Zechariah

This O.T. prophet and Haggai were called of Jehovah of Hosts to encourage Zerubbabal, descendant of David the King and Joshua of the priestly family, in the rebuilding of the temple by the remnant Jews, who returned from exile to Jerusalem and Judea.

This began to occur in the second year of the rule of Darius ruler of Persia. The seventy years of exile, had passed as prophesied by Jeremiah and remembered by the Jews in the countries where they had been carried/forced away.

"The word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah..." Zechariah 1:7. Here is the first of eight night visions seen by the prophet.

ISAIAH

The prophet Isaiah was both a speaking and and writing prophet. This written account of his ministry to the southern kingdom of Judah covers a period time of ministry of approximately fifty to sixty years, beginning with the end of the reign of Uzziah beginning around 750 B.C. Judah the southern Kingdom was still standing but would face the judgment of Jehovah God and exile because of rebellion against the rule of God in the nation.

Isaiah chapter one verse one: "The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah." The Hebrew word for vision (hazon) as used here may be a collective meaning covering the body of prophecies given to Isaiah to the people of Judah. It may be thought of as a night vision or dream or revelation for prophetic announcement. The name Isaiah means the salvation of Jehovah. These four kings, Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, would reign from 811 B.C. until 698 B. C. when Hezekiah died after being given an additional fifteen years of life.

Verse two: "Hear, O heavens, and listen, O earth! For Jehovah has spoken: I have nursed and brought up sons, and they have rebelled against me." All heavenly beings and earthly beings give attention to this! God had raised up Israel the faith seed of Abraham in his old age and had cared for them in multipling their numbers and blessing them in their land; but they had forsaken Him for idols which were made by men's hands rather then following Jehovah as their only truly living God and Lord. We, today, are to love and to serve our heavenly Father in truth and faith in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior who gives to each of us new abundant life.

Verse three tells of the ox's (a brute beast) understanding who its caregiver is, and knows its owner; yet the people of Jehovah/God do not understand their need to trust in God for every blessing and provision. God is the only true creator/God and Savior of His people, and they needed to trust faithfully in Him for blessings and protection from evil powers. Evil was all around them, and they chose to follow the ways of Baal, a false god of fertility, as worshipped by some people. Baal was thought to give great harvests of grain, grapes, olives and other fruits of reproduction. There were numerous places dedicated to the worship of Baal. God through Isaiah reproved the people of Israel for this rebellion and idolatry.

Verse four pronounces a woe upon the sinful nation of corrupt evil doers who have backslid from their obedient trust in Jehovah/God, who had raised them up from a few to a great nation of people. "They have forsaken Jehovah and have rejected the Holy One of Israel; they have gone backward."

God has always had a plan for His people whom He has raised up to be lights of His power and presence in the world so as to draw others to Him for their salvation and redemption from sin and Satan's control. Whenever we fail to serve the Lord as His own people, He will allow to come upon us defeat and loss. The earth will withhold the rich blessings of His presence and power. We must always be faithful to our Lord and Savior in spite of whatever our neighbors in this world do without our mighty/loving God in their lives. We have a mission to our neighbors to show a faithful committment to His will and way through Jesus Christ our Lord.

VERSES 5-7

God's chastening rod upon His people was heavy with the plague of sickness of the head and heart. Head and heart disease can be fatal when left to run its course. When we are out of touch with God and following the path of rebellion and unbelief, our whole health system will cave in. There is sleeplessness, fatigue, depression and various diseases.

For Judah there is no nursing comforter to heal or to medicate their wounds. Not only was Judah reeling with the plagues of disease, their land was given to their conquerors (strangers). Verse seven ..."your land is a desolation, your cities are burned...."

Verse 8: "The daughter of Zion is left...." Unfulfilled in the city of God (Jerusalem), the virgin daughter will not enjoy the blessing of joyous marriage and family with bountiful supply. Because of their great sin of rebellion and unbelief, the people of Judah will see physical and material judgment. Health will be lost and their land and cities will be burnt by strangers who come to conquer and destroy.

VERSES 9-31

In these verses Isaiah continues to state Jehovah's case against His people of Judah. They have a form of worship with sacrifices and offerings which they practice as the outward religion of their fathers, but they have failed to honor God with their lives and works. So, they will be judged of Jehovah as an adulterous city: "O how the faithful city has become a harlot! She was full of justice,...-but now murderers!" verse 21.

But remember in verse 9 Isaiah wrote of Jehovah: "except Jehovah of hosts had left for us a survivor, a few, we would be as Sodom...." God in Lot's day had brought severe judgment and destruction upon that wicked city, and there was nothing left; only Lot, his wife and two daughters escaped the rain of fire; therefore, in fulfillment of His mercy the Lord God would find a remnant who were faithful and obedient whom He would bless.

Isaiah called the unfaithful/unjust to repentance in the name of the Lord. They should learn to do good to the disposed, the orphans and the widows. Hear the word of Jehovah: "Come now and let us reason together, says Jehovah: though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as snow...." For the truly obedient: the good of the land would be theirs, verses 18- 19.

On the other hand the disobedient who rejected the call to repentance would be devoured with the sword. God promises sure judgment upon the enemy who rejects His word; they will be destroyed, verses 28-31.

So, in this chapter we have seen the vision of Isaiah, the purpose of his ministry to call the people of Judah to repentance and change from wickedness and hypocrisy to justice and love of neighbor, especially the poor and humbled; with a true heart of loving obedience to Jehovah the Lord of Hosts. Yet, a remnant would survive to rebuild upon the ruins of Zion and to continue God's purpose of the redemption of His people, verse 27.

Chapter 2:1-4

Isaiah continues his narrative of his vision of God's dealing with Judah and Jerusalem, the land of the king and the city of God. The earthly kingdom of the House of Jacob is in default of God's plan for His chosen people by their failure to serve God in truth and righteousness. They had become idolators and corrupted in their living; therefore, they will be judged and chastened by the righteous judgment of God before they can fulfill God's purpose for them with His great glory shining through them.

That fulfillment is called "the last days" when the mountain of Jacob's house shall be established in the tops of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills. The people will see the glory of the Lord God and come to His mountain and house and will be taught of God out of Zion/Jerusalem. The nations will be judged in righteousness, and they will learn peace instead of war. They will change from attacking each other in war to working their fields in peace. This is the vision which Isaiah saw for the house of Jacob if and when they would totally obey God/Jehovah. In verse five the call to repentance and full walking in the light of Jehovah, in view of the blessed state of those who obey and faithfully follow God, is proclaimed.

Verses 6-22 state the condition of the people of God (house of Jacob) in their haughty pride and idolatry. They have forsaken Jehovah/God for the gods of others and have looked to soothsayers/fortunetellers from the Philistines. They have hoarded up gold and silver and all manner of possessions. They have made idols with their hands for worship. Verse ten sounds the call for repentance from this unbelief/idolatry by entering into the rocks/caves to hide in fear of God's judgment. The day of Jehovah shall be upon the haughty/lofty and those lifted up in pride( verses 11-17).

VERSES 18-21

Their idols shall fall into oblivion. Man made idols will be cast aside as of no value and spiritually "astigmatic." In their fear and shame they will hide from God's wrathful events as He arises to quake the earth. Verse 22 reminds the people not to trust in themselves or other men for their help or guidance. What value is man when compared to the living Jehovah?

Chapter 3:1-12

Jerusalem, spiritual Zion, along with Judah, is found guilty of rebellion against the true walk with Jehovah the Lord of Host and will be denied the simple blessing of bread and water. The leaders will be confounded and young boys will be their rulers. As the nation declined in spiritual zeal and faithfulness to Jehovah, many of the new kings were mere boys when they began their reign. The young will not respect the old. Truly the wisdom of the aged will fail. Verse eight accounts the stumbling fall of Judah and Jerusalem in their rebellion against Jehovah in word and actions.

Two woes ("oy" wailing, sorrow, grief) are pronounced against them (verses 9 and 11). Woe to the souls and to the wicked who will wail in the distress of their sin as Sodom fell under the hand of God for it's foolish pride in wickedness.

Yet, Jehovah God speaks of the people of Jerusalem and Judah as My people who are being lead astray by unrighteous and worldly rulers who make alliances with ungodly nations rather than faithfully trusting the Lord to bless and protect them.

Selfish and misguided leaders set the wrong example for their people who follow them. They will fall in their own shame even as Ahab and Jezebel who confused and divided the people of Israel in the false worship of Baal (Semitic word for Lord of the house, who is in power or possession, came to be worshipped as the god of a city or place).

It is rebellion and unbelief which brings judgment upon the people of Israel and Judah when the Lord allows their enemies to utterly defeat and enslave them as captives of wars in accounting their lands and possessions as the spoil of victory, including the furniture of the holy temple.

Christians today miss the blessings of God when we follow the schemes of man rather than the guidance of the Holy Spirit for our direction and purpose for living.

Chapter 3:13-26

In this section Jehovah speaks through Isaiah about His coming judgment as He pleads ("larav" to contend) His solemn judgment against His people. Jehovah stands to announce this judgment. He calls attention to their exploitation of the poor who labor in the vineyards. In verse 14: "... you have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses..."

The daughters of Zion have exchanged modesty of dress and behavior into shameless parading of attire and sexual wantonness: verse 16 says they walk with an attention getting gait and with stretched out necks and wanton eyes. These are foolish women who are living worldly lives without fear and reverence.

Their shamefulness will be turned into baldness, nauseous odors and mourning when they learn of the death and defeat of their men and suiters.Verse 26 says:"..her gates shall lament and mourn..."

The people of Jerusalem and Judah like their sister nation Israel have left serving Jehovah and have turned to idols made by man's hands. Their kings, priests and other leaders have not walked in the path of Abraham, David and the true prophets. They are blinded by their own pride and unfaithfulness to God's rule in their hearts, lives and nation. "The wicked will return to Sheol, even all the nations who forget God" (Psalm 9:17, NAS).

CHAPTER 4

Verse one finds the former dancing, prancing women of the nation in search for husbands when many men are not available because of Jehovah's judgment of defeat in battle and the consequent death toll. Seven women take hold on one man and ask marriage. They are willing to support themselves in hopes of taking away their reproach of not having children in marriage (Exodus 21:10). The great judgment day for rebellion against the keeping of their God's law has brought the land of Judah to reproach and humiliation. But at this point the merciful Lord God promises solace in the prophesy of verse 2. "In that day a branch ("zemach" that which springs up, shoot, a branch, the Messiah/Christ is a branch of Jehovah)..." will do a great work of beauty and glory (Psalm 80:15). As a day of judgment has come upon the rebellious masses of Judah, so also a day of redemption, glory and beauty will come upon the faithful remnant who truly love the Lord/God and look to their Messiah/redeemer.

Verses three and four speaks of those remaining in Zion/Jerusalem, the city of God's promised blessing, shall be called holy ("qadosh" to be pure, clean, free from defilement of vice or idolatry). The Lord shall wash away their sinful defilements in judgment and burning (verses three and four). Remember I John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." The sinless blood of Jesus washes us from our sins and gives to us a purity before God the Father in Christ Jesus (see Hebrews 9; Rev. 1:5; I Peter 1). The filth of sin had defiled the people of Israel and Judah, and they must be cleansed from their sins. Judgement was pronounced upon the sins of the people, and judgment was necessary with the burning of the works of sins (see I Cor. 3:13-15).

Verses five and six remind us of the ancient days during the pilgrimage through the desert to the promised land, when God guided and protected the people of Israel with a cloud by day and a fire by night. Jehovah was their guard and stay, a cover from the heat and the storm, a place of refuge and a hiding place. Our Lord God is now our protector and Savior God in Jesus Christ. Satan may try to destroy us, but our Lord will deliver us, while leading us to victory over Satan, sin and death.

CHAPTER FIVE

In verses one through five, God/Jehovah's great love and care of His people Israel/Judah is a song of love and devotion to their wellbeing and comfort. Like as a carefully planted and cultivated vineyard, God raised up this people but they were unfruitful and void of godliness and justice. "...They brought forth wild grapes...."(verse 2). Therefore God will judge them and lay waste to the vineyard. They had proven themselves to be unfruitful. "... He waited for justice, but, lo, bloodshed; for righteousness...."(verse 7).

Verse nine begins a series of woes against the wickedness and evil ways of the people. Woe to greed, drunkenness and debauchery, to haughtiness and presumption against the kindness and grace of God by carelessly practicing sins. Woe to those who change the holy standards of God for worldly tradition and myth; they call good, evil and evil, good. Woeful wickedness and sinfulness abound in their self-righteous pride while they drink themslves into a drunken stupor. They sell righteousness in judgment for a bribe. They deliver the unrighteous by mocking righteous judgment.

Verses twenty-four to thirty explain the burning anger of the Lord on the unrighteousness of His people. Yet, Jehovah's hand is stretched out still (verse 25).

Distant nations will come to seize the prey of Israel like young lions devouring their catch. Darkness of judgment will cover the land. The people of Isaiah's day were given this warning of the powerful judgment of God/Jehovah on their unbelief and rebellion. God will use the Chaldeans, the Persians, the Assyrians and other peoples to attack and defeat His people for their denial of Him and His merciful grace. Although God is longsuffering in the face of disobedience, He will punish sin and rebellion. Verse 30 speaks of a particular time "in that day" when judgment will come.

CHAPTER SIX "Isaiah's Call"

Verse one gives the time and location of this great vision of the exalted Lord God of Israel. King Uzziah's death after fifty years of reign, brings the timing of Isaiah's calling. He saw the Lord on His throne with His train of glory filling the temple. The seraphs, heavenly creatures of great burning light with six wings each, stood above/about the throne. Apparently two wings were for hovering, as a covering, over the throne, two were for covering the feet in humility, and two for covering the face. They cried holy, holy, holy. This reminds us of the four creatures in Revelation, who, also, have six wings and cry holy, holy, holy about the throne of Almighty God or Jehovah of Hosts. See Rev. 4:8. Some have thought the three holies are in reference to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. This strong cry shook the doorposts. Not just heaven, but the whole earth, everywhere, was filled with glory of the Lord God. Yes, we all can see the glory of God in everything on this beautiful living earth. But, some atheists say they can't see His glory. Atheistic blindness is placed upon disobedient and unbelieving Israel in verses ten and following.

Isaiah's calling comes amidst this awesome vision in verses five to nine. "...woe to me, for I am a man of unclean lips," Isaiah responds. "I live among a people with unclean lips." From the forbidding smoke Isaiah declares: "woe is me." The Lord God had a solution for Isaiah's uncleanness. He was touched with a fiery coal from the throne's altar by one of the Seraphs. Note the two Hebrew words woe ("oy" a synonym to "hoy" used previously in chapter five, meaning a wailing, or howling) and unclean ("tame" meaning impure, polluted, filthy or unsuitable). Unclean sins were covered and iniquity was taken away at the work and will of Jehovah ("Yehovah") Lord ("Adonai") God.

Isaiah had to be cleaned up before he could be of use to the Lord. After the cleansing came the calling: "Whom shall I send and who will go for Us?" Us here includes the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit as well as the heavenly hosts who look for the cleansing of earth's unclean sinners. The message of God must be told even though people may reject it.

Isaiah's "here am I, send me" is the kind of no nonsense response needed from us when God calls. Regardless of the possibility of a negative respond from the hearers, the warning is right because God is right.

In verses ten to thirteen Isaiah is told what to expect: fat dull hearts, heavy ears, ultimate ruin to land and city, but a remnant or tenth will return from exile and the holy seed-stump will grow up. This is Messianic, in my view, pointing to the holy seed of conception in Mary's womb. Not one little point of God's Word fails!

CHAPTER SEVEN

Ahaz king of Judah has come under great pressure from Rezin, ruler of Syria and Pekah, ruler of Ephraim/Samaria. Isaiah the prophet is directed by Jehovah God to go to Ahaz and to prophesy the demise of the plan for Rezin and Pekah to replace Ahaz with Tabeel who most likely was not a descendent of King David and therefore not acceptable by God. God had promised that David's descendents were to be the royal seed from which the King/Messiah would come. See I Chronicles 17.

Isaiah was to take his son Shearjashub meaning "a remnant will return", an obvious reference to the return of a small number from their exile in Babylon and the areas where they had settled after being forced out of Judah. This occurred at the time of Ezra and Nehemiah with the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple.

In verse three and following, Isaiah, according to the word given to him by Jehovah, told Ahaz to be careful ("hashimer" from "shamaer", Heb. meaning to keep, watch, guard) and be quiet ("waehaeshiqit" from "shaqaet", Heb. meaning to rest, be quiet, be still). Be reminded that Moses told the people who were threatened by the Egyptian army to stand still and to see the salvation of the Lord (Exodus 14:13).

Ahaz in his lack of faith (unlike Gideon) did not accept the offer of a sign from Jehovah God; however, Isaiah gave a prophecy/message of the sign of the virgin's conception. See verse eleven and following.

The virgin ("haaelmah" meaning a mature marriageable aged unmarried woman) will conceive ("harah" to become pregnant). Matt. 1:21f applies this passage to the Virgin ("parthenos" Gk. meaning virgin, maid, chaste) Mary conceiving Jesus by the Holy Spirit's work upon her. The long range plan of Salvation was here reaffirmed as being a miracle work of God for the redemption of sinners through their faith in God's redeeming work in Christ Jesus the son of David, called Immanuel, meaning God with us. See Isaiah 8:8.

Chapter Eight

This chapter begins with: "And said the Lord to me." ("Yehovah" or "Jehovah" Heb. meaning Lord, redeemer/savior). Jehovah is the second term for God, which is first used in Gen. 2:4 with "Elohim." Jehovah Lord/God, creator of heaven and earth, all the living beings on the earth including Adam and Eve, promised to bruise ("yaishuphica" Heb. from "suph" meaning to break or smite into pieces), the lying/deceiving serpent's head.

Isaiah gives this prophecy from God, not from himself, in writing on a scroll ("gillayon" Heb.). The written word, with an ordinary pen, of prophecy is witnessed by two: Uriah the priest and Zechariah.

Samaria and Damascus will fall to Assyria before Isaiah's next son, Maher-shalal-has-baz, meaning spoil, plunder quickly or fast, could say the words: my father, my mother. This would happen within about two years.

These two threatening enemies would soon fall under the conquering forces of Assyria. Yet, Assyria will overflow in power to Judah and Jerusalem. The main problem with the people of Israel is they have rejected the gentle waters of Shiloh (a name for Jesus Gen. 49:10). They have not trusted in Jehovah, Lord God for deliverance and security from the enemies of the world about them. See verses three and following.

In verses eleven through twenty-two, we read how Isaiah writes in the certainty of Jehovah's calling which leads him to speak the prophetic truth about God's judgment upon the sins of Israel..."you shall not fear what they fear...the Lord of hosts...He shall be your fear ("yare" a sense of our own weakness with trembling in reverence). He shall become a sanctuary ("miqidosh" Heb. from "qodesh" a holy place of consecration.") Only Jehovah/Jesus Christ can cause the people of Israel to be sanctified, purified and set apart for dwelling in the holiness of God.. They should trust only in Jehovah/God for guidance and secure living. This world's wizards/guides and witches/fortunetellers don't know the mind and will of God.

CHAPTER NINE

This is one of the most quoted prophectic passages in the Old Testament. Here is an account of God's dealing in the setting of the Northern Kingdom along with Syria and the Philistines against the Southern Kingdom (Judah) . Zebulun, Nephtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, four areas which broke off from Judah and Benjamin under Jeroboam, had fallen into deeper darkness and would consequently be judged in final defeat and general exile of the northern ten tribes by Assyria. Centuries later what was left became the land of Galilee from which Jesus would work His greatest ministry. It had become a place of darkness or spiritual emptiness as stated in verses one through five.

Verse six promises the wonderful ("paelae" Heb. to separate, be distinguished, extra ordinary) birth of the Child/King to be almighty in power, eternal in His rule; who would counsel our hearts with the counsel of Father/God and give true everlasting peace. Instead of war among us He would bring peace in His eternal kingdom.

God calls the nations to repentance and complete trust in Him. "His hand is stretched out still." Manasseh and Ephraim against Judah is wrong and evil. The Kingdom of God is one of unity under His Son the Prince of Peace. See verses twelve through twenty-one.