2013 2nd Quarter Lesson 11 Visions of Hope Powerpoint Presentation

7/28/2019 2013 2nd Quarter Lesson 11 Visions of Hope Powerpoint Presentation

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Lesson 11 for June 15, 2013


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Zechariah (Yahweh remembers) descended from a

priestly family (Neh. 12:16). He was called to theprophetic ministry some months after Haggai and with

the same mission: encouraging the people of Judah to

rebuild the Temple (Ezra 6:14)

The promises of blessing in Zechariah were clearly

conditional: And this shall come to pass if you diligently

obey the voice of the Lord your God (Zec. 6:15). Thosepromises didnt come true because of Judahs

unfaithfulness, but they came partially true for the

Christian Church.

1. Past history: Punished for their sins (Zec. 1:1-6)

2. The favorable time to build the Temple:

a) The horseman among the myrtle trees: The quiet nations (Zec. 1:7-17)

b) The horns and the craftsmen: Hindrances are taken away (Zec. 1:18-21)

c) The man with the measuring line: Promises of prosperity (Zec. 2)

3. The anointed for the work:

a) The high priest Joshua: Purified for ministry (Zec. 3)

b) The governor Zerubbabel: Strengthen by the Spirit (Zec. 4)

4. Remember the past history to avoid making the same mistakes again (Zec. 7)


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Therefore say to them, Thus says theLord of hosts: Return to Me, says theLord of hosts, and I will return to you,says the Lord of hosts (Zechariah 1:3)

The purpose of that vision was to give the

people confidence in Gods purpose of

restoring His people.

God had repeatedly used the prophets to

warn Israel about the consequences of their

disobedience.

The words of the prophets were fulfilled and

Israel was taken captive for 70 years.

If the people wanted to be prosperous after

captivity, they needed to return to God.

The message of God through the prophets is

still valid nowadays. If we want to live a

glorious future, we must return to God and

to turn away from sin.


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Then the Angel of the Lord answered and said, OLord of hosts, how long will You not have mercy onJerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which Youwere angry these seventy years? And the Lordanswered the angel who talked to me, with good andcomforting words

(Zechariah 1:12-13)

Several horsemen are sent to walk throughout the

world. When they come back, they report that it is

quiet and restful. The nations are in peace and there isno war. That indicated that it was a proper time to

rebuild the Temple.

After hearing the report, the angel cries the peoples

cry: How long will God still be angry with His people?

The answer from God is written in Zechariah 1:14-17.It is full of good and comforting words.

God is angry with the nations that went

too far when they punished Judah.

Jerusalem would be rebuilt.

There would be abundance.

Zion would be comforted.

Jerusalem would be chosen again.


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The craftsmen are sent to fight the horns,

representing the agencies used by the Lord in

restoring His people and the house of His worship(E.G.W., Prophets and Kings, cp. 46, pg. 581)

Zechariah saw fourhorns that

represented the

oppressive power

that scattered Israel

throughout the four

corners of the Earth.


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Sing and rejoice, Odaughter of Zion! Forbehold, I am coming

and I will dwell in yourmidst, says the Lord

(Zechariah 2:10)

The man who was sent to measure

Jerusalem could not finish his work because

the city would be full of inhabitants. Itwould not need a wall because God would

be a fire shield around it.

All then nations were invited to inhabit

Jerusalem.

God protects His people (the apple of His

eye) and invites all the inhabitants of the

Earth to be saved.

If Israel had joined that praise invitation and

had accepted Jesus, that prophecy would

have been literally fulfilled.

The whole world is accepting that invitation

to join Gods joyful people thanks to the

Church and to the ministry of Paul (Romans

15:9-18; Ephesians 3:1-8)


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Thus says the Lord of hosts:If you will walk in My ways,

and if you will keep Mycommand, then you shall alsojudge My house, and likewisehave charge of My courts; Iwill give you places to walkamong these who stand here

(Zechariah 3:7)

The new Temple would need a new

high priest. But Satan accused Joshua

(and each one of us) of being a sinner

unworthy of that post.

There was no excuse for Joshuas sins

(or for ours) but the reprimand of the

Angel: Is this not a brand plucked

from the fire? (Zec. 3:2)

The divine provision for atoning sin is shown in that vision: I am bringing forth My Servantthe BRANCH *Jesus+ And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day (Zec. 3:8-9)


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So he answered and said to me: This is theword of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by mightnor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord ofhosts (Zechariah 4:6)

The golden lampstand with seven lamps

and the oil poured down on the leaves of

the two olive trees represent the way how

the Temple was going to be built.

The oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit and

the olive trees (or anointed) represent the

two leaders: Zerubbabel (civil power) and

Joshua (religious power)

The previous vision was meant to

encourage Joshua. This vision was given to

encourage Zerubbabel.

His success in the work (like ours)

depended on his dependence on God.


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The fourth month.

Recalling the break

of Jerusalems

wall.

The fifth month.

Recalling the

destruction of the

Temple.

The seventh

month. The day of

Atonement, the

only fasting

ordered by God.

The tenth month.

Recalling the siege

of Jerusalem.

Say to all the people of the land,and to the priests: When youfasted and mourned in the fifthand seventh months during thoseseventy years, did you really fastfor Mefor Me? (Zechariah 7:5)

The people of Israel had fasted four

times a year during the 70 years of

captivity (Zec. 8:19):


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There are two main lessons to be learnt from that vision.

1. God does not take pleasure in hunger (external

fasting) but in his children returning to Him. Herejoices at them dying to the self and being

merciful to their neighbors.

2. We must remember the past history to avoid

making the same mistakes again (compare this

to the message in Zechariah 1:1-6)

In reviewing our past history, having

traveled over every step of advance to

our present standing, I can say, Praise

God! As I see what the Lord has wrought, Iam filled with astonishment, and with

confidence in Christ as leader. We have

nothing to fear for the future, except as

we shall forget the way the Lord has led

us, and His teaching in our past history

E.G.W. (Counsels for the Church, cp. 66, pg. 359)
http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=Qb775Bw5qNIPsM&tbnid=aeaYeMwFN0UL3M:&ved=0CAgQjRwwADhi&url=http://legacykona.com/resources/fasting/&ei=rpmrUYfoDaSC4gTv24HQBw&psig=AFQjCNEYua_vfMwPFvNhHMJSbhiyGshtYA&ust=1370286894260031

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2013 2nd Quarter Lesson 11 Visions of Hope Powerpoint Presentation