We're going to be in the last
chapter of the book of Zechariah. From the looks of things, we'll
be there for a little while longer. It is such an interesting chapter. It has been so maligned by religionists. The last chapter holds the gospel
of our Savior. a Savior that actually, as it's
brought out in this chapter, actually saves His people from
their sins. He's not a Savior that if you
incline yourself to Him, He'll save you, but He's a Savior that
saves His people from their sins. And this chapter, as Christ exalted,
the church identified and called out of the darkness to him, to
himself. Whatever happens, happens for
the glory of the Lord and for the benefit of the church. That's
what we've followed through this whole book of Zechariah. The
gospel according to Zechariah. God is honored in every chapter. God is honored. And it is interesting
that when we look at this chapter, as we look at the whole book
of Zechariah, when we started it we mentioned that there are
at least 46 times in this book alone, and it looks like there
are three times in this chapter alone, the 14th chapter, that
the Lord is given the name of Lord of Hosts. Now we've mentioned
that several times in the past. It's such a glorious name that
is given to the Lord in this book, the Lord of Hosts. And
one of the passages that I've gone to every time was that passage
of scripture in the book of Daniel is Nebuchadnezzar's confession
about the Lord. He rules in the armies of heaven
and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his
hand or say what doest thou." This is Almighty God we're dealing
with and it is so important to remember that as we go through
this book of Zachariah as well as all the books of the Bible
in all of our study that we're studying we have the revelation
of a great and a mighty Almighty God. He's the Lord of hosts. Now, there are three times in
this chapter alone that we have that name of God, Lord of hosts. He is the Lord of armies. He's
the Lord of heaven and earth. He's the Lord of everything in
the earth and everything in heaven. And things don't happen by mistake.
We don't find anything happening in the book of Zechariah by mistake.
It's always on purpose. God is reigning. He's ruling. He is the God of heaven, the
God of earth. And as we look once again at
this first few verses of this last chapter, they are in complete
agreement with the rest of the book, and they are in complete
agreement with the rest of the Bible. It's interesting to find
that as we look at the New Testament, the Lord, all of his disciples
that was used to write books as they were inspired by the
Holy Spirit, there's so much that is brought up today about
what we call end times that is never mentioned by the Lord in
his ministry, by the Apostle Paul in his ministry, by Peter
in his ministry, or anybody else. And they'll take the most uh... the book of revelation that is
the most symbolic book of the new testament and say look here
we gotta follow this well when anything is based upon the failure
of god when it comes to end times uh... theology when it's based
upon god not giving israel all the land or it's based upon christ
tried to set up a kingdom on the earth and people wouldn't
let him then we have a mess to begin with and we're going to
end up with a mess in our conclusion. So we're going to stay away from
that as we look at this passage of scripture here in the book
of Zechariah chapter 14. And we want to keep in mind that
this book is about the Lord of hosts, His almighty power over
all things. Now it tells us here in verses
1 through 3 that we remember the Lord is all power in action. when we come to verse four he
is the lord of all power in action and he is going to share with
us some of the great truths of the gospel in that verse as well
as the rest of the verses here i appreciate what i read about
the lord as he has given men in the old testament the message
of the gospel He has shared with them these words about our God,
about our Savior, that He is not just a penitent God, but
He is the Almighty God. Before we read here in the book
of Zechariah, would you join me in the book of Isaiah chapter
46? Isaiah chapter 46, we find here
these wonderful words about our God. And we look to this one. In fact, when we're taught of
God, we are taught that He is Almighty. We're not taught anything
else. And everybody that has ever been
saved by the Lord has always been taught the same thing about
God. He is almighty and his salvation
is of all of grace. Here in the book of Isaiah chapter
46 and there in verse 10 we read these words. This God, he's declaring
the end from the beginning and from ancient times the things
that are not yet done. saying, my counsel shall stand
and I will do all my pleasure. When we read through this book
of Zechariah, we find the great God, the Lord of hosts, doing
all His pleasure. He is the one that is in absolute
charge of all of these things and He has purposed all things
that fall out. So they're not by mistake, but
they are by the purpose of God. And again, on the same subject,
as we look at the almighty power of God in this book of Zechariah,
as well as in the Old Testament and New Testament, turn with
me to the book of Acts chapter 15 for just a moment. Acts chapter
15 and verse 18. We find these words about our
Savior. Known unto God are all his works. The book of Acts chapter 15 and
verse 18. Known unto God are all his works. He is all-knowing. He knows all
his works. He has purposed all of his works.
He purposed every word of the book of Zechariah. He purposed
everything that's going to happen in the book of Zechariah. And
it all redounds to his glory, his honor, and his praise. And
it is all for the good of the church. We're going to see that
in this chapter as well as all the rest of the chapters that
are here in the book of Zechariah. So known unto God are all his
works from the beginning of the world. So whatever happened,
happened for His glory, His honor, and His praise, and He purposed
everything. Nothing was by chance. And then,
if you will just turn with me for a short time over to the
book of Romans chapter 11, we'd like to read another verse that
goes along with this theme that we see in the book of Zechariah
of Lord of hosts. He's the Lord of armies. He's
the Lord of heaven and earth. He's the Lord of Of the oceans. He's the Lord of the land. He's
the Lord of the sky. He's the Lord absolute Lord and
here in the book of Acts chapter Romans chapter 11 Romans chapter
11 verse 33 this is recorded for us to take great comfort
in when we read the Lord of hosts we take great comfort in that
he is the God that saves his people from their sins O the
depth of the riches of the wisdom Romans chapter 11 verse 33 O
the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of
God past finding out. The depths are past finding out.
There's no way to sound them out, to find out how deep they
are. The depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge
of God. How unsearchable are all his
judgments and his ways past finding out. And there in verse 34, for
who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his counselor. What a wonderful commentary the
Lord shares about the Lord here in this passage of scripture
and as we go to the book of Zechariah now we're going to find out to
keep in mind these things he is the Lord of hosts he is the
absolute sovereign of all things and he does things for his glory
and he does things for the benefit of the church for the salvation
of the church all things work out for the salvation of the
church so let's go over here to the book of Zechariah for
just a moment And in Zechariah chapter 14 we want to read the
first four verses of that book and make some comments and hopefully
we'll get past verse 4 tonight. Zechariah chapter 14 verse 1
and we want to look at this from a New Testament perspective too,
these verses of scripture. We want to look at them from
a New Testament perspective as brought out in the New Testament
that almost follow word for word what we read here. Behold, the
day of the Lord cometh. I'm thankful as we go through
the Old Testament as well as the New Testament that we find
out that God always has appeared in revelation to everyone He
has ever chosen before the foundation of the world and had their names
written down in the Lamb's Book of Life. He has appeared as the
day of the Lord has come to them. We can visit with our brother
Abel from the scriptures and find out, by faith he rejoiced
in the Lord. By faith he offered a more excellent
sacrifice. He rejoiced in the God his Savior. And thy spoil shall be divided
in the midst of thee. Now notice verse two, for I will
gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle. Now this is the Lord's
doing, and it's marvelous in our eyes. We have the church
pictured here, and the church has never ever had an easy time. Now when we look at how we're
able to worship today, how to meet together here in our country
without much persecution, We have that, but yet the church
is still persecuted. The church, as it says, I'll
gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle. There's going to be
these religious battles that we are brought up in the fellowship
that we have in Christ. We're going to be brought up
in the very places that we live, the very places that we worship.
There will be time to time when there will be this discussion,
the argument against the gospel, the argument against God's grace,
the argument against having sanctification only in the Lord. I'm going to
do it on my own. Well, all those things are a
battle against Jerusalem. And the city shall be taken.
and the houses rifled, and the women ravished, and half the
city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people
shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the Lord Jehovah
go forth and fight against those nations. You know, there's only
one way that we're able to overcome all of the assaults that are
brought upon the church. There's only one way we're able
to overcome the assaults of Satan himself. The book of Revelation
shares with us that we overcome by the blood of the Lamb. That's
how we overcome. We're overcomers because of Christ
and for no other reason. We can't overcome our own sin.
We can't overcome our own temptations. We can't overcome anything. But
we are overcomers in Christ and then it tells us there in verse
3 then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations
as when he fought in the day of battle the promise of Jehovah
the promise of God to defend his church and the gates of hell
will not prevail against it. And yet he even says that there's
going to be persecution, there's going to be divisions, there's
going to be things arise in the very church of the living God
to test the church, to test the people that are truly believers
in Christ Jesus. All of the assaults on the church
are known of God. In fact, they are purposed by
God. They're not just... He just doesn't
let us know that it's going to happen. He's purposed those things
to happen. He has ordered them. There must
be... Turn with me to the book of 1
Corinthians chapter 11, if you would. 1 Corinthians chapter
11. The Holy Spirit left these words. He had a man by the name
of the Apostle Paul write them down and pin them. He was the
secretary, but these are the words of the Holy Spirit. This
is the word of the Godhead for the church and the benefit of
the church to know ahead of time. Here it says in 1 Corinthians
chapter 11 and verse 19, the holy spirit says for there must
be also heresies among you oh my goodness are you sure about
that yes i am sure that's the god of heaven the lord of hosts
telling through the Apostle Paul, that there must be heresies among
you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.
How important that is. This is going to happen. The
Lord of Glory said He is going to bring the adversary against
the church. He's going to bring the nations
against the church. That's the place where the true assaults
come, is against the church. Heresies are going to be brought
up in the church. And then back up, if you would,
to the book of Matthew chapter 18. In Matthew chapter 18 we
have these words, Matthew chapter 18 and verse 7, this is the Lord
Himself sharing, woe unto the world because of offenses. Matthew
chapter 18 verse 7, woe unto the world because of offenses
for it must needs be that offenses come. There's going to be attacks. The Lord has prescribed it. The
Lord has commanded it. The Lord has purposed it that
there will be attacks against the church. And we're going to
find out who is going to stand. But woe to the man by whom offense
cometh. That same thing is said about
the twelfth disciple, the one that betrayed the Lord. The Son
of Man goeth as it was determined, but woe unto him by whom he is
betrayed. Offenses must come, but woe to
him that brings the offense. This is not going to be easy
on them. The Lord of Glory has purposed
that churches will come under attack. Preachers will come under
attack the gospel will come under attack and Lord give us grace
to survive the attack that is promised to come in Acts chapter
20 as the Lord brings these attacks now we may be settled right now
But the gospel continues to go out. We preach the gospel. We
pray that the Lord would bless the gospel to the hearing ears
and that God would purpose that there would be some elect in
among us and hear the gospel as it's declared that Christ
is the Savior that actually saves, that He is the Redeemer that
actually redeems. There's good news in Christ.
The blood of Christ overcometh. It is what we are washed in,
if you please. Here in the book of Acts chapter
20 and we read here these words, Acts chapter 20 and verse 30. Acts chapter 20 and verse 30,
it says, also of your own self shall men arise, speaking perverse
things, to draw disciples after them. Now, it's sad to say, but
in my time I've seen that very thing happen. People drawing
disciples after them and what they have to draw after them
is nonsense, foolishness. But that's what happens. And
here the Lord has said, I've purposed it. I'm the Lord of
hosts. I'm the Lord of glory. Now, turn with me, if you would,
to 2 Peter. And then we're going to go look
at the book of Acts some more about that where the men and
women They would come under assault, as is prescribed there in the
book of Zechariah, chapter 14. Here in the book of 2 Peter,
2 Peter, again it's going to be brought out, 2 Peter chapter
2, verses 1 and 2, 2 Peter chapter 2, we are called on to be careful. We're called on to wait. I met a preacher who said he's
a Sovereign Grace preacher about two months ago, and he asked
me if I was retired or not. And I said, what do you mean? He says, well, I'm going to be
gone, and I would like you to preach at my church. He didn't
know the first thing about what I believed. And I found out I
don't know anything about what he believes. How strange it is to me to be
invited into a pulpit when nobody knows you. What could be said? And that's the problem we have
today with churches, inviting anybody into their pulpit. Well,
we can't do that. But there were false prophets
also among the people. This has happened in the Old
Testament. We see it in the book of Numbers. We've been going
through the book of Numbers. We have ten false prophets come
back with a false report, an evil report. They're false prophets. I've been visiting with a young
man. I think I mentioned this the last time we visited. He
said, Norm, if what you have to say is right, then I am lost
and I'm a false prophet. Now, I mentioned that to a dear
friend of mine, and you know what he said? He only believes what
you said, Norm. Someday, I pray, that he'll believe
what God says. That's the important thing. What
God says. Even as there shall be false
teachers among you, who privately shall bring in damnable heresies,
even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves
swift destruction, in verse 2, and many shall follow their pernicious
ways, By reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken
of. So we are called on to be so careful. These things are
going to be brought up. They're going to be. God has
purposed them. I'm going to send these nations
after Jerusalem. I'm going to purpose them. Why?
Why would he do that? To prove those who know. to prove
those who have the truth, to prove them. Others are going
to fall away. They went out from us because
they were not of us, because if they had been of us, they
would not have left us. So we have that. Turn with me
to the book of Acts. We're going to read a few verses
out of the book of Acts about a man that was used of God. Now,
we look at this whole passage of Scripture here and say, this
man is a terrible man. Yes, he was. And he was terrible
to the church at Jerusalem. And he was terrible to the church
in Damascus, the assembly of saints there. He's been terrible.
Notice how close this resembles that verse of Scripture there
in the book of Zechariah about what's going to happen when the
Lord sends these nations. in the book of Acts chapter 8.
Acts chapter 8 verse 3 and 4. Notice this with me, would you? He is prescribed to do this. God has purposed him to do this.
This is just the fulfillment of those passages of scripture.
Here we have a very zealous religious individual and it tells us here,
as for Saul, He made havoc of the church. Now, that word havoc
isn't a pleasant word for anybody. He made havoc. He wrecked havoc. Entering into every house. Now
notice what he did while he was there. Hailing men and women,
committed them to prison. Now that verse of scripture over
there in the book of Zachariah chapter 14 about what's going
to happen. Men and women alike are going
to be ravished. Here Saul of Tarsus a very religious
man. He was a doctor of the law He
studied the law and he thought he was right. He was very convinced. He was right He was so convinced
that he was right when he heard the truth. He Foamed at it goes
on to tell us there therefore they that were scattered abroad
went everywhere what? preaching the word. Those that
Paul, excuse me, Saul of Tarsus, was used to come in and, he says,
wreak havoc. He wrecked havoc. He made havoc
of the church, entering into every house. Now, I don't know
what you'd do if there was a knock at the door and some religious
leader was there going to arrest me. What are we going to do? What are we going to do? But
it tells us here Therefore they that were scattered abroad went
everywhere preaching the word. One more time, we hear what the
psalmist said, the redeemed of the Lord say so. We have room to preach the gospel. This is not going to deter us. Now we do have record of people
hiding in caves, that's the book of Hebrews chapter 11. People
hiding away, but they continue to rejoice in the gospel. In
the same book of Acts chapter 9. Would you join
me there? Acts chapter 9. We have someone
prescribed by Almighty God to come and raise havoc with the
church of Jerusalem and to raise havoc in the area. He came into
homes. He came into homes and arrested
men and women and here in the book of Acts chapter 9. The book
of Acts chapter 9 verses 13 and 14. Then Ananias answered, Lord,
I have heard by many of this man how much evil he hath done
to the saints at Jerusalem. What did he do? He went in and
made havoc of the church. He dispersed the church, he sent
them out, and arrested many. And here he hath authority from
the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. Ananias
is the man that God said, Go and talk to this man Saul, and
baptize him. In Acts, backing up to chapter
9 verse 1, let's read this. And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings
and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high
priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues,
that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or
women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. Now Paul is going
to confess to us that he participated in the death of these. Many were
slain, many were killed as a result of his arrest. He was breathing
out threatenings and slaughter. What did the Lord share with
us there in the book of Zechariah chapter 14? He's going to bring
these countries again, these nations against the church. He
has prescribed it. He has not only predicted it,
he's promised it. It is his, and he will do what
he needs to do and has purpose to do, and he will bring that.
He did that with the Church of Jerusalem, he did that with other
saints throughout that land, and he used one man and all of
his cohorts to go along with him to do this nasty deed. As we follow this through, we
find here in the book of Acts chapter 22. Let's follow this.
Let's follow this. As he's brought up this man against
the church. In Acts chapter 22 and verse
4. Acts chapter 22 and verse 4.
Paul reflecting on this. Paul looking back. Being reminded
of it, he says, and I persecuted this way unto death, binding
and delivering into prisons both men and women. Now the Lord has
purposed that. He's promised it. And he said
it's going to happen for the furtherance of the gospel and
also to identify those who know something about the gospel. It's
going to happen. Market down it's going to happen
now. It may not happen as harsh as
it did in the days of Saul But I've been around people that
if they could have They would have done bodily harm When they
heard the gospel when they heard the gospel of God's free and
sovereign grace. I've They they would have done
something if they could have I'm thankful for the restraining
power of Almighty God. I persecuted this way unto death
and binding and delivering unto prisons both men and women first
corinthians chapter fifteen the apostle paul again reflects on
that he reflects on what happened what he did first corinthians
chapter fifteen in verse nine first corinthians chapter fifteen
in verse nine he says here for i am the least of the apostles
first corinthians chapter fifteen in verse nine for i am the least
of the apostles that am not meet to be called an apostle because
I persecuted the church of God. The Apostle Paul shares with
us that in his other life, his life before the Gospel, his life
before Christ, his life before he was saved, before he was born
again, he persecuted the Church of God. And he really persecuted
the Church of God. We have a record of it. Others
persecuted the Church of God in slanderous terms in all kinds
of ways. We find even Herod persecuted
the church of God and slew an apostle. And he saw that the
people were pleased, he was ready to do some more. Well, turn with
me again concerning Paul. Paul in Galatians chapter 1. Galatians chapter 1 verse 13. We have this, I'm going to send
nations against the church, against Jerusalem. I'm going to have
them come. And they're there on purpose.
It's happened in every age. Oh, to think for just a moment
of our brother Abel back there so many years, so long time ago,
written in the book of Hebrews chapter 11 there about Abel by
faith. And you know, his brother came
up against him, found fault in him, and slew him, killed him. Killed his own brother over this
very thing of grace. God has a way. He has a purpose. He's going to carry it out to
the fulfillment. He knows the end from the beginning.
He knew exactly what was going to happen when his child, Abel,
offered a more excellent sacrifice. He didn't have to brag about
it. He didn't have to say anything about it. He just did it. He
followed the instructions of the Lord, and his own brother
came up and rose against him. Well, we follow this pattern.
We go there in the book of Numbers. We read there that when those
twelve came back with an evil report, the people were ready
to stone Moses and Joshua and Caleb to death right there. God
prevented it at that time, but they were prepared to do that.
They said it was better back in Egypt than it is right here.
Well, we know that's not true. People without grace, without
the gospel, without Christ, they cannot see what a benefit it
is. Only when Christ is revealed
are we able to see the blessings of grace. So here in the book
of Galatians chapter 1 verse 13, For ye have heard of my conversion
in times past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted
the church of God and wasted it, and profited in the Jews'
religion. What a comparison we have here
of a Jewish religion and those that knew the gospel, and profited
in the Jewish religion above many my equals in my own nation,
being more exceedingly zealous of the tradition of my fathers.
This is what the Apostle Paul had to say about it in his later
life. And then one more time in the
book of Philippians, we see this one character, how much he turned
the church upside down, how much he persecuted the church, how
much he was interested in both men and women, and he cast the
final vote against many and had them condemned to death. It was
he that stood there and they laid their coats when Stephen
was stoned to death. He consented to it. Here is this
man that is prescribed by God to get involved in the church
in a negative way. Well, let's look at this one
other passage in the book of Philippians. Philippians chapter
three. Philippians chapter 3 and verse
6 We read these words Paul's in concerning zeal persecuting
the church touching the righteousness, which is Which is in the law
blameless. You know what Paul or Saul of
Tarsus thought? Since he'd never robbed anybody.
He wasn't a robber Since he'd never killed anybody
he wasn't a murderer He was always outside. He was circumspect outside,
but inside he was full of dead man's bones, and he was going
to confess that very thing in his life. All right, as we follow
this, go back with me there to the book of Zechariah for just
a moment. Zechariah chapter 14. Here we
have this great onslaught that the Lord has purposed. We've just seen one man in the
New Testament. That's just one man. Look what
had happened as God gives permission, as God purposes this to happen
for the sifting out of the truth, for the sifting out of the saints,
for the purpose of bringing them out to show that they are truly
born again, that this persecution has happened on purpose. Here's
one man, we just have the record of it there in the book of Acts,
as he writes about it in those gospel accounts. Here in the
book of Zechariah chapter 14, for I will gather all nations
against Jerusalem to battle. Now notice verse three. Then
shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations. Now how
does he do that with the most grace? Let's just follow Saul
of Tarsus. What did he do for Saul of Tarsus?
He came, as it says there, and I'll fight against the nations.
I'll fight against this one. I'll win the victory over this
one. He's my chosen vessel. That's what he shared with that
man that was told to go down there. He's my chosen vessel.
He's an elect. Can you imagine an elect person
doing what he did? Yeah. We're all guilty. We're guilty in our life. Before
we're saved, we're guilty after we're saved, but thank God for
blood that was shed on our behalf, that He took all our guilt. We're
sinners saved by grace. That's all we are, just sinners
saved by grace. We have no righteousness of our
own. We only have the righteousness
of Christ. We have no sanctification of
our own. We only have the sanctification of Christ. All is ours because
of Christ. So, let us go over here to the
book of Acts again, chapter 9. Acts chapter 9, as we see, the
Lord of glory, the Lord of hosts got involved. The Lord of Hosts
got involved with this one man that was raising havoc in the
church. He was raising havoc on purpose. He was doing exactly
what he was appointed to do. You know, there was a bunch of
people. We don't know their names, except for Stephen. We don't
know many of their... how they lived. We know there
were men and women that were cast into prison and many were
killed. Apostle Paul was used of God to put those people at
the throne of the Lord Jesus. Their lives were ended. They
were done away with in the flesh, but they resurrected to see Christ.
To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.
That's exactly the means that God used to have those people
acquainted with Him in spirit before His throne, worshiping
Him as the spirits have just been made perfect due. So here
we are in the book of Acts again. We know this account. It's a
glorious account here in the book of Acts chapter 9. As God
overcomes, God is the winner. He's never lost a battle. He
has effectual gospel. His word is effectual. When he
purposes it to do something, it does something. And here we
have that gospel goes out, and it's a call that goes out. I'll
never forget my son sharing with me an illustration of the effectual
gospel. I've used it before. I'm just
going to do it again. You know, he used to borrow books from
the library, and book after book, he'd never get back there. He'd
have it in his library of his own, and he'd get notes from
the library, please bring the book back, here's the fine, bring
it back, bring it back, bring it back, bring it back, and he
never paid any attention. And finally, they wrote a letter
to him that says, if you don't bring those books back, the sheriff
is going to visit you. Well, he said, Dad, that was
the effectual call. I got all those books back. He
didn't want to go to jail over it. Well, in just a small microcosm,
that's a way that God acts. God calls through the preachers. God calls through sermon audio. God calls in many, many ways. The gospel goes out. But it is
the effectual word that we read about here in the book of Acts
chapter 9. It's the effectual word of God that strikes the
cords. And He produces those cords of
love. He draws us to Himself. It is
not something we do on our own. We have to be drawn. And here
in the book of Acts, chapter 9, verse 1, read with me here. We just read this. Then Saul,
yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter, his mind had not
changed through this whole thing. We think, my, why didn't he get
ashamed of himself and go over there and apologize for all he
did? We think that's all people have to do. You know, that's
not what people have to do. God has to work a work of grace.
Threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord went
unto the high priests. Here's where he's getting his
authority from the people who supposedly knew the Bible. High
priests and desired of him letters. to Damascus to the synagogues
where God's people were worshiping there. And if he found any of
this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them
bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, the Lord
said, I'll come against those nations. I'm so thankful the
Lord comes against us, don't you? comes against our nature,
comes against our thoughts, comes against our religion, comes against
our own weakness and power. He says, and as he journeyed,
he came near Damascus, and suddenly there shined round about him
a light from heaven. And he fell to the earth and
heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou
me? The Lord spoke to him. My goodness,
this is a bad man. He had a reputation so far and
wide. He was terrible to be around.
The very mention of Christ just put him into a rage. The very
mention of the resurrection put him into anger. He was ready
to kill anybody that believed the gospel, the good news about
the Savior, the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. He was ready to do danger
to them, to harm. And now we have him stopped.
He fell to the earth and heard the voice saying unto him, Saul,
Saul, why persecutest thou thee? And he said, Who art thou, Lord?
And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest. Now, did
Saul actually lay a hand on the Lord Jesus? He laid a hand on
his children. I like what the Lord shared with
Mary Magdalene there at the tomb. You go tell my disciples about,
I go to their God and my God. I go to their father and my father.
Isn't that terms of endearment? That the same father he has is
our father? The same relationship the father
has with him is the relationship he has with us? That's grace. So he said here, I am Jesus whom
thou persecutest. It is hard for thee to kick against
the pricks. The Lord had brought such against
him, such power, Lord of host power, overcame him, overcame
his will, overcame his purpose, overcame him. And he trembling
and astonished said, Lord. Now mark that down, underline
that. He said Lord. You know He never
stopped saying Lord after that. He never stopped saying Lord
God Almighty after that. He never once stopped saying
Lord. It was the Lord Jesus Christ. Here he goes. Arise, what will
you have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise
and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou
must do. And that's where we read about that man over there
that was afraid to go to him until the Lord said, He's a chosen
vessel of mine. The Lord will go forth and fight.
Aren't you thankful the Lord goes forth and fights? The Lord
gets involved in the battle. Now, he may send the persecution.
He may send the persecutor. But thanks being to God, he also
sends his, goes forth to fight. And oftentimes, just as in Saul's
case, he wins the battle over that great sinner. Paul said
he's the chiefest of sinners. This is a faithful, sane, and
worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came to die for
sinners, of whom I am chief. The Apostle Paul said that. Well,
I think everybody that God ever saves has that same impression. God has an effectual call. Notice
there in verse 4, Saul saw, named him by name, brought him to his
knees, gave him the new birth, did all that God does for his
people, all that he promised he would do, he did it there
to this great persecutor, to this one that had been brought
out of to treat people the way he did.
Now, let's go back, if you would, for just a moment to the book
of Zechariah. Now we find the Lord doing something
else. The Lord doing something else
there in the book of Zechariah. Zechariah chapter 14, verse 4.
We know this isn't something that's going to happen often
in the future. The Lord is going to come back, just like he said
through those angels, as you saw him go, so shall he return.
That's a promise. But we know this, that when the
Lord comes again, he's going to call all of his people. And
we're not going to have all of the stuff that people are saying
is going to happen. We have, as Daniel brought out,
he says he's going to have a judgment, some to just and the unjust. He's going to have a judgment.
It is a judgment. I don't know what you talk about
or how you describe it, but I look at some of the old ancient church
fathers and they called it a general judgment. Here they are lined
up, right hand, left hand. That's what we find in the Bible.
And he's going to welcome those on the right hand side because
of grace and only because of grace. Not anything that they
had done got his attention and the rest. because they were not
chosen in Christ, because they were not His, because they were
not elect. He says to them, depart. So there
we have it. That's the way. Now here in the
book of Zechariah chapter 14 and verse 4, and this Lord this
Lord of Hosts, the Lord that goes forth to fight, as we find
in verse three, the Jehovah, capital L, capital O, capital
R, capital D, and if that's not enough, we find in the same chapter
three times, Lord of Hosts, Jehovah of Hosts, Jehovah of Armies.
His feet shall stand on that day in Mount of Olives, which
is before Jerusalem on the east, and on the Mount of Olives shall
cleave in the midst, This Lord of hosts, this Lord of glory,
this Lord omnipotent that reigneth, is going to bring, and He always
has brought, whenever He comes into the midst of a people, He
has always brought a division. You're either for Him or against
Him. That's what He said. You're either for me or against
me. There's no middle ground. There's no middle ground in the
gospel. You know, I was taught that there was There was a place
in between going with God and going with the devil, and it
was up to you to make a choice. That is just a rotten lie. There
is no place there. There's no in between. We are
by nature alienated and separated from God. We were separated in
Adam and we continue that separation. And there's a wall between us
and God. We just will not allow him to
rule over us. And yet we find out after we've
been saved, he's been ruling over us all along, just like
he did Saul of Tarsus. This one, when he touches, shall
cleave in the midst thereof towards the east and towards the west.
And There shall be a great valley, and half the mountain shall move
toward the north, and half toward the south. Now if we follow this
down for just a little bit, we're going to find out in verse 8. And it shall be in that day that
living water shall go out from Jerusalem, half of them towards
the former sea, and half of them towards the hinder sea. What
is that living water? That's the blessed gospel of
our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It's the only thing that gives
life. It's living gospel. What did
Peter say? Thou art the Christ, the Son
of the living God. Most gods are dead. Most people's
gods are just dead. But this shall go out to the
former sea and half toward the hinder sea in summer and in winter
shall it be. It doesn't matter what time of
year, it doesn't matter what country you're in, it doesn't
matter what place you're in, what station you're in, it's
the gospel that makes all the difference. It's the preaching
of Christ that makes all the difference. That's where the
church gathers, and that's where Christ draws the lost to himself,
is there, to himself. And so we rejoice in that. Now
I want to read three times in this book of Zechariah, chapter
14, Zechariah chapter 14 this name of God is mentioned here
46 times in the entire book, but for three times in the book
of Zechariah chapter 14 look with me in verse 16 Verse 16
and it shall come to pass that everyone that is left of all
the nations Which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from
year to year to worship the king the Lord of hosts and What does
Saul of Tarsus do? What do all the elect do? You
know, we were never with him. We had left him in Adam. Shall
go up to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the
feasts of the tabernacles. And then in verse 17, it shall
be that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth
unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even
upon them shall be no rain. There will be no blessings. the
Lord of Hosts. If you don't come up and worship
Him, there is no blessings, there's no rain. And finally, in this
book, in verse 21, we have in chapter 14, Yea, every pot in
Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the Lord of
Hosts. So everything redounds to the glory of the Lord of hosts.
Now, as we follow this through, we're going to see the gospel.
It is a glorious gospel. It's a living gospel. It's a
declared gospel. God's people declare the truth
about Christ, the truth about sin, the truth about the Bible.
They continue to declare that very thing. And God is pleased
from time to time to reveal the Son, the Lord of glory, the Lord
of hosts, to people. And they, like Saul of Tarsus,
will say, Lord, what will you have me to do? What a glorious
gospel we have. What a glorious gospel He's given
to His church. And you know, it will come under
assault. It will be attacked. But the Lord Himself said, I
will protect the church. Even though I prescribe that
this must happen, and there's going to be divisions, there's
going to be heresies, I will protect the church. I'll take
care of it. I'll lose none. They all shall
be mine. So we're going to stop here for
tonight and we'll pick up this chapter of the Lord willing next
Wednesday and move on down through here and see the glories of the
gospel of our Savior, the Lord Jesus. May we go to the Lord
in prayer before we are dismissed.