ZECHARIAH 1 (NOTES OF A READING)
[p. 483] ZECHARIAH 1 (NOTES OF A READING)
CAC From Ezra we see that Haggai and Zechariah helped the people in their work; and the people prospered under their ministry (Ezra 6: 14). There is health and prosperity if we know how to avail ourselves of what is written.
Rem Exact dates are given here showing things are worked out in an ordered way.
CAC In Zechariah we get much more of the activity of divine Persons than in the other two post-captivity prophets. This is why Jehovah of hosts is so often mentioned — forty-eight times — and the Angel of Jehovah, and great prominence given to the Spirit (chapter 4). They are acting in remnant times, and no doubt the Spirit of God wrote this book particularly for us. We find from the book of Ezra that the house took only four years to finish after the prophetic ministry, so we too should get on under it in our day.
In the historical books, kings of Persia are prominent and all hangs on them, but with prophetic books God’s people go on entirely independent of political powers and they are not mentioned. I thought it was to steady the people.
Ques Is it to show there is no exercise any time but what the prophetic word can meet it?
CAC Yes, and that we are independent of the powers and governments of the world. They are relegated to the back of the picture.
The first word given to Zechariah called attention to the former prophets and that all they said had come to pass. That prophecy was needed, and showed they were under judgment for departure. One principal condition of our spiritual advance is our taking heed to our prophetic ministry today — I mean in the word as to what is happening [p. 484] in christendom.
Rem We get it in Acts 20 and Revelation 3?
CAC Yes, and in Peter, Jude, Timothy, etc. Are we ready to give heed to this prophetic ministry? These are all our own prophets who tell us what would transpire in the present day, and it has exactly come to pass.
Rem Hebrews 11 speaks of “Samuel, and of the prophets”. The prophetic line must continue, and it shows departure from God’s original thought.
CAC Yes, and in spite of all that we find divine Persons taking things in hand for Their own pleasure.
Rem How does 1 Corinthians 14 agree with what you say about failure?
CAC Does not prophecy in the assembly take on a positive character? God has always presented along with failure what is of Himself. The prophecy would not be complete without it. Romans 16 gives the positive side too, and Zechariah is full of what is positive, because it presents divine Persons. They are going to do wonderful things.
Romans 11: 20 - 22 shows that if we do not value our privileges, we shall be cut off. The Christian profession is about to be cut off, and I do not think we shall get much light from God if we do not recognise that. Prophecy is a call to return. I think we have to reach that in our own souls — the departure and ruin, and that there is nothing left to us but what divine Persons can do for us. We are disillusioned as to Christendom, finding everything is hopeless there. We cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils. Divine Persons are just what They were at the beginning. Instead of wasting time trying to rehabilitate things in Christendom, it is best to accept the ruin to start with. The basis of all true encouragement lies in accepting the complete ruin of man.
Rem “I commit you to God, and to the word of his grace”.
CAC Beautiful. The myrtle-trees in the low valley are the remnant.
Rem “Thou hast a little power”.
CAC The man on the red horse, I have no doubt, is [p. 485] the Lord Jesus, the same as in verse 11, spoken of as the Angel of Jehovah, that is His representation in manhood. He is found among the myrtle-trees in the low valley — as in Matthew. What encouragement for the feeble and faithful remnant to have Him among them.
Rem I thought “red” was to give Him prominence as in the red heifer — His uniqueness.
CAC In Matthew all power in heaven and upon earth is given Him, but He is with His feeble people. The governments are behind the Man on the horse, so the Lord Jesus should stand out before the vision of our souls, in front of the powers that be. As here, so the Lord is in the midst of two or three gathered unto His name in the assembly gospel (Matthew 18: 20). It is just as true in the day of departure as at the beginning. Myrtle speaks of those who have heard His call and come out in a meek and lowly character suited to the valley, in contrast to the pretension in Christendom. The myrtle is going to displace the thorn — the haughtiness of the flesh. As regards the world the Lord will be found in the low valley — not on the mountain top. The Lord is where His Spirit is found, He is not with anyone who has not His Spirit.
The movement of revival is in answer to the intercession of the Man on the horse (verse 12). It begins with the intercession of Christ. We shall not understand recovery unless we see this. It is not due to Cyrus, but a question entirely of mercy, because of such departure on the part of men. This applies to the movement over one hundred years ago. It is the answer to His precious intercession, or there would have been no such revival.
Rem Seventy years — God does put limit to things and we are to be hidden in His pavilion until the time of indignation is past. What of the horses, chapter 6 gives them more in detail?
CAC The four empires of Daniel would be quite familiar to them. These are in a secondary position; it is the Man on the red horse who is prominent.
“All the earth at rest” would speak of great self-complacency in the religious world. It is a mark of displeasure to [p. 486] God that people in the world take things so easily. They will not do anything.
The intercession is to restore God’s great universal thoughts. You cannot have them in any sect or national body; they would blow it to pieces. The Church of England could not hold them — poor little narrow thing. Yet, wonderful it is, God has made it possible to us — little, almost contemptible people — to appreciate His great universal thoughts!
It is beautiful to link together the intercession of Christ and recovery to His thoughts, so that the great original thoughts of God should come to pass. And everything is effected, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit”. So that ‘Glory all belongs to God’.