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92 THE CONVENTION TEACHER Lesson IV. April 25, 1948 ZECHARIAH PLEADS FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS SENIOR TOPIC: GOD'S STANDARD FOR LIFE. Zechariah 1:1-4; 7:8-14; 8:16, 17 [[line]] AUTHORIZED VERSION 1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the Lord unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, 2 The Lord hath been sore displeased with your fathers. 3 Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. 4 Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evildoings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the Lord. 8 And the word of the Lord came unto Zechariah, saying, 9 Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and show mercy and compassions every man to his brother: 10 And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart. 11 But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear. 12 Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in his Spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hosts. 13 Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the Lord of hosts: 14 But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not; thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned; for they laid the pleasant land desolate. 16 These are the things that you shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbor; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: 17 And let none of you devise evil in your hearts against his neighbor: and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord. [line]] REVISED VERSION 1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of Jehovah unto Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, the prophet, saying, 2 Jehovah was sore displeased with your fathers. 3 Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Return unto me, saith Jehovah of hosts, and I will return unto you, saith Jehovah of hosts. 4 Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets cried, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Return ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith Jehovah. 8 And the word of Jehovah came unto Zechariah, saying, 9 Thus hath Jehovah of hosts spoken, saying, Execute true judgment, and show kindness and compassion every man to his brother; 10 and oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the sojourner, nor the poor; and let none of you devise evil against his brother in your heart. 11 But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they might not hear. 12 Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which Jehovah of hosts had sent by his Spirit by the former prophets: therefore there came great wrath from Jehovah of hosts. 13 And it is come to pass that, as he cried, and they would not here, so shall they cry, and I will not hear, said Jehovah of hosts; 14 but I will scatter them with a whirlwind among all the nations which they have not known. Thus the land was desolate after them, so that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate. 16 These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth with his neighbor; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates; 17 and let none of you devise evil in your hearts against his neighbor; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith Jehovah. [[line]] MOTTO TEXT – Execute true judgment, and show kindness and compassion every man to his brother. Zechariah 7:9. [[line]] LESSON SETTING Time: B. C. 520 Place: Uncertain. LESSON OUTLINE I. Repentance Demanded,. (VV. 1-4) II. Impartial Justice Shown. (VV. 8-14) III. Divine Encouragements amid Difficulties. (VV. 16-17) DAILY HOME READING April 19 – April 25 M. "Be Ye Not As Your Fathers." Zechariah 1:1-6. T. "By My Spirit." Zechariah 4:1-6. W. "Execute True Judgment." Zechariah 7:8-14. T. Boys and Girls Playing in the Streets." Zechariah 8:1-8. F. "Let Your Hands Be Strong." Zechariah 8:9-13. S. And God Shall Be King." Zechariah 14:9-11. S. "Who Shall Stand in His Holy Place?" Psalms 24. [[end page]] [[start page]] THE CONVENTION TEACHER 93 INTRODUCTION The prophet Zechariah was a colleague with the prophet Haggai, and a worker together with him in pushing forward the building of the second temple. Zechariah began to prophesy sometime after Haggai. He continued longer, seemed higher in visions and revelations, wrote more, and prophesied more particularly concerning Christ then Haggai had done. He began his message in a plain and practical way. He gives us the accounts of his visions, and the instructions he received immediately from heaven by them. As the Jews inquire about fasting, he shows them the duty of the present day and encourages them to hope for God's favor to the end. Then follow messages from the Lord whose scope is to reprove sin, to warn of God's judgment against the impenitent, and to encourage those that feared Him, with assurances of the mercy He has in store for His people and church. Especially our predicted the coming of the Messiah, and the setting up of His kingdom in the world. EXPOSITION I. Repentance Demanded. (VV. 1-4) (1) In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the Lord unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, The basic principle of the ministry of Zechariah is laid in divine authority. In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius – This was Darius Hystapsis and from this time we find that Zechariah began to prophesy just two months after Haggai. Son of Iddo and he was the prophet: as Haggai is called the prophet. (2) The Lord has been sore displeased with your fathers. The prophet puts them in mind of the controversy God had with their fathers. He placed them under the token of his displeasure. You have heard with your ears, and your fathers have told you of it; you have seen with your eyes the woeful memories of it. God has quarreled with you for a long time and now it is time for you to turn from their sins of ingratitude, idolatry, iniquity and general rebellion. (3) Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. Zechariah calls them in God's name, to return to Him, and make their peace with Him. Get a reconciliation. You are a backsliding people which he said by His prophets; turn to me by way of faith and repentance, duty and obedience. This shows they had the power to return if they would but use it; and I will turn unto you saith the Lord of hosts. I will show you mercy and grant you salvation if you will use the grace I have already given you. Let their rebellion give way to allegiance and they shall be taken under His protection, and enjoy all the privileges of good subjects; let them change their ways and God will change His. Notice God is called here "The Lord of hosts" three times. It is He that speaks, and we are bound to regard what He says. Turning to me, saith the Lord of hosts. That speaks the authority and obligation of the command; and I will turn unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. That speaks the validity and value of the promise, so that it is no vain repetition. Men are lost because they turn not unto God; but no man is lost because he has not power to return. God gives this and He will require it. (4) Be ye not as your fathers, under whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evildoings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the Lord. the prophet warns them not to persist in their wickedness, as their fathers that done. Be not as your fathers – Instead of being hardened in their evil course by the example of their fathers' sins; let them rather be deterred from them by the example of their fathers' punishment. We are apt to be governed very much by precedent and we are well or ill-governed according to the use we make of the precedent before us. The fathers slighted the prophets and God was sore displeased with them for it. That was the message that God sent by His servants, the prophets to your fathers. The former prophets cried to your fathers; cried aloud and did not spare themselves nor your fathers, in the name of the Lord of hosts; and this was the burden of every word: Turn ye from your evil ways, and from your evildoings. The very same message we bring to you.
