Zechariah 1:12

 Zechariah 1:12 says, Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?   The angel of the LORD asked how much longer He would continue to not show mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah.  The LORD had allowed them to suffer for seventy years by now.  The sins of the people of Israel had long lasting consequences, and sin still does today.  Of course, God's mercy is extended to us continually, but it is up to Io us whether we accept it or not.  Verse thirteen states, And the LORD answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words.  Zechariah heard the angel as he was talking with the LORD.  The LORD answered the angel by speaking with good and comforting words.  God awaits to speak to us today with good and comforting words if we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse fourteen declares, So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.  Zechariah said that the angel now spoke directly to him telling him of God's jealousy, or desire, for Jerusalem and Zion to be His alone, with no other gods in their midst.  This is still what God demands of us today if we are to be His people.  Verse fifteen adds, And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.  God said that He was displeased with the heathens, those who did not believe in Him, since they were at ease in the world.  God also said that He had allowed them to be victorious over His people in Jerusalem and Judah, but it was to be only for a little while.  God may allow those who do not believe in Him to be victorious in the world today, but no matter how long that may be, it is but a little while from God's perspective.  Verse sixteen declares, Therefore thus saith the LORD; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the LORD of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.  The LORD then said that He had returned to Jerusalem with mercy and that His house would be built there.  God had not gone away, but as long as the people of Jerusalem and Judah were rebellious against Him,He had withheld His mercy.  God has not gone away today, but if we rebel against Him, He will withhold His mercy from us.  Verse seventeen adds, Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the LORD shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.  Zechariah was told to proclaim that God's cities were once again to be prosperous.  Once we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we will  know spiritual prosperity from God's grace.  Verse eighteen states, Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns.  Zechariah said that he then looked up and saw a vision of four horns.  Verse nineteen adds, And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What be these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.  Zechariah asked the angel what these four horns meant, and the angel said they represented the nations that had scattered God's people, Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.  If we have questions today, we need to look up to God in faith, and He will answer us.  Verse twenty says, And the LORD shewed me four carpenters.  Next, the LORD showed Zechariah four carpenters.   Verse twenty-one adds, Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.  Zechariah asked what the carpenters had come to do, and the LORD answered that they had come to cast out the Gentiles and restore God's land to His chosen people.  As followers of Christ today, we are a part of God's chosen people, and as such, He will bring us the ultimate victory, which is everlasting life with Him in our heavenly home. 

Zechariah 1:1

Zechariah 1:1 says, 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,  Zechariah begins by stating when the word of God came to him and who he was.  We may think of the prophets as always being alone in prophesying for God, but as Matthew Henry points out, Zechariah and Haggai began prophesying at about the same time.  We may sometimes feel that we are alone in witnessing for God, but we never are.  Verse two declares, The LORD hath been sore displeased with your fathers.  Zechariah told them that God had been sorely displeased with their fathers.  I believe that the warning was that God would continue to be very displeased with them if they did not return to Him.  What our parents did or did not do in their relationship with God can neither condemn nor save us.  Verse three adds, 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 said God told Him to turn to Him and He would turn to them as well.  This is the call and promise of God to us today.  We come to God through faith in Jesus Christ, and He comes to us as our Savior and Lord.  Verse four states, 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 evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the LORD.  Zechariah said that God called on them to not be like their fathers, who did not listen to the prophets when they called on them to turn from their evil ways.  The fact that our fathers and mothers may not be followers of Christ does not mean that we cannot be.  Verse five asks, Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?  God asked the people where the former prophets and their fathers were, and if they lived forever.  The answer was that they were either dead or would be, because like them, we cannot live forever in this world.  Verse six continues, But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned and said, Like as the LORD of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us.  God asked if His word and laws had died with those who had died, and the answer was no.  God's word and law will live forever, but we will not in this world.  Verse seven declares, Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, 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,  A few months after God first spoke to Zechariah giving him a message for the people, He spoke to him again.  Verse eight states, I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white.  This time God spoke to Zechariah in a vision, which was of a man on a red horse in the myrtle trees, and there were red and white speckled horses behind him.  Zechariah did not immediately understand what this meant, so he asked God for the meaning.  If we do not understand what God is saying to us today, we need to simply go to Him and ask.  Verse nine adds, Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be.  Zechariah said that he did ask God what this dream or vision meant, and that the angel who talked with him said that he would show him.  We have One much greater than an angel to help us understand God's word, and that is the Holy Spirit.  Verse ten says, And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth. The Man in the myrtle trees told Zechariah that those that He saw represented those that God had sent to walk to and fro through the earth.  Matthew Henry says the Man was Jesus Christ Himself, and that He provided the answer.  We can be certain that if we have questions concerning God today that if we come to Him by faith in Jesus Christ that He will provide us with the answer.  Verse eleven adds, And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest. The angel said this represented those that God had sent to walk back and forth through the earth, and that the earth was at rest.  When we put our faith in Jesus Christ, we can walk anywhere in the world and be at rest.

Philippians review continued

Paul told the Christians at Philippi to rejoice in the Lord, and this should be true for us today as followers of Christ as well.  We should not allow anything that is happening in the world or our life in particular to keep us from rejoicing in the Lord.  Paul also warned them to beware of false teachers who would sow concision among them.  Some people who profess to be followers of Christ seem to like nothing more than to create friction with other Christians, and Paul warns us to stay away from them.  Paul also told the believers at Philippi, and tells us today, that human credentials, the things that we might think would make us acceptable to God, will never bring us salvation.  They, nor we, can never be more qualified than Paul was, and he counted all his qualifications as nothing.  It doesn't matter where we were born, who are parents are, how much we may have studied the Bible or even done in the name of God if we do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Paul said that he forgot all those things that went before his meeting of Jesus Christ and accepting Him as His Savior and Lord, and so should we.  Just as Paul said he was, we should be pressing toward the mark, the standard, set by Jesus Christ.  What came before that time cannot save us nor prevent us from claiming salvation.  Paul also called for those in the church at Philippi to settle their differences.  We cannot effectively serve God and share the gospel if we are fighting amongst ourselves.  We as followers of Christ must be united with one another spiritually in order to advance God's kingdom.  Finally, we learn that we are to support God's work financially.  Just as Paul commended the Christians at Philippi for their giving, we should also give to support God's work, not so that we will be praised, but so that God's work might be done.  A secondary point is that we should never demand that anyone give to us financially.  We should just allow God to direct us in our giving.  

Philippians Review

The first thing we learn from the book of Philippians is that we should always thank God for our fellow Christians.  We are not alone in serving God as followers of Christ.  We need to pray for our fellow believers and hopefully they will be praying for us as well.  Next, like Paul, we need to understand that whatever is happening in our life, if we are being obedient to the leadership of the Holy Spirit it will be for the furtherance of the gospel.  We cannot believe that unless we are happy and materially successful that we God is not with us and blessing us.  Then, we need to love one another with a Christ like love.  If we do, then we will always put the welfare of others above our own.  We also need to be confident in our calling as Christians and boldly declare the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Just as Paul warned the Christians at Philippi, we need to be aware that there are many who proclaim a perverted gospel and cause dissension in the church.  Paul also said that if the gospel, the truth that salvation comes from Jesus Christ alone, is being preached, it is still a good thing.  The message, and not the messenger, is what is important.  We also learn that we may be at war within ourselves between the need to stay here and do the work of Christ and the desire to depart this sinful world and be with Christ forever.  Paul said he had this war within himself, but he knew that what was best for him, going on to be with Christ, was not what was best for his fellow Christians.  We need to also let our conversation be such that it will be pleasing to God.  Paul said that it was given to the Christians at Philippi not only the ability to believe on Jesus Christ, but also to suffer for Him.  This is far from a name it and claim it because God wants me to be happy concept of following Jesus Christ.  We are also told that we are to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.  This does not mean that we create our own plan of salvation, but that we individually accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord and we let the Holy Spirit guide us in living by faith.  Our inability to gain salvation through our own abilities should leave us fearful and trembling before God until we accept His gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. 

Philippians 4:11

Philippians 4:11 says, Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.  Paul had just written about the help that he received from the church at Philippi, but he now said that he didn't allow that to influence what he had written to them.  Paul said he had learned to be content no matter what his physical or material status might have been, and as followers of Christ, we need to learn the same thing.  Verse twelve adds, I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.  Paul basically said that he had known bad times and good times, and neither changed him.  I believe that we often have more faith in God in the bad times than we do in the good times, but our faith should remain the same no matter what is happening in our life.  Verse thirteen continues, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.  Paul said that he could do all things, not by his own strength, but by the strength that Christ empowered him with.  If we begin to feel weak or defeated in the world today, we as Christians must simply rely on the strength of Christ to be empowered to do whatever He calls us to do.  Verse fourteen states, Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction.  Paul said that in spite of the fact that he was content no matter what and knew that Christ would empower him to do anything that He called on him to do, that the church at Philippi had done well to help him during his affliction.  I believe Paul saw their help as coming from God, but he wanted them to know that he appreciated their generosity in helping him.  We should always show our appreciation to those who help us in our work for God and never feel that it is just something that we deserve.  Verse fifteen adds, Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.  Paul said at the beginning of his ministry after leaving Macedonia that the church at Philippi was the only one that communicated with him concerning giving and receiving.  They had been there to help Paul for a long time, and he commended them for it.  We  need to truly appreciate those who have helped us spiritually from the beginning of our Christian life, no matter how they may have shown that support.  Verse sixteen continues, For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.   Paul said that their support had been an ongoing thing, even helping him while he was in Thessalonica.  Again,  Paul said that this was to help meet his necessities in life and not to enrich him.  Verse seventeen says, Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.  Paul said that he wasn't commending them because he wanted another gift but was commending them because he wanted them to know the spiritual fruit of their gifts.  We should never give nor receive gifts, or material support, from God for our own enrichment, but always give to others or receive His gifts from them for the advancement of the gospel and for God's glory.   Verse eighteen adds, But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.  Paul said because of the help that the Philippians had sent by Epaphroditus that he had all that he needed and even more, and that their sacrifice in helping him was well pleasing to God.  This should be our ultimate test whether what we are doing is well pleasing to God or not.  Verse nineteen continues, But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.  Paul said that just as God had provided for his needs partly by their help, that his God, the only true God, would provide for their needs as well.  We should never refuse to help others, especially our fellow Christians, because we are afraid that we cannot afford to do so if God is directing us to do it.  Verse twenty states, Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.  Paul asked that everything that they or he did be done for the glory of God, and this should be our desire today as followers of Christ.  Verse twenty-one adds, Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you.  Paul begins the close of his letter by asking them to salute, or show respect to, all the believers in Christ that they knew or met.  He also said that those with him saluted the believers at Philippi as well.  We should have a mutual respect for all Christians.  Verse twenty-two continues, All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household.  Paul said all the saints, especially those of the household of Caesar, saluted them.  Saints were not some group of super Christians but were simply those who had put their faith in Jesus Christ.  We are all a part of the priesthood of believers as followers of Christ and we should support and respect one another.  Verse twenty-three concludes, The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. It was written to the Philippians from Rome by Epaphroditus. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.  Paul asked that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, both theirs and his, be with them.  We definitely need that grace in our lives today.

Philippians 4:1

Philippians 4:1 says, Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.  Paul expressed his great love for the Christians at Philippi.  This was a Godly love, in which he put their welfare above his own.  He also called on them to stand fast in their faith in Jesus Christ, and not in their faith in Paul himself.  We should also have a deep, Godly love for our fellow Christians, and want their well-being and for them to stand fast in their faith.  Verse two adds, I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.  Paul cited two women who were evidently at odds with each other and called on them to be like minded in Christ.  As long as these two women and we today as followers of Christ are guided by our faith in Christ, we should never have disagreements to come between us as we work for the advancement of God's kingdom.  Verse three continues, And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.  Paul also called on someone that he called a true yokefellow to help those women and Clement who had worked to help support him in his ministry.  Paul may not have been with them physically anymore, but he was with them spiritually.  We need to always pray for the spiritual wellbeing of our fellow laborers in Christ, wherever they may be.  Verse four declares, Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.  Paul called on the Christians at Philippi to rejoice in the Lord, not just some of the time, but always.  We need to likewise always rejoice in the Lord, no matter what is going on in our life.  Verse five adds, Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.  Paul called on them to live lives of moderation, which would be known by all those around them.  Paul called on them to do this because he said that the Lord was at hand.  We should live lives of moderation that reflect the values of Jesus Christ, because He is always at hand spiritually.  Verse six continues, Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  Paul called on them to not be guided by worries about material things, but with prayer and supplication to give thanksgiving to God and make their requests for what they needed known to Him.  We should not be guided by material desires but should put our faith in God to meet our needs, but not to satisfy our wants.  Verse seven concludes, And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Paul said that when they, and we, put our faith in Christ in all things and at all times that He will give us a peace that passes all understanding.  The lost people of the world will never understand how we as followers of Christ can be at peace in the world today, and we may not fully understand it ourselves, but if we put our faith in Christ, we should be at peace no matter what is going on.  Verse eight declares, Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.  Paul then called on the Christians at Philippi to think on the things of God.  We can look around us and see all the evil that is going on in the world today, but we are not to let our thoughts be filled with these things but are to let our thoughts be filled with the things of God.  Verse nine adds, Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.  Paul called on them to do the things that they had learned from him, both by his words and actions.  He then said that if they did that the God of peace would be with them.  This did not mean that they were to look to Paul for salvation, but that they could look to him for an example of how to live life after receiving salvation through Jesus Christ.  Verse ten states, But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.  Paul said that he gave thanks to the Lord for the help that they were now able to offer him.  We should always give thanks to God anytime someone helps us in our spiritual walk in the world. 

Philippians 3:9

Philippians 3:9 says, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:  Paul had listed all his qualifications to be called a child of God, then now says that he does not want to be judged by them, but by faith in Christ.  He wanted to be found in Christ and not his own righteousness.  No matter how righteous we may believe we are, our own righteousness will never save us.  We, like Paul, can only be saved by faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse ten adds, That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;  Paul said that he wanted to know Christ, and not to just know of Him.  He wanted a personal relationship with Christ and wanted a fellowship with Him even in His sufferings and death.  Paul did not ask for material riches through his faith in Christ, but asked for faith that would sustain him through suffering and even death.  This is the faith that we need today.   Verse eleven continues, If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.  Paul said that he would suffer for his faith in Christ or even die for it so that he might gain everlasting life.  This is our ultimate goal today as followers of Christ.  Verse twelve concludes, Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.  Paul said that he did not claim to be perfect already, but that he lived to be made perfect through his faith in Jesus Christ.  Paul said he was apprehended by, or under the control of, Jesus Christ.  We are not perfect as Christians, but we are saved by our faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse thirteen declares, Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,  Paul said that he did not claim to have apprehended complete righteousness, but that he was reaching for it while forgetting the things that went before, which included the good and the bad.  We cannot stand on our past accomplishments nor allow our past failures to keep us from God.  We can only live our life dedicated to following Jesus Christ every day.  Verse fourteen adds, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.  Paul said that he lived by pressing toward the mark or the prize of the high calling of God through faith in Jesus Christ.  As Christians, this should be our goal every day.  We are pressing on toward God's everlasting home that He has waiting for us through faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse fifteen states, Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.  Paul called on those who were made perfect before the heavenly Father to be like minded in their faith to Jesus Christ.  We as followers of Jesus Christ are not perfect, but we strive toward perfection through our faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse sixteen adds, Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.  Paul said that those who had been saved by Jesus Christ, therefore being made perfect before the heavenly Father by the salvation of Jesus Christ, should be likeminded.  We as Christians should all be united in following God's will.  Verse seventeen says, Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.  Paul said that the Christians at Philippi should follow his example of faithful living, as well as the example of other faithful Christians.   I do not believe that Paul was calling on them to put their faith in him or any other Christian, but to learn how to be obedient to Jesus Christ by the example that he and others set.  We should learn from the example of other faithful Christians, but we can put our faith in Jesus Christ alone if we are to be saved.  Verse eighteen declares, (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:  I believe that Paul is talking here about those who professed to be following Jesus Christ but really were enemies of the cross of Christ.  We cannot be followers of Jesus Christ and enemies of the cross, of a willingness to die to self, as well.  Verse nineteen adds, Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)  Paul said that those who only wanted the blessings of God without being willing to die for their faith would find only destruction.  We are called to die to self and earthly desires when we take up our cross daily.   Verse twenty continues, For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:  Paul said our conversation should be about the things of heaven and not the things of this world.  Verse twenty-one concludes, Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.  Paul tells us that we should be transformed from the vile person that we are to the forgiven person that faith in Jesus Christ makes us.  This will ultimately occur at the return of Jesus Christ, but we are to strive for that state daily.