Zechariah 7 - Praying God's Word

Please read Zechariah 7.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/zec/7/1/s_918001

Meditate on verse 12.

They made their hearts like flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets;

 therefore,  great wrath came from the LORD of hosts.

When the temple of the LORD was in its final two years of rebuilding, some men from Bethel came to Jerusalem to ask the priests and the prophets about seeking the favor of the LORD. The LORD told Zechariah to ask them their real motivation behind fasting for God’s favor. Were they seeking God or were they seeking what God could give them? The LORD knew their selfish desires, so He reminded them of past admonishments to practice kindness and compassion instead of oppression and evil when fasting (vs.9-10; Isaiah 58). The people “refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing” (v. 11). The LORD refused to listen to them because they refused to listen to Him.

Do you have a tender heart towards the LORD, desiring to know Him and His Word? Or do you have a hard heart that refuses to hear God and only seeks Him when you need something?

Pray to be the opposite of Zechariah 7:12 for yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, do not let ________ and me make our hearts like flint.

Let us hear Your Law and the Words

which You have sent by Your Spirit through the prophets

 so that we do not experience Your wrath.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL 2 ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

  

Zechariah 6 - Praying God's Word

Please read Zechariah 6.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/zec/6/1/s_917001

Meditate on verse 12.

Then say to him, “Thus says the LORD of hosts,

 ‘Behold, a man whose name is Branch,

for He will branch out from where He is;

and He will build the temple of the LORD.’”

Zechariah wasn’t the only prophet who preached about Branch. Isaiah said Branch would be “beautiful and glorious” (Isaiah 4:2). Jeremiah declared Branch would “reign as king and be called the LORD our righteousness” (Jeremiah 23:5-6). Branch is Jesus; He is the builder of the temple of the LORD, and He sits on His throne as king and priest (vs. 12-13). Joshua, the high priest, and those who worked on and in the temple needed a reminder that they were not ruling over the temple; it was under the reign of the LORD (vs. 11-14).

If you are a follower of the Branch, the LORD Jesus Christ, you are His temple and under His reign and authority (1 Corinthians 6:19). Ask Him to branch out and take over every part of you (v. 12). Let Him build your life.

 Pray Zechariah 6:12-13 and 15 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, Branch out in _______ and me.

Build us into Your temple, LORD.

Bear the honor and sit and rule on Your throne.

Be priest on Your throne and counsel peace in us.

Let us completely obey You, LORD our God.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL 2 ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Zechariah 5 - Praying God's Word

Please read Zechariah 5.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/zec/5/1/s_916001

Meditate on verse 8a.

Then he said, “This is Wickedness!”

Zechariah preached a sermon to the builders of the temple emphasizing God’s Word. He had a vision of a scroll, 30 feet by 15 feet in size, which contained in writing God’s law and the curse for not obeying. As the builders concerned themselves with the exact measurements for building the temple structure, the LORD wanted them to focus on His Word.

God then gave Zechariah a vision of evil personified: a woman sitting in a bushel basket with a lead weight on top of her; her name was Wickedness. God’s Word clearly defines sin and the punishment that results from it. Sin is wickedness, and every human will be held accountable to the LORD and His Word.

What projects are you and your church doing? Is your focus on teaching and learning God’s Word? The world describes behavior contrary to the Bible as a “personal choice.” God calls it “wickedness.” Ask the LORD to give you His courage to speak His Truth.

Pray Zechariah 5:4 and 8 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, You will make Your Word go forth into every house to consume it.

May ________ and I take Your Word to every house before it is too late.

Keep us from Wickedness!

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL 2 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Zechariah 4 - Praying God's Word

Please read Zechariah 4.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/zec/4/1/s_915001

Meditate on verse 6.

Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying,

‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts.”

Zerubbabel, Judah’s governor, started rebuilding the temple then stopped for 14 years because of threats and executive decrees (Ezra 3:8; 4:4, 21- 24). The LORD sent the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to encourage Zerubbabel and the other builders to press on in God’s work and not fear men (Ezra 5:1-2). The LORD wanted Zerubbabel to know the temple would be rebuilt by the power of His Spirit, not by Zerubbabel’s power or the might of his building crew (v. 6). This mountain of a project would become a plain by God’s grace (v. 7). Zerubbabel laid the foundation of the temple, and by the Spirit’s strength, he would lay its capstone 22 years later (Zechariah 4:7, 9; Ezra 6:14-16).

What mountain are you facing that seems insurmountable? Bring it to the LORD and seek His power and grace. Nothing is too difficult for Him (Jeremiah 32:17).

Pray Zechariah 4:6 over a difficult situation in your life and the life of those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“Not by might nor by power,

but by Your Spirit, LORD,

work in ____________.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL 2 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Zechariah 3 - Praying God's Word

Please read Zechariah 3.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/zec/3/1/s_914001

Meditate on verses 3-4.

Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and standing before the angel.

 He spoke and said to those who were standing before him, saying,

“Remove the filthy garments from him.” 

Again he said to him, “See, I have taken your iniquity away from you

 and will clothe you with festal robes.”

Joshua was the high priest working with Zerubbabel to rebuild the temple at Jerusalem (Haggai 2:2-4; Ezra 5:1-2). Before Joshua could do the LORD’s work, God had to remove his filthy, sinful garments and give him clean, festive robes.

This vision of Joshua’s wardrobe change is the picture of what it means to become a Christian. Before Christ, you wore foul, polluted rags representing the sin that consumed your life. “But the LORD caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him” (Isaiah 53:6). God put your disgusting garment of sin on Jesus and gave you His garment of salvation and righteousness (Isaiah 61:10). Amazing!

Are you trying to do the LORD’s work by your own righteousness? God says we are all “unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment” (Isaiah 64:6). Unless you are wearing the saving righteousness of Jesus Christ, your work is vain. “LORD, take away my iniquity and clothe me with festal robes” (v. 4).

When you are dressed in the righteousness of Christ, you have confidence in Him to complete the tasks He calls you to do.

Pray Zechariah 3:7 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, help ________ and me to walk in Your ways and perform Your service.

Let us govern and have charge in Your house and courts.

Grant us free access among those standing here.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL 2 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Zechariah 2 - Praying God's Word

Please read Zechariah 1:7-2:13, asking the LORD to give you insight with understanding as you read the visions the LORD gave Zechariah.

www.blueletterbible.org/tools/MultiVerse.cfm?s=0010Cj

Meditate on Zechariah 2:8.

For thus says the LORD of hosts, “After glory, He has sent Me

 against the nations which plunder you,

for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye.”

The temple rebuilders needed encouragement to finish building (Ezra 5:1-2). God sent Zechariah to tell the people, “Thus says the LORD, ‘I will return to Jerusalem with compassion; My house will be built in it’” (Zechariah 1:16). God’s people were the apple of His eye, so they could build with confidence because the eye of their God was on them (Zechariah 2:8; Ezra 5:5).

If the LORD Jesus is your Savior, you, too, are precious to God. You are the apple of His eye, and He does not take His eye off of you.

Wondrously show Your lovingkindness, O Savior of those who take refuge

at Your right hand from those who rise up against them. 

Keep me as the apple of the eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings.

—Psalm 17:7-8

“I will counsel you with My eye upon you.”

—Psalm 32:8b

Ponder these truths in awe-filled silence before the LORD (Zechariah 2:13).  Then pray Zechariah 2:5 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, be a wall of fire around ________ and me,

and be the glory in our midst.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL 2 ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Zechariah 1 - Praying God's Word

Please read Zechariah 1.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/zec/1/1/s_912001

Meditate on verse 4.

“Do not be like your fathers,

 to whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying,

 ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts,

 “Return now from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.”’

 But they did not listen or give heed to Me,” declares the LORD.

Zechariah was another prophet sent by the LORD to preach to the Israelites and encourage them in the task of rebuilding His temple (Ezra 5:1-2). Zechariah’s first sermon was simple; the LORD wanted this remnant of Jews to return to Him and not be like their fathers who refused to return to the LORD and continued in their evil ways and deeds. The LORD was very angry with these fathers who refused to repent until they were overtaken by God’s Words and dealt with by God.

Listen and give heed to Zechariah’s message. Refusing God’s gracious offer to return to Him will meet with His wrath.

But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart

you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath.

—Romans 2:5a

Pray Zechariah 1:3-4 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, let ________ and me be obedient to return to You,

 that You may return to us.

Let us listen and give heed to Your command

to return now from our evil ways and from our evil deeds.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL 2 ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell