The Prophecy Of Zechariah
Zechariah 1:1-6 - A Call To Return To Yahweh

In vision clear the prophet saw
Invisible to man God's cosmic plan
Revealed in mystery's simple shapes
Ten awesome signs of global weight.

The drama on life's stage appeared
The sovereign Lord produced the plan
Four separate scenes before him passed
And then the Lord returned at last.

A call is heard before the start
"Return to Me with contrite heart
For Babylon's strength has been removed
And grace toward Judah is approved."

Then from the rubble-broken walls
Where once Shekinah's Glory dwelt
The angel's voice comes loud and clear
"He has remembered! He is here!"

The awful bondage from the past
Is now fulfilled as Yahweh said
So why is Israel in distress?
While Persia's rule gives nations rest?

The vision Zechariah saw
Outlines the course of Judah's call
To follow closely His command
Until with Christ they take their stand.

So gather round the prophet's stage
And watch this awesome sight unfold
For blessings fall on all who care
And from their hearts this message share.
--B. Pent

THOUGHT QUESTIONS
1. The three names: Zechariah; his father Berekiah; and grandfather Iddo together in Hebrew mean "Jehovah remembers and blesses in His time." What significance might these names have as they relate to the Book of Zechariah?

2. According to verse 4-6, what are some of the contributing factors which led to the Babylonian captivity?

3. Even after Cyrus urged the Jews to return to their homeland, why did so few leave and so many stay? Might it have something to do with
the comforts of Babylon or the broken down walls of Jerusalem? What do you think?

4. Verses 2 and 6b suggest that they were truly repentant of their past. What are some of the indication that they were returning to Yahweh?

ONE SCARY NIGHT

We're you ever asleep
And suddenly awoke
To a dream that seemed real
With some monster at your heel?

But this was no dream
Since God touched my eyes
With some giant screen
That dropped from the skies.

I sat there amazed
Like a vision ablaze
There were beasts coming near
And I shuddered in fear
As lions and bears
With leopards around
But no one to rescue
No help could be found.

Then a monster-like Beast
Indescribably cruel
With 10 horns from its brow
Arose to its feet
And like Rome with its iron
In league with the clay
It was weakened in strength
And began to decay.

Looking closer I found
In the midst of the horns
A personage came
With a power so strange
Like a demon from hell
He began to foretell.

The world was amazed
As this Horn moved to Rome
Where the feet from that dream
Faced 10 Nations supreme

Then with miracles seen
And with offer of peace
A treaty was signed
And a Temple was built.

Then the Dragon arose
With its fury unfurled
And destruction and death
Caused a wide-world distress.

Then a Stone could be seen
Like a rock from a hill
Breaking to powder
This Monster at will
For the power of heaven
Made dust of this clod
As the earth saw the birth
Of the Kingdom of God.

Then the heavens rejoiced
As the King took His place
From the throne in the Temple
With the Bride at His side.

For a 1000 year reign
The world will regain
All that was lost
From sin's awful cost.
With Eden reborn.
--B. Pent

WITH CLEAR VISION

Vision is a function that requires more than eyes alone! In order for the eye to do its job there must be light to see and a brain to define what it sees. As light strikes an object, e.g. another person, the light rays are reflected from that person to your eyes. The rays pass through the cornea or clear front window, through the pupil, which is the opening in the colored iris, passed the lens. The lens of the eye bends the light-rays as it passes through and then focuses onto the retina at the back of the eye. The retina then relays these light-rays through the delicate optic nerve which is connected to the brain.

Scripture has a lot to say about the eyes and the importance of having clear vision. Jesus stated: "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12)." Then He challenged His followers: "let your light so shine before men." Light reveals and that is the first step to spiritual sight. The blind man of John 9 came to Jesus and received sight. Without Him we walk in darkness. A continual walk in the Light requires that we keep a clear focus on Him. The Christian who patterns his behavior by this world-system is in danger of living in darkness. To a worldly-minded church, Jesus remonstrated: "use salve to put on your eyes, so you can see" (Rev.3:18). Unaware of their visual impairment, they portrayed a distorted view of Christ.

In his book The Miracle Of Vision, Arthus Freese states that at birth the visual acuteness of an infant is about 20/700. It improves steadily with growth so that by the age of one it becomes about 20/200, by two it is 20/70 and by the age of three it reaches 20/20. Spiritual growth is a process. Maturing takes time! Peter puts it this way: "grow in grace and in knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Pet.3:18).

There are two visual extremes needing corrective action. Nearsightedness, referred to as myopia, can see near objects clearer than distant ones. The other, referred to as hyperopia, sees better at a distance. In a spiritual sense we must be careful of two extremes: a preoccupation with oneself bordering narcissism; the other, a continual flurry of activities build only on human achievement. Both extremes distort the image of God before the world.

A blind man's world is bounded by the limits of his touch; an ignorant man's world, by the limits of his knowledge; a perceptive man's world, by the limits of his vision. When Jesus said "let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matt.5:16), He was getting His followers to reflect authentic Christianity by focusing on Him instead of self.

Vision gives clarity and God-focused lives reveal authentic Christianity. How is your vision?