Zechariah Lesson 4

Day One

[Ephesians 4:28-29 ESV] {28} Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. {29} Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Day Two

[Genesis 9:18, 20-25 ESV] {18} The sons of Noah who went forth from the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) … {20} Noah began to be a man of the soil, and he planted a vineyard. {21} He drank of the wine and became drunk and lay uncovered in his tent. {22} And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside. {23} Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned backward, and they did not see their father’s nakedness. {24} When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him, {25} he said, “Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”

[Genesis 10:6, 8-10 ESV] {6} The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan. … {8} Cush fathered Nimrod; he was the first on earth to be a mighty man. {9} He was a mighty hunter before the LORD. Therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD.” {10} The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

[Genesis 11:1-9 ESV] {1} Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. {2} And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. {3} And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. {4} Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” {5} And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. {6} And the LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. {7} Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” {8} So the LORD dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. {9} Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth. And from there the LORD dispersed them over the face of all the earth.

[Isaiah 13:1-22 ESV] {1} The oracle concerning Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw. {2} On a bare hill raise a signal; cry aloud to them; wave the hand for them to enter the gates of the nobles. {3} I myself have commanded my consecrated ones, and have summoned my mighty men to execute my anger, my proudly exulting ones. {4} The sound of a tumult is on the mountains as of a great multitude! The sound of an uproar of kingdoms, of nations gathering together! The LORD of hosts is mustering a host for battle. {5} They come from a distant land, from the end of the heavens, the LORD and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land. {6} Wail, for the day of the LORD is near; as destruction from the Almighty it will come! {7} Therefore all hands will be feeble, and every human heart will melt. {8} They will be dismayed: pangs and agony will seize them; they will be in anguish like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at one another; their faces will be aflame. {9} Behold, the day of the LORD comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the land a desolation and to destroy its sinners from it. {10} For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be dark at its rising, and the moon will not shed its light. {11} I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant, and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless. {12} I will make people more rare than fine gold, and mankind than the gold of Ophir. {13} Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken out of its place, at the wrath of the LORD of hosts in the day of his fierce anger. {14} And like a hunted gazelle, or like sheep with none to gather them, each will turn to his own people, and each will flee to his own land. {15} Whoever is found will be thrust through, and whoever is caught will fall by the sword. {16} Their infants will be dashed in pieces before their eyes; their houses will be plundered and their wives ravished. {17} Behold, I am stirring up the Medes against them, who have no regard for silver and do not delight in gold. {18} Their bows will slaughter the young men; they will have no mercy on the fruit of the womb; their eyes will not pity children. {19} And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the splendor and pomp of the Chaldeans, will be like Sodom and Gomorrah when God overthrew them. {20} It will never be inhabited or lived in for all generations; no Arab will pitch his tent there; no shepherds will make their flocks lie down there. {21} But wild animals will lie down there, and their houses will be full of howling creatures; there ostriches will dwell, and there wild goats will dance. {22} Hyenas will cry in its towers, and jackals in the pleasant palaces; its time is close at hand and its days will not be prolonged.

[Revelation 17:1-7, 18 ESV] {1} Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, {2} with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” {3} And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. {4} The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. {5} And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” {6} And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I marveled greatly. {7} But the angel said to me, “Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her. … {18} And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.”

[Revelation 18:1-5, 8-10 ESV] {1} After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was made bright with his glory. {2} And he called out with a mighty voice, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast. {3} For all nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.” {4} Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; {5} for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. … {8} For this reason her plagues will come in a single day, death and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for mighty is the Lord God who has judged her.” {9} And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning. {10} They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say, “Alas! Alas! You great city, you mighty city, Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.”

[Revelation 18:20-24 ESV] {20} Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has given judgment for you against her!” {21} Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence, and will be found no more; {22} and the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will be heard in you no more, and a craftsman of any craft will be found in you no more, and the sound of the mill will be heard in you no more, {23} and the light of a lamp will shine in you no more, and the voice of bridegroom and bride will be heard in you no more, for your merchants were the great ones of the earth, and all nations were deceived by your sorcery. {24} And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on earth.”

[Revelation 19:1-3 ESV] {1} After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, {2} for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” {3} Once more they cried out, “Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.”

[Zechariah 2:6-7 ESV] {6} Up! Up! Flee from the land of the north, declares the LORD. For I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heavens, declares the LORD. {7} Up! Escape to Zion, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon.

Day Three

No new external cross-references listed for this day’s material.

Day Four and Five

[Joel 3:1-2, 12-14 ESV] {1} “For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, {2} I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land, … {12} Let the nations stir themselves up and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; for there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. {13} Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Go in, tread, for the winepress is full. The vats overflow, for their evil is great. {14} Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

[Psalm 110:1-4 ESV] {1} A Psalm of David. The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” {2} The LORD sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies! {3} Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours. {4} The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”

[Hebrews 4:14-16 ESV] {14} Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. {15} For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. {16} Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

[Hebrews 5:5-10 ESV] {5} So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; {6} as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” {7} In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. {8} Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. {9} And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, {10} being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

[Hebrews 7:23-28 ESV] {23} The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, {24} but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. {25} Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. {26} For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. {27} He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. {28} For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.

[Revelation 19:9-16 ESV] {9} And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” {10} Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. {11} Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. {12} His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. {13} He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. {14} And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. {15} From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. {16} On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

[Romans 2:4 ESV] {4} Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

[Zechariah 2:9, 11 ESV] {9} “Behold, I will shake my hand over them, and they shall become plunder for those who served them. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me. … {11} And many nations shall join themselves to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people. And I will dwell in your midst, and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you.

[Zechariah 4:9 ESV] {9} “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you.

[Zechariah 6:15 ESV] {15} “And those who are far off shall come and help to build the temple of the LORD. And you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. And this shall come to pass, if you will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.”