INTRODUCTION:

            In the verses we looked at last Sunday the LORD exhorted His people to flee from the pagan nations and to return to Jerusalem and live wholly for Him.  In this morning’s verses we come to the end of chapter 2 and the end of the third night vision.  In these verses the prophet records two additional ways God’s people ought to respond to His promises, they are in song and in silence.  These two responses may seem opposed to one another, but both have a proper place in worship.

            In the nation of Israel, singing was an important part, even a critical part of their worship.  After the LORD delivered them from the Egyptians at the Red Sea, parting it so they could cross and then bringing it crashing down on the Egyptians as they tried to pursue them, the Israelites sang a song of praise to God.  Moses later in his life wrote a song and commanded the people to learn it and sing it, the song recounted God’s faithfulness throughout Israel’s history.  David wrote many psalms or hymns of praise to God during his lifetime.  When Solomon’s temple was built, Solomon commissioned singers to lead the people in praise.  The importance of singing has carried over to the church, we praise God in song for His great salvation and the Holy Spirit’s working in us produces a melody in the heart that expresses itself in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs as our Scripture reading said this morning.

            Silence can also be an appropriate form of worship.  The Psalms speak of being silent in awe of God and to be silent when waiting for God.  Isaiah commanded the world to be silent before the Lord, so as to listen to His declaration.  The Apostle John even spoke of a period of silence in heaven after the breaking of the seventh seal.  There are times and places when solemn silence is an appropriate form of worship.

            Whether we worship in song or silence, genuine praise is never phony or insincere.  If both expressions come from a heart that is sincere and meditating on divine truth, then it cannot be anything other than pure worship.  In these final verses of the prophet’s third night vision, the LORD Himself issued the call for His people to sing and also commanded all flesh to be silent.  The reason for both singing and silence was the same, flowing from a right response to the promises, presence, and power of Yahweh of hosts.  Let’s pray and then get into these final verses.

--PRAY--

 

SCRIPTURE:

            Turn in your Bibles this morning to Zechariah 2:10-13.  If you are able, please stand in honor of the reading of God’s Word and follow along as I read.

     Zechariah 2:10-13,

            “ ’Sing for joy and be glad, O daughter of Zion; for behold I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,’  declares the Lord. ‘Many nations will join themselves to the Lord in that day and will become My people. Then I will dwell in your midst, and you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you.  The Lord will possess Judah as His portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem.  Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord; for He is aroused from His holy habitation.’ ” (Zechariah 2:10–13, NASB95)[1]

SING FOR JOY! (Zechariah 2:10-12)

            This third night vision was a reminder to the people of Israel that God remembered His promises for Israel and for Jerusalem and then explained how they should live in light of this knowledge that God remembered and would do all that He had promised.  In light of the wonder of these promises, the LORD (Yahweh) commanded His people to “Sing for joy.” (Zechariah 2:10a, NASB95)[2]  The Hebrew word that is translated as “Sing for joy” is a word that refers to a loud cry or shout, but one of jubilation.  This word describes the vocal outburst of someone reacting to wonderful news and every use of it in the Old Testament is directed in praise to God.  The singing described in this phrase is jubilant, passionate, and expressive—all of it in response to the Lord’s amazing promises.  The LORD’s command does not stop here, He declares, “Sing for joy and be glad, O daughter of Zion.” (Zechariah 2:10a, NASB95)[3]  The addition of  “and be glad” to the initial command describes the attitude of elation and the spirit of joy that the singing for joy is to come from.  The only correct response to God’s goodness and promises was for Israel to engage in passionate worship and heartfelt praise.

            The command to sing and be glad was declared to the “daughter of Zion.”  This title was used to describe the city in its desolation in Isaiah, to describe its purity in 2nd Kings and hopeful expectation in Isaiah and later on in Zechariah.  Used here it personified Jerusalem in her praise.  The people were to sing so jubilantly that it would be as if the city itself were singing.  By using the title “daughter of Zion” it also contrasted it with the “daughter of Babylon” that was in last week’s passage, this was to remind the people of Israel of the vastly different cultures and destinies that distinguished the two places.  The command to the daughter of Zion to worship reminded God’s people to separate themselves from the wickedness, immorality, and idolatry of Babylon and return to the holy city of Jerusalem.  After all, acceptable and sincere worship requires not just passionate praise but personal purity.

            In the remainder of verses 10-12, the LORD gives Israel four reasons they should sing for joy and be glad.  The first reason centered on God’s relationship with the daughter of Zion.  Israel was called to rejoice and be glad because God promised to live with them.  The LORD declared, “for behold I am coming and I will dwell in your midst.” (Zechariah 2:10b, NASB95)[4]  The word “behold” coupled with the words “I am coming” expresses a certainty and an imminence to the Lord’s return.  He is stating that He will come and step in and act in the affairs of this fallen world.  The result of that is that He will dwell in the midst of His people, He will make His home in Jerusalem where He can enjoy intimate communion with His people.  This promise by Yahweh reminded the people of how He dwelt with Israel in the wilderness in a pillar of cloud and fire.  But what God is promising here is that He will dwell with His people in a far more significant way.  He will not merely be above them in a pillar of cloud, but He will be in their very midst, among them. He will dwell in the magnificent millennial temple described in Ezekiel and Haggai with His glory flooding Jerusalem and the whole earth.  He will be with His people personally and permanently.

            Having issued this wonderful truth that “I will dwell in your midst” we must again ask ourselves, who is this promise from?  The end of verse 10 explains that this declaration was made by the LORD, by Yahweh.  To be more precise, the One speaking is the One sent by Yahweh, who is the Messiah.  He is the One promising to dwell in Jerusalem.  The end of verse 11 confirms this, by saying, “…you will know that the LORD [Yahweh] of hosts has sent Me to you.” (Zechariah 2:11b, NASB95)[5]  Once again, like last week, Yahweh is sending Yahweh, confirming for us that the speaker is the second Person of the Trinity, Jesus Christ, Himself.  Therefore, Yahweh the Messiah, declared that one day Israel will live and fellowship with Him, the One sent by the Father  to give His life for His people.  Beyond a doubt, this is the grounds of joy and praise for all the saints; knowing that they will be with the LORD forever.

            A second reason for all Israel to sing for joy and be glad is given to us in the first part of verse 11.  Israel was not only to sing with jubilation because of what God will do for them, but also because of what He will do for the nations.  The Messiah says in this third vision, “Many nations will join themselves to the LORD in that day…” (Zechariah 2:11a, NASB95)[6]  When we see the phrase “in that day” used by the prophets it always refers to the eschatological and climactic moment in and around the Day of the LORD (Yahweh).  Like everything already declared to the prophet, these words referred to the future, when many nations besides Israel will be redeemed by the Lord.  Even though for most of history the world has opposed and rejected Christ and His people.  That being said, a day will come in the future when those from every nation, tribe, and tongue will bow in adoration to the Messiah.

            In that day, the nations will join themselves to Yahweh.  The Hebrew word for join is the word used to describe the union of a husband and wife.  It was also used to describe an alliance with someone and/or supporting the cause of another.  In joining themselves to Yahweh they will unite with Him in life, loyalty, and love.  This truth had already been spoken of by some of the other prophets.  Isaiah spoke of this frequently.  By repeating this truth here, God was again assuring His people that He will certainly remember His promises, even the promises that involve the Gentiles.  The Messiah will judge the nations that have harmed His people, but He will also save many from the nations for Himself.

            The nations will not just join themselves to Yahweh, but He declares that He will join Himself to them.  He goes on in verse 11 to declare, “Many nations will join themselves to the LORD in that day and will become my people.” (Zechariah 2:11a, NASB95)[7]  While this news may have been startling to Zechariah’s original audience, this truth was not something new.  Isaiah had declared it earlier in Isaiah 19:25.  My people had always defined God’s saving relationship with Israel, but here in Zechariah the Lord declared that one day He will commune with the nations that trust Him for salvation with the same kind of closeness, with the same saving relationship.

            Even though this might have startled Zechariah’s audience, God had declared that they were to sing with joy and be glad that His salvation was not just for the people of Israel but would also be available to the nations.  Though Christ’s saving work through His death and resurrection has been graciously extended to Gentiles in the church age, the complete fulfillment of the promise given in verse 11 awaits a future fulfillment during the millennial kingdom.

            The LORD gives a third reason for joyful singing and gladness, and it is in the second half of verse 11.  I believe this reason was to assure Israel that He was not going to abandon them for the nations after saying that they would be His people.  Yahweh the Messiah will be their Savior too.  He declared, “Then I will dwell in your midst, and you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you.” (Zechariah 2:11b, NASB95)[8]  God again repeats that He will dwell in the midst of His people.  The final phrase of this verse is similar to verse nine from last week and it describes that the people would quickly recognize the Messiah.  But the statement here in contrast to verse nine adds two words that provide an important truth.  The two words are “to you.”  You will know that Yahweh of hosts has sent Me to you. This prophecy is not merely saying that Israel would know that God had sent the Messiah and the Messiah is God, but they would embrace Him and realize that He had come for their sake.  This describes not only intellectual apprehension but genuine faith.  God’s promise was clear, one day Israel will know the Lord Jesus in a personal, relational, and saving way just as the prophets, including Zechariah had prophesied.  In the end, the nation will love the One who has always loved them, which is truly a good reason to sing with joy and gladness in worship to Him.

            Verse 12 gives us the final reason for Israel to sing, and it is for the honor and the glory of the Messiah.  The LORD declared, “The LORD will possess Judah as His portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem.” (Zechariah 2:12, NASB95)[9]  When the Messiah comes and dwells in their midst He will be honored, beginning with the receiving or the possessing of His rightful inheritance.  This honor is expressed in the verse as the LORD possessing Judah as His portion or as His inheritance.  Though all the people of God are Christ’s inheritance, Judah, the royal tribe is singled out in this passage to demonstrate that all authority and nobility belong to Christ.  For His redeeming work, the Messiah will receive a people who will exalt and extol Him with all glory, honor, and power.

            Not only will He receive His rightful inheritance, but the Messiah will also receive proper recognition.  Zechariah’s prophecy refers to Judah as His portion.  The word portion can also mean what is allocated to someone, sometimes a share of the spoils of victory.  The root word was used this way in Isaiah 53:12 which says, “Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53:12, NASB95)[10]  God promised His Son a reward, a portion in honor of His atoning sacrifice.  The Servant of Yahweh, the Messiah, will receive a people for His possession in distinct recognition of His incomparable work of redemption.  Even the land will glorify Christ, as Judah will be His in the holy land.  This is the only place the words holy land occurs in the Old Testament.  Jerusalem’s restoration and transformation will spread to the entire country, as God changes it from a desolate place into one that reflects the Messiah’s purity, righteousness, and glory.

            All of this reflects the glorious truth that Yahweh will again choose Jerusalem.  This statement was used earlier in the first night vision and repeated here to show that in the future, Jerusalem will be God’s chosen city, unique above all others.  At the same time, in choosing Jerusalem again, God will show that He finally rejoices over the city.  He had loved and chosen the city before, but it became corrupt and His glory departed from it.  But this separation was not permanent.  Because of the Messiah, Jerusalem will be transformed, so that God will again set His unique affection upon her.  He will have pleasure in His people, in the land He promised to them, and in the city He has chosen for Himself.  In view of what was in store and the marvelous salvation it should be the supreme joy of all the saints to sing praise to the Lord and be glad in Him.

 

SILENCE (Zechariah 2:13)

            After the call for exuberant singing to the Lord in worship, the LORD suddenly cried out a new command, “Be silent, all flesh before the LORD.” (Zechariah 2:13a, NASB95)[11]  This imperative to be silent speaks of a fearful awe and solemn reverence for God. The prophets Zephaniah and Habakkuk spoke of being silent before the LORD, in Zephaniah they were silenced as they saw the Lord’s power to judge (Zephaniah 1:7ff).  In Habakkuk, the whole world fell silent before the Lord knowing they were unable to oppose Him (Habakkuk 2:20).  So, this call for silence is a command for all people to worship the Lord by surrendering to Him.

            The Messiah, who is the One still speaking in this verse, demanded this silence from all flesh, from every living person.  God equated humanity with flesh when He said in Genesis 6:3, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh.” (Genesis 6:3, NASB95)[12]  God is spirit and perfectly holy, transcending all that He has created.  Silence suits the sinner who stands defenseless and condemned before the LORD of hosts.  The utter contrast between fleshly, sinful people and the eternal, holy God demands such a stunned silence.  People perish, the Lord endures forever; creation is dependent on the Lord, but He depends on no one.  God is uncreated, infinite, independent, and immutable.  Man is none of these things.  Describing God’s unparalleled greatness Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 40, “All the nations are as nothing before Him, They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless. To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare with Him?  It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. He it is who reduces rulers to nothing, Who makes the judges of the earth meaningless.” (Isaiah 40:17-18, 22–23, NASB95)[13]  Given God’s transcendent splendor and infinite power, all humanity, all flesh should obviously be silent in His glorious presence.

            Though the command to be silent is a general call to stand in awe and worship, it’s more than that.  The people are command to be silent because Yahweh “is aroused from His holy habitation.” (Zechariah 2:13b, NASB95)[14]  The term aroused often refers to someone waking up from sleep or being roused to action.  In the latter half of Isaiah, the prophet frequently mentioned that God was aroused to deliver His people (Isaiah 41:2, 25; 42:13; 45:13) and that is the divine work that Zechariah saw in this vision here.  That means, that a day is coming when God, from His heavenly throne room—His holy habitation—will be roused to redeem His people.  He will come down from the heights of heaven, with infinite and wholly righteous authority, and He will intervene in the affairs of this world and redeem His people.  This sight will be so awesome that all flesh will need to fall instantly silent.  All flesh will be braced for God to take action by delivering His people and judging their enemies.  This will be an event worthy of worshipful silence as God reveals His mighty power.

 

CONCLUSION:

            What then should be the response of God’s people as we consider God’s wonderful promises?  This passage provided two answers to that question.  On the one hand, they should sing joyful praise for what God has said He will do—both for Israel and for the nations, and this will be done all through His Son, the Messiah, who is forever praised!  On the other hand, there are also times when our worship should come in silence as we stand in awe of who God is, knowing that He will one day come to judge the world in righteousness.  Whether we express our worship to God through joyful singing or through reverent silence, as God’s people we must always respond to Him in worship, knowing what He has already accomplished through His death and resurrection, a salvation that no other man could accomplish, and as we look with anticipation at what He is going to do, He alone is worthy of our worship.

 

[1]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[2]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[3]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[4]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[5]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[6]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[7]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. 

[8]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[9]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[10]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[11]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[12]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[13]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[14]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.