WEEKLY
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An
international Sunday school lesson commentary
For
Sunday May 10, 2020
Over
237,000 readers worldwide
larrydalexander.blogspot.com
PROMISING PEACE
(Promised blessings for GOD’s people)
(Zechariah 8)
The “post-exilic” prophet,
Zechariah, is often referred to as “the prophet of hope”. Even as a young man
he seemed to reinforce the pleadings of the prophet Haggai, who was his
contemporary. Haggai was the first post-exilic prophet whom GOD sent to
encourage the Israelites to finish the rebuilding of the fallen Temple at
Jerusalem, after they began returning there following their time of captivity
in Babylon, starting in 539 B.C.
In 520 B.C., Haggai and Zechariah were
instrumental in moving the people of Israel back into a brief re-commitment to
GOD that resulted in the finishing of the work on the Temple at Jerusalem. Remember,
all work on the Temple had ceased during the previous 18 years, after an
enthusiastic start by Ezra, Zerubbabel, Nehemiah and others.
Zechariah’s book begins with 8 visions that
depict, in very graphic language, the power and control of the Almighty GOD
over human events. These visions also speak of the importance of spiritual strength,
the judgment of GOD on sin, and the promise of better times ahead. These visions
are followed by a series of updated messages that embody encouragement, and
further admonishments from GOD.
There are two themes that are emphasized in
the book of Zechariah that are of special interest to Christians. First, it is
a book that is filled with detailed references to the first advent of CHRIST
JESUS. They include references of CHRIST’ lowliness and humanity (6:12), HIS
betrayal by Judas Iscariot (11:12-13), HIS deity (3:4 and 13:7), HIS priesthood
(6:13), and HIS kingship (6:13, 9:9, 14:9 and 14:16).
The second theme that is of interest to Christians
is one of “eschatology”, which is the systematic study of the “End Times”. The final
section of Zechariah’s book (chapters 12-14) is focused on the coming of “the
MESSIANIC age”, where Jerusalem and the people of GOD will, at last, truly
become holy.
Here in Zechariah 8, we first see a series
of seven short messages from GOD, through HIS prophet, Zechariah, concerning
HIS promise of “a future restoration of Jerusalem” (verses 1-17). These seven
messages are followed by three short messages concerning “the rejoicing of GOD’s
people as a result of this great restoration” (verses 18-23).
In this chapter GOD’s passion for HIS
chosen people is affirmed in the same superlative terms that were given earlier
to us by the prophet Joel (Joel 2:18-20), as he prophesized about the defeat of
Gog and Magog in a yet, future, eschatological event. In the peaceful time that
follows, both wisdom (the elderly), and youth, will safely walk the streets of
a restored Jerusalem (v.4). It was a forecast that seemed impossible to the
small, discouraged remnant that had survived the 70-year captivity, under the
thumb of Babylon. Here GOD promises to rescue HIS people, and, to gather and restore
the diaspora from the east, and, from the west (Vs.7-8).
In verses 9-10 GOD tells the discouraged
remnant to take heart and finish the task of rebuilding the Temple, just as HIS
prophets were urging them to do, ever since the walls and foundation was laid
by Ezra, Nehemiah, Zerubbabel and the others. Now, however, they were free to
work without the distractions from their enemies that the others faced
(Nehemiah 4). Those enemies led by Sanballat and Tobias, had sought, very
vigorously in those days, to halt the construction of the walls around
Jerusalem.
Zechariah
tells the people that the LORD Almighty promises to restore peace and
prosperity to the community and bless the earth to produce abundant crops
throughout Judah and northern Israel. They would no longer represent to the
world, “a symbol of cursedness”, but instead, would become “a symbol and source
of blessings” that all the other nations would desire and envy (Vs.11-13).
In verses 14-17 GOD affirms the fulfillment
of HIS purpose for future blessings, by contrasting those coming blessing, with
the already fulfilled promises of disaster and judgment that were forecasted to
their ancestors by pre-exilic prophets. In view of the options of punishment
and blessings, GOD offers HIS people an agenda that would feature honesty, and justice.
HE also instructs them to NOT make evil plots to harm each other and stop
swearing to things that are false.
In verses 18-23, Zechariah gives to us,
from the LORD, three encouraging messages of the rejoicing that will occur as a
result of being an obedient, faithful society in the LORD. The LORD now seems
to finish addressing the question asked by the delegation that was sent to the
prophets and the priests by Bethel to ask (Zechariah 7:2-3), “Should we
continue to mourn and fast each summer on the anniversary of the Temple’s
destruction, as we have done for so many years?”. Here the LORD tells the
people to put an end to these “self-imposed” fasts and mourning, and instead,
they will begin to have festivals of joy and celebration for themselves, and begin
to love “truth” and “peace”, which are the things that GOD loves (v.19).
When GOD decides to bring in the future day
of blessing, all mourning by HIS faithful obedient people will be turned to
joy. People from many nations will desire to join with the followers of the
LORD JESUS CHRIST, because of their relationship to HIM. Powerful nations will
journey to Jerusalem in their search for peace and holiness, and to worship GOD
during the Millennial Age, still, yet to come.
A
Sunday school lesson by,
Larry
D. Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website
No comments:
Post a Comment