15: These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

24 G. The LORD commands His people to righteous living 3. If God has not changed, why should we? Malachi 3:6-7 6 For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. 7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?

25 II. Rituals Will Be Replaced A. Fasts will be replaced by feasts Zechariah 8: And the word of the Lord of hosts came unto me, saying, 19 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace.

26 II. Rituals Will Be Replaced B. Fervor will replace weariness Zechariah 8: Thus saith the Lord of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: 21 And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts: I will go also. 22 Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord.

27 II. Rituals Will Be Replaced C. Righteousness will replace rejection Zechariah 8:23 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.

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