BELIEVE, Part 2

The Book of Zechariah #12

Pastor Dennis Clanton

Woodland Church

Wednesday, May 11, 2022

(Zechariah 8, NLT) Then another message came to me from the Lord of Heaven’s Armies: “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: My love for Mount Zion is passionate and strong; I am consumed with passion for Jerusalem! “And now the Lord says: I am returning to Mount Zion, and I will live in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City; the mountain of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will be called the Holy Mountain. “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Once again old men and women will walk Jerusalem’s streets with their canes and will sit together in the city squares. And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls at play. “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: All this may seem impossible to you now, a small remnant of God’s people. But is it impossible for me? says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. For I am planting seeds of peace and prosperity among you. The grapevines will be heavy with fruit. The earth will produce its crops, and the heavens will release the dew. Once more I will cause the remnant in Judah and Israel to inherit these blessings. Among the other nations, Judah and Israel became symbols of a cursed nation. But no longer! Now I will rescue you and make you both a symbol and a source of blessing. So don’t be afraid. Be strong, and get on with rebuilding the Temple! But now I am determined to bless Jerusalem and the people of Judah. So don’t be afraid. But this is what you must do: Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace. Don’t scheme against each other. Stop your love of telling lies that you swear are the truth. I hate all these things, says the Lord.” Here is another message that came to me from the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: The traditional fasts and times of mourning you have kept in early summer, midsummer, autumn, and winter are now ended. They will become festivals of joy and celebration for the people of Judah. So love truth and peace.“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: People from nations and cities around the world will travel to Jerusalem. The people of one city will say to the people of another, ‘Come with us to Jerusalem to ask the Lord to bless us. Let’s worship the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. I’m determined to go.’ Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord of Heaven’s Armies and to ask for his blessing. “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: In those days ten men from different nations and languages of the world will clutch at the sleeve of one Jew. And they will say, ‘Please let us walk with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”

1. GOD DWELLS WITH THOSE WHO LOVE THE ELDERLY AND CHILDREN.

(Zechariah 8:3, NLT) “The Lord says: I am returning to Mount Zion, and I will live in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City; the mountain of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will be called the Holy Mountain.”

a. THE ELDERLY ARE WALKING AND SITTING IN THE CITY.

(Zechariah 8:4, NLT) “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Once again old men and women will walk Jerusalem’s streets with their canes and will sit together in the city squares.”

b. THE CHILDREN ARE PLAYING IN THE CITY.

(Zechariah 8:5, NLT) “And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls at play.”

(Revelation 19:15, NLT) “He will rule them with an iron rod.”

2. GOD BLESSES US ABUNDANTLY TO BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS.

(Zechariah 8:13, NLT) “Among the other nations, Judah and Israel became symbols of a cursed nation. But no longer! Now I will rescue you and make you both a symbol and a source of blessing. So don’t be afraid. Be strong, and get on with rebuilding the Temple!”

a. FASTS ARE TURNED INTO FESTIVALS.

(Zechariah 8:19, NLT) “The traditional fasts and times of mourning you have kept in early summer, midsummer, autumn, and winter are now ended. They will become festivals of joy and celebration for the people of Judah. So love truth and peace.”

b. GOD WILL BLESS US.

(Zechariah 8:15, NLT) “I am determined to bless Jerusalem and the people of Judah. So don’t be afraid.”

c. NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD.

(Zechariah 8:6, NLT) “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: All this may seem impossible to you now, a small remnant of God’s people. But is it impossible for me? says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

(1 Samuel 14:6, NLT) “He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few!”

GROWTHWORK

1. BE RESPONSIVE.

(Zechariah 8:2, NLT) “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: My love for Mount Zion is passionate and strong; I am consumed with passion for Jerusalem!”

(Zechariah 8:9, NLT) “Be strong and finish the task!”

2. BE RESPONSIBLE.

(Zechariah 8:13, NLT) “Don’t be afraid. Be strong, and get on with rebuilding the Temple!”

3. BE RIGHTEOUS.

(Zechariah 8:3, 16–17, NLT) “And now the Lord says: I am returning to Mount Zion, and I will live in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City… But this is what you must do: Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace. Don’t scheme against each other. Stop your love of telling lies that you swear are the truth. I hate all these things, says the Lord.”

(Titus 2:12, NLT) “And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God,”

4. BE REFRESHED.

(Zechariah 8:12, NLT) “I am planting seeds of peace and prosperity among you.”

5. BE A REFRESHER.

(Zechariah 8:13, NLT) “I will …  make you both a symbol and a source of blessing.”

6. BELIEVE!

(Zechariah 8:6, NLT) “All this may seem impossible to you now, a small remnant of God’s people. But is it impossible for me? says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”