Text: Zechariah 7:1-14.The people who returned from exile asked Zechariah if they should continue fasting and humbling themselves, as they did during the 70 years of exile.Actually, Yahweh did not command them to fast. They chose it, probably for self-imposed religious reasons, perhaps hoping that God would return them home sooner. The ones who asked[…]
Text: Zechariah 6:1-15.This is the final vision. These four chariots and different colored horses goout to the world to wage war. The north symbolizing Babylon, and the southEgypt. Both represent the enemies of God’s people, and the enemies willbe destroyed. Interestingly, High Priest Joshua is crowned King, but in Israelpriests could not be kings. Only[…]
Text: Zechariah 5:1-11.When Zechariah sees the giant scroll, representing God’s Word, he is told that it is a curse going out over the land of Judah, God’s own people, to thosewho continue in unrighteousness (Deut.28:15). The basket (about 22 litres) contained a woman who represented spiritual adultery, idolatry. The basketwas taken to Babylon/Shinar and left[…]
Text: Zechariah 4:1-14.The gold lampstand was part of the Temple. The priest was to keep the lampfilled with olive oil and ensure that it was always lit. In this vision Zechariah sees a golden lamp being continuously fed by two olive trees. Scholars disagree about the meaning, but certainly vv.4-6 explains much of this question.[…]
The ACP Team joins all brethren to thank God for His faithfulness and how He has sustained the living church through the tough lock-down season. The year 2020 is being optimized through Transition Works in small lots, while Large scale scope of Works are anticipated in 2021, notwithstanding the continuing effect of the Covid-19 pandemic[…]
Last Sunday marked the beginning of the Advent season according to theChurch calendar. Advent is a call to followers of Christ to remember the birth of the Savior. The word advent comes from a Latin word that means “coming” or “arrival.” The season begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and, depending on the year,[…]
Text: Zechariah 3:1-10.Zechariah’s next vision is of the high priest Joshua being accused by Satan,accused of being filthy with sin, of unrighteousness. That is true, he was. But God has chosen Joshua, has cleansed him (symbolized by beautiful clean clothes), and has commanded him to walk in obedience, in order to make him useful for[…]
Text: Zechariah 2:1-13.Zechariah receives another vision. At this point in the history of Jerusalemthe walls were still broken down. Nehemiah will lead the repairs in the nextgeneration. But for now, Yahweh makes great promises about the city. At some point in the future, the city will be like an unwalled village (v.4), which implies a[…]
Text: Haggai 2:1-23The people who had seen the former Temple of Solomon and compared it with what they were rebuilding, they got discouraged. The present Temple looked inferior to the former. However, God encouraged them to continue the work for He was with them (v.3-4). God promised the people that the glory of this new[…]
Text: Haggai 1:1-15Haggai is encouraging the people to finish up the rebuilding of the temple (v.2).He begins by quoting their common expression that the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord. To the people rebuilding was not a problem but the timing. The timing could have been a challenge due[…]