HEAVEN’S BEST GIFT

(ZECHARIAH)

Lesson 12 for June 22, 2013

Zechariah wrote amazing prophecies about the messianic time. Those prophecies should have been fulfilled in Israel time, but they were fulfilled in the ministry of Jesus and will be fulfilled in our time and in the glorious future God is preparing for us.

1. The triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem (Zec. 9:9)

2. Judas’ betrayal (Zec. 11:12-13)3. Jesus is arrested (Zec. 13:7-9)4. The crucifixion (Zec. 12:10)5. The Gospel is spread (Zec. 8:20-23)6. The final battle and God’s eternal

kingdom (Zec. 14)

THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY OF JESUS INTO JERUSALEM

(ZEC. 9:9)

HISTORY PROPHECY

“Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and He sat on it… Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’”” (Mark 11:7, 9)

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9)

Jesus wanted to be presented as Messiah and King before His death; He

was acclaimed as so.

JUDAS’ BETRAYAL(ZEC. 11:12-13)

HISTORY PROPHECY

“And said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver… Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself” (Mathew 26:15, 27:5)

“Then I said to them, “If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain.” So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord for the potter” (Zechariah 11:12-13)

It’s amazing how that prophecy was fulfilled. Not only the amount of silver was predicted,

but also that those pieces of silver were going to be brought to the Temple.

JESUS IS ARRESTED(ZEC. 13:7-9)

HISTORY PROPHECY

“Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’”… Then they all forsook Him and fled”(Mark 14:27, 50)

““Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against the Man who is My Companion,” says the Lord of hosts. “Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; then I will turn My hand against the little ones.””(Zechariah 13:7)

When Jesus —the “Good Shepherd” (John 10:11)— was arrested, all the disciples fled frightened.

Jesus —the “Good Shepherd”— forgave His disciples and went to bring them back to the sheepfold.After His resurrection, Jesus looked for Peter (Luke 24:34), for the disciples in the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-32), for the apostles (Luke 24:36), for Thomas (John 20:26-29)… and He also looks for you and me.We must follow Jesus’ example and be kind to those who fail and help them to come back to the sheepfold.

JESUS IS ARRESTED (ZEC. 13:7-9)

THE CRUCIFIXION

(ZEC. 12:10)

HISTORY PROPHECY

“But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out… For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.” And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.”” (John 19:33-34, 36-37)

“And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn” (Zechariah 12:10)

When we look at the cross, we are drawn to Jesus (John 12:32)When we understand that Jesus died in our place for our sins, we bitterly cry and God gives us “the Spirit of grace and supplication”.

THE GOSPEL IS SPREAD (ZEC. 8:20-23)

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”’” (Zechariah 8:23)

God decided to save the world through the preaching of the Gospel (1Co. 1:21). He uses each of us as His instruments.Zechariah explains that many people will come to us to hear the Gospel because they will see that we are with God because of the way we live.

How can people see that God is with us (Zechariah 8:16-17)?

“Speak each man the truth to his neighbor”“Give judgment in your gates for truth, justice,

and peace”“Let none of you think evil in your heart against

your neighbor”“And do not love a false oath”

THE FINAL BATTLE AND GOD’S ETERNAL KINGDOM (ZEC. 14)PROPHECY

“And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west, making a very large valley; half of the mountain shall move toward the north

and half of it toward the south.” (Zechariah 14:4)

“It shall be one day which is known to the Lord—Neither day nor night. But at evening time it shall

happen that it will be light.” (Zechariah 14:7)

“And in that day it shall be that living waters shall flow from Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea

and half of them toward the western sea; in both summer and winter it shall occur.” (Zechariah 14:8)

“The people shall dwell in it; and no longer shall there be utter destruction, but Jerusalem shall be safely

inhabited.” (Zechariah 14:11)

“And this shall be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the people who fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet, their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets, and

their tongues shall dissolve in their mouths.” (Zechariah 14:12)

FUTURE

Jesus will descend along with the New Jerusalem. He will touch the Earth with His feet and it will be

transformed; Jerusalem will settle on it (Revelation 20:9; 21:1-2)

Then there will be no night that day, because God will light the Earth

(Revelation 21:23; 22:5)

A pure river of water proceeding from the Throne of God will flow within Jerusalem

(Revelation 22:1)

There will be no more curse in the New Earth (Revelation 22:3)

When the millennium is finished, Satan will gather all the nations together to finish the battle that was

interrupted by the 2nd coming. Everyone attacking Jerusalem will be destroyed there

(Revelation 16:14-16; 20:7-9)

“There is a day just about to burst upon us when God’s mysteries will be seen, and all His ways vindicated; when

justice, mercy, and love will be the attributes of His throne. When the earthly warfare is accomplished, and the saints are all gathered home, our first theme will be the song of Moses, the servant of God. The second theme will be the song of the

Lamb, the song of grace and redemption. This song will be louder, loftier, and in sublimer strains, echoing and re-echoing

through the heavenly courts. Thus the song of God’s providence is sung, connecting the varying dispensations; for

all is now seen without a veil between the legal, the prophetical, and the gospel. The church history upon the earth

and the church redeemed in heaven all center around the cross of Calvary. This is the theme, this is the song,—Christ all and in all,—in anthems of praise resounding through heaven from thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand and an innumerable company of the redeemed host. All unite in this song of Moses and of the Lamb. It is a new song, for it was

never before sung in heaven”

E.G.W. (Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, cp. 16, pg. 433)