In a multi-media age – we are still called to be people of the Book – that is the scriptures. The Bible is not what we worship, yet the Bible reveals God to us and this takes us right from the beginning of this world until God completes his purposes.

I was challenged this week by speaking with an Imam (a Muslim teacher). He was extolling the virtues of the Koran and clearly had spent a lot of time getting to know it.

The challenge for us as Christians is to know the Bible.

One of the reasons for this focus upon Zechariah is that as a Church this is a book of the Bible we have not studied and although I have preached upon a few passages there is much to be gained.

To develop this understanding of God’s word over the Summer we shall be looking at a Book In One, that is taking other books within the Bible and giving us an insight into what they contain. This will be done in one sermon.

Zechariah is an important book, one which is often quoted within the gospels and formative for what we find in the book of Revelation. We find in Ezra 5.2 & 6.14 that the preaching of Haggai which began on the 29 August 520 BC and Zechariah which began two months later stirred up the people of Israel, and prompted the building of the Temple which had ground to a halt.  

Zechariah was the grandson of Iddo who had returned from Babylon around 20 years earlier. (Neh 12.4). So he was a young man and was used by God to work along Haggai in seeing the Temple be restored. The Persians continued to be the Superpower of that time.  

From Zech 1 we are introduced to God.

The God who is 

1.      God the Supreme Being

The Lord Almighty v 3

God is not like some vast automaton/computer, an incredible piece of technology. Just as we are human beings so he is the Supreme being. He is alive, he is real. He is powerful. To say that is quite something it was not so long ago for Zechariah that his people were in captivity and far from their homeland. True they were back home, yet the Temple was not completed.

God the Almighty – all mighty – The God who can do all things. 

For the Jews the exodus and the return from exile were two huge landmarks or demonstrations of such power.

Within the New Testament Jesus being raised from the dead is the supreme demonstration of power. This power and authority was given to Jesus by God and after his resurrection and even within the 21 C Jesus continues to exercise it. 

I remember being at a Mainstream Conference a number of years ago when John White a Christian Psychiatrist was speaking. He shared how at that time healing in the realms of people suffering with mental illness had not seen to many breakthroughs. 

This past week I attended a conference for Mental Health Chaplains at Rampton. It’s theme was empowerment. One of the empowering things was to hear one of the patients – perform some songs he had written.

Another lady Julia who is a Christian and a poet shared something of her experience.  She shared that she believed God had told her about healing. she didn’t stop her medication but working with her doctor reduced her drugs and has now been taken off them completely. God is powerful and as he spoke to Zechariah and gave him his word, so he is the same today.

1.2  God’s word or message comes to ZECHARIAH  and it was just like a very important person speaking to him, it was real and as v6 demonstrates  it comes to be fulfilled.

Key Message

Return to me and I will return to you

The whole hub of what is central here is relationship, an obedience to God yes , but one which follows a love for him. Jesus in John 15 puts obedience and love together v10, “If you obey my commands you will remain in my love”.

Israel had suffered as a nation, they had gone their own way and this had led them into all sorts of evil. God had punished them but now he wants them to be back in relationship with him. 

Just as Zechariah was called with others to rebuild God’s Kingdom then, of which the Temple was central as the place of worship, the place of encounter with God, the place which gave Israel an identity as the people of God; so too God’s Kingom needs building today.

To a discouraged people, a people who had started to rebuild but through opposition and preoccupation the work of rebuilding the Temple had ground to a halt and they needed encouragement to complete this. So we live in an age where God’s Kingdom is not perfectly established and where the call to mission is so important today, right where we are.

He is a God who is fully self aware.

Does God change – character no – but does he change if he is affected by different emotions? 

He is in touch with his emotions

Anger v2 the Lord had been angry with Israel. They had gone against God, his good purposes were not happening, there was a loss of relationship and devotion. This anger had lasted 70 years.

God was angry here in Zech 1 with Assyria v12 Isa 10.5 and Babylon Isa 47.6 who had far exceeded their brief and had tried to destroy the Jews.

Anger is a positive as well as a negative emotion. Anger occurs when things that are meant to happen or in our case what we want to happen don’t. Righteous anger is where good things do not happen and injustice breaks out.

Jealousy v14 I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion

We are dealing with strong emotions here. God is a jealous God. Jealous not in the sense of being spoilt, or being totally wrapped up within himself but a healthy protective jealousy. A jealousy which cares enough to want to protect, and God was jealous for Israel. He saw what was happening the vision described in verse 8 ff speaks of the situation within the world and with his people and with the land of Israel.

Healthy jealousy  - a jealousy for God’s honour within our land, a jealousy for values and people that matters 

This past week a man was talking to a guy he knew and was openly speaking about divorce, his wife had gone of with another man and was now pregnant. There was a sadness in what he shared. Yet we live in a culture which can all too readily see marriage as an outdated institution, or something that can be easily ended. We need to rediscover a healthy jealousy which wants to protect that which is of value.  

God is Gracious  Compassionate and Comforting v13 RSV

Up to now the picture of God in Zechariah 1 is that of a powerful and stern God, yet lacking any personal warmth any love or friendliness within his being.

V13 Helps us to see other aspects of God’s character, 

God is gracious which means that he gives when it is not deserved,

What a lovely description of Jesus in John 1 where it says in v17 

“For the law was given by Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ”.

Book of the Year So Far - What’s so amazing about grace? - Philip Yancy

A great book where Yancy rather than wanting to accurately define grace of which he is more than able, describes it. The most perfect description is to be found in the person of Jesus.

Grace means that

“There is nothing we can do to make God love us more. There is nothing we can do to make God love us less”

God was acting out of grace to those who had returned to Israel from exile, he was sharing his heart. He was demonstrating his mercy, he had not written Israel off, His heart went out to them. Compassion  means to feel with – that was what God was doing for his people..

God is all these things.

We live in a world which has developed a blame culture Yet in this world we have one who has become the Scapegoat that is Jesus. God’s grace is seen more fully in Jesus. The God who takes the punishment that should have been ours. There is the opportunity for a new start and a new life. 

Application

1.      God can handle the world – he is Almighty.

2.      God speaks – His word is alive and is life changing

3.      God feels – he responds to what is happening within the world and within our world.

4.      We are called to establish God’s Kingdom here in the 21C

5.      Remember we have a God who is gracious he can meet us where we are.

OHP for sermon: Sunday 14 April 2002

Who God is – Zech 1

God the Supreme Being

The Lord Almighty v 3

God’s who speaks

The word of the Lord came v1

God’s Self Awareness

His character:

Anger v2,14, Jealousy v14,

Graciousness v13, Compassion v16

God’s Challenge

Return to me and I will return to you v3

What this means for us?