Committed to Returning to God Zechariah 1:1-6; 7:8-14 SS Lesson for 08/19/2007

Transcription

1 Committed to Returning to God Zechariah 1:1-6; 7:8-14 SS Lesson for 08/19/2007 Devotional Scripture: James 4:6-10 OUTLINE INTRODUCTION OVERVIEW AND APPROACH TO LESSON LESSON INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND From the NIV Standard Lesson Commentary From the Bible Expositor and Illuminator MAJOR THEME ANALYSIS GOD'S APPEAL TO REPENT (ZECH 1:1-6) Appeal by words (1-3) Words from the Creator of the universe (Ps 33:6) Words that consecrates everything (1 Tim 4:4-5) Words that overcome (Rev 12:10-11) The Word that has always been and always will be (John 1:1-2) Words that are the sword of the Holy Spirit (Eph 6:17) Appeal by other's example (4-6) Example of not hearing Not hearing wise counsel (Prov 22:17) Not hearing God's messengers (Jer 25:4) Not hearing because of stubbornness (Jer 7:24) Not hearing because of a hardened heart (Heb 4:7) Example of not living forever We never know when God may demand our life (Luke 12:16-21) Because we don't know what tomorrow will bring, always yield to God's will (James 4:13-16) Live with the understanding that salvation is nearer that we think (Rom 13:11) Example of the judgment Judgment of the unrepentant heart (Rom 2:5-8) Judgment at the judgment seat of Jesus Christ (2 Cor 5:10) Judgment that all must face (Heb 9:27) Judgment of the enemies of God (Heb 10:26-27) GOD'S APPEAL FOR ACTION (ZECH 7:8-14) What to do (8-9) Justice Justice that comes from righteous wisdom (Ps 37:30) Justice that comes from the plans of the righteous (Prov 12:5) Justice that comes from doing right (Prov 21:3) Justice that comes from insight (Ps 119:98-100) Kindness Kindness should be a part of us because we are a part of God's chosen people (Col 3:12) Kindness that comes from the maturity of our faith (2 Peter 1:5-8) Kindness that comes from love (1 Cor 13:4) Kindness that is commanded (Eph 4:32) Kindness should be offered to everyone (1 Thess 5:15) Compassion Compassion that comes from the comfort of God (2 Cor 1:3-4) Compassion is commanded (1 Peter 3:8) Compassion that comes from the love of God (1 John 3:17) What not to do (10) Do not oppress Oppression shows contempt for God (Prov 14:31) Beware because God protects those that are oppressed (Ps 12:5) Committed to Returning to God Page 1 of 11 SS Lesson for 08/19/2007

2 God will plunder oppressors (Prov 22:22-23) Do no evil Do not do evil because God does not take pleasure in evil (Ps 5:4) Do not do evil because it comes from anger and wrath (Ps 37:8-9) Do not do evil because it should be shunned (Prov 3:7) Do not do evil because it ensnares (Prov 5:22) Do not do evil because of the fear of the Lord (Prov 8:13) Do not do evil but do good in response to evil (Prov 17:13) People's decision (11-12) Decision to be stubborn (Rom 2:5) Decision to ignore rebukes (Prov 29:1) Decision to harden heart (Heb 3:13) God's discipline (13-14) Do not make light of or lose heart because of God's discipline (Heb 12:5-11) God's discipline bring blessings (Ps 94:12) God's discipline comes from His faithfulness (Ps 119:75) God's discipline keeps us from being condemned with the world (1 Cor 11:32) God's discipline should bring about earnest repentance (Rev 3:19) Losing (the) Ground (from the NIV Standard Lesson Commentary) CONCLUSION AND OTHER THOUGHTS CONCLUDING THOUGHTS FROM THE NIV STANDARD LESSON COMMENTARY CONCLUDING THOUGHTS FROM THE BIBLE EXPOSITOR AND ILLUMINATOR PRACTICAL POINTS FROM THE BIBLE EXPOSITOR AND ILLUMINATOR HEART OF THE LESSON FROM THE BIBLE EXPOSITOR AND ILLUMINATOR Repentance is a key to returning (Zech. 1:1-6) Listening is a key to returning (Zech. 7:8-14) THE JEWISH ASPECT FROM THE BIBLE EXPOSITOR AND ILLUMINATOR Committed to Returning to God Page 2 of 11 SS Lesson for 08/19/2007

3 Introduction Overview and Approach to Lesson The entire outline of the lesson came from the NIV Standard Lesson Commentary. The lesson examines Returning to God. The study's aim is to learn that when our punishment is over, it is time to rebuild our lives for God. The study's application is to realize and experience that when we turn again to God, He helps us put our lives back together. Lesson Introduction and Background From the NIV Standard Lesson Commentary Today s text from the prophet Zechariah focuses on the idea of turning from sin to the Lord. That is often easier said than done. While we may intend to make such a turn, there may be a variety of factors (peer pressure, family members, pleasures of the world, intellectual doubts, etc.) that serve as unseen hands trying to steer us in the opposite direction. For those who earnestly seek to turn to him, however, the Lord provides encouragement. Through his Word, his Spirit, and the support of those who have already learned how to negotiate the turn, he gives us the power steering needed to defeat the efforts of those who would keep us on the same dead-end road. The words of today s text are still the Lord s promise: Return to me and I will return to you (Zechariah 1:3). Zechariah was a postexilic prophet. This means he prophesied after the Babylonian exile had occurred and after God s people had been allowed to return home as a result of the decree of King Cyrus of Persia (2 Chronicles 36:22, 23). That journey home took place in the year 538 B.C. Those who returned to Judah were initially excited to be home back in the land that God had promised would be the place where Abraham s descendants would live. One of the first orders of business was to rebuild the temple. This was an essential part of Cyrus s decree: The Lord God, the God of heaven has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem (Ezra 1:2). The work proceeded smoothly at first. Within two years of their arrival, the people had completed the foundation of the new structure. The Bible records the mixed emotions that were expressed at the dedication of the foundation. Many shouted with joy at this significant step; however, those who could remember the grandeur of Solomon s temple and who recognized that this new temple would in no way measure up to it began to weep (Ezra 3:12, 13). Perhaps the disparity in response to the rebuilding began to dampen enthusiasm to complete the project. Ezra 4:1 5 notes the rise of opposition from without; because of this, The work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia (Ezra 4:24). That was 520 B.C. Thus from approximately 536 to 520 B.C. (16 years), the temple of the Lord lay unfinished a sad witness to a discouraged people. The Lord raised up two prophets, namely Haggai and Zechariah, in about 520 B.C. to awaken the people out of their apathy and spur them on to finish what they had begun. Both prophets are mentioned in Ezra 5:1. We see the impact of their ministries in Ezra 5:2: the leaders of God s people at this time (Zerubbabel and Jeshua, also called Joshua) set to work to rebuild the house of God. From the Bible Expositor and Illuminator For the past weeks we have been studying messages from prophets who warned the people of Israel that if they did not renounce their sinful ways, God was going to punish them with captivity. The text last week was from one of the prophets who went into captivity and ministered to the people while in the land of Babylon. The lesson this week is unique in that it is from one of the prophets who ministered to the people after they returned from captivity. They desperately needed the encouragement he gave. There had been three deportations to Babylon. After the seventy years prophesied by Jeremiah, there were three returns. They took place under the leadership of Zerubbabel (in 537 B.C.), Ezra (in 458 B. C.), and Nehemiah (in 445 B.C.). Records of these returns are found in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Ezra describes the rebuilding of the temple, while Nehemiah describes the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. God raised up the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to encourage the people when the work on the temple slowed down. Committed to Returning to God Page 3 of 11 SS Lesson for 08/19/2007

4 The period of punishment, discipline, and exile had not been easy to bear, but they still had to be reminded of the errors of their ancestors so that they could avoid repeating them. Zechariah called God's people back to God. Times of discipline from the Lord seem hard and painful, and we often wonder whether they will ever end. The sooner we learn the lessons from God, the sooner we can be restored. In our text this week the people of God had returned to Jerusalem and now had before them the enormous task of putting their lives back together. One of the first things on their agenda was to rebuild the temple and put God back in the center of their lives. Major Theme Analysis (Scriptural Text from the New King James Version; cross-references from the NIV) God's Appeal to Repent (Zech 1:1-6) 1 In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, 2 "The LORD has been very angry with your fathers. 3 "Therefore say to them, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Return to Me," says the LORD of hosts, "and I will return to you," says the LORD of hosts. 4 "Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets preached, saying, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Turn now from your evil ways and your evil deeds."' But they did not hear nor heed Me," says the LORD. 5 "Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? 6 Yet surely My words and My statutes, which I commanded My servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers?" "So they returned and said: 'Just as the LORD of hosts determined to do to us, according to our ways and according to our deeds, so He has dealt with us.'"' " Appeal by words (1-3) Words from the Creator of the universe (Ps 33:6) 6 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. Words that consecrates everything (1 Tim 4:4-5) 4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer. Words that overcome (Rev 12:10-11) 10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. 11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. The Word that has always been and always will be (John 1:1-2) 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. Words that are the sword of the Holy Spirit (Eph 6:17) 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Committed to Returning to God Page 4 of 11 SS Lesson for 08/19/2007

5 Appeal by other's example (4-6) Example of not hearing Not hearing wise counsel (Prov 22:17) 17 Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach, Not hearing God's messengers (Jer 25:4) 4 And though the Lord has sent all his servants the prophets to you again and again, you have not listened or paid any attention. Not hearing because of stubbornness (Jer 7:24) 24 But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward. Not hearing because of a hardened heart (Heb 4:7) Example of not living forever 7 Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." We never know when God may demand our life (Luke 12:16-21) 16 And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17 He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' 18 "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' 20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' 21 "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God." Because we don't know what tomorrow will bring, always yield to God's will (James 4:13-16) 13 Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." 16 As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Live with the understanding that salvation is nearer that we think (Rom 13:11) Example of the judgment 11 And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. Judgment of the unrepentant heart (Rom 2:5-8) 5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 God "will give to each person according to what he has done." 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. Judgment at the judgment seat of Jesus Christ (2 Cor 5:10) 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. Judgment that all must face (Heb 9:27) Committed to Returning to God Page 5 of 11 SS Lesson for 08/19/2007

6 27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, Judgment of the enemies of God (Heb 10:26-27) 26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. God's Appeal for Action (Zech 7:8-14) 8 Then the word of the LORD came to Zechariah saying, 9 "Thus has the LORD of hosts said, "Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother; 10 and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.' 11 "But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing. 12 "They made their hearts {like} flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the LORD of hosts. 13 "And just as He called and they would not listen, so they called and I would not listen," says the LORD of hosts; 14 "but I scattered them with a storm wind among all the nations whom they have not known. Thus the land is desolated behind them so that no one went back and forth, for they made the pleasant land desolate." What to do (8-9) Justice Kindness Justice that comes from righteous wisdom (Ps 37:30) 30 The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just. Justice that comes from the plans of the righteous (Prov 12:5) 5 The plans of the righteous are just, but the advice of the wicked is deceitful. Justice that comes from doing right (Prov 21:3) 3 To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. Justice that comes from insight (Ps 119:98-100) 98 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. 99 I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. 100 I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts. Kindness should be a part of us because we are a part of God's chosen people (Col 3:12) 12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Kindness that comes from the maturity of our faith (2 Peter 1:5-8) 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness ; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Kindness that comes from love (1 Cor 13:4) 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. Kindness that is commanded (Eph 4:32) Committed to Returning to God Page 6 of 11 SS Lesson for 08/19/2007

7 Compassion 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Kindness should be offered to everyone (1 Thess 5:15) 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. Compassion that comes from the comfort of God (2 Cor 1:3-4) 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. Compassion is commanded (1 Peter 3:8) 8 Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Compassion that comes from the love of God (1 John 3:17) 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? What not to do (10) Do not oppress Do no evil Oppression shows contempt for God (Prov 14:31) 31 He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God. Beware because God protects those that are oppressed (Ps 12:5) 5 "Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise," says the Lord. "I will protect them from those who malign them." God will plunder oppressors (Prov 22:22-23) 22 Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court, 23 for the Lord will take up their case and will plunder those who plunder them. Do not do evil because God does not take pleasure in evil (Ps 5:4) 4 You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell. Do not do evil because it comes from anger and wrath (Ps 37:8-9) 8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret it leads only to evil. 9 For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. Do not do evil because it should be shunned (Prov 3:7) 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. Do not do evil because it ensnares (Prov 5:22) 22 The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast. Do not do evil because of the fear of the Lord (Prov 8:13) 13 To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. Do not do evil but do good in response to evil (Prov 17:13) 13 If a man pays back evil for good, evil will never leave his house. Committed to Returning to God Page 7 of 11 SS Lesson for 08/19/2007

8 People's decision (11-12) Decision to be stubborn (Rom 2:5) 5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. Decision to ignore rebukes (Prov 29:1) 1 A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed without remedy. Decision to harden heart (Heb 3:13) 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. God's discipline (13-14) Do not make light of or lose heart because of God's discipline (Heb 12:5-11) 5 And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." 7 Endure hardship as discipline ; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline ), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. God's discipline bring blessings (Ps 94:12) 12 Blessed is the man you discipline, O Lord, the man you teach from your law; God's discipline comes from His faithfulness (Ps 119:75) 75 I know, O Lord, that your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness you have afflicted me. God's discipline keeps us from being condemned with the world (1 Cor 11:32) 32 When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world. God's discipline should bring about earnest repentance (Rev 3:19) 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Losing (the) Ground (from the NIV Standard Lesson Commentary) Because of sin, the ancient Israelites ended up losing the very ground that God had given them, the promised land. Losing this ground in a physical sense was preceded by losing it spiritually. Instead of growing in obedience to God, the Israelites rebelled against his will. Instead of being a pure and holy people, they became defiled by the nations around them. This is part of a disturbing pattern. The Roman Empire, for example, also lost it all. A few reasons cited for the fall of this great empire include political corruption, urban decay, increased military spending at the expense of other vital needs, and a decline in morals. Rome s downfall seems to have been predicted in Committed to Returning to God Page 8 of 11 SS Lesson for 08/19/2007

9 Daniel 2:33, 34. It is easy to take pride in our own nation. But pride leads to a fall. We do well to remember that, Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people (Proverbs 14:34). Failure to practice righteousness can still lead nations into losing ground physically. For the individual, failure to practice righteousness may also mean losing the promised land of Heaven. Conclusion and Other Thoughts Concluding Thoughts from the NIV Standard Lesson Commentary America s civil war ended in President Abraham Lincoln faced a particularly explosive issue: what was to be done with the southern states that had seceded from the Union to form the Confederacy? Some demanded a stiff punishment for what they considered treason against the United States. Lincoln, however, advocated a much more conciliatory policy. His eloquent response to the matter of how to treat the states in question was that it would be as if they had never left. Today s lesson has called attention to God s gracious invitation to forsake sinful ways and return to him. He has done all he can do to remove whatever obstacles exist. The most daunting obstacle, sin, has been addressed at the cross through God s provision of his Son, Jesus, as an atoning sacrifice. If we choose to accept that sacrifice and respond to the Father s invitation to come home, he will forgive us completely and make us new creatures. It will indeed be as if we had never left. Concluding Thoughts from the Bible Expositor and Illuminator We have already noted in our discussions of some of the other texts this quarter that faith lies at the heart of a relationship with God. Zechariah was addressing a people who had experienced exile for many years but now had been allowed to return to their homeland. But much more important than where their bodies resided was the issue of where their hearts abided. Would they trust in God's goodness and His sufficiency, or would they ignore Him again and proceed once more toward misery and judgment? God was declaring, as He often had done, that He was ready and willing to have a relationship with His people and bring them blessings. What was required was a change of heart and action, that is, repentance, on the part of the people. After all, how can there be a relationship if one of the parties does not desire it? The fault for the estrangement was Israel's. God desired that there be reconciliation. Zech 1:3 is not saying that we can reconcile with God in our own strength and willpower. The verse is simply saying that when our hearts incline to Him, He will pour out blessings and have fellowship with us. The very realization of how intractable our sinful flesh is should impel us to cry out to Him for His grace and the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. In other words, God commands us to do what we cannot perform in our own strength so that we can cry out to Him for help and then bring glory to Him (cf. Ps 106:40-48; Ps 107:10-16; Phil 2:12-13). Joyce Baldwin rightly pointed out that God is here calling on the people to return to Him, "not to My law, or My way of life, but to Me, your covenant God. While the approach will involve repentance,... the primary emphasis is on establishing a personal relationship" (Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, Tyndale). As we establish such a relationship, matters of obedience and godly living will fall into place. It is noteworthy that the title "Lord of hosts" is used three times in Zechariah 1:3 (once just before the text begins). Zechariah used this term for God over fifty times. It refers to Him as "the One who commands the angelic armies of heaven... and the armies of Israel... The expression emphasizes the sovereignty and omnipotence of God" (Laney, Zechariah, Moody). Its use just before the text emphasizes that Israel needed to pay attention. Its first occurrence in the text underscores "the authority and obligation of the command"; and its final use, after the Lord's promises, "intimates the validity and value of the promise" (Henry, Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible, Hendrickson). Our text emphasizes that God's predisposition is to come to the aid of His people. An echo of this passage is found in the book of James: "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.... Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up" (4:8, 10). The people of Judah had the opportunity to rebuild their kingdom on godly principles and love for God's glory. Believers today are also involved in kingdom work. When we are Committed to Returning to God Page 9 of 11 SS Lesson for 08/19/2007

10 tempted to drift away from the Lord, the words of Zechariah can remind us of God's desire to fellowship with us and to bless us. Practical Points from the Bible Expositor and Illuminator 1. The only way we can truly turn from sin is to turn to the Lord (Zech. 1:1-3) 2. We should beware of bad examples, for they are so easy to follow (vs. 4) 3. Willful disobedience to God always leads to disaster (vs. 5-6) 4. We cannot be rightly related to the Lord if we lack compassion for people (7:8-10) 5. Only the Holy Spirit can break through to a heart that refuses to listen to God (vs ) 6. If we do not listen to God, we cannot expect Him to listen to our prayers (vs ) Heart of the Lesson from the Bible Expositor and Illuminator It is often said that those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. In the case of Judah, the people did not learn from their northern neighbors, Israel. Israel had been taken into captivity in 722 B.C. That meant that Judah had over one hundred years to get their act together to avoid the same fate. Although God gave them every opportunity to repent, they continued in the same idolatry. This week's lesson deals with God's desire for repentance after the Captivity was over, since Zechariah was writing in the latter part of the sixth century, after Judah's captivity in Babylon was over. Repentance is a key to returning (Zech. 1:1-6) The Latin phrase quid pro quo refers to doing something for someone who has done something for you. It is often how our world works. What may surprise you is that God deals with His people in this way too. In verse 3, God told His people, "Turn ye unto me,... and I will turn unto you." But notice the order. God told His people that they had to turn to Him first. That is because they had sinned. God reminded them of the sins of their ancestors. They would not be punished for the sins of their fathers (cf. Ezek. 18:20). God is no different today. He is always willing to take us back when we sin. He will even be the first to make the invitation to return. But since He is absolutely holy, He will not take us back without our repentance. That may seem simple, even too easy. Yet the truth is that it gets to the very core of humanity. To repent means that we must humble ourselves, and we all know that we do not like to do that. It makes us look bad, or so we think. James talked about this same idea in his epistle: "But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded" (4:6-8). Notice that James mentioned the same order that Zechariah did: when we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. Listening is a key to returning (Zech. 7:8-14) If you are a married woman reading this, how many times have you said to your husband, "Are you listening to me?" Wait do not answer that! You know that very often people do not listen when they should. Certainly children fall into that trap quite a lot. And not listening always brings frustration. The one who insists on being listened to is frustrated, but those who should be listening are also frustrated. What is the solution? To listen, of course!! God told His people in Zechariah 7:13 that they were refusing to "hear," or listen to, Him. Verse 14 talks about the punishment given because of that failure to listen: "The land [became] desolate." This was a reference to the ancestors of those Zechariah was prophesying to. Yet they were serving as an example to the current generation. Paul made it clear to the Corinthians, saying, "All these things happened unto [Israel] for [examples]: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come" (I Cor. 10:11). There is a reason that God tells us about the sins of those who walked before us. He wants us not to follow in their footsteps. But if we do, we can return to Him. He calls us to return. Will we listen? Committed to Returning to God Page 10 of 11 SS Lesson for 08/19/2007

11 The Jewish Aspect from the Bible Expositor and Illuminator "In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the Lord unto Zechariah" (Zech. 1:1). Most readers want to rush past those words to the prophecies that follow. A crucial issue, however, may be overlooked: who was Darius, and what was his role? The Jewish audience whom Zechariah addressed clearly knew of this king and his impact on their hopes for the future. Without his favorable actions, their temple would never be completed. Under Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and the temple in 586 B.C. and carried the Jews into captivity. The Jews remained under Babylon's dominion until 539 B.C. Cyrus began his rise to power over Persia in 550 B.C. and by 546 B.C. was in complete control of the Medo-Persian forces. Cyrus's army defeated Babylon in one night in 538 B.C. (cf. Dan. 5:30), making the Jews subjects of Persia. Cyrus's policy was to return captive people and their gods to their homelands. In his first year as king of Babylonia (538 B.C.), he issued a decree permitting the Jews to return to Judea and Jerusalem and rebuild their temple (II Chron. 36:22-23; Ezra 1:14). About 50,000 Jews returned to Judea under Zerubbabel's leadership and began to rebuild the temple, laying its foundation in 536 B.C. (Ezra 3:8-10). Because of opposition to the rebuilding process, however, work on the temple ceased from 535 to 520 B.C. (4:1-5,24). During this time, Cyrus died (530 B.C.) and his son Cambyses ruled ( B.C.). At the death of Cambyses, Darius the Great began his accession to the throne, finally securing it in 521 B.C. The Prophet Haggai started encouraging the Jews to continue the rebuilding of the temple on the first day of the sixth month in the second year of Darius (Hag. 1:1). In the eighth month of that second year, Zechariah joined Haggai in the prophetic ministry (Zech. 1:1; cf. Ezra 5:1). Responding to the messages of Haggai and Zechariah, the Jews began again to rebuild the temple (Ezra 5:2). The Persianappointed governor of Judea, Tatnai, sent a letter of inquiry to Darius to determine whether the Jews should be permitted to continue their rebuilding work (vs. 6-17). In God's providence, Darius ordered a search of the Persian records, found the original decree of Cyrus, and confirmed it with his own approval. He also ordered Tatnai to assist the Jews and to care for their expenses during the process (Ezra 6:6-12). Darius was a monotheist, a Zoroastrian worshiping the god Ahura Mazda. He believed this god created the heavens and earth in six periods of time, created the first man (Mashya) and woman (Mashyana), gave prophetic revelation, and protected and nourished all people. Darius held to a high moral code, practiced religious toleration, and showed great interest in his subjects' welfare. Darius conducted a military campaign in the winter of B.C. that took him through Palestine and into Egypt. His return to Persia occurred at the very time of Zechariah's last dated prophecy, December 518 B.C. (Zech. 7:1). Two years later, the work was finished and the temple dedicated to the Lord (Ezra 6:15). Imagine the Jews' thankfulness for the provisions of the Lord through this pagan king. Committed to Returning to God Page 11 of 11 SS Lesson for 08/19/2007