12. Let Your Hands Be Strong (2)

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Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church

Adult Sunday School

22 April 2018

LET YOUR HANDS BE STRONG (2)

Zechariah 8:11-23 (KJV)

11  But now I willnot beunto the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the LORD of hosts. 12  For the seed shall beprosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. 13  And it shall come to pass, thatas ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, butlet your hands be strong. 14  For thus saith the LORD of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the LORD of hosts, and I repented not: 15  So again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not. 16  These arethe things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: 17  And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are thingsthat I hate, saith the LORD. 18  And the word of the LORD of hosts came unto me, saying, 19  Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace. 20  Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shallyet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: 21  And the inhabitants of one cityshall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. 22  Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD. 23  Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard thatGod iswith you. 

  • GOD’S BLESSING ANNOUNCED 

11  But now I willnot beunto the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the LORD of hosts. 12  For the seed shall beprosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.

Deuteronomy 11:11-19 (KJV) 11  But the land, whither ye go to possess it, isa land of hills and valleys, anddrinketh water of the rain of heaven: 12  A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God arealways upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year. 13 And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, 14  That I will give youthe rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil. 15  And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full. 16  Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; 17  Andthenthe LORD’S wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lestye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you. 18  Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. 19 And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 

In the face of economic hardship with scarcity of jobs coupled with high crime rate and civil unrest, Zechariah announced the future prosperity of the returnees. The providential care of God upon His seed was carefully delineated for the encouragement of the builders to press on and not give up. The wrath of God upon Israel for their sins of idolatry resulted in their captivity for 70 years. Now, this was changed. The remnant would experience the Lord’s changed dealings. God promised to end His disciplinary and chastening activity and to bless His people. This was the first good news. Next, the Lord promised them prosperity – “For the seed shall be prosperous.” The word for “prosperity” is the word “peace” or “shalom.” The vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase. How can this be possible? This is possible when God intervenes, “the heavens shall give their dew.” 

This was the same promise God gave to Israel by the pen of Moses before they entered the Promised Land in Deuteronomy 11:11-12, “But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven: A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.” However, it was conditional upon their obedience, Deuteronomy 11:13, 16-17: “And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul…Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; And then the LORD’s wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you.” Israel had to learn from the past and not repeat their folly. Will we? 

“Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in Him.” Help me, Lord, to order my life aright before You. 

  • FEAR NOT, LET YOUR HANDS BE STRONG 

13  And it shall come to pass, thatas ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, butlet your hands be strong.

Psalm 27:1-14 (KJV) 1  The LORD ismy light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD isthe strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 2  When the wicked, evenmine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. 3  Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this willI beconfident. 4  One thinghave I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. 5  For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. 6  And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD. 7  Hear, O LORD, whenI cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. 8  When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. 9  Hide not thy face farfrom me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. 10  When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. 11  Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. 12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. 13  I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14  Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. 

Fear cripples! A German proverb makes this observation, “Fear makes the wolf bigger than he is.” The builders were exhorted not to fear but let their hands be strong. Our strength comes from God. Psalm 27 provides us the antidote for overcoming fear. 

1. Acknowledging the Giver of Overcoming Faith (v 1-6) 

a. Extolling Who God is! 

  1. HE is my light and my salvation. (v 1a ) 
  2. HE is the strength of my life. (v1b) 

b. Putting mine enemies in their place in my heart (v 2-3 ) 

c. Setting my priority in the worship of God (v 4 ) 

d. Rejoicing in His deliverance (v5-6)
i. HE hides me (v5) 

ii. HE lifts me(v6) 

2. Persisting in the Prayer of Faith (v 7-12 ) 

  1. Cry to God for mercy (v7) 
  1. Resolve to seek God as our only help (v 8-9 ) 
  2. Where human help fails, divine help never fails (v 10 ) 
  3. Guidance sought (v 11 ) 
  4. Grievance brought to the throne of grace (v 12 ) 

3. Strengthened by Faith (v 13-14 )
a.   God’s goodness received by faith (v 13 )
b.   Patience in trial begets overcoming strength (v 14 ) 

In the matter of bringing up children, when they are sick, fear often grips the parents’ heart. May we not falter but pray in faith for wisdom to overcome every difficulty! 

Relinquishment of burdens and fear begins where adoration and worship of God becomes the occupation of the soul. Grant me, Lord, more faith to trust in Your promises. 

  • GOD’S LAW REITERATED 

13  And it shall come to pass, thatas ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, butlet your hands be strong. 14  For thus saith the LORD of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the LORD of hosts, and I repented not: 15  So again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not. 16  These arethe things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: 17  And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are thingsthat I hate, saith the LORD.

God has promised to do good unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. He put it clearly that their conduct must be exemplary. “These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD” (Zech 8:16-17). It is by our conduct that we can bear forth a good witness of our faith. For example, if we are selling noodles, be sure that our noodles are genuinely good with ingredients worth what our customers pay for. Such honest dealing pleases God. Will the noodle stall not prosper? Customers would come back because of the honest dealings of the stall owner. It is an opportunity to bear a good testimony of the God that is the source of our principle of business and blessing. 

Lying and deceit cause strife, discontentment and fights. This is precisely the reason for the turmoil that plagues our world today as it did during Zechariah’s time. God’s people must not fear to obey God’s Word and to live an honest life before Him and men. The true character acts rightly. There was a boy, well trained by his parents, who when asked why he did not pocket some pears when nobody was there to see, replied: “Yes, there was; I was there to see myself; and I do not intend ever to see myself do a dishonest thing.” This is a simple but not inappropriate illustration of principle, or conscience, dominating in the character, and exercising an active power regulating his life. Without this dominating influence, our character has no protection, but is constantly liable to fall away during temptation. And every such temptation succumbed to, every act of meanness or dishonesty, however slight, causes self-degradation. He is then pursued by a secret uneasiness, by self-reproach or the workings of what we call conscience, the prompting of the grieved Holy Spirit, which is the inevitable doom of the guilty. 

Dare to be true! Lord, help me to live well, acting justly and rightly. 

  • FROM FASTING TO FEASTING 

18  And the word of the LORD of hosts came unto me, saying, 19  Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace.

This was the answer to the question on fasting posed by the delegation to the House of God in Zechariah 7:3, “And to speak unto the priests which were in the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?” 

They shall no longer fast. Their fasting shall be changed to cheerful feasting, “Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace” (Zech 8:19). Although the original question spoke of fasting only in the fifth and seventh month, here all the fasting even in the tenth month should be abolished. These fasts were to become a joyful season and times of great happiness. 

The fast of the fourth month commemorated the capture of Jerusalem (Jer 52:6-7). The fifth month commemorated the burning of the House of God, the king’s house and the houses in Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:8-10). The seventh month for the massacre of Gedaliah (Jer 41:1-10) and the tenth month for the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem (2 Kgs 25:1, Jer 52:4). The heavy hand of God had been lifted. It was a time for celebration. So far from the continuance of these days of fasting, they were to be changed into days of festivity, for great would be the blessing on the people. When God makes the sunshine, the tears are dried up, and when God’s blessings come upon us, the memory of sorrows should be used only to enhance our present joy. 

However, the warning of God remains that they are to“love truth and peace.” God will bless but not in spite of man’s wickedness. We are to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, shining as lights in the world. 

The joy of the heart colours the face. Help me, Lord, to show forth a cheerful countenance. 

  • MILLENNIAL BLESSINGS 

“Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.” (Zech 8:23) 

Psalm 67:1-7 (KJV) 1 God be merciful unto us, and bless us; andcause his face to shine upon us; Selah. 
2  That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations. 3  Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. 4  O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah. 5  Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. 6  Thenshall the earth yield her increase; andGod, evenour own God, shall bless us. 7  God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him. 

This is a description of the fullness of millennial joy. The Jewish national fasts would not only give way to feasts, the Gentiles shall also seek God. Notice that the phrase “the LORD of hosts” is repeated 16 times in this chapter alluding to the power of God to act and bring to pass all that He has promised to bless Israel. What honour and privilege God bestows upon His own. 

By way of application, as it is this day, there are literally men of all nations, and kindreds, and tribes, and people, who are laying hold of the skirt of Him that is a Jew, and casting in their lot with those whom God chose to be a people for Himself, and resting on the truth of that crucified Jew, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 

Israel, by living a life in the presence and fear of the Lord, was to experience the fullness of God’s blessings. In this way they were to startle the nations to attention, arouse their inquiry, and draw them like a magnet to Jerusalem and to the Lord. In the same way, Christians are to live exemplary lives as a witness that God is indeed with us! This is the missionary spirit that accompanies the enlargement of Israel and the Church, the desire for the salvation of others by the testimony of our lives. 

In the millennium, Israel will again lead the nations to the knowledge of the Lord and the nations will worship and serve the Lord. Jesus Himself will rule from Jerusalem, the true city of peace. 

“We have returned to Jerusalem never to part from her again.” (Moshe Dyan, June 7, 1967) Lord, help me to be a friend of Israel.