Uncle Davey wrote:
> <thisisagenuineaddresssopleaseomittheobvioustoreplyNOOOSPAM@hotmail.com>
>> BB, you know what this text is really all about? I'll show you, and
>> I'm gonna use your beloved King James Authorised Version. Below I've
>> pasted the first four chapters of Zechariah, and we're gonna walk
>> through it and look at its structure and I will highlight the
>> important events.
>>
>> _Zechariah_
>> Chapter 1
>> 1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word
>> of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo
>> the prophet, saying,
>> [*Okay, here the word comes to Zech in a general way*]
>> 2 The LORD hath been sore displeased with your fathers.
>> 3 Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn
>> ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith
>> the LORD of hosts.
>> 4 Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have
>> cried, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye now from your
>> evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor
>> hearken unto me, saith the LORD.
>> 5 Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for
>> ever? 6 But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants
>> the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they
>> returned and said, Like as the LORD of hosts thought to do unto us,
>> according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt
>> with us. [*End of the first part, the general LORD's speaking*]
>> 7 Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is
>> the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the
>> LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the
>> prophet, saying, 8 I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a
>> red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the
>> bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white.
>> 9 Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked
>> with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be.
>> [*Okay, here we have an angel speaking with Zech*
>> *Now pay close attention, because he's important*
>> *He says he will show Zech what it means*
>> *Then the vision continues*]
>> 10 And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said,
>> These are they whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through
>> the earth. [*Is this is the same angel who is talking to Zech*?
>> *Let's continue and see*]
>> 11 And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the
>> myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth,
>> and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.
>> [*Could this angel of the LORD be that same man*?
>> *The one speaking to Zech*?]
>> 12 Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts,
>> how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of
>> Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and
>> ten years? [*Look, the angel of the LORD asks the LORD*]
>> 13 And the LORD answered the angel that talked with me with good
>> words and comfortable words.
>> [*Oh look, yes, the LORD replies to the angel*
>> *who spoke with Zech. So this angel is obviously*
>> *none other than the angel of the LORD*
>> *So Zech spoke with the angel of the LORD*]
>> 14 So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou,
>> saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and
>> for Zion with a great jealousy.
>> [*Okay, now the angel of the LORD continues*
>> *to speak the LORD's word*]
>> 15 And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease:
>> for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the
>> affliction. [*This part always brings a broad grin to my face*
>> *The LORD used the wicked evildoers to punish*
>> *His people, but the wicked evildoers were a bit*
>> *too enthusiastic in carrying out that punishment*]
>> 16 Therefore thus saith the LORD; I am returned to Jerusalem with
>> mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the LORD of hosts, and
>> a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.
>> 17 Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; My cities through
>> prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the LORD shall yet
>> comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.
>> 18 Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns.
>> 19 And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What be these?
>> And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah,
>> Israel, and Jerusalem.
>> 20 And the LORD shewed me four carpenters.
>> [*Oh oh, who showed Zech*? *The LORD*?
>> *But the first time it was the angel of the LORD*
>> *who said he would show Zech*. *Now this means*
>> *the angel of the LORD is the LORD Himself*]
>> 21 Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These
>> are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up
>> his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of
>> the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to
>> scatter it. [*Here the angel of the LORD explains the*
>> *rest of the vision*]
>>
>> Chapter 2
>> 1 I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man with a
>> measuring line in his hand.
>> 2 Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure
>> Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length
>> thereof.
>> 3 And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and
>> another angel went out to meet him,
>> [*Okay, now here we have a typo in the KJV*
>> *Because the angel of the LORD is the man with*
>> *the measuring stick and the one speaking again*
>> *with Zech so when he went forth he is obviously*
>> *not the one that should run to Zech, but the other*
>> *angel is the one who should run, which is also*
>> *translated that way in other translations*
>> *because that makes sense*
>> *In the source text were probably only pronouns*,
>> *so the KJV translators made a mistake*]
>> 4 And said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying,
>> Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the
>> multitude of men and cattle therein:
>> [*So here we have the angel of the LORD again*
>> *speaking the LORD's word to the other angel*
>> *and telling him to tell this to Zech*
>> *So this is the angel of the LORD telling the other*
>> *angel exactly what to say*
>> *Also notice that we haven't heard from Zech*,
>> *other than a question for an explanation*
>> *So Zech is not prophecying here, only asking*
>> *and listening and the angel is doing all the talking*
>> *doing all the bringing of the LORD's word*
>> *Keep that in mind, because that is important*]
>> 5 For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round
>> about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.
>> 6 Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith
>> the LORD: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the
>> heaven, saith the LORD.
>> [*This is still the angel of the LORD telling*
>> *the other angel what to say*
>> *we haven't had a change of scene yet, so*
>> *this is still the same as above, namely*
>> *the angel of the LORD speaking to the other angel*]
>> 7 Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of
>> Babylon. [*And now we come to it, the important part*
>> *now we will see who the 'me' really is*]
>> 8 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me
>> unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you
>> toucheth the apple of his eye.
>> [*LOOK, this is the angel of the LORD speaking of*
>> *himself; the LORD has sent His Angel to the nations*]
>> 9 For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be
>> a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts
>> hath sent me. [*See? The angel of the LORD is sent and will shake
>> his*
>> *hand upon them and everyone will know*
>> *that the LORD has sent him*
>> *The prophet doesn't have such power*
>> *only the angel of the LORD does*!
>> *Now the 'me' finally makes sense*]
>> 10 Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I
>> will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD.
>> [*Now suddenly the LORD is the subject again*]
>> 11 And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and
>> shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou
>> shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee.
>> [*See? The LORD says He will dwell in their midst*
>> *and they shall know that the LORD has sent him*
>> *Thus here it is finally said plain and clear*
>> *the angel of the :LORD is the LORD of hosts*
>> *and the LORD of hosts sends the LORD of hosts*
>> *There you have it, two LORDs of hosts*]
>> 12 And the LORD shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land,
>> and shall choose Jerusalem again.
>> 13 Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out
>> of his holy habitation.
>> [*And that really is a verse to fall quiet by*]
>>
>> Chapter 3
>> 1 And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel
>> of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.
>> [*And now the story continues, with another vision*]
>> *so obviously Zech is the subject again*
>> *Because the story moves on, into the next chapter*]
>> 2 And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even
>> the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand
>> plucked out of the fire?
>> [*Look: the LORD says that the LORD should*
>> *rebuke Satan. So LORD1 invokes LORD2*
>> *And you can't say it's a sort of majestic speach*
>> *because no-one speaks of himself like that*
>> *no matter how sovereign they are*]
>> 3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the
>> angel. [*Look, Joshua stands before the angel of the LORD*]
>> 4 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him,
>> saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he
>> said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I
>> will clothe thee with change of raiment.
>> [*The angel of the LORD has caused Joshua's*
>> *iniquity to go away. Now who else but*
>> *the LORD can do that? No-one*
>> *So again, this shows the angel of the LORD*
>> *is the LORD of hosts himself*]
>> 5 And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set
>> a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the
>> angel of the LORD stood by.
>> [*Whoah, ole Zech's gotta say add something*
>> *to the ceremony as well. To add to Joshua's honour*
>> *and the angel of the LORD thinks it's alright*]
>> 6 And the angel of the LORD protested unto Joshua, saying,
>> 7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and
>> if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house,
>> and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk
>> among these that stand by.
>> 8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that
>> sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will
>> bring forth my servant the BRANCH.
>> 9 For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one
>> stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving
>> thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of
>> that land in one day. [*And this is where it gets REALLY important*
>> *the LORD says the BRANCH is gonna remove*
>> *the iniquity of that land* (*as with Joshua's*)
>> *Now who removed Joshua's iniquity again? Yes*,
>> *that was the angel of the LORD. So the angel of*
>> *the LORD is the same as the BRANCH*
>> *and the angel of the LORD is the same as the*
>> *LORD of hosts, thus*
>> *the BRANCH is the LORD of hosts*
>> *Jesus Christ IS the LORD of hosts*!!!]
>> 10 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his
>> neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.
>>
>> Chapter 4
>> 1 And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a
>> man that is wakened out of his sleep,
>> 2 And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and
>> behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it,
>> and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps,
>> which are upon the top thereof:
>> 3 And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl,
>> and the other upon the left side thereof.
>> 4 So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying,
>> What are these, my lord?
>> 5 Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me,
>> Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
>> [*Now the angel of the LORD starts speaking*]
>> 6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of
>> the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by
>> my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
>> [*This is an important part, because here the LORD*
>> *effectively foretells Jesus' peacework*
>> *This verse says the Messiah is not coming to*
>> *do His work in power, but in the spirit of the LORD*
>> *which is something other than the Jews were expecting*
>> *They expected a mighty king, saving them from their*
>> *wordly enemies. Well, the BRANCH is coming with*
>> *the spirit, to do His work in peace*]
>> 7 Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt
>> become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with
>> shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.
>> [*The angel continues and stresses his words*]
>> 8 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
>> 9 The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house;
>> his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of
>> hosts hath sent me unto you.
>> [*Who 'me'? The angel of the LORD*]
>> 10 For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall
>> rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with
>> those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro
>> through the whole earth. [*End angel of the LORD speaking*]
>> 11 Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive
>> trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side
>> thereof? 12 And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these
>> two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the
>> golden oil out of themselves?
>> 13 And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And
>> I said, No, my lord.
>> 14 Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the
>> Lord of the whole earth.
>> [*End of our little walkthrough*]
>>
>> So, this appears to be a key book in the Bible, this book of the
>> prophet Zechariah. Not only does it speak of the end of the
>> Babylonian exile, but also does it speak of the One who was to come,
>> the BRANCH, the Messiah, and it reveals the nature of His work,
>> which is different from what the Jews were expecting. It describes
>> Jesus Christ in exactly. But the most important thing is, for now
>> anyway, that it reveals that there are two LORD's of hosts and that
>> the angel of the LORD is the LORD of hosts and that the angel of the
>> LORD is the BRANCH is the Messiah and that the Messiah is the LORD
>> of hosts.
>>
>> Rejoyce!
>>
>> Ariaan
>>
>
> That's a keeper!
>
> Uncle Davey
>
> (It's quite amusing, in a way, that we've got a chap called Ariaan
> arguing this well against Arianism!)
Well, you know, in Dutch a follower of Arius is indeed called an 'Ariaan'.
But rest assured, my name is derived from 'Adriaan' or 'Adrianus', or as you
would say: Adrian
Well, who knows, perhaps a little joke by the LORD, eh? ;-)
Oh, and I should probably have moved my comment above 4:8 one verse down to
4:9. Someone commented on that, and of course verse 8 is Zech speaking and
verse 9 is the angel continuing. So that was a little 'formatting error'.
Ariaan
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