The Mysteries of Zechariah

Some call the book of Zechariah, "The Apocalypse of the Old Testament." Many feel that Zechariah is the most Messianic book of the Old Testament. Among its many precious passages we find the Messiah presented as the Branch who will remove iniquity; the Shepherd; the Stone; the Coming King; the Triumphal Entry on a donkey; One betrayed for 30 pieces of silver; His Crucifixion, and His Second Coming, "looking upon me whom they pierced." This most challenging little book is second only to Isaiah in its distinctiveness and importance as a Messianic prophet. Zechariah contains more Messianic prophecies than all of the other "Minor" prophets put together. The book focuses on the Day of YHWH, the return of Israel in unbelief, their passing through the Great Tribulation, and their deliverance by King Messiah. It also may hold the key to resolving the enigma of "Mystery Babylon" and its relation to literal Babylon in prophecy.

The Prophet Zechariah was a Levite born in a priestly family in Babylon who returned to Jerusalem with almost 50,000 other Jewish exiles. He was probably a relatively young man at the beginning of his prophetic ministry. Zechariah was a contemporary of Haggai the prophet, Zerubbabel the governor, and Joshua the high priest. Historical Background The fall of Jerusalem to the armies of Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC marked the finale of the Southern Kingdom of Judah, much as the earlier defeat at the hands of the Assyrians in 722 BC brought to an end the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Most of Jerusalem's inhabitants were deported to Babylon for a period of 70 years, as prophesied by the Prophet Jeremiah. During this exile, the Prophet Daniel received the revelation that Gentile kingdoms would be dominant over Judah and Israel until God set up His kingdom on the earth under the rule of the Messiah. This period was referred to by Jesus Christ as "the times of the Gentiles."

When the Babylonian Empire fell to the Persian Empire (539 BC), Cyrus the Great decreed that the Jews could return to Jerusalem to rebuild their Temple. However, only a small minority of about 50,000 Jews (including Haggai and Zechariah) returned under the leadership of Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the high priest. Levitical sacrifices were soon reinstituted on a rebuilt altar of burnt offering, and in the second year of their return the foundation of the Temple was laid. However, external oppression and internal depression halted the rebuilding of the Temple for about 16 more years of spiritual apathy until the rule of Persian King Darius Hystaspis (522-486 BC). In the second regnal year of Darius (520 BC), God raised up Haggai the prophet to encourage the Jews in rebuilding. Haggai preached four sermons in four months and then disappeared from the scene. Two months after Haggai delivered his first sermon, Zechariah began his prophetic ministry, encouraging the people to spiritual renewal and motivating them to rebuild the Temple by revealing to them God's plans for Israel's future. With this prophetic encouragement the people completed the Temple reconstruction in 515 BC. The dated portions of Zechariah's prophecy fall within the period of the rebuilding of the Temple. The undated prophecies of Zechariah 9-14 were probably written much later in his ministry. According to Jewish tradition, Zechariah was a member of the Great Synagogue, a council originated by Nehemiah and composed of 120 members. Ezra is said to have been the president of this council, which was later succeeded by the Sanhedrin. An Enriching Adventure Zechariah, in a sense, closes the Old Testament. Luke opens with the account of another priest named Zechariah ("Yahweh Remembers") and his wife Elisabeth ("His Oath"). An angelic visit ends 400 years of silence with the announcement of the forthcoming birth of John the Baptist. This astonishing book is full of surprises - both Messianic and many apparently on our near horizon!

How Shall We Know?

In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechari'ah, of the division of Abi'jah; and he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. 8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, it fell to him by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechari'ah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechari'ah, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth; 15 for he will be great before the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. 16 And he will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Eli'jah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared." 18 And Zechari'ah said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years." 19 And the angel answered him, "I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things come to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time." [ Luke 1: 5-20]

I love this story. I suspect that there are many of us like Zechariah. Good people who do their thing to serve the Lord in their own way. Desperate people who have needs who cry out to the Lord silently in their prayers. Good folks who are blameless. But, whose lives are barren. Then one day Zechariah bumps into an angel. Now this is unique! I have never knowingly seen an angel; but, I do believe that we entertain them unaware at times. There are times when we tread on holy ground here on this earth. But for Zechariah there is good news! His prayer has been heard and God has chosen he and his wife to be the parents of the one who will usher in the Messiah of Israel. But, there is a problem. Even though he has heard the revelation and the message he did not believe the Word of God? He asks, "How shall I know this?" It seems such a reasonable request from our perspective? But, from God's perspective, there is a breakdown in the communication. So the solution is "silence". Be still and know that I am God. This was not the answer that Zechariah was looking for? But, it is the same answer that God offers to those who ask the question today. One comes to know God by faith. If one can't see God, the solution is shut out the noise of life and be still. Only in our silence when we listen with spiritual ears can we "hear" the word of God within us.

I was thinking of how our church services are so full of sensory perception. We even bring in more graphics, sound, video, music, drama, art and amplification. How about a service centered around silence? I confess, it would not be popular; but, what do you think? I would love to hear your comments!

The Breaking of the Bread

When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized him; and he vanished out of their sight. [Lke 24:30-31]

Luke records the events of Jesus's post-resurrection appearances beginning in Chapter 24. No one belived the women when they told the apostles that they had seen the risen Lord. Later on the road to Emmaus, Jesus joins a group of disciples who are unnamed. After walking with them and opening up their minds to the scriptures, they invite him in to spend the night and to eat with them. During that meal Jesus breaks the bread and blesses it and their eyes are "opened".

Today on Easter Sunday many come to pay their respects to the Lord. We hope that as they partake of the communion that their eyes might be opened to the call of the gospel. The call is simple. Love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. And, love your neighbor as yourself. It is when we "partake of the divine nature" that we can glimpse that the eternal was and is among his people. We can't put God in a box to show our friends. But, we can live our lives to show them the results of his indwelling within us. Grace and Peace.

Dr. John Mark Hicks

This evening about 200 of us gathered in the "multi-purpose" room at the McKnight Road Church of Christ for a wonderful meal and lesson from Dr. John Mark Hicks, who is a theologian and professor at Lipscomb University. Dr. Hicks led us through passages of scripture surrounding the Jewish celebration of passover and focused on the symbolism of the last supper. We partook of communion as part of the meal in small groups at each of our tables. The emphasis was on fellowship and celebration of what God has done in his kingdom. It was a very moving evening and one like we have never experienced. Some of our members were a bit troubled by partaking of communion on a Thursday. The thought was that we have "never" done that before. Yet, when we look at scripture, we find the early church was breaking bread "daily" (Acts 2:46). 1 Cor. 11:26 simply says:

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

The emphasis tonight was talking about what Jesus means to each of us. Our table shared stories of how parents came to Christ, what "family" means being a member of the McKnight Road church, and how God was answering prayers in our lives today. It was a truly uplifting event.

The lesson continues tomorrow evening, Friday April 14, 2006, at 7:00 p.m. at the McKnight Road Church of Christ. We invite any who wishes to hear about the good news of the kingdom to come and learn as Dr. Hicks continues sharing his journey of faith. It is well worth the committment of time and resources. For more information call 314-962-7026 or see www.mcknightroad.org

The Gospel of Judas

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables (2 Timothy 4:3)."

The May issue of National Geographic magazine hasn’t even hit the news stands, but it has already triggered widespread debate. The feature article in next month's issue describes a 1,700 year old manuscript that claims to tell the story of Christ's last days from the point-of-view of history's most notorious traitor. This so-called "Gospel of Judas" conflicts greatly with the Biblical account and is only one of several noncanonical gospels, often called the "Gnostic Gospels". Scholars widely agree that none of these texts contain historically reliable information about the life of Jesus and that all were likely written in the second century or later. However they do help us learn more about false teachings that early church leaders like the Apostle Paul preached against in book of Colossians and elsewhere. Gnosticism is a system of false teachings that existed during the early centuries of Christianity. Its name came from the Greek word for knowledge, gnosis. The Gnostics believed that knowledge was the way to salvation. For this reason, Gnosticism was condemned as false and heretical by several writers of the New Testament. The Gnostics consisted of diverse groups, from high-minded ascetics to licentious charlatans. Sources Our knowledge of Gnosticism comes from several sources. First, there are the Gnostic texts, which are known as the New Testament Apocrypha. These texts are not recognized as Scripture because they contain teachings which differ from those in the Bible. Then, there are the refutations of the Gnostics by the early church fathers. Some of the more important ones are Irenaeus, Against Heresies; Hippolytus, Refutations of All Heresies; Epiphanius, Panarion; and Tertullian, Against Marcion. A third source on Gnosticism is the New Testament itself. Many Gnostic teachings were condemned by the writers of the New Testament. Paul emphasized a wisdom and knowledge that comes from God and does not concern itself with idle speculations, fables, and moral laxity (Colossians 2:8-23; 1 Timothy 1:4; 2 Timothy 2:16-19; Titus 1:10-16). John, both in his gospel and in the epistles, countered heretical teaching which, in a broad sense, can be considered Gnostic. Gnostic Gospels A large number of spurious documents emerged during the centuries following the ministries of the Apostles and were universally rejected by the early church. Copies of a group of these were found at Nag Hammadi in Egypt dating from the 3rd and 4th centuries. These include The Gospel of Thomas, The Gospel of Philip, The Gospel of Mary, The Gospel of Truth, and about four dozen others. They are not "gospels" at all, but rather speculative opinions, totally devoid of any verifiable facts. Furthermore, they were written under false pseudonyms in an attempt to gain legitimacy. The early church rejected any documents under pseudonyms as being inconsistent with the concept of God-breathed inspiration. Lastly, they were all written centuries after the Gospel period - in contrast to the contemporaneous eyewitness accounts in the New Testament. False Teaching Ethical behavior among the Gnostics varied considerably. Some sought to separate themselves from all evil matter in order to avoid contamination. Paul may be opposing such a view in 1 Timothy 4:1-5. For other Gnostics, ethical life took the form of libertinism. For them, knowledge meant freedom to participate in all sorts of indulgences. Many reasoned that since they had received divine knowledge and were truly informed as to their divine nature, it didn’t matter how they lived. Such an attitude is a misunderstanding of the Gospel. Paul, on a number of occasions, reminded his readers that they were saved from sin to holiness. They were not to have an attitude of indifference toward the law. They had died to sin in their baptism into Christ (Romans 6:1-11) and so were to walk “in newness of life.” John reminded the Christians that once they had been saved they were not to continue living in sin (1 John 3:4-10). These Gnostic teachings also had a disruptive effect on fellowship in the church. Those who were "enlightened" thought of themselves as being superior to those who did not have such knowledge. Divisions arose between the spiritual and the fleshly. This attitude of superiority is severely condemned in the New Testament. Christians are “one body” (1 Corinthians 12) who should love one another (1 Corinthians 13; 1 John). Spiritual gifts are for the Christian community rather than individual use; they should promote humility rather than pride (1 Corinthians 12-14; Ephesians 4:11-16). "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ (Colossians 2:8)."

The Sacrifice of the Son

Genesis 22

1 After these things God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here am I." 2 He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Mori'ah, and offer him there as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains of which I shall tell you." 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; and he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar off. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the ass; I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you." 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, "My father!" And he said, "Here am I, my son." He said, "Behold, the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" 8 Abraham said, "God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So they went both of them together. 9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. 10 Then Abraham put forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here am I." 12 He said, "Do not lay your hand on the lad or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me." 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place The LORD will provide; as it is said to this day, "On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided." 15 And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16 and said, "By myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will indeed bless you, and I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore. And your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies, 18 and by your descendants shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves, because you have obeyed my voice." 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beer-sheba.

Perhaps no other story in the Bible helps us to understand the sacrifice that God the Father made when Jesus came into this world to die for our sins. Did God wonder if there was anyone in the world who would be willing to do for him what he was going to do for us? Galations 3:6 puts it this way:

Thus Abraham "believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness."

Many a parent would gladly trade their life for that of their child. But, how many of us would offer a child up to the Lord like Abraham was asked to do? Yet, God does ask that we offer our children up as "living sacrifices". A lamb was needed. God provided his son who became the Lamb of God. The place where God directed Abraham to journey is believed by some to be the temple mount. However, I wonder if the place where this event occured might not have been Golgotha itself? The Messianic message of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son was that "On the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided". This coming Sunday many in Christendom celebrate Easter Sunday in memory of the crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But, the only way we can approach this event is in faith. Seeing the story of the sacrifice of the Son played out thousands of years before the coming of the Messiah confirms my faith that God was, and is, still in control.

Intelligent Design Seminar - Saturday, April 8, 2006

Anyone who is interested in the subject of "Intelligent Design" is invited to a FREE PUBLIC SEMINAR at the McKnight Road Church of Christ on Saturday, April 8, 2006 at 6:30 p.m. This seminar will utilize the video "Unlocking the Mystery of Life" as a springboard for a discussion by our panel. This seminar is for anyone interested in the subject matter who would like to learn more about the current discussion going on in our culture today. For more information or for directions to the location, call 314-962-7026.