Zech. 1:18-21: Build God's House

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1)     vv. 18-19 – The four horns

A)   Horns = power

1)     The symbolism comes from an ox or a wild bull.

2)     Horns represent strength, authority, and power (especially political).

3)     e.g. 1 Sam. 2:10; Dan. 7:7, 11 (his power was defeated)

B)    Four = the entire created world (the four corners of creation)

1)     7 is heavenly totality. 4 is earthly.

2)     e.g.

(a)   Gen. 2:10; Is. 11:12

(b)   Dan. 7:3 – “four great beasts out of the sea”

(c)   Rev. 4:6b-7 – lion (wild animals), ox (domesticated), man, eagle (birds)

C)    “four horns”

1)     This is total, comprehensive, earthly, world-wide power.

2)     The threat is coming from all sides. You’re surrounded by hostile powerful forces.

2)     The four horns are not good guys.

A)   v. 19 – “These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”

1)     Slavery in Egypt

2)     Assyrian destruction of Israel (722 BC)

3)     Babylonian destruction of Judah (586 BC)

4)     Now, God’s people are forcibly subject to the Persian Empire.

B)    v. 21 – “These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no one raised his head.”

1)     A raised head is proud and victorious.

(a)   Ps. 3:3 – “You, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.”

2)     A lowered head is defeat, shame, guilt, and mourning.

(a)   Lk. 18:13

3)     God’s people were so beaten down and hopeless at the scale of the forces against them, that their permanent posture was defeat and shame.

Transition: God’s people have a problem.

A)   The four horns (the totality of earthly power) have scattered God’s people, so that no one can raise their head.

B)    What are God’s people supposed to do in this situation?

3)     vv. 20 – The four craftsmen

A)   What are these?

1)     The word is used 36 times in the OT, and translated in 8+  different ways: Craftsmen, Carpenter, Mason, Engraver, Worker, Jeweler, Ironsmith, Maker.

2)     Situation: Oh no! Here comes four wild bulls running at me with their horns that represent the full power of the entire world. What am I going to do? God: Don’t worry – I’ll send you four craftsmen.

B)    Remember the context of Ezra, Haggai, and Nehemiah. The big project is to rebuild the temple, and at least 10 of the 36 times the word, “craftsman”, is used it specifically refers to people involved in building God’s house.

1)     Tabernacle: Ex. 28:11; 35:35; 38:23 (jeweler, engraver)

2)     Solomon’s temple: 2 Kgs. 12:11 (carpenters); 2 Kgs. 22:4-6; 1 Chron. 22:14-15 (masons)

C)    I think this is the main point of this vision:

1)     Situation: Oh no! Here comes four wild bulls running at me with their horns that represent the full power of the entire world. What am I going to do?

2)     God: Build my house! This is what we do in the face of an impossible situation.

3)     v. 21

4)     The message for God’s people today.

A)   What do we NOT do? (Basically, make a list of all my best ideas.)

1)     Oh no. We have a problem with the four horns. The way to beat them is to build our own horns (five of them) and fight back.

2)     We’ll fight fire with fire and win the arms race.

3)     If our problem is power, then we’ll fight them with power.

B)    No! The solution is to build God’s house.

C)    The church is God’s temple / house.

1)     Jn. 2:19-21

2)     Eph. 2:19-22

3)     1 Pet. 2:4-5

4)     1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19

5)     2 Cor. 6:16

6)     NOTE: There are 4 craftsmen because God’s house is open for ALL people.

D)   We see this battle in Revelation.

1)     Rev. 11:1-4 (Zechariah language)

2)     vv. 7-8 – The powers of this world will fight against God’s people.

3)     vv. 11-12 – God’s people did his work and were vindicated.

4)     v. 15-19 – The end: God’s wins.

E)    Oh no. The full power of this world is against us. What do we do!

1)     We tell people about Jesus and build his house one life at a time.

2)     We get our own lives in or and fully submit to King Jesus.

3)     We raise our kids to love God and serve him.

4)     We teach all the people around us about the forgiveness of sins through Jesus.

5)     We mix the mortar, cut the stone, and build God’s house one soul at a time.