By my Spirit… (3 visions)

• 1^st – The fifth vision: the lampstand… vs. 1-14
  • 1^st – The Golden Lampstand… vs. 1-4
    • The angel came back to Zechariah and woke him up…
      • Zechariah had seen four intense and power visions already – all in one night…
      • Apparently it was exhausting for him to take it all in – and he fell asleep…
      • But the visions were only half over – there were 4 more to go – no time to sleep!
    • The angel showed Zechariah a golden lampstand…
      • There was a great bowl in the middle of the lampstand – to hold the olive oil…
      • From the bowl there were seven pipes that led to seven lamps…
      • On either side of the lampstand were olive trees – one on the left and one on the right!
    • There is a LOT of speculation about this vision…
      • Lets set aside the trees and the olive oil they provide – we will come back to these…
      • First we need to answer the question what does the lampstand represent!
      • Some say it is a Menorah – the candelabra from inside of the Temple – Exodus 25:32
      • Others point out the mention of the seven lampstands in Revelation…
      • Revelation 1:20 – “The seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.”
      • The answer is both are true – sort of – the lampstand speaks generally of being a light!
      • Israel was called to be a light – Menorah / the church was to be a light – Revelation!
      • So also God was calling on the Jews in the days of Zechariah to be a light!
    • We are called to be a light – but we are a light only as long as we look to Jesus…
      • John 8:12 – “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness…”
      • If we loose that focus – get our eyes off Jesus and onto anything else – darkness…
      • Be careful what we allow your eyes to see – what we spend you time watching…
      • We choose daily what we fill our minds with – by choosing what we watch on TV…
      • What do we fill our heads and hearts with – this world / or with the Word of God…
      • As we are full of Jesus – we shine as a light of Jesus for all to see!
    • Without Jesus – we are just a big dead rock…
      • The moon is a just a large dead rock – it gives off no light…
      • If the world comes between the sun and the moon – it stays dark…
      • But when the moon looks at the sun – it is transformed…
      • It reflects the light of the sun for the whole world to see!
      • When we look to Jesus – we are transformed – we reflect the Light of Jesus…
      • We become that light that shows the world the hope of Jesus!
      • Matthew 5:16 – “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
  • 2^nd – The Olive Oil… vs. 5-7
    • The angel asked Zechariah if he knew what the vision meant… vs. 6-7
      • His reply was quick an honest – I have NO idea – my Lord…
      • So the angel gave him the meaning – this was the Word of the Lord to Zerubbabel…
      • Zerubbabel who had been given the impossible task of rebuilding the Temple…
      • Taking a shattered people – and rallying them to reunite under the banner of the Lord!
      • Making them into a light – LAMPSTAND – that would reveal God to the world!
    • How – NOT by might – NOT by power – but by my Spirit says the Lord!
      • In the Bible OIL is always used as a picture of the Spirit of God…
      • The way Zerubbabel and remnant of Israel would shine / do the impossible…
      • Through the power of the Spirit of God – impassable mountains become level plains…
      • Zerubbabel laid the foundation – and he WOULD put on the capstone (complete the Temple)
      • And the people would shout – Grace / Grace – the work began and ended by Grace!
    • When the people heard the message of Peter in Act 2 – they were deeply convicted…
      • The hearts of the Jews were hardened by sin – seemingly impossible to crack…
      • Yet the people saw their sinfulness – and pleaded with Peter – what should we do…
      • Not because of Peter – but because of the Word of God – and the power of the Spirit!
      • Jeremiah 23:29 – “My word is like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces.”
      • It seems people today are deaf when it comes to their need for Jesus…
      • As if the message of the Gospel had lost all power to reach sinners…
      • A world is filled with empty churches / pastors vainly preaching to hardened hearts…
      • But the problem is not in the message – the problem is a lack of power!
      • I have been in many churches whose response to a lost world – create a committee…
      • They elect officials who endlessly discuss ideas of how to ‘spread the Gospel’…
      • And in the end – nothing happens – it is just a lot of words with no action!
      • Church ‘programs’ are like wadded up paper thrown at steel reinforced concrete walls!
      • But the POWER of the Spirit can shatter – bring the greatest sinners to their knees!
      • The DYNAMITE of the Spirit to tear down the hardest walls – opening up hearts to Jesus!
    • God gives us His Holy Spirit to give us the POWER to take action!
      • We are called to be a light in a dark world – Matthew 5:14
      • But we need the Holy Spirit to ‘gas us up’ – and ‘strike the match’ to light us on fire!
      • How do you get the Power of the Spirit – Grace – it is a free gift – Luke 11:13
      • Not just once – but over and over and over again for – daily asking for the Holy Spirit!
      • Matthew 7:7 – “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find…”
  • 3^rd – Day of small things… vs. 8-10
    • The Word of the Lord came again – Zerubbabel started and would finish the Temple…
      • And when the work was done – THEN there would be no doubt God sent the Angel!
      • But it had only been five months – there was a LONG way to go – 3 ½ more years…
      • And the work that needed to be done was not glamorous – manual labor…
      • It would be easy to despise the day of SMALL THINGS – get discouraged…
      • But those SMALL THINGS were a test – to see if Zerubbabel would be faithful…
      • And the Lord rejoiced to see the plumb line – measuring tool – in his hands!
    • The 7 eyes of the Lord – Revelation 5:6 – still scan to and fro to see who will be faithful!
      • Most of us can relate to small beginnings – doing things that seem unimportant …
      • And we just cannot see how that is important for the Kingdom of God!
      • It is easy to get frustrated in life – thinking the work we are doing is unimportant!
      • But have noted two traits on the people God uses…
      • They have humility – realizing it is not about them – but all about Jesus…
      • And they do not give up – they persevere – do not quit hanging on to Jesus!
      • John 15:4-5 – “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me…. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
    • That is why the small things are incredibly important – it is preparation…
      • So often we want to mature in the Lord – be used by God – right now…
      • But God is not in a rush – and it takes time to be prepared by the Lord…
      • You do not plant a seed – expect there to be fruit on the braches in the morning…
      • And often the best fruit – takes the longest to mature and ripen…
      • Even Jesus was 30 years old before He began his public ministry!
  • 4^th – The Olive Trees … vs. 11-14
    • Zechariah still had a question – what were the two olive trees…
      • And the two braches that drip into pipes leading to the golden bowl of the Lampstand…
      • The angel responded as if Zechariah should have known – ‘do you not know?’
      • So the angel told him – they are the two anointed ones who stand beside the Lord!
      • The tools God used to bring His Spirit to His people so they could be a light!
    • There is again a LOT of speculation over who the two anointed ones are…
      • Some say they are the two witnesses from the time of the Tribulation…
      • They are described as the two olive trees that stand before the Lord!
      • Revelation 11:3-4 – “I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth.”
      • Who are the two witnesses – that draws even more speculation!
      • Some say Elijah and Enoch – because neither ever died – Hebrews 9:27
      • Others say it is Elijah and Zerubbabel – pointing to this very passage…
      • But I tend to hold to Moses and Elijah – testimony of Law and Prophets – Luke 9:30
    • But I am not sure the angel is referring to the two witnesses…
      • Note that he expected Zechariah to already know whom the trees represented…
      • How could Zechariah have knows about the two prophets from the book of Revelation…
      • It seems more likely the anointed ones are Zerubbabel and Joshua…
      • The two men that God rose up to come along side – and stir His people to follow Him!
      • Just as He will one day use the two witnesses in Revelation to stir up people again!
        
      • Which brings up a powerful question – whom will God use today!
      • The eyes of the Lord are looking for men / women who He can pour His Spirit through…
      • Igniting a generation on fire – brining a revival to a lost a dying world…
      • Who does He choose – those who are willing to say here am I – sent me!
      • Isaiah 6:8 – “Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.’”

• 2^nd – The sixth vision: the flying scroll… vs. 1-4
  • 1^st – The curse of the Lord… vs. 1-3
    • Zechariah then looked up – and saw a flying scroll – 30’ long and 15’ wide…
      • The same dimensions of Foyer of the Temple where the Law was read – I Kings 6:3
      • The angel told him it contained the curse that went out over the whole land (earth)
      • No doubt it contained the words of Deuteronomy 28:15-68 – the curses!
    • Written on both sides – every thief / liar would be banished from the Land!
      • Because God expects us to be men and women of our word…
      • We should not be ‘swearing by the Lord’ – we should just do what we say!
      • Those who do not know Jesus – do not tend to value their word…
      • They will often attempt to reinforce their word – to assure you they are not lying…
      • They will tell you what you want to hear – or even flat out lie to your face…
      • But we know Jesus – we need to be men of our Word – let our Yes be Yes / No be No!
      • Matthew 5:37 – “’Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.”
    • Because God expects us to be content with what we have…
      • When people steal from others – they are saying God has not been faithful…
      • There is something they want – that God has not provided for – so they take it…
      • But we are called to be content – showing our trust and confidence in the Lord!
      • Hebrews 13:14 – “Be content with such things as you have.”
  • 2^nd – The result of the curse… vs. 4
    • The scroll would go into their houses – and consume it – down to the timbers and stones!
      • Those who stole / lied would be expelled from the Land – their homes destroyed…
      • Because God was doing a work – pouring out His spirit – making His people a light…
      • So He established severe consequences – to teach the rest of the people a lesson!
    • Like in Acts 5 – when God killed Ananias and Sapphira because they lied…
      • God dealt severely with Ananias / Sapphira – so their example would not spread!
      • I Corinthians 5:6 – “Don’t you know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump.”
      • Example is powerful – just stare up in the sky and see how long it takes for others to join!
      • When an example of sin goes unchecked in the church it encourages others to sin…
      • A little sin in the church – can quickly grow to be a HUGE problem…
      • It can destroy the testimony of the church – extinguish the light God calls us to be!
      • The only solution – cut out the cancer – remove the problem!

We can be a light – see sin defeated – and a people restored to the Lord!

3^rd – The seventh vision: the women in the basket… vs. 5-11

1^st – This is wickedness… vs. 5-6

The angel again told Zechariah to look up – and he saw a basket…

The word basket is the Hebrew word ephah – measurement of about 9 gallons…

The angel describes the basket as their resemblance (eyes) throughout the earth…

And when the angel lifted the lead lid on the basket…

Inside was sitting a woman – he described her simply as wickedness…

Who he then pushed her back in and closed the lid firmly back on the basket!

In other words the basket measured what the people of the earth had their eyes on!

And what men have their eyes on is sin – because they love their sin…

John 3:19-20 – “This is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved [agape] darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil…”

The same LOVE God has for us – is the same LOVE we have for sin!

Why it is that people do not see that Jesus is the answer to their lives…

It is not that they cannot find Jesus – it is not that the Gospel is difficult to understand…

Men stay away from Jesus because they LOVE their sin!

2^nd – The temple in Shinar… vs. 8-11

Then Zechariah looked up AGAIN  – and saw two winged women coming for the basket…

They had wings like a stork (large) – and they picked up the basket and flew away…

Now – you are going to ask who are the two women – NO IDEA!

Though they are likely NOT angels – which are always described as masculine in the Bible!

The angel told Zechariah they were taking the basket to Shinar – Babylon…

When it was ready – the basket would be set on its base pedestal – wickedness established!

What does that mean – perhaps a reference to the great harlot of Revelation 17…

Revelation 17:5 – “On her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”

The point of the vision…

As would pour out His Spirit upon Zerubbabel – begin a revival with His people…

God was brining His word back to Israel to Judge those who sinning…

And remove wickedness from the land – the WOMAN was in Israel – but was removed!

As men were willing – by the SPIRIT – to stand up and be a light for God…

Wickedness could not stay – it was contained (lead lid) – and cast out!

And there is the hope of our nation – for this wicked and lost generation…

If men and women are willing to be filled with the Spirit – ANOINTED by God…