A City Without Walls (Zechariah 2:1-13, Hebrews 11:8-10, Hebrews 12:22-24)
Rev. William L. Barron, February 5, 2023Part of the Morning Worship at North Greenville Church series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
Now we look at Zechariah's third vision, concerning Jerusalem, coming judgment and measuring the city. The angels mentioned are thought by some to be a theophany, or appearance of God the Father and Christ the Son. The picture is of a massive city, built with people from other nations following 70 years of exile and an end to rebellion. We are reminded of Ezekiel 9 concerning God's departure from the temple and from the East Gate and the Mount of Olives. For the exiles and for us, our treasure is God Himself, through whatever captivity may come our way. The new temple after the return was not as glorious as Solomon's temple, yet God's people comprise an unmeasurable city, rebuilt from heaven (Rev. 21). We do not need walls; God is our protector, and nothing can overcome the Church. The question for us is, which of Augustine's two cities are we living in, the city of God or the city of man? How do we measure our city? Where do our desires rest, for God's holiness or for earthly things? How do we measure our church, by earthly or heavenly measures? How do we measure our own lives? How do we measure our government? Although we live in an earthly city, there is another reality--the city of God that Christ is building. So, are people seeing God in us? Are we shining our, showing God? We must live our faith, bowing before God. We must be about God's work, rejoicing because the Lord is coming back. We must also be reverent in the face of judgment that is coming. God's presence is echoed by the gospel message.
| Earlier: | Same day: | Later: |
|---|---|---|
| « The New Covenant In The New Testament | None | My Plucked Firebrand » |
Zechariah 2 (Listen)
2:1 And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand! 2 Then I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.” 3 And behold, the angel who talked with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him 4 and said to him, “Run, say to that young man, ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and livestock in it. 5 And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the LORD, and I will be the glory in her midst.’”
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. 8 For thus said the LORD of hosts, after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye: 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. 10 Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the LORD. 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. 12 And the LORD will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem.”
13 Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD, for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.
(ESV)
Hebrews 11:8–10 (Listen)
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.
(ESV)
Hebrews 12:22–24 (Listen)
22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
(ESV)