{"id":29859,"date":"2024-02-05T22:00:36","date_gmt":"2024-02-06T05:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/zechariah-5_1-11-copy\/"},"modified":"2024-01-30T20:46:40","modified_gmt":"2024-01-31T03:46:40","slug":"zechariah-6_1-15","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/zechariah-6_1-15\/","title":{"rendered":"Jesus: My Prophet, Priest and King"},"content":{"rendered":"

Zechariah 6:1-15\u00a0 <\/strong>\u00a0(CLICK HERE FOR\u00a0BIBLE VERSES)<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hi GAMErs!<\/p>\n

Today’s passage is\u00a0Zechariah\u00a06:1-15.\u00a0 As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit\u2019s help, then read the GAME sharing below.\u00a0 Let’s go!<\/p>\n

Zechariah 6:1-8 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n1\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0I looked up again–and there before me were four chariots coming out from between two mountains–mountains of bronze!
\n2\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0The first chariot had red horses, the second black,
\n3\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0the third white, and the fourth dappled–all of them powerful.
\n4\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these, my lord?”
\n5\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0The angel answered me, “These are the four spirits of heaven, going out from standing in the presence of the Lord of the whole world.
\n6\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0The one with the black horses is going toward the north country, the one with the white horses toward the west, and the one with the dappled horses toward the south.”
\n7\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0When the powerful horses went out, they were straining to go throughout the earth. And he said, “Go throughout the earth!” So they went throughout the earth.
\n8\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Then he called to me, “Look, those going toward the north country have given my Spirit rest in the land of the north.”<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses\u00a01-8: \u00a0Zechariah\u00a0is shown an eighth vision.\u00a0 It’s a vision of four chariots coming out from between two bronze mountains.\u00a0 The first chariot is pulled by red horses, the second by black horses, the third by white horses and the fourth by spotted horses.\u00a0 When\u00a0Zechariah\u00a0asks what these chariots and horses represent, the angel speaking to\u00a0Zechariah\u00a0explains that the four chariots represent the “four spirits (or winds) of heaven” (v4).\u00a0\u00a0Zechariah\u00a0notices that all these powerful horses are “straining” (v7) — that is, they’re eager to get going.\u00a0 When the angel gives the command, “Go throughout the earth!” they do exactly that.\u00a0 Then the angel tells\u00a0Zechariah\u00a0that the black ones going toward the north country have given his Spirit rest in the north country (v8).<\/p>\n

What does this mean?\u00a0 Most scholars agree that the chariots and horses going throughout the earth represent God’s judgment on the entire world, but especially against Israel’s enemies to the north of them, including Babylon. \u00a0God is a just God.\u00a0 In His justice, He will make sure that all evil throughout the world is judged and punished in His time.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This was the eighth and final vision that\u00a0Zechariah\u00a0describes from that one momentous, vision-filled night.<\/p>\n

Zechariah<\/strong>\u00a06:9-10 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n9\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>The word of the LORD came to me:\u00a0<\/em>
\n10\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>“Take [silver and gold] from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon. Go the same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 9-10: \u00a0It is not entirely clear who Heldai, Tobijah, Jedaiah and Josiah are.\u00a0 All we know is that they were Jews who had been exiled in Babylon, who returned to Judah and who were likely people of high social standing in Judah at that time.\u00a0 God tells\u00a0Zechariah\u00a0to get silver and gold from the first three and take them to the house of Josiah.<\/p>\n

Like Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah,\u00a0we are called to use our wealth and resources to “make a crown”, that is, to give glory and honour to Jesus Christ is king.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Zechariah 6:11-14 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n11\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Take the silver and gold and make a crown, and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua son of Jehozadak.
\n12\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Tell him this is what the\u00a0LORD\u00a0Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the\u00a0LORD.
\n13\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0It is he who will build the temple of the\u00a0LORD, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.’
\n14\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0The crown will be given to Heldai, Tobijah, Jedaiah and Hen son of Zephaniah as a memorial in the temple of the\u00a0LORD.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 11-14: \u00a0Zechariah\u00a0then receives instructions from the Lord to make a crown out of the silver and gold he received and place it on the head of Joshua, who was Judah’s high priest at the time.\u00a0 The Lord tells\u00a0Zechariah\u00a0that “Here is the man whose name is the Branch” (v12), that he will build the Lord’s temple (v12), be clothed in majesty (v13), sit on a throne and yet still be a priest (v13), bringing together the two disparate roles of king and priest.\u00a0 Then the crown is to be taken and given to Heldai, Tobijah, Jedaiah and Hen as a memorial in the temple (v14).<\/p>\n

What is going on here?\u00a0 Was God making Joshua a king and a high priest over Israel?\u00a0 Was he calling this Joshua the Messiah?\u00a0 No, because:<\/p>\n

1. Zerubabbel would continue to rule as governor over Judah and lead the rebuilding of the temple.\u00a0 There is no evidence that Joshua the high priest assumed any role as a king or other political authority figure of Judah.<\/p>\n

2. The crown is later taken off of Joshua’s head and God instructs that it be placed in the temple as a memorial (v14).<\/p>\n

Thus\u00a0the crowning of Joshua was a symbolic action, meant to point to a future date when one individual, a Messiah, would serve as both priest and king over God’s people<\/strong>.\u00a0 This “Branch” (a name used by Isaiah, Jeremiah and now\u00a0Zechariah\u00a0for this Messiah) is Jesus Christ, who would appear approximately 500 years after\u00a0Zechariah\u00a0writes down this prophecy.\u00a0 It’s also worth noting that Jesus’ Hebrew name, Yeshua, is often transliterated Joshua.<\/p>\n

Previously in Zechariah 4:11-14, the LORD showed Zechariah a vision of two olive trees representing two individuals \u2013 likely governor Zerubabbel and high priest Joshua \u2013 who would lead God\u2019s people.\u00a0 Now in Zechariah 6, we see one man \u2013 the Branch \u2013 taking on the dual role of priest and king.\u00a0 It\u2019s Jesus the Messiah.<\/p>\n

As Pastor Jon Courson once put it, Jesus first came into the world as a prophet, then ascended to heaven to serve as our great high priest, and one day He will return as king.\u00a0 Jesus is our prophet, priest and king.<\/p>\n

Zechariah<\/strong>\u00a06<\/strong>:15\u00a0(NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n15\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>Those who are far away will come and help to build the temple of the LORD, and you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you. This will happen if you diligently obey the LORD your God.”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 15: \u00a0This verse speaks of how God would involve many people from distant nations (\u201cthose who are far away\u201d) in building the Lord’s temple.\u00a0 That includes you and me.\u00a0 As Ephesians\u00a02:13 says, “But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ”.\u00a0 Now,\u00a0as foreigners turned children of God, we are now instruments by which God is building His church<\/strong>.
\n
Lord Jesus, today I crown You my priest and king.\u00a0 Only You are worthy to sit on the throne of my heart as king, and only You can stand in the gap for my sin as priest. Though You are a just and holy God, thank You that Your mercy triumphed over judgment when You died on the cross for our sins.\u00a0 Now that I am a part of Your family, use me to build Your temple, Your church.\u00a0 In Jesus’ name, AMEN!<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Copyright \u00a9 2021 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi GAMErs!<\/p>\n

Today’s passage is\u00a0Zechariah\u00a06:1-15.\u00a0 As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit\u2019s help, then read the GAME sharing below.\u00a0 Let’s go!
\n\u00a0
\nZechariah 6:1-8 (NIV)
\n1\u00a0\u00a0I looked up again–and there before me were four chariots coming out from between two mountains–mountains of bronze!
\n2\u00a0\u00a0The first chariot had red horses, the second black,
\n3\u00a0\u00a0the third white, and the fourth dappled–all of them powerful.
\n4\u00a0\u00a0I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these, my lord?”<\/p>\n

On verses\u00a01-8: \u00a0Zechariah\u00a0is shown an eighth vision.\u00a0 It’s a vision of four chariots coming out from between two bronze mountains.\u00a0 The first chariot is pulled by red horses, the second by black horses, the third by white horses and the fourth by spotted horses.\u00a0 When\u00a0Zechariah\u00a0asks what these chariots and horses represent, the angel speaking to\u00a0Zechariah\u00a0explains that the four chariots represent the “four spirits (or winds) of heaven” (v4).\u00a0\u00a0Zechariah\u00a0notices that all these powerful horses are “straining” (v7) — that is, they’re eager to get going.\u00a0 When the angel gives the command, “Go throughout the earth!” they do exactly that.\u00a0 Then the angel tells\u00a0Zechariah\u00a0that the black ones going toward the north country have given his Spirit rest in the north country (v8).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":29861,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29859","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gametime-sharing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29859","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29859"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29859\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29862,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29859\/revisions\/29862"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29861"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29859"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29859"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29859"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}