Jesus is the Cornerstone of our faith, the Cornerstone upon which the Church is built.

"From them (the people of Judah) will come a cornerstone" (Zechariah 10:4). Here, we have a prophecy concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Cornerstone of our faith, the Cornerstone upon which the Church is built. He is our solid Rock. Those who build on Him are wise. "I will bring them (the people of Judah, Joseph's people) back because I have compassion for them" (Zechariah 10:6) - This is the love of God and the salvation of God. Through the Lord Jesus Christ, we receive life. This life gives us new strength.

We need both - challenge and comfort.

There is a call from God - "Return to Me" - and a promise from God - "I will return to you" (Zechariah 1:3). God's Word contains both challenge and comfort. It is not challenge without comfort. It is not comfort without challenge. We need both - challenge and comfort.

By ourselves, we cannot move from a self-centred life to a God-centred life, but we can look to the Lord to change us.

Who is most important to us? Our God or ourselves (Zechariah 7:5-6)? This is the challenge that is placed before us by the prophets of God. Our way of thinking and our way of living must be laid bare by the Word of the Lord. God wants us to see ourselves as we really are. He wants us to see Him as He really is. By ourselves, we cannot move from a self-centred life to a God-centred life, but we can look to the Lord to change us. When we ask for the Lord's help, we don't suddenly become perfect, but we do receive help from the Lord - help to become more what He wants us to be.

When great numbers of sinners are brought to the Saviour - this is the Lord 's doing and it is marvellous in our eyes.

"I will pour out the Spirit of blessing and mercy on David's family and on those who live in Jerusalem" (Zechariah 12:10). Through our Lord Jesus Christ, who is "greater than David", we receive the blessing of the Spirit. this blessing is given to us through the mercy of God. It's all of grace. All the glory belongs to the Lord. Let us magnify His Name, the Name of our salvation. After Jesus' ascension, His apostles were told to wait in Jerusalem until the Spirit of the Lord was poured upon them. What a day it was - the day of Pentecost - when the Spirit came upon them in power.It was power for the effective communication of the Gospel, leading to the conversion of many. Such an outpouring of the Spirit brings great glory to the Lord. When great numbers of sinners are brought to the Saviour, all we can say is that this is the Lord 's doing and it is marvellous in our eyes. Hallelujah!

Favour and unity (Zechariah 11:7) - God will look with favour on His people when they are united in Him. Let us seek the Lord's favour. Let us be united in seeking His favour. Let us seek to be united in the Lord, praying that He will look upon us with favour.

When the Lord returns, there will be His triumph over all His enemies.

Here, on earth, there is spiritual warfare. We do not fight in our own strength - "The Lord will go out and fight against those nations" (Zechariah 14:3). When the Lord returns, there will be His triumph over all His enemies: "The Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones will be with Him" (Zechariah 14:5). We must not lose sight of the eternal perspective. This is what gives us encouragement: "the Lord will be King over all the earth. On that day, the Lord will be the only Lord, and His Name the only name" (Zechariah 14:9).

A fountain ... to wash away their sin

"A fountain ... to wash away their sin and stain" (Zechariah 13:1) - Here's a prophecy that points forward to our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. In death, He gave Himself for us. His blood was shed for us.Through His death, by the shedding of His blood, we receive the forgiveness of our sins. This is such a great blessing from such a great Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ.

We must not lose sight of the eternal perspective. This is what gives us encouragement.

Here, on earth, there is spiritual warfare. We do not fight in our own strength - "The Lord will go out and fight against those nations" (Zechariah 14:3). when the Lord returns, there will be His triumph over all His enemies: "The Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones will be with Him" (Zechariah 14:5). We must not lose sight of the eternal perspective. This is what gives us encouragement: "the Lord will be King over all the earth. On that day, the Lord will be the only Lord, and His Name the only name" (Zechariah 14:9).

God will look with favour on His people when they are united in Him.

Favour and unity (Zechariah 11:7) - God will look with favour on His people when they are united in Him. Let us seek the Lord's favour. Let us be united in seeking His favour. Let us seek to be united in the Lord, praying that He will look upon us with favour.

God's way of leading us to Jesus, our Saviour.

God's Word speaks out against us so that we might learn to stop speaking against Him. We speak against Him when we present ourselves as righteous in His sight. To imagine that we are righteous is to be guilty of self-deception. If we are to enjoy the blessing that comes to us from the Lord, there is something that we must hear: "this warning is for you" (Malachi 2:1). Through the warning of the Gospel, we are brought into the position where we see ourselves as sinners. This is God's way of showing us our need of the Saviour. It's His way of leading us to Jesus.

Such a great blessing from such a great Saviour!

"A fountain ... to wash away their sin and stain" (Zechariah 13:1) - Here's a prophecy that points forward to our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. In death, He gave Himself for us. His blood was shed for us.Through His death, by the shedding of His blood, we receive the forgiveness of our sins. This is such a great blessing from such a great Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ.

The outpouring of the Spirit brings great glory to God and many sinners to the Saviour.

"I will pour out the Spirit of blessing and mercy on David's family and on those who live in Jerusalem" (Zechariah 12:10). Through our Lord Jesus Christ, who is "greater than David", we receive the blessing of the Spirit. This blessing is given to us through the mercy of God. It's all of grace. All the glory belongs to the Lord. Let us magnify His Name, the Name of our salvation. After Jesus' ascension, His apostles were told to wait in Jerusalem until the Spirit of the Lord was poured upon them. What a day it was - the day of Pentecost - when the Spirit came upon them in power. It was power for the effective communication of the Gospel, leading to the conversion of many. Such an outpouring of the Spirit brings great glory to the Lord. When great numbers of sinners are brought to the Saviour, all we can say is that this is the Lord 's doing and it is marvellous in our eyes. Hallelujah!

Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Cornerstone of our faith,

"From them (the people of Judah) will come a cornerstone" (Zechariah 10:4). Here, we have a prophecy concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Cornerstone of our faith, the Cornerstone upon which the Church is built. He is our solid Rock. Those who build on Him are wise. "I will bring them (the people of Judah, Joseph's people) back because I have compassion for them" (Zechariah 10:6) - This is the love of God and the salvation of God. Through the Lord Jesus Christ, we receive life. This life gives us new strength.

We need both truth and holiness.

We need both truth and holiness (Zechariah 8:3). Truth is not just something to be believed. Truth changes us. Truth leads us into the pathways of holiness. We need both "truth and peace" (Zechariah 8:19). When truth changes us, it leads us into the paths of peace. The holy life is not to be a life of pride. That is Pharisaism. We think that holiness is all our own doing. The way of true holiness is also the way of peace. We seek to show, by our way of living, that we have been saved by the Lord and changed by Him. We show that the Lord is working in us, when we learn to walk in the way of peace. We are not to be like the Pharisee who looks down his nose at other people. We are to reach out to them in peace. At the Cross, we have learned that we are loved. At the Cross, we learn to hold out the love of Christ to other people.

God's Kingdom will come - in His time.

"Rejoice with all your heart... Shout in triumph... Your King is coming to you... " (Zechariah 9:9). Here, we have the prophecy that was fulfilled by Jesus when He entered the city of Jerusalem, on His way to the Cross. This is followed, in Zechariah 9:10, by the words, "He will rule from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth." This speaks to us of the coming King and His coming Kingdom. While we are here on earth, we catch glimpses of the coming Kingdom. The full revelation is still to come. It will come - in God's time.

Without God, no real work of lasting value will be done.

"A house in Shinar (Babylonia)" (Zechariah 5:11). Babylon is symbolic of the world that opposes God and His purpose. Even in 'Babylon', an unbelieving and disobedient world, God is building His House. "They are going to build a House" - There human builders, but, ultimately, this is the work of the Lord. All the glory belongs to Him. We must not sit back, and say, "You do it, Lord." We acknowledge that, without God, no real work of lasting value will be done - but we also say, "We commit ourselves to You, Lord. We will not leave your work undone."

Satan has no answer to the Word of the Lord.

"I, the Lord, silence you, Satan!" (Zechariah 3:2). We cannot silence Satan. The Lord can silence Satan. This is why we must answer Satan with the Word of the Lord. Satan has no answer to the Word of the Lord. "See, I have taken your sin away from you, and I will dress you in fine clothing" (Zechariah 3:4). This is God's great salvation: our sin is removed, and we are clothed in the righteousness of Christ. Satan has no answer to this. He may try to accuse us, but the Lord's Word will prevail over him: "For those who are in Christ Jesus, there is no condemnation" (Romans 8:1). Those who have been forgiven by the Lord are called to "live according to His ways" (Zechariah 3:7). We are to walk in the Spirit. He gives life to us. He raises us up from and above the way of sin and death (Romans 8:2). "These men are a sign of things to come" (Zechariah 3:8) - a sign that pointed forward to Jesus, God's Servant, "the Branch" (Zechariah 3:8). We are to point to Jesus. We are to bring something of heaven and its glory into the lives of the people we meet. "The stone" - Look at the stone (Zechariah 3:9). This is a call to look to Jesus, the cornerstone, the Foundation Stone of our faith. "I will remove this land's sin in a single day" (Zechariah 3:9). The forgiveness of our sin comes in a day. Its effects last for a lifetime - "each of you will invite your neighbours to sit under your vine and fig tree" (Zechariah 3:10). We are to invite people to rest in Jesus.

The power of the Spirit comes to us as the power of love, the power of Christ, the power of the Gospel.

The work of God is not done in our own strength. We need the superior power of God's Spirit (Zechariah 4:6). The power of the Spirit comes to us as the power of love, the power of Christ, the power of the Gospel. This is the power that reaches us and changes us. There  is no power like the power  of God's Spirit. The power of God's Spirit does not come in an entirely supernatural way. It comes to us through people:. "Zerubbabel's hands have laid the foundation of this House, and his hands will finish it" (Zechariah 4:9). It is the Lord who uses us in His service. We must never forget that the real power comes from Him: "Then you will know that the Lord of Armies has sent me to you" (Zechariah 4:9). This supernatural dimension is at the heart of every real work of God. When we emphasize this supernatural dimension. This something that we must never forget - if we are to honour the Lord, truly and fully. God works through ordinary people, who give themselves to Him, the extraordinary God. God is looking for people who will say to Him, "Here am I, send me" (Isaiah 6:8).

It is the Spirit of the Lord who brings blessing when the Word of the Lord is preached.

"Here  is the man whose name is Branch ... He will rebuild the Lord's Temple" (Zechariah 6:12), We read these words. We think of Jesus and His promise, "I will build My Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). The servants of the Lord are sent out to different places (Zechariah 6:1-7). The "Spirit" of the Lord goes with them (Zechariah 6:8). It is the Spirit of the Lord who brings blessing when the Word of the Lord is preached. "Those who are far away will come and rebuild the Lord's Temple" (Zechariah 6:15). By ourselves, we are "far away" - far from God. Through Christ, we have been brought near - near to God. By His grace, he has saved us. By His grace,He will use us in the rebuilding of His Temple. There will be blessing when we are fully obedient to the Lord - This will happen if you obey the Lord your God completely" (Zechariah 6:15). Lord, lead us on to a closer walk with You and a fruitful witness for You.

Who is most important to us? Our God or ourselves?

Who is most important to us? Our God or ourselves (Zechariah 7:5-6)? This is the challenge that is placed before us by the prophets of God. Our way of thinking and our way of living must be laid bare by the Word of the Lord. God wants us to see ourselves as we really are. He wants us to see Him as He really is. By ourselves, we cannot move from a self-centred life to a God-centred life, but we can look to the Lord to change us. When we ask for the Lord's help, we don't suddenly become perfect, but we do receive help from the Lord - help to become more what He wants us to be.

Challenged and comforted by the Word of the Lord

There is a call from God - "Return to Me" - and a promise from God - "I will return to you" (Zechariah 1:3). God's Word contains both challenge and comfort. It is not challenge without comfort. It is not comfort without challenge. We need both - challenge and comfort.