GOD DEFENDS HIS PEOPLE
The Book of Zechariah #3
Pastor Dennis Clanton
Wednesday, February 23, 2022
Woodland Church
(Zechariah 1:18–21, NLT) “Then I looked up and saw four animal horns. “What are these?” I asked the angel who was talking with me. He replied, “These horns represent the nations that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.” Then the Lord showed me four blacksmiths. “What are these men coming to do?” I asked. The angel replied, “These four horns—these nations—scattered and humbled Judah. Now these blacksmiths have come to terrify those nations and throw them down and destroy them.”
(Matthew 16:18, NLT) “I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.”
1. Four is used to speak of completeness.
(Zechariah 2:6, NLT) “The Lord says, “Come away! Flee from Babylon in the land of the north, for I have scattered you to the four winds.”
(Zechariah 6:5, NLT) “The angel replied, “These are the four spirits of heaven who stand before the Lord of all the earth. They are going out to do his work.”
2. Horns are a symbol of power.
(Psalm 75:4–5, NASB) “I said to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’ And to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up the horn; Do not lift up your horn on high, Do not speak with insolent pride.”
(Psalm 89:17, NASB) “For You are the glory of their strength, And by Your favor our horn is exalted.”
3. The blacksmiths are the nations that God will use to defeat the enemies of the Jews.
(Zechariah 1:21, NLT) “What are these men coming to do?” I asked. The angel replied, “These four horns—these nations—scattered and humbled Judah. Now these blacksmiths have come to terrify those nations and throw them down and destroy them.”
(Jeremiah 23:29, NLT) “Does not my word burn like fire?” says the Lord. “Is it not like a mighty hammer that smashes a rock to pieces?”
(2 Corinthians 10:4–5, NLT) “We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.”
4. Judgment (vengeance) is God’s expression of passion for his people.
(Zechariah 1:13, NLT) “And the Lord spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who talked with me.”
(Zechariah 1:15, NLT) “But I am very angry with the other nations that are now enjoying peace and security. I was only a little angry with my people, but the nations inflicted harm on them far beyond my intentions.”
5. For every enemy that attacks God’s people, God raises up another power to destroy it.
(Revelation 19:16, NLT) “On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.”
(Revelation 19:20–21, NLT) “And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast—miracles that deceived all who had accepted the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue. Both the beast and his false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. Their entire army was killed by the sharp sword that came from the mouth of the one riding the white horse. And the vultures all gorged themselves on the dead bodies.”
GROWTHWORK
1. Do not be surprised by opposition.
2. Trust God to defend you.
3. Humility prepares you to receive grace.
4. Remember God is the God of the impossible and unimaginable.
5. Pray for the persecuted church.