Scripture Reading : Zechariah 1
Theme : Repentance and Visions
Zechariah began prophesying two months after Haggai. They ministered to the people who returned to Israel after exile in Babylon (Ezra 6:14). There were about fifty thousand people (Ezra 2:64-65). Zechariah spoke a lot about the coming Messiah.
Call to Repent (1-6). The people who returned from exile were becoming unfaithful to God, so God rebuked them and warned them to repent lest they end up like their forefathers who were destroyed by God for unfaithfulness. The people repented and committed themselves to God by agreeing with God’s righteous dealing with them and their fathers (6).
First Vision (7-17). God responded to their repentance through eight visions in order to encourage them. The man on the red horse in the myrtle trees is also referred to as the angel of the Lord (11), which is most likely the pre-incarnation of Jesus (Judg. 13:21-22). Red means judgment and bloodshed (Is. 63:1-2), white means victory (Rev 19:11), sorrel is perhaps a mixture of the two. The glen symbolizes the lowliness of Israel at the time of the return, but the myrtle trees represents future messianic glory (Is. 55:13). This vision encourages the people by reminding them that even though they are lowly now, God will judge the nations and give Israel glory through the coming messiah. This vision serves as the general outline of the rest of seven visions. The seven other visions fill in the details.
Second Vision (18-21). The four horns represent four kingdoms that conquer Israel. Most likely, they are Babylon, Persia, Greek and Rome (cf. Dan. 2 and 7). But the four craftsmen will destroy these four horns.
Praying the Scripture
- It is very clear from Scripture that all people are born with a sinful nature that corrupts every aspect of a person: his will, thinking, attitude, desires and sense of greatness. Even after returning from Jerusalem, people continue to backslide. God calls the people to repent of sin and to be committed to God. Every generation needs to hear the truth of the Bible afresh. Every generation needs to hear the gospel to prompt them to repent and commit to God. Let us be diligent to listen to God’s truth and to teach it to our children and to share it in our community.
- When we feel lost or distraught in this world, God’s word reminds us over and over again to put our identity and hope in our eternal destiny in the future glory of the messianic kingdom. Our character, our priorities and values must be shaped by this kingdom, not this earthly temporal kingdom. We pray, O God, that you will enable us to desire this glorious kingdom with Christ.
经文：撒迦利亚书1
主题：悔改和异象
撒迦利亚比哈该晚两个月开始事工。他们的对象同是从巴比伦放逐归回以色列的（拉6:14），人数约有五万（拉2:64-65）。撒迦利亚对日后要来的弥赛亚做了不少的预言。
招人悔改（1-6）。被流放归回的人逐渐远离神了，所以神责备他们，并告诫他们要悔改，免得与他们的列祖一样，因不忠遭神的毁灭。听到的人都悔改了，并委身于神，承认神对他们与他们列祖的待遇是公正的（6）。
第一个异象（7-17）。神借着八个异象对他们的悔改做出回应，以鼓励他们。站在番石榴树中间骑着红马的也被称是耶和华的使者（11），而那大有可能就是道成肉身之前的耶稣（士13:21-22）。红色代表审判和血流（赛63:1-2），白色代表胜利（启19:11），黄马可能介于两者之间。洼地象征以色列归回时的卑微，但番石榴树代表弥赛亚日后的荣耀（赛55:13）。这个异象鼓励人们说，即便他们现在是卑微的，神会借着日后降临的弥赛亚审判列国，给予以色列荣耀。这个异象是其余七个异象的总纲。接下来的七个异象则是对此的细节。
第二个异象（18-21）。那四角代表的是占领以色列的四个王国。她们大有可能是巴比伦、波斯、希腊和罗马（参但2、7）。那四名匠人将打掉这四角。
用经文祷告
- 圣经清楚说明人生出来就有能腐败生命每一个层面的罪性，即人的意志、思想、态度、渴望及何为大的定义。虽然那群犹太人刚从耶路撒冷回来，但他们已开始远离神。神召人要悔改罪行，委身于神。每一代人都需要听到福音才能悔改并委身于神。让我们殷勤聆听神的真理，并向我们的孩子和邻舍传扬福音，教导真理。
- 当我们在这个世界感到迷茫或烦乱时，神的话一再地提醒我们要将自己的身份和盼望寄托在我们弥赛亚国度的未来荣耀和永恒将来。我们的人品和价值当按着这个国度塑造，不是由短暂的世俗世界而定。神啊，我们求你帮助我们渴望与基督同在的荣耀国度。
