Micah Survey
Text. Micah 6:1-8
The prophet is introduced in Micah 1:1 He’s also mentioned in Jeremiah 26:18 living in the same times as Isaiah and Jeremiah, and drawing much from the same sources, – there are parallel passages in both Isaiah and Micah. Isaiah 2:2-5, and Micah 4:1-5. But what was it that Micah was saying to the people of his day?
1 God is Angry with Samaria and Jerusalem. Chapter 1-3. Micah 1:2.
The sins of the land are laid bare. Micah goes on to describe…
Greedy Property Theft
Paraphrase 46, (Romans 3:19-22)
Tune: Martyrdom
Vain are the hopes the sons of men
On their own works have built:
Their hearts by nature all unclean,
And all their actions guilt.
Zechariah’s Sixth Vision
Text Zechariah 5:1-4
We come now to Zechariah’s sixth vision, and what a strange vision it is! A flying scroll, and it speaks to us about JUDGEMENT!
1. The Flying Scroll! v 1-2
One of the reasons why we need a heightened spiritual awareness is that the evil and sinfulness of the world has actually penetrated Jerusalem! We live in days when the church has become more and more like the world. Now, this vision points that out, and reminds us that the presence of sin in the camp is enough to cancel out the blessing of the Lord, (In Zechariah’s time, the blessing that would come from the rebuilding of the temple). Haggai 2:11-14 This vision is about God’s judgement upon this world, and about how God will one day purge Jerusalem of the wicked people who now dwell in her and camp around her! Let us see:-
- The State of the Flying Scroll! I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll. What Zechariah saw was a scroll, and this parchment is flying. The word could just as readily be translated ‘’ Let’s see:-
- The Size of the Flying Scroll! The Bible gives a very definite and accurate figure for the dimensions of this scroll. It is a huge scroll, for it is 30ft by 15ft! Zechariah’s readers would have known the significance of that size. This scroll, opened out to be read was the exact size of the porch in the temple, where the Torah, the law of God was read and proclaimed! 1 Kings 6:3
- The Significance of the Flying Scroll! So, are you starting to see the significance of this vision? This flying scroll is a message from God. It is God’s Word, hovering over the land. For those of us who love the Lord and are saved by his grace, the Word of the Lord is a great blessing, but for the ungodly, for the unconverted, the Word of the Lord is not a blessing! In fact it is actually a curse! Then said he unto me, This is the curse This is because it reveals their true standing before God, it exposes their sin, and reaches beyond their flimsy façade of excuses and pierces their hearts and opens them up to the judgement of God! Hebrews 4:12.
- The Scope of the Flying Scroll!
- It was applicable to all! that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth. This scroll, this message from the Lord Himself was not restricted to Jerusalem or Israel or even the church. It hovered over the whole of the earth! There are those who would say that God’s Word is only for God’s people. But the God of the Bible is the Creator God, who made all men, and expects all men to repent and turn from their sin and their false religion and follow Christ. Acts 17:30 God God’s Word is for the whole earth!
- It was open to all! Something else about this scroll. It was opened, and there was writing on both sides of it, as we shall see. It was not rolled up to be stored, it was opened, to be read! There was a MESSAGE about to be delivered by this scroll!
So, this flying scroll speaks to us of an open declaration of God’s Word. The message is that God will not tolerate sin, either in the world, in the Jerusalem of Zechariah’s day or among the church of this day.
Hosea Survey 2 – The Covenant Law-Suit.
Text Hosea chapter 4 to chapter 14
Hosea 4-14 are difficult chapters for the modern reader. One commentator has conjectured that the passage were in fact ‘snippets’ of Hosea’s messages collated later in life and written down, rather than a systematic ‘sermon’ type body of work. Thankfully there is a summary of these chapters to help us, and it is found in Hosea 4:1!
Zechariah’s Fifth Vision
Zechariah 4:1-10
Zerubbel the governor (Hag 1:1) is mentioned in Zechariah’s fifth vision, and again this vision is all about DOING GOD’S WORK. Let us see three great principles…
1. God’s METHODS for His Work! 1-6
And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep, And said unto me, What seest thou? It’s almost as if Zechariah has been sleeping! Zechariah’s state is something similar to that of most Christians today.
We are walking, but we are also sleeping, Amos 6:1 We need an alarm! We need to wake up to:-
- The true state of mankind!
- The immorality and ungodliness of our times
- The true nature of the Lord’s Church, and the Divine Power at its Disposal! So Zechariah sees:-
- A Divine DESCRIPTION of the Church! The church is:-
- A Light Shining! And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof. This is a candlestick, a description of the church. 1:12-13. But where is the church to get its source of light? Sadly today, there are many Christians who believe that the light which must shine out is to be their own light but this lamp-stand has:-
- A Lofty Source! And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. There are two trees standing by the lamp-stand, and they are Olive Trees, and they are the source of power for the lamps, for there are pipes leading directly into the cups of the lamps!
Now, do you see the wonderful symbolism here! Here are lamps burning continuously, lamps that man’s hand did not make, and does not feed, and yet are supplied from a source that is exhaustless, the living trees that are standing beside the lamp. The strength to do God’s work comes from God Himself, it does not come from ourselves! So we have here:-
- A Divine PRESCRIPTION for the Church! This is God’s prescription for the sleeping-sickness of His people:-
- The strength of man cannot build God’s kingdom! This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power. This is God’s Word! YOU CANNOT BUILD MY CHURCH OR MY KINGDOM ON YOUR OWN! Such a plan will fail We cannot build the Church through the methods of man! But:-
- The Spirit of the Lord CAN build God’s Kingdom! but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. You see, if the strength to build the church, to do God’s work, comes from God alone, then the weakness of man is no obstacle to that work, for when we are weak, He is strong! Zerubbabel may have very few visible resources, but it was GOD WHO WOULD COMPLETE THE WORK! Romans 8:31
So, God’s work can only be done in God’s way. In God’s economy, METHODS are just as important as message, and those methods are laid down for us in His Word! God’s Work must be done God’s Way! But see:- Read more…
Joshua’s Challenge!
Text: Zechariah 3:6-10
Priesthood is all about SERVICE, and the Lord is going to speak to Zechariah about serving Him, HE WILL PREACH A CHARGE TO JOSHUA and he will use His own service as the supreme example…
The Challenge
1. The Charge to God’s Priesthood!
Thus saith the Lord of hosts; This is one of those occasions in the Bible, where God makes a demand of His people then promises to honour them when that demand is met. “If you will … then I will…” To live in a happy relationship with God will mean walking in His ways, obeying Him!
- True Service means OBEDIENCE to God! If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge. This is the first aspect of any charge to any of God’s people! We MUST learn the lesson of obedience to the Lord. Like Joshua, we must learn to be faithful to God and to walk in HIS WAYS! 1 Kings 2:3
- True Service implies OVERSIGHT for God! then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts. Here is part of our priestly task and responsibility, to be:-
- A Judge in GOD’S KINGDOM! God’s house in this context means God’s people. Numbers 12:7, Hebrews 3:2, Hebrews 3:6, 1 Cor. 6:2-3 You will sit with God in judgement over the world!
- A Keeper of the Lord’s Courts! Now in Jerusalem, the Lord’s courts, physically speaking, are in ruins! But think of the challenge that will bring! To build up the Lord’s Church, to be a builder in the kingdom of the Lord, to be a keeper in His Courts!
- True Service brings OPENNESS in Our Christian Walk! and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by. Who exactly are those who are standing by, and where are the places, where Joshua is being allowed to walk. Could it be that as a reward for faithful service, God will give us opportunities to be scrutinised by others? To have others examine our lives as we walk with Him?
The Priesthood of All Believers!
Zechariah’s Fourth Vision
Text: Zechariah 3:1-5
Again notice that Zechariah is full of Gospel Truth! Here we see:-
1. The Conflict with Satan!
The Joshua mentioned here is not the man who was the helper of Moses. This is another Joshua, much later in time, and with a different role. We first find him mentioned in the book of Haggai, Haggai 1:1 The priest:-
- Stands before the Lord! 3:1 It is the task of the priest to stand before God, to represent the people of God. In his task, he:-
- Is Opposed by Satan! and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. Every true servant of God must grasp the reality of this vision!
- We often thank God for His presence in our midst as we worship and work for him. He is with us, and Joshua was directly in his presence, as we are also! But, as soon as Joshua begins to serve God, in his God-appointed way, Satan stands beside him to hinder the work. He is RESISTING THE WORK!
- How is he resisting the work of Joshua? In Revelation he is referred to as ‘The Accuser of the brethren!” 12:10 That is what Satan does! Look at God’s response, for Joshua…
- Is Defended by the Lord! 3:2 Note the Lord’s reply to the Devil’s accusations of the Saints! God rebukes Satan! When God defends His people, He refers to His won sovereign election and choice. It is the Lord that has chosen Jerusalem, His people! He has done so, out of His own free grace, with no merit on their part!
- Is Plucked from the Jaws of Hell! Now, every believer is a priest! Note how this man became the holder of his priestly office… is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?
What a lesson this is! This man is the high priest of Israel, but he’s only a sinner, guilty and deserving only of eternal punishment, whom God in His grace and mercy has plucked as a brand from the burning, and brought to the safety of His kingdom! Salvation is of the Lord! Initiated by God, procured by God at the Cross, enacted by God in our hearts! God must pluck us out! We may be scarred by the flames, but we have been saved! Read more…
