Repentance Zechariah 1:1-6;
2:7-13 July 15,
2007
Introduction
Haggai
and Zachariah preached during the same time period.
Many of God’s people returned from the
Babylonian Captivity but several were just trickling back and the
Temple did
not seem to be the priority with the people that is was with God. God called for repentance but the people were
slow to respond. As we look across
America don’t we see church members who seem lackadaisical in building
up the
church, and slow to repent in answer to a call given to exalt the Lord? Today there remains a call for Repentance.
1.
The . . Call To Repentance. 1:1-4
A.
The .
. Anger Of The Call To Repentance. 1:1-2
1 In the eighth month,
in the second year of Darius,
the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah,
son of Iddo: 2 “The Lord was extremely
angry with
your ancestors.
B. The . . Announcement Of
The Call To
Repentance. 1:3
3
So tell the people: This is what the Lord of
Hosts
says: Return to Me”—[this
is]the declaration of the Lord of Hosts—“and I
will
return to you, says the Lord of Hosts.
C.
The . . Avoiding
Of The Call To Repentance.
1:4
4
Do not be like your ancestors; the earlier prophets proclaimed to them:
This is
what the Lord of Hosts says: Turn from your evil
ways and
your evil deeds. But they did not listen or pay attention to Me”—the
Lord’s declaration.
As we look at these verses we very easily see
the
anger, and abiding, of the Lord in this call to
repentance. We also
notice the avoidance of this call from the people.
Satan does a good job in causing most of us
to think sinful practices are pleasurable, and repentance is not a
pleasing
experience. This caused, and causes the
anger of the Lord against His people.
His call to repentance is an abiding call. He
does not stop calling His rebellious
people to repentance. In our text the
people did their best to avoid the call.
Does that sound greatly different from the actions of His people
today? One of our older hymns repeats
the words, “why not, why not, why not come to Him now?”
I know of no good reason to give when we fail
to come to Him inrepentance.
2. The . .
Conclusion From The Lack Of Repentance. 1:5-6
A.
The .
.
Culmination In The Conclusion Of Repentance. 1:5-6a
5
“Where are your ancestors now? And do the prophets live forever? 6 But didn’t My
words and My statutes that I
commanded My servants the prophets overtake
your ancestors?
B.
The . . Confessing In The
Conclusion Of Repentance. 1:6b
“. . .
They repented and said: As the Lord of Hosts purposed to deal with us
for our
ways and deeds, so He
has dealt with us.”
What
conclusion do we make based upon an unrepentant people?
I conclude that an unrepentant people does
not change God’s plan or call for repentance one iota.
These people possessed the insight to share
with us what the lack of repentance cost them.
It cost their relationship with, and blessing from, the Lord. They were returning from captivity, but only
through obedience to God’s call will they enjoy all God has for them. Ultimately these people repented, and seem to
lament the fact that they waited so long, and they tell us that the
Lord dealt
with them just as He promised.
3. The . . Chosen For
Repentance. 1:7-13
A.
The
. . Glory
In The Chosen Of Repentance. 1:7-8
7
“Go, Zion! Escape, you who are living with
Daughter Babylon.”
8 For the Lord of
Hosts
says this: “He has sent Me
for [His] glory against the
nations who are plundering you, for anyone who touches you touches the
pupil of
His eye.
B. The . .
Gratification In The Chosen Of Repentance. 1:9-11
9
I will move against them with My power, and
they will become plunder for their own
servants. Then you will know that the Lord of Hosts has sent Me.
10 “Daughter Zion,
shout for joy and be glad, for I am coming to dwell among you”—the
Lord’s
declaration. 11 “Many nations
will join themselves to the Lord on that day and become My
people. I will dwell among you, and you
will know that the Lord of Hosts has sent Me
to you.
C.
The . . Guarantee To
The Chosen Of
Repentance. 1:12-13
12 The
Lord will take possession of Judah as
His portion in the Holy Land, and He will once again choose Jerusalem.
13 Let
all people be silent before the Lord, for He is coming from His holy
dwelling.”
Why
did God call His people back to Jerusalem, and also call them to
repentance? We see the simple reason as
He did it for His glory, and the advancement of His people. Some of Israel planned to stay in Babylon
because
they were enjoying worldly comforts and success. God
called them to get out of Babylon, and
today He calls us to get out of the world and live for Him. The Lord was and is gratified through the
obedience of His people, and promises to protect them, and He will be
gratified
in so doing. As God works with His
people all the nations of the world will, and presently does, enjoy the
blessings of God. It is the guarantee of
God to all who obediently answer the call for Repentance! Amen?
Amen!
