Tag Archives: judgment

Judah Ephraim Zechariah

Judah is a bow, Ephraim is arrows, Greece the Target!

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Thru the Bible: Zechariah 9&10

Nearly 200 years from the time of this prophecy Greece would run a circuit all around Judah, making war and conquoring but leave Israel untouched. Tyre was to be a major part of that campaign. The last land to be actually conquored would be Persia itself thus bringing the empire’s dominion to an end all under the leadership of Alexandar the Great.

This prophecy is a starting point. It moves on past Alexandar and the Grecean Empire to the time of the Maccabean revolt when Israel would achieve independance from Greece, just before Rome took their place.

All of this was prophecied by Daniel MANY years before Zechariah, but Zechariah’s served both as a witness to these things AND added more details about this time.

In this prophecy greater Israel, meaning the Northern Kingdom is represented in Ephraim and the southern kingdom in Judah.

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God asks Israel, “Did you really fast for Me?”

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Thru the Bible: Zechariah 7 & 8

The Jews in Bethel who had returned from the Babylonian exile asked the priests and prophets if they should mourn and fast in the fifth month as they had done while in captivity. God answers them, but starts with a question of His Own which shocks their thinking and recalibrates their hearts to place Him first as the commandment says.

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Zechariah horses spirits

Messengers of Judgment, War & Restoration

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Thru the Bible: Zechariah 6

Zechariah is shown 4 spirits who are before God’s throne. They go out as 4 horses into the earth, apparently as witnesses and messengers. They “patrol” places in the earth where they are sent with the job of accomplishing God’s directives and reporting back to God.

Two are sent to the north and one to the south with no mention of the fourth.

The black horse probably was there to confirm the accusations of the tryany of Babylon against Israel when they were captives there. The white horse represented God’s judgment in rising up and sending Cyrus the Great to conquer Babylon JUST as He prophecied through Isaiah 200 years before Cyrus was even born. [See – https://grace-life.org/2022/06/cyrus-the-great-deliverer-of-israel/]

Following this vision, Zechariah was told to take up an offering from certain exiles who had returned from Babylon and make a crown for Joshua the High Priest who was a type of Christ. He is even referred to as ‘The Branch’.

This crown was to be set aside for a future High Priest and King who would come when Israel had fully obey the LORD their God with all their hearts.

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Zechariah Spirit

Not by might or power but by My Spirit says the Lord

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Thru the Bible: Zechariah 4-5

Zerubbabel is the one being spoken about in the vision and he was of primary importance in God’s plans for Israel.

The mountain set before Zerubabbel is almost certainly the overwhelming task of completing the temple but God encouraged him with this now famous phrase, “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord.”

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Zechariah heart

Zechariah & Haggai tag team Israel towards heart change

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Thru the Bible: Zechariah 1-3

Like Haggai, Zechariah is dealing with the post-Babylonian Jews in Jerusalem.

Their efforts to rebuild the temple got halted just after the death of Cyrus the Great and was not permitted to continue until the reign of Darius I. This was an unknown gap of time lasting no more than 8 years.

During this time the few Jews who returned to Judah, had been establishing themselves – building houses, rejuvenating wells, planting crops, processing harvests… in general, just getting on with the business of life.

Once Darius I came into power and decreed that the work should continue the response of Israel was somewhat lacking. However, when Haggai prophecied to them, they immediately began enthusiastic work on the temple.

Literally just 2 months later is when the events in this book of Zechariah began.

Zechariah means “Yahweh remembers” and God did indeed remember His covenant with them recorded in Deuteronomy 28-30 and was making certain to encourage these people that He WILL keep His promises.

Through Zechariah God offers Israel hope!

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