* The Israelites were now back in Israel, home from a 70 year stint in Babylon.

* God gave Zach 8 visions to warn them and encourage them to continue to follow Him.

* At the end of Zach’s 8 visions, God gives him one final vision.

* He was to do something symbolic of Christ’s return to reign as King/Priest over the whole world.

* This was a promise for their present and their future.

* Vs 9-11 - three guys would bring gold for the re-building of the temple, which God commanded the Israelites to re-build.

* Josiah would be their host and let them stay with him.

* God told Zach to visit them, take the gold, and use it to make a crown rather than for the temple.

* Then, he was told to put the crown on the head of Joshua the priest rather than Zerubbabel the king.

* * Zach could’ve been seen as an insurrectionist in that moment.

* No priest was ever crowned King in Israel’s history.

* * But he didn’t tell anyone what or why he was doing it until AFTER he obeyed God.

* Vs 12-13 - Finally, Zach explained that the crown on the priest was symbolic of how one day God will unite the monarchy and the priesthood.

* This pointed to Jesus.

* * Imagine if Joshua wanted to keep the crown - bad move on his part.

* All of it happened to point people to JESUS!!!!

* The same is true with us - if God shines a light on you it’s not for you - it’s for Jesus!

* Vs 14-15 - Zach took the crown and put it in the Temple to remind people of what was to come.

* This would encourage the people throughout their history.

* Fast forward to Matthew 2:11 - gold for a king, frankincense for a priest, and myrrh for death.

* The OT ends with a mention of fathers and the NT begins with a list of dads.

* The OT is about promises - the NT is about fulfillment of those promises - this is why the NT starts with a genealogy. It had to fulfill Isaiah 11:1 and 2 Samuel 7:11-16 that says the Messiah will come from the line of David.

* We typically skip genealogies, but for God’s people they are extremely important.

* Every one of the people mentioned in Matthew’s genealogy have stories about them in the OT. Those stories are REALLY IMPORTANT! Why?

* In Hebrew thought you are the summation of all those past generations.

* The Hebrew word used was “hityahsu” - the main idea is “to be enrolled.” Literally means “be part of the list of all whom you belong to.”

* In Hebrew, you are a collection of all those past relationships.

* They all happened because God engineered them.

* What’s this mean for us? TWO THINGS:

* 1) You are responsible to those who came before you - you have a debt to pay.

* You aren’t the independent autonomous center of your own world - you don’t even exist without those who’ve gone before you.

* You OWE them.

* 2) You are responsible to those who come after you - you owe a debt to them too. You must “pay it forward.”

* This is what relationship is all about - you owe the past and future.

* ANALOGY: Live your life as a rower of a boat.

* As you start the new year, move forward by looking at the past.

* Look at all those who went before you (both personally and in the Scripture).

* Move forward into the dark of the future and think of those who await our choices.

* You have a debt to both - don’t let them down!

* (Notes taken from Skip Moen commentary)

* Babylon is made up of two things - the beast and the harlot.

* The Beast is the political and economic system of Babylon.

* Think of Germany in the 1940’s:

* They had a dictatorship for govt and socialism for their economy.

* The Harlot is the religious system of Babylon.

* The Beast has no power apart from the Harlot.

* In Germany, it was a weakened church with paid-for pastors by the state.

* The perverted religious system, known as the Harlot, is also seen in the book of Haggai.

* Because of persecution, they started building “their” thing over God’s thing.

* But the most dangerous part of the Harlot is found in vs 6:

* She’s drunk with the blood of the saints.

* She wants to annihilate true believers.

* She can tolerate people of other faiths, but not Christians.

* She wants them DEAD.

* True Christians are threat to the Harlot’s way of life and therefore must be removed.

* Today, we need to learn to live faithfully in the midst of Babylon.

* How? By Conviction, Commitment, and Courage.

* Relationships die when one or both parties refuse to accept responsibility and take ownership of their behavior.

* Look at the four things Israel did that broke fellowship with God:

* 1) She heeded no voice - she refused to listen. It was her way or nothing.

* 2) She accepted no instruction - she refused all correction and didn’t take ownership of her sin.

* 3) She did not trust the Lord - she found her security in her own ability.

* 4) She didn’t draw near to God - she was aloof toward Him.

* Look at the progression - she didn’t listen, didn’t take ownership, refused to trust, and ultimately didn’t draw close.

* The same thing happens in our relationships.

* If we refuse correction and close ourselves off from accountability, it results in us finding security in ourselves which will ultimately result in relational distance.

* A humble person listens, takes ownership, is accountable, knows they can’t do it alone, and draws close to others.

* The place of comfort is your place of death.

* “Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed…”.

* When you go to bed you take off your clothes - you get comfortable.

* A sleeping person is a useless person - certainly not ready for battle.

* Jesus is reminding us to spiritual stay awake and clothed - ready to work and fight.

* In this way we won’t be caught off guard when the Guest of Honor shows up.

* Vs 13-15 are great verses for those in biz.

* Vs 12 gives the proper foundation.

* Raising Godly kids is paramount to business success.

* David is praying this prayer to God, which is a good one to pray over our kids.

* That our sons be as plants and our daughters as pillars.

* Sons as Plants:

* * May they be “grown-up” plants in their youth - mature young people.

* Psalms 128:3 says those who fear the Lord will be like olive plants - very useful.

* A plant nourishes people.

* Plants breathe life into the environment - they produce oxygen.

* They can grow on their own with God’s help from sun and rain.

* Daughters as Pillars:

* * “Corner” pillars fit for a palace.

* The corner pillar was the chief pillar - if it goes out everything goes out.

* It holds the structure in place, but beautifies it at the same time.

* They are under intense pressure, but they remain beautiful in the midst of it.

* Revelation 3:12 - “To the one who is victorious, I will make a pillar in the temple of My God…”.

* With Christ’s death He didn’t just save us from something, He turned us into something.

* He turned us from orphans to sons and daughters.

* He turned us from peasants to kings, and from congregants to priests.

* As kings we have dominion, power, and authority to rule our realm.

* As priests we have direct access to God and mercy, compassion, and grace for others.

* King David was a great symbol of this - he ruled as king with the heart of a priest.

* He was a conqueror and a worshipper.

* He allowed the heart of the priest to lead his heart of a king.

* This is how we should be in business as well.

* Jonah fell prey to what so many of us fall prey to as well - thanklessness to God.

* God brought comfort to Jonah, but we don’t see him thanking God for it.

* He was happy about it, but not thankful for it.

* So what did God do?

* He took away what Jonah didn’t thank Him for.

* Why?

* So Jonah could see what was in his heart.

* He was more concerned about his comfort than Ninevah’s salvation.

* Thanklessness darkens your heart - Romans 1:21.

* When you don’t live thankfully to God you will never see people the way He does.

* You’ll always put yourself above others - selfishness over servanthood.

* Thanklessness is a killer.

* Jonah sinned, God brought a storm, but he did not repent.

* That is, until he was found out. Look at what happened.

* He went the opposite direction, knowing he was running from God.

* The storm came, but he didn’t repent.

* The men were terrified, but he didn’t repent.

* They asked why this could be happening, but he didn’t repent.

* They gathered to draw straws, but he didn’t repent.

* It wasn’t until he was caught did he repent.

* Passive confession is a sign of impurity in your heart.

* The book of Jonah ends with Jonah being mad at God.

* It’s the “Alex Rodriguez” syndrome - he only confessed when he was caught, but still made excuses.

* Vs 17 - God was still merciful in the midst of passive confession.

* There is no difference between the God of the OT and the God of the NT.

* In these verses He’s seen as an Avenger.

* The Avenger movie franchise is one of the biggest in history.

* People resonate with someone being “avenged.”

* Those who stand for what’s right and see that justice is done - those are the heroes!

* You never hear people talking bad about those guys - “can’t they just lighten up? They’re so hard on people.”

* Why? Because they stand in the face of evil.

* You wouldn’t fault a husband for dealing with a man who tried to hurt his wife.

* God avenges out of jealousy for us.

* Jealousy is an emotion we feel when something that is rightfully ours is threatened.

* It is “zeal for ownership.” (Skip Moen)

* God defends what is rightfully His against intruders.

* He is just as jealous for us today as He was for His people back then.

* Now the question is, are we jealous for Him?

* How do we respond when He is attacked and His reputation is drug through the mud?