Zechariah's Visions:
VISION #1: THE MAN AMONG THE MYRTLE TREESShe bat - Jan - Feb (5Th month of the Jewish Year)
Red, Brown and white horses - angels
The myrtle tree - a sign of the messianic age; The Lord's blessing of a cursed land. Hadassah - Hebrew - myrtle tree (Queen Esther's Hebrew name)Isaiah 55:13, 41:19. It is still used to adorn the succah during the feast of tabernacles. Angels going through the earth - The Lord's total control of events through time.(The 70 years)
Jeremiah 48:11 - God's judgement of Judah's enemies.
Ezekiel 40 and Zech. 8 - Messianic age of rebuilding the temple.
VISION #2: FOUR HORNS AND FOUR CRAFTSMEN
horns - governments or empires that scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem
Daniel 7 - Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome
Craftsmen - angels to throw down these nations.
once again after this happens - the messianic age
(we are God's reserves(army) to assist his angels)
VISION #3 - THE MAN WITH A MEASURING LINE
Nehemiah 2- 6 has a wall. Zech 2: 4-5 No wall. Fire of the Lord around it. - God will protect her- rebuilding under the rule of the messiah. The Jerusalem in the messianic age. (Zech 14:5-6; Is60:19; Rev22:5)
Rebuilding the church - we are his temple now. (Is 2: 6-7 - Most exiles were comfortable in Babylon and refused to endure the challenge to build a work of God)
These are Instructions from God:
COME OUT OF BABYLON!
Zech 2: 7-9 - God promises to punish those nations that plundered Israel.
Zech2:10 - Jesus standing on the earth - Zech 14:4; Is 11:10-12(regathering of the exiles); Is17:7-13(returning hearts to the Lord); Is 33:17-24(adjusting of our vision); Is52:8(watchmen)
Zech 2:11- (Knowing he was sent) Promises - Micah 4:1-5; Is 49:21-30; Is 60: 8-12 - All Promises Is40:2; Is32: 1-3; Is 60:10; Is 61:7-11
Zech 2:12 - The only time this is referred to as the Holy Land in the bible.
VISION #4 - CLEAN GARMENTS FOR THE HIGH PRIEST
Joshua - Present High Priest (restoration of the priesthood - sign of the coming messianic times)Haggai 1:1; Ezra 2:2 Joshua - Jeshua interchangeable.
He was dressed in filthy (means vile, loathsome) clothes (Having filthy clothes symbolizes mourning for the dead or national catastrophe) He was given new - taken away sin - only Jesus can do this. (angel of the Lord) Symbolic of things to come - the branch - Jesus (Is 4:2; 11:1; Jer 23:5; 33:15; John 15:5)
The Stone - 7 facets - 7 is God's perfection.
I will remove the sin of the land in a single day.(Jer 50:20; Is 10:20; Ez 36:27; 15; 43:25)
Zech 3:10 - Phrase used in 1 kings 4:25 - peace and prosperity - Is 36:16 the same; Micah 4:3-4 tranquility existing during the messianic age.
Spiritual Warfare -
Satan literally means adversary or opponent. God prevents his advance in the right season.
What to say - Our Authority:
Is this not a brand plucked from the fire? Joshua the High Priest had a place of high standing - next to the Angel of the Lord and protected against Satanic attack. Still, this place of high privilege was not based on Joshua's own goodness or merit; he himself was rescued as a brand plucked from the fire. This is even more boldly stated in that Joshua stands clothed in filthy garments. Satan had a lot to accuse Joshua of, but Joshua had an even greater advocate in the Angel of the Lord.
A brand is a burning, burnt, or smoldering piece of wood. Think of a campfire with a blackened, charred chunk of wood smoking in the ashes. It isn't worth much at all and will be consumed completely if it isn't plucked from the fire.
"So it is with the child of God. What is he at the best? Till he is taken up to heaven, he is nothing but a brand plucked out of the fire. It is his daily moan that he is a sinner; but Christ accepts him as he is: and he shuts the devil's mouth by telling him, 'Thou sayest this man is black - of course he is: what did I think he was but that? He is a brand plucked out of the fire. I plucked him out of it. He was burning when he was in it: he is black now he is out of it. He was what I knew he would be; he is not what I mean to make him, but he is what I knew he would be. I have chosen him as a brand plucked out of the fire. What hast thou to say to that?' Do observe that this plea did not require a single word to be added to it from Joshua." (Spurgeon)
"Such is the divine economy, that God makes much of brands, fragments, castaways. What others regard as unworthy of their heed is dear and priceless to the great Lover of souls." (Meyer)
"This question, as it appears to me, will bear three renderings; first, it may be looked upon as an exclamation of wonder: 'Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire!' Secondly, as an enquiry or hope: 'Is not this a brand' - this one particularly, 'plucked out of the fire?' And, in the third place, it is certainly a defiance for us, assured of our safety, to throw into the face of Satan, the accuser: 'Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?' " (Spurgeon)
When John Wesley was only six years old, he was trapped in a burning house and was only rescued when one neighbor climbed on another's shoulders and pulled him out of window. A picture of the scene was drawn for Wesley and he kept the drawing until he died, and wrote under it Zechariah 3:2: Is this not a brand plucked from the burning?