The Second Burden… (4 things)

• 1^st – The stumbliing stone… vs. 1-8
  • 1^st – The burden of the Word of the Lord about Israel… vs. 1
    • The first burden left off with Israel in a very precarious position – embracing the Antichrist…
      • We know that God will save Israel – Zechariah 10:6-7 – but How!
      • Before God answers HOW – He first establishes THAT He can save Israel!
      • God who stretched out the heavens / laid the foundations of the earth…
      • Also formed the spirit within man – if He can do all that – He can save Israel!
    • God promises to provide / heal / and rescue us from our trials…
      • God gives us amazing promises – but we can have a hard time believing He can deliver…
      • It is in those moments when it is good to reflect on what God HAS done…
      • He who stretched out the heavens / laid the foundations / formed the spirit in us…
      • If He is capable of doing all that – nothing is impossible for Him!
  • 2^nd – Jerusalem will be cup of drunkenness… vs. 2-3
    • All the surrounding nations will lay siege to Judah and Jerusalem…
      • The moment Israel was declared a nation again on May 14 – 1948…
      • They were surrounded by enemies on all sides – they were under siege!
      • They were immediately attacked by Syria / Jordan / Lebanon / and Egypt…
      • Israel survived the war against all odds – but the Arabs captured Jerusalem!
    • Since then Israel has become a stumbling block to ALL nations…
      • From 1967 to 1989 the UN Security Council passed 88 resolutions criticizing Israel…
      • During that time the UN General Assembly passed 429 resolutions against Israel!
      • UN Human Rights Commission condmned Israel more than every other nation combined!
      • There is only one entire UN Division devoted to a single group of people – Palestinians!
      • The only UN day dedicated to a specific people is November 29 – for the Palestinian People!
      • Only one refugee agency dedicated to a specific people: UNRWA – for Palestinian Refugees!
      • On December 26 – 2016 even the US allowed reslotion 2334 to condemn Israel!
    • Ironically there is not such thing as Palestinians!
      • The Roman Empire renamed Judah – Palestine – after the Jewish revolt of 132 AD…
      • And the term Palestinian from then on referred strictly to Jews!
      • Until 1967 when Yasser Arafat began telling the lie of the ‘displaced Palestinian people’…
      • Tell a lie loud enough / long enough – and people begin to believe it!
      • In truth the ‘Palestinians’ are mostly Arabs or Jordanians who fled Israel in 1948…
      • They became refugees in Arab controlled LAND – until 1967 when Israel inherited them!
      • And it put Israel in a real pickle – the Arab nations will not take the refugees…
      • Israel cannot absorb them – the Arabs would outnumber the Jews – vote them out…
      • And the ‘Palestinians’ do not want their own nation – because Israel pays for everything!
    • What solution does the world offer for peace in the Middle East…
      • Land for peace – give back some of the land – but the problem is it is not about land…
      • If the Middle East was a football field – Israel would be 12 sq. inches – it is not about land!
      • Israel tried giving land for peace – Gaza Strip – the results was Hamas took over!
      • I am often amused by the many debates / ideas on how to bring peace to Israel…
      • There will not be any peace in Israel – they will be a stumbling block till the Messiah comes!
      • Which is why when we pray for the peace of Jerusalem – we are praying for Jesus return!
      • Psalm 122:6 – “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem…”
  • 4^th – Retaking the Land… vs. 4-8
    • In that Day – God will fight for Israel…
      • God will strike every horse with confusion – and their riders with madness…
      • The leaders of Judah will say in their heart – we have found our strength in the Lord!
      • The leaders of Judah will devour all the nations around them like fire…
      • The least among with will be like David – those from the line of David will be like God!
      • They will be recapture the rest of Judah (1948) first – and then retake Jerusalem (1967)!
    • In 1967 – the 6-day war – Israel recaptured all the land from the Sinai to the Golan!
      • Including the City of Jerusalem – which once again became the capitol of Israel!
      • The 5 attacking Arab nations easily outgunned Israel in tanks and weapons…
      • But there is one story where honey bees – attacked a column of Egyptian tanks…
      • Driving them out of their tanks so that Israel could come and confiscate them!
    • Aim for the trees…
      • There is another great story about an Israeli spy in the Syrian army…
      • The Golan Heights is a barren high dessert – lots of heat with no shade…
      • The spy visited and encouraged Syria to plant shade trees by all their fortifications…
      • The spy then told Israel when they attacked – just aim for the trees!
    • In the final days of the war…
      • Israel wanted to capture to Golan Heights – but Syria was trying to sue for peace…
      • To give Israel bad press – Syria broadcast Israel had entered Damascus – it was a lie…
      • But Syrian troops heard the report – and fled their tanks on the Golan Heights!
      • Israel was able to just walk in – capture the whole Golan in a single day!
      • Romans 8:31 – “Since God is for us – who can be against us!”
      • If God is the one fighting for us – who can possibly stand against us!
      • As we learn to depend on the Lord – we are absolutely assured of victory!
      • Sin / satan / the world do not stand a chance – God will overcome them all!
  • 5^th – The phrase ‘in that day’ appears 17 times in this second burden of Zechariah…
    • What DAY are we talking about – THE DAY of the Lord – the return of Jesus Christ…
      • Luke 21:29-32 – Jesus gave the parable of the Fig Tree blossoming – coming back to life! 
      • In the Bible THE Fig Tree is a picture of the Nation of Israel – Mark 11:13
      • Before the Antichrist rises – makes a peace treaty to rebuild the Temple – Daniel 9:26 
      • Before the 7 years of Tribulation that follows / concluding with the Return of Jesus Christ!
      • Israel had to first be reborn – Jerusalem had to come back under the control of the Jews!
    • We have see Israel blossom – that day is today – meaning the end is very near!
      • We are seeing these events unfold – but it is easy to get caught up in the cares of this life…
      • We need to reprioritize out lives – remember that Jesus is coming – Luke 21:28 

• 2^nd – Look on Him… vs. 9-14
  • 1^st – Pour out the Spirit of Grace… vs. 9-10
    • In that day the Lord will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem…
      • At the end of the 7 years of Tribulation…
      • The Antichrist will gather his army in the Valley of Megiddo – Revelation 19:11-21
      • Then Jesus will come out of Heaven on a white horse – King of Kings / Lord of Lords…
      • With one word he will defeat the Antichrist and his army – II Thessalonians 2:8!
      • Then God will pour out the Spirit of Grace on the house of David / Jerusalem…
      • And Israel will look on ‘ME whom they pierced’ – and mourn!
    • First question – who did Israel pierce (dakar) – always meaning to physically pierce…
      • In the context the person talking ‘ME’ is the Lord (YHVH) – Zechariah 12:1
      • When did Israel physically pierce God – the answer of course is the cross!
      • There is also a 2 mysterious letters next to the word ‘ME’ – Aleph and Tau…
      • It is not a word – which is why it is not translated – but it is there in the Hebrew…
      • The Aleph and Tau are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet!
      • So it could read they will look on the ‘First and the Last’ or  the ‘Alpha and Omega’!
      • Revelation 1:8 – “I am the Alpha and the Omega–the beginning and the end…”
      • An amazing passage proving Jesus is both Messiah / and Lord – God almighty!
    • Second question – why will Israel mourn when they see Jesus…
      • Not just Mourn – but mourn as one who has lost their ONLY SON / their FIRST BORN SON…
      • The first-born speaks of the inheritance – receiving the blessing!
      • The Jews thought because they were the CHOSEN people – they were guaranteed heaven…
      • They had convinced themselves they were good and moral – deserved the blessing…
      • Until they came face to face with Jesus Christ – then all their goodness melted away!
      • It is easy to fool ourselves into thinking we are OK – good moral people…
      • Until we end up face to face with Jesus – and see just how wretched we really are!
  • 2^nd – Great mourning… vs. 11-14
    • There will be national morning…
      • In that day there will be great mourning in Jerusalem…
      • Like the mourning at Hadad Rimmon in the Megiddo valley…
      • Referring to how Israel mourned the loss of King Josiah – II Chronicles 25:34-35
      • Because he was a Godly king – it was a day that became a national day of mourning!
      • Speaking of the national revival – ALL Israel will mark the day Jesus died for them!
    • There will be individual morning…
      • Every family will mourn – from the greatest to the least…
      • From the house of David (King) to the house of Nathan – the youngest son of King David…
      • From the house of Levi (priest) to the house of Shimei – the grandson of Levi…
      • Because the revival will not just be national – it will be individual!
      • Some people say there is no reason to reach out to Israel – go where the fishing is good…
      • They are blinded because they rejected Jesus Christ – Romans 11:7-10
      • But when we talk about Israel we must deal with Israel nationally and individually…
      • Not all Jews were blinded – they will just not accept Jesus NATIONALLY till He returns…
      • Jews have been getting saved from the beginning of the church – Apostles were all Jews!
      • Romans 11:25 – “Blindness IN PART has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.”

• 3^rd – The fountain opened… vs. 1-6
  • 1^st – The Remedy – For sins and uncleanness… vs. 1
    • In that day a fountain will be opened – to take away the sins and guilt of Israel…
    • Not that the fountain was not available before – they just were not willing to come!
    • It took mourning for their sin – for them to be willing to receive forgiveness!
    • When Jesus comes the 2^nd time – ALL Israel will be saved – Romans 11:26
    • If I gave you a pill and told you to swallow it to save your life – you might hesitate…
    • But if I told you that you had been poisoned – and the pill was the antidote – down the hatch!
    • One of the hardest parts about sharing the Gospel – is getting people to see the need…
    • People assume they are good – assume that God will accept them into heaven…
    • Which is why it takes bad news – showing people how BAD we really are…
    • It is only when we realize we are not good – it opens up the door to see our need for Jesus!
  • 2^nd – Purity of the people… vs. 2-6
    • Jesus will be first – before ANYONE else…
      • In that day – people will not even remember the names of idols….
      • All false prophets and unclean spirits will be driven from the Land…
      • If someone even tries to give a false prophecy – their parents will confront them…
      • Because they lied in the name of the Lord – their father and mother will put them to death… 
      • Fulfilling the command of the Lord – Deuteronomy 13:6-9
      • If we try to serve and please our family – and serve and please the Lord…
      • We will be end up being conflicted by our contradicting loyalties…
      • In the end we will falter and have to choose one or the other…
      • Following Jesus means putting Him before EVERYONE else – Luke 14:26
    • People will be afraid to not follow Jesus…
      • In that day – false prophets will be ashamed of their visions…
      • They will take off their course robes – the garment of the prophets…
      • Think of John the Baptist with his camel hair robe – Mark 1:6
      • A robe they wore to deceive people – try and convince them they were men of God!
      • Terrified because of the consequences of being revealed as a false prophets…
      • They will proclaim – I am not prophet – I have been a famer since my youth!
      • We live in a nation where the unimaginable is acceptable…
      • People can say what they want – and we excuse it as free speech…
      • But if the penalty for sin is severe enough – it encourages people not to sin!
      •  Proverbs 3:11 – “Do not despise the chastening of the LORD…”
    • When he is asked about the wounds on his arms…
      • He will answer – these are the wounds I received in the house of my friends…
      • In context this is referring to false prophets – who bore the marks of their trade…
      • Like the prophets of Baal who cut themselves when they faced Elijah – I Kings 18:28
      • But these prophets will lie about their marks – blaming it on their farming work!
      • Often quoted in reference to Jesus Christ – who was wounded in the house of friends!
      • Most errors in Bible interpretation come from taking a verse out of CONTEXT…
      • We must interpret a verse or passage in relation to the surrounding verses…
      • Understanding a verse in the context of the other verses before and after…
      • The context within the chapter / within the book / within the whole Bible!

He knows when we are done – because He sees his reflection in our lives!

4^th – Refined by fire… vs. 7-9

1^st – Strike the Shepherd… vs. 7

Awake O sword against My Shepherd / My Companion…

Who is the Shepherd / Companion of the Lord – Jesus Christ

When was Jesus struck by the sword – capitol punishment – on the cross…

And when they struck the Shepherd – the sheep were scattered…

Directly quoted by Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane – Matthew 26:31

Predicting how the Disciples would scatter and flee at His Crucifixion!

Then I will turn my hand against the little ones…

This is probably not the best interpretation – better to say turn towards the little ones…

Jesus did not turn against His little lambs after the crucifixion – He came to help them!

Matthew 26:32– “But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.”

2^nd – Only 1/3 shall be saved… vs. 8-9

In the same way God will turn towards His little ones after His 2^nd coming…

But not all of them will make it – two thirds of Israel will perish in the Tribulation…

When the Antichrist stands in the Holiest of All – all hell breaks loose…

The Jews realize their mistake – and reject him – provoking his wrath…

Jesus warns them do not even go back into their houses – just RUN – Matthew 24:15-16

For satan / Antichrist will seek to devour the Jewish people – Revelation 12:13

But God will hide the remnant of His people for 3 ½ years in Bozrah / Petra – Isaiah 63:1

They will be brought through THE FIRE – refined like silver / tested like gold…

They will be His people and He will be their God!

Silver is refined by putting it into the heat of an intense fire

The fire draws out the impurities of the silver so they can be removed

The smith knows the silver is pure when he can see his reflection…

Trials are never fun – but they have a purpose – and we need to be patient – James 1:2-3

Because it is through those fiery trials God will to show us our heart…

He uses them to reveal the sin in our life – so that He can then draw it out!

Jesus put us in the fire to draw out the impurities from our life (sin)…