Full Transcript for Evening Sermon - 4th October 2026 - A Tale of Two Cities: Babylon and Zion in Zechariah

which dared to despise even God, whereas the communion of the saints is rooted in the love of God even to contempt of self. 00:02:57.675 --> 00:03:06.875 The one lifts up its head in its own boasting, the other says to God, You are my glory, you lift up my head. 00:03:07.820 --> 00:03:17.500 And though human societies of course differ in language, culture and custom, Augustine observed that Scripture ultimately recognizes only two. 00:03:17.660 --> 00:03:26.975 He says one city is that of men who live according to the flesh and the other is of men who live according to the spirit. 00:03:27.615 --> 00:03:31.055 And Augustine's analysis of course is thoroughly biblical. 00:03:31.055 --> 00:03:42.970 The Bible presents two cities or two kingdoms and they're locked in conflict, one destined for condemnation and eternal destruction, the other for glory and eternal life. 00:03:43.210 --> 00:03:51.690 And this is the background for Zechariah's visionary message here as it speaks of Babylon and speaks of Jerusalem. 00:03:52.395 --> 00:03:57.995 And the prophet writes there, Up up, flee from the land of the North, declares the Lord. 00:03:57.995 --> 00:04:04.235 Up, escape the Zion, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon. 00:04:04.880 --> 00:04:11.760 And these two cities Jerusalem and Babylon of course symbolize the spiritual realm of which Augustine was speaking about. 00:04:11.920 --> 00:04:17.520 One stands for the city of God's favor, the other stands for the city of God's wrath. 00:04:17.920 --> 00:04:26.585 And throughout Scripture Jerusalem represents the city of God and Babylon represents the city of the world. 00:04:26.905 --> 00:04:38.160 And the book of Revelation most notably uses Babylon as a symbol for the sinful world order opposed to God and of course destroyed by heaven the final judgment. 00:04:38.160 --> 00:04:44.720 That's all set out for us in Revelation chapters fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen and eighteen. 00:04:45.615 --> 00:05:00.230 So the title of my sermon this evening is borrowed from Charles Dickens classic novel, A Tale of Two Cities and we're going to look at three things as we look at this tale of two cities and its relevance for us in the twenty first century. 00:05:00.230 --> 00:05:03.990 Number one, we're gonna think about judgment on the city of man. 00:05:04.630 --> 00:05:09.190 And then secondly, we're gonna think about salvation for the city of God. 00:05:09.510 --> 00:05:13.190 And then thirdly, we're gonna think about commands to the people of God. 00:05:13.190 --> 00:05:17.725 And there's a little outline on your hem sheet if you want to follow along there. 00:05:17.725 --> 00:05:22.365 So first of all, let's think about judgment on the city of man. 00:05:22.765 --> 00:05:24.365 Judgment on the city of man. 00:05:24.365 --> 00:05:32.540 God's vision to Zechariah continues with a command for God's people to flee from the land of the North. 00:05:32.540 --> 00:05:36.540 That is from the region of Babylon

where they were living. 00:05:37.020 --> 00:05:44.655 If you remember God had exiled the Israelites there as punishment for sin, but now He planned to restore them back in their home. 00:05:45.215 --> 00:05:55.550 And therefore the people should leave, God says, the comfort that they have achieved in Babylon to embrace the challenges of rebuilding God's setting. 00:05:55.630 --> 00:06:00.350 And in Zechariah chapter two verses six through nine, it tells us why. 00:06:00.670 --> 00:06:05.470 A great coming judgment upon Babylon and the nations is going to occur. 00:06:05.710 --> 00:06:08.670 There are two great cities, the city of God and the city of man. 00:06:09.115 --> 00:06:11.435 And the city of man will be judged and destroyed. 00:06:11.435 --> 00:06:32.620 That's Babylon and God's message therefore cries out there in verses six and seven which we read together, 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 up escape to Zion you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon. 00:06:32.940 --> 00:06:48.335 And the opening words in Hebrew when we think of those words up up are, hi or hey, catch yourself on, try to catch some sort of attention in the message interrogative exclamations. 00:06:48.735 --> 00:06:56.410 And it gains attention and is followed by a command to flee from the lands of the North where God had earlier sent his people. 00:06:56.730 --> 00:07:02.650 And God is about to judge Babylon by striking it and the people must leave before the judgment falls. 00:07:02.650 --> 00:07:05.770 And note, there are two grounds for this judgment. 00:07:06.775 --> 00:07:11.495 First of all, God will judge Babylon in order to gain glory for Himself. 00:07:12.215 --> 00:07:18.375 And then secondly, He will judge Babylon because God will act to vindicate and defend His own people. 00:07:18.880 --> 00:07:24.240 And let's look at these grounds for judgment upon Babylon because of relevance for us today. 00:07:25.040 --> 00:07:29.840 And the first reason for judgment on the city of man is for the sake of God's glory. 00:07:31.145 --> 00:07:35.305 And God is going to judge Babylon first for the sake of His own glory. 00:07:35.465 --> 00:07:45.785 And that idea set out for us there in verse eight of Zechariah chapter two For thus says the LORD of hosts, after His glory sent me to the nations who plundered you. 00:07:45.785 --> 00:07:46.745 Now what does that mean? 00:07:47.040 --> 00:07:49.840 What are we really being told here? 00:07:50.080 --> 00:07:55.440 Well a correct interpretation of these words hinges on the word after there. 00:07:55.520 --> 00:08:08.675 For thus says the Lord of hosts after and it should be rendered in pursuit of and the verse is best rendered in pursuit of glory He has sent me against the nations. 00:08:09.155 --> 00:08:23.280 This idea is consistent with the teaching of Scripture elsewhere that God strikes His enemies in pursuit of for the sake of His own glory and God's judgment on Pharaoh of course is a classic example. 00:08:23.760 --> 00:08:38.025 While afflicting Egypt with terrible plagues God says in Exodus chapter 19 in verse six For this purpose I have raised you up to show you my power so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth. 00:08:38.185 --> 00:08:47.890 And the same explanation is given by the angel in this particular vision in verse nine Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me. 00:08:47.890 --> 00:09:04.295 So God earlier glorified His power in the overthrow of mighty Egypt and He glories in His holiness Himself and in this just judgment of Babylon and the other nations who plundered the Jews. 00:09:04.295 --> 00:09:13.050 God is going to come and He's going to judge them for His own glory to remind them that He is God, that He is holy, that He is in charge. 00:09:13.130 --> 00:09:19.850 They might be the great empires of the day but it's God who raises up the empires and it's God who takes them down. 00:09:20.410 --> 00:09:25.795 But the second reason for judgment on the city of man is for the sake of God's people. 00:09:26.115 --> 00:09:27.875 It's for the sake of God's people. 00:09:28.115 --> 00:09:42.910 God loves His people and God's angel would visit the Babylonians with wrath because we're told in verse eight there of chapter two, He who touches you, that's mine people, touches the apple of his, that's God's eye. 00:09:43.550 --> 00:09:54.465 And we remember that God had sent the Jews into captivity in Babylon and elsewhere and He allowed the destruction of Jerusalem at Nebuchadnezzar's hands as a judgment for their sins. 00:09:54.625 --> 00:10:01.265 And yet that doesn't mean that He would tolerate those who brutalized Jerusalem and its citizens, far from it. 00:10:01.265 --> 00:10:09.800 Instead God Himself will seek vengeance for all the vindictive harm done to His people. 00:10:09.960 --> 00:10:15.480 Judgment is often presented in Scripture as a reversal of the fortunes of the wicked. 00:10:15.800 --> 00:10:17.960 And that's exactly how we see it here. 00:10:18.200 --> 00:10:22.645 The charge against Babylon and the nations is that they had plundered. 00:10:23.365 --> 00:10:31.285 And judging them therefore God says in verse nine, Behold, I will shake my hand over them and they will become plunder for those who serve them. 00:10:31.285 --> 00:10:39.420 And this is the kind of judgment that we read about in the book of Revelation when God's final judgment comes upon the wicked of the earth. 00:10:39.500 --> 00:10:48.215 There the angels praise him for his justice for they have shed the blood of the saints and prophets and you have given them blood to drink. 00:10:48.215 --> 00:10:49.655 Is that what they deserve? 00:10:49.655 --> 00:10:52.455 That's what we're being told in Revelation 16. 00:10:52.855 --> 00:11:03.900 And God's judgment in Zachariah's day meant a great reversal of fortune on those who harmed his people and it will

mean to see him at the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:11:04.380 --> 00:11:15.980 And it's wonderful to read that God himself will vindicate his people, will vindicate his church even more wonderfully as the fact that he refers to us this evening as the apple of his eye. 00:11:16.425 --> 00:11:20.025 And the Israelites had been placed in exile because of their sin. 00:11:20.105 --> 00:11:24.825 They had been cast out of God's holy city and spread among the nations. 00:11:24.905 --> 00:11:27.465 And yet all the while God remembered them. 00:11:27.625 --> 00:11:28.505 He cherished them. 00:11:28.650 --> 00:11:33.610 He kept His eye upon them and all that time they remained the apple of His eye. 00:11:33.850 --> 00:11:44.405 And you know that phrase appears elsewhere in the Old Testament always as an expression of course of God's tender and fervent affection for His covenant people. 00:11:45.045 --> 00:11:59.050 We're told the Lord's portion is the people, His people, Jacob, His allotted heritage and Moses comes and he says he encircled him, he cared for him and he kept him as the apple of his eye. 00:11:59.370 --> 00:12:07.290 And what a statement of God's faithful grace that even in exile for sin Israel remained that to him. 00:12:07.290 --> 00:12:18.275 The apple of his eye and God allowed the nations to place their hands on his beloved people and yet all the while he readied himself for the day of vengeance and deliverance. 00:12:18.515 --> 00:12:29.700 And the angel explains why in Zechariah here to Zechariah in verse eight, For whoever touches you touches the apple of my eye. 00:12:30.020 --> 00:12:43.755 And look at this tender love and faithfulness here of the Lord towards His often unworthy people Israel and seeing it a picture of His unchanging love and faithfulness towards you and me. 00:12:43.755 --> 00:12:45.595 At times we let the Lord down. 00:12:46.075 --> 00:12:48.635 At times the church isn't what the church should be. 00:12:49.275 --> 00:12:52.715 But yet the Lord still looks upon us as the apple of His eye. 00:12:53.160 --> 00:13:04.040 If you've learned to take refuge under the shadow of His wings and if Christ is truly your Savior and you're in that covenant relationship with Him, then hear this very clearly tonight. 00:13:04.200 --> 00:13:11.145 You are loved by God with the very same love with which He loves His only begotten Son. 00:13:11.145 --> 00:13:19.865 You are as dear to Him and indispensable to Him as the most precious member of your body is to you. 00:13:20.450 --> 00:13:34.850 So take this image and apply it to yourself right now and make your prayer perhaps the prayer that David prayed in Psalm 17 and verse eight, Keep me as the apple of your eye, hide me under the shadow of your wings. 00:13:36.275 --> 00:13:38.595 How will judgment of the wicked happen? 00:13:39.075 --> 00:13:43.475 Well, the angel explains, behold, I will shake my hand over them. 00:13:43.475 --> 00:13:45.475 That's what we're told in verse

nine. 00:13:45.555 --> 00:13:50.515 And the manner in which the judgment comes will prove it to be the Lord's work. 00:13:50.850 --> 00:13:58.450 And the angel of the Lord will not need to struggle, he will not need to labor, he will not need to fight against his enemy in any way. 00:13:58.450 --> 00:14:02.210 A simple wave of the hand is enough. 00:14:02.850 --> 00:14:08.025 He merely indicates by gesture what he wills and it's done. 00:14:08.345 --> 00:14:22.265 And that's the measure of His powerfulness and as a result those who once stood as victors are turned into plunder for the very people they have oppressed and just as they had done to Israel so it's going to come to them. 00:14:22.760 --> 00:14:29.800 And when the status of entire nations can be reversed with such effortless power, that is true glory. 00:14:29.800 --> 00:14:31.320 And we've got to keep that in mind. 00:14:31.320 --> 00:14:33.160 We are the apple of His eye. 00:14:33.240 --> 00:14:35.240 The church will go through tribulation. 00:14:35.495 --> 00:14:40.615 The church will go through difficulties, will experience that at an individual level. 00:14:42.055 --> 00:14:45.815 But yet the wonderful thing is we have got a God who is all powerful. 00:14:45.815 --> 00:14:47.895 A God who is able to change things. 00:14:49.090 --> 00:14:53.010 A God who does it with the least amount of effort. 00:14:53.010 --> 00:14:53.410 Why? 00:14:53.410 --> 00:14:56.050 Because He is almighty, He is glorious. 00:14:56.930 --> 00:15:01.490 Judgment on the city of man and we know that judgment is coming. 00:15:02.355 --> 00:15:07.955 Might we dwell in the fact that we are the apple of His eye in the light of that coming judgment. 00:15:09.315 --> 00:15:22.040 But then secondly let's think about the salvation for the city of God, salvation for the city of God and we have been considering the character and the fate of two different cities one of which is set apart for judgment. 00:15:22.280 --> 00:15:33.080 And the vision then turns to Jerusalem because the book of Zechariah focuses much on the city of Jerusalem and tells us of a great salvation for the city of God. 00:15:33.665 --> 00:15:39.345 And there are three things that we see here when we think about the salvation of the city of God. 00:15:39.905 --> 00:15:42.225 The first thing that we see here is blessing. 00:15:42.625 --> 00:15:54.730 The downcast Jerusalem of Zachariah's time will shout and rejoice over their spiritual blessings and the most important of which is the renewed presence of the Lord in their midst. 00:15:55.050 --> 00:15:59.690 And this is the angel's exhortation to the people in the light of God's coming. 00:15:59.690 --> 00:16:06.705 Sing and rejoice O daughter of Zion for behold I come, I will dwell in your midst, declares the Lord. 00:16:06.705 --> 00:16:10.145 That's what we're told in verse 10 of Zechariah chapter two. 00:16:10.465 --> 00:16:21.150 And always the chief and greatest blessing is not the gift of God, but

the greatest blessing is God Himself. 00:16:22.270 --> 00:16:37.005 To revive, to move in our hearts and you know God's promised return was surely intended to revive efforts to rebuild the temple which would again represent God in the midst of His people. 00:16:37.325 --> 00:16:50.150 And yet the scope of blessing would reach far beyond the people of Israel because we're told there the angel continues in verse 11, And many nations shall join themselves to the Lord in that day and shall be my people. 00:16:50.310 --> 00:17:06.195 And here we see the prophetic vision racing forward beyond the horizon of Zacharias time to that day when the city without walls would expand outward into the earth as the nations are drawn by the gospel of God to His salvation. 00:17:06.435 --> 00:17:15.250 And then verse 12 wonderfully adds these words, The Lord will inherit Judah as the portion in the Holy Land and will again choose Jerusalem. 00:17:15.730 --> 00:17:21.490 This is when God will reap what He looked for all along in His dealings with the Jews. 00:17:22.130 --> 00:17:33.415 Was always His intention to receive as His own portion, not just one tribe, not just the Jews but out of every tribe and tongue and nation. 00:17:34.695 --> 00:17:37.335 Involuntary submission coming to his throne. 00:17:37.895 --> 00:17:44.410 And the angel said in verse 11, Many nations shall join themselves to the Lord in that day and shall be my people. 00:17:44.410 --> 00:17:47.370 And this is when God's portion will be realized. 00:17:47.370 --> 00:17:52.490 This is when Jerusalem will become all she was originally intended to be. 00:17:52.490 --> 00:17:59.485 The home of believers from all nations, all those washed and made clean in the blood of the lamb and beloved of God. 00:17:59.485 --> 00:18:02.125 When we think of Jerusalem we think of the church. 00:18:03.005 --> 00:18:05.405 When we think of Zion we think of the church. 00:18:05.965 --> 00:18:22.090 And because of this gathering of the nations the angels will sing of this forever in heaven giving glory to God for you alone verse four of Revelation 15 says, for you alone are holy, all nations will come to worship you. 00:18:23.115 --> 00:18:34.075 And you know the Lord receives the first fruits of this even now as Christian churches draw people from tribes and tongues and nations to worship him. 00:18:34.475 --> 00:18:42.520 Paul said that Jesus has torn down the divisions of the world by the cross that He might create in Himself one new man. 00:18:42.520 --> 00:18:56.575 Ephesians two fifteen and how it glorifies God today when men and women with little else in common can join as one people in the church to worship and serve through Jesus Christ. 00:18:56.575 --> 00:18:59.535 We see here the wonder of blessing. 00:18:59.855 --> 00:19:01.935 But secondly, we see here Christ. 00:19:02.255 --> 00:19:15.550 And you know it's impossible to continue studying these verses and to take seriously the specific statements they contain without pointing out that the very center of this vision is the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:19:16.510 --> 00:19:27.735 As we follow the flow of the second chapter of Zechariah, it seems evident that the speaker of these oracles is the angel of the Lord that we met in the first vision in chapter one verse 11. 00:19:27.895 --> 00:19:32.535 Chapter two opens with a vision of a man, as you know with a measuring line. 00:19:32.935 --> 00:19:37.255 The interpreter angel is summoned by another angel and told to intervene. 00:19:37.790 --> 00:19:47.950 The other angel who begins speaking is surely the angel of the Lord who earlier appeared as a rider on a red horse and the chief of the hosts of heaven. 00:19:48.270 --> 00:19:59.295 And he begins to speak in verse four of Zechariah chapter two and it makes the most sense to understand that he's still speaking in these verses which run to the end of the chapter. 00:19:59.295 --> 00:20:11.290 And after all, whom else would God send to wreak His vengeance and other than the commander of the Lord of hosts, Jesus Christ Himself. 00:20:11.530 --> 00:20:25.115 And in our first study, and this first vision that we looked at, we noted that the angel of the Lord is the pre incarnate Christ, the second person of the Godhead before He took on human flesh and was given the name of Jesus. 00:20:25.755 --> 00:20:32.155 And these verses in chapter two support this interpretation in a most compelling way. 00:20:32.520 --> 00:20:41.400 Notice for instance the way the activity and speech of the angel and that of the Lord become essentially one in this particular vision. 00:20:41.400 --> 00:20:52.045 I will shake my hand over them says the angel and they shall become plunder for those who serve them and then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me. 00:20:52.045 --> 00:21:01.645 The identification of the angel of the Lord becomes even stronger when speaking of the return of the Lord to his people in verses ten and eleven. 00:21:02.160 --> 00:21:08.640 Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold I come and I will dwell in your midst declares the Lord. 00:21:08.720 --> 00:21:14.495 I will dwell in your midst and you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. 00:21:14.495 --> 00:21:23.055 And here the one who will come to dwell amidst the people is the Lord, yet he is also the one whom the Lord of hosts has sent. 00:21:23.535 --> 00:21:34.060 And the same situation pertains to the ingathering of the nations in verse 11, and many nations shall join themselves to the Lord in that day and shall be my people. 00:21:34.060 --> 00:21:43.420 The speaker is the one who is sent by the Lord of hosts, that is the angel of the Lord who speaks to Zachariah, speaks in Zachariah's vision. 00:21:43.865 --> 00:21:48.425 And the people who are joined to the Lord will be His people. 00:21:49.065 --> 00:21:57.065 And here we have an example of how the Old Testament is reckoning out and setting before us the great doctrine

of the Trinity. 00:21:57.065 --> 00:22:05.010 We have two participants who are both referred to and exercise the rights of Lord, one who sends and one who has sent. 00:22:05.490 --> 00:22:11.250 And this strongly argues the identity of the angel, a pre incarnate Jesus Christ. 00:22:11.250 --> 00:22:17.865 The data of this passage virtually demands two figures capable of the name Lord of hosts. 00:22:18.105 --> 00:22:26.105 And according to the New Testament, Jesus Christ is the only one who is sent by the Father and is also God Himself. 00:22:26.105 --> 00:22:27.385 We've been learning about that. 00:22:27.385 --> 00:22:30.450 He is Jehovah Jesus Christ the Lord. 00:22:30.530 --> 00:22:37.650 So we see here in this passage very very clearly when we think of the City of God. 00:22:37.810 --> 00:22:40.130 We see blessing in the City of God. 00:22:40.130 --> 00:22:46.915 We see blessing in the Church and above all else we see the Head of the Church Jesus Christ in all His glory. 00:22:47.395 --> 00:22:52.755 The one who has been told to come and the one who is doing the work of the Father. 00:22:53.555 --> 00:22:55.315 And then thirdly we see redemption. 00:22:57.150 --> 00:23:03.070 And this vision previews the redemption programme Christ would accomplish on his father's behalf. 00:23:03.070 --> 00:23:08.270 He says there in verse 10, I come and I will dwell in your midst. 00:23:08.590 --> 00:23:13.605 And this is precisely of course what happened in the incarnation of Jesus Christ. 00:23:13.605 --> 00:23:17.765 The word became flesh and Jesus tells us and dwelt among us. 00:23:18.245 --> 00:23:36.570 And it was the same angelic legion we saw mounted in Zechariah chapter one as surely the same legion who broke into the skies that night in Bethlehem to the shepherds to proclaim the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:23:37.130 --> 00:23:47.595 It was in the birth of the Christ child an event more splendid by far than the building of the temple that God came to dwell among His people. 00:23:48.315 --> 00:23:53.195 And the promise of Zechariah two eleven is also fulfilled in the coming of Christ. 00:23:53.195 --> 00:24:00.410 It's the fruit of His work that many nations shall join themselves to the Lord in that day and shall be my people. 00:24:00.410 --> 00:24:09.610 And indeed it's only in Christ and His church that any semblance can be given to the fulfillment of this particular promise. 00:24:10.570 --> 00:24:23.305 This hasn't got anything to do with a Jewish nation or the reestablishing of Jerusalem or the rebuilding of a temple someday where the sacrifices are going to be enacted again. 00:24:23.865 --> 00:24:31.960 It was at Pentecost after Christ's death and resurrection that the nations spoke as one through the Holy Spirit's ministry. 00:24:31.960 --> 00:24:40.865 It was through the Apostles missionary journeys that the Gentiles were made heirs of the promise and members of God's saving covenant. 00:24:41.425 --> 00:24:46.625 And it's still going on today as we work in the church. 00:24:46.865 --> 00:24:50.465 Many nations are joined with the Lord to become Christ's people. 00:24:51.890 --> 00:24:57.170 The angel continued with the promise that God would be made known through His salvation. 00:24:57.170 --> 00:25:03.250 Verse 11, I will dwell in your midst and you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. 00:25:03.410 --> 00:25:19.375 And that's what Christ's saving work does even as He said in John chapter five and verse 36, For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing bear witness about me and the Father has sent me. 00:25:20.430 --> 00:25:26.350 And the vision culminates with the idea of nations joining the Lord and becoming His own people. 00:25:26.510 --> 00:25:33.230 The Lord will inherit Judah we're told as His portion in The Holy Land and will choose Jerusalem. 00:25:33.230 --> 00:25:34.510 We're told that in verse 12. 00:25:35.055 --> 00:25:44.415 And the reader of the New Testament can hardly help but think as well of the vision of the Christian church as portrayed in the book of Hebrews. 00:25:45.135 --> 00:26:07.545 Hebrews chapter 12 verses 22 through 24, You have come to Mount Zion in the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to the innumerable angels in festal gathering, 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, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant. 00:26:08.105 --> 00:26:27.740 If Zechariah marveled at the vision presented by this divine angel Savior, how much more must we marvel to see its more wonderful fulfillment in the coming of the one called Emmanuel, God with us, even Jesus Christ. 00:26:27.740 --> 00:26:29.900 We see redemption here. 00:26:30.505 --> 00:26:35.705 We're seeing prophetically worked out the movements of the church in history. 00:26:37.545 --> 00:26:47.450 So judgment on the city of man, salvation of course for the city of God and thirdly and finally commands to the people of God. 00:26:48.010 --> 00:26:49.610 Commands to the people of God. 00:26:49.610 --> 00:27:00.410 The magnitude of these promises we've just been considering must have been staggering to Zachariah's mind as he stood there in the midst of the ruins of the Temple Of Jerusalem. 00:27:02.865 --> 00:27:14.705 The point of this oracle however was not merely inspirational but it was motivational and we missed the point if we don't consider three great imperatives, three great commands that we see here. 00:27:15.530 --> 00:27:22.330 Three great commands for the prophet's generation and three great commands for our generation. 00:27:22.810 --> 00:27:26.810 And the first commandment is this, Flee from the wrath to come. 00:27:27.835 --> 00:27:29.595 Flee from the wrath to come. 00:27:29.595 --> 00:27:31.515 Flee from the city of man. 00:27:32.795 --> 00:27:33.995 That's the first command. 00:27:33.995 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00:27:35.035 We've already read it. 00:27:35.035 --> 00:27:38.315 Up up, flee from the land of the North, declares the Lord. 00:27:38.315 --> 00:27:45.250 Up, escape to Zion, you who dwell with the daughter of Zion or the daughter of Babylon. 00:27:45.730 --> 00:27:55.010 And the people of God must flee the worldly city Babylon since they cannot dwell there without risking participation in its judgment. 00:27:56.575 --> 00:28:04.495 John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress I suppose is a classic story that maybe tells what's really happening here. 00:28:04.495 --> 00:28:12.510 Christian, if you remember, has been reading his Bible and there he learned of a great judgment come upon the city of destruction where he lived. 00:28:12.830 --> 00:28:17.790 And he was searching for a way of escape when he encountered a man named Evangelist. 00:28:18.190 --> 00:28:24.270 And hearing of Christian's fear of judgment, Evangelist inquired as to why he had not departed. 00:28:24.515 --> 00:28:29.075 If this is your condition says evangelist, why are you still standing here? 00:28:30.355 --> 00:28:33.235 And Christian replied because I don't know where to go. 00:28:33.715 --> 00:28:40.750 And the evangelist gave him a scripture verse Matthew three:seven, Flee from the wrath to come. 00:28:41.150 --> 00:28:52.685 An evangelist showed Christian the way to the celestial city, the city of safety and salvation and Christian began running and his wife and children cried for him to return. 00:28:52.685 --> 00:28:57.805 So he put his fingers in his ears and he began to cry life, life, eternal life. 00:28:58.765 --> 00:29:03.830 And you know, we too must flee the city of man, the city of destruction. 00:29:03.830 --> 00:29:05.670 We must reject its standards. 00:29:05.750 --> 00:29:13.910 We must repudiate its ways, embracing those of the city of God to which we are fleeing for salvation. 00:29:14.725 --> 00:29:26.805 Martin Lloyd Jones explains, he says it should not be our ambition to be as much like everybody else as we can, though we happen to be Christian, but rather our ambition should be to be like Christ. 00:29:27.160 --> 00:29:28.840 The more like Him the better. 00:29:28.840 --> 00:29:30.440 The more like Him we become. 00:29:30.440 --> 00:29:35.000 The more we shall be unlike everybody who is not a Christian. 00:29:35.000 --> 00:29:37.800 We must flee from the city of man. 00:29:37.880 --> 00:29:40.120 We must flee from the wrath to come. 00:29:42.925 --> 00:29:45.645 And then the second command is sing and rejoice. 00:29:46.205 --> 00:29:47.245 Sing and rejoice. 00:29:47.245 --> 00:29:53.725 This is a more positive command and it's addressed to those already in the city of God. 00:29:53.725 --> 00:29:56.525 Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion. 00:29:56.900 --> 00:30:02.340 It was for the sake of the second command that the great promises and blessings were given. 00:30:02.340 --> 00:30:07.860 And surely they were great enough to inspire such rejoicing. 00:30:09.475

--> 00:30:19.155 God's people, the recipients of so great salvation are to be characterised by correspondingly great joy before the world. 00:30:19.395 --> 00:30:26.610 And you know, one of the world's chief lies is that if we flee from sin, you will lose out on your happiness. 00:30:27.730 --> 00:30:36.050 But fleeing the pleasures sin not make you unhappy. 00:30:36.745 --> 00:30:44.905 Quite the opposite because life in God's city is more pleasant than all the carnal joys that we leave behind. 00:30:44.905 --> 00:30:48.985 Believers have the joy of knowing the true and the living God. 00:30:48.985 --> 00:30:50.745 Ours is the joy of what? 00:30:51.070 --> 00:30:57.070 Ours is the joy of redemption, the awareness that we're cherished with love that is stronger than death. 00:30:57.070 --> 00:31:02.990 Ours is the joy of being used by God for things that really matter and endure forever. 00:31:03.445 --> 00:31:23.660 And of course that's the joy that the prophet Zephaniah used in his great work where he speaks about sing aloud, O daughter of Zion, shout O daughter of Israel on that day it shall be said in Jerusalem, Fear not O Zion, let your hands grow mighty in the Lord. 00:31:23.660 --> 00:31:28.780 The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save. 00:31:29.820 --> 00:31:38.075 And we will face troubles but there is no problem for which Jesus Christ is not the answer. 00:31:38.235 --> 00:31:43.355 And we will endure trials but Jesus Christ is the balm for our wounds. 00:31:43.755 --> 00:31:50.830 We will know tears but Christ is the Savior who dries our eyes and answers death with the promise of what? 00:31:51.790 --> 00:31:52.510 Life. 00:31:53.630 --> 00:31:59.230 Therefore the Apostle Paul could write from his prison cell, Rejoice in the Lord always. 00:31:59.805 --> 00:32:02.765 Again I say rejoice. 00:32:03.085 --> 00:32:08.205 Flee from the wrath to come and then sing and rejoice. 00:32:08.525 --> 00:32:11.405 And then the third command is be silent before the Lord. 00:32:11.660 --> 00:32:13.260 Be silent before the Lord. 00:32:13.260 --> 00:32:21.340 And this chapter of Visions concludes with one last command and it's addressed to the entire creation. 00:32:23.020 --> 00:32:28.215 And if you were to read the word in Hebrew, literally that word silent means hush. 00:32:29.415 --> 00:32:37.655 This presents something of a contrast for verse 10 tells us to shout out in joy, grieving the Lord with the sound of triumph. 00:32:37.735 --> 00:32:51.030 Yes, but ours is not the boisterous, raucous happiness of the world, rather ours is that joy that's compatible with quiet and a gentle spirit with reverence and worship before the holy throne of God. 00:32:51.030 --> 00:32:53.190 Be silent all flesh before the Lord. 00:32:53.505 --> 00:32:59.105 And that's what we're told and the angel commands, For He has roused Himself from His holy dwelling. 00:33:00.225 --> 00:33:04.065 Surely this speaks to the character of true worship. 00:33:04.305 --> 00:33:10.310 The Lord is the focus of what we are doing and we are attentive to Him. 00:33:10.710 --> 00:33:15.430 And we're still before the Lord because His activity is what matters and not ours. 00:33:15.670 --> 00:33:19.750 His Word is what we need to hear and understand, not ours. 00:33:20.065 --> 00:33:26.865 His presence calms our fears and stills the torrents of our souls as no human therapy could ever do. 00:33:27.585 --> 00:33:43.970 Be silent before the Lord says the angel just as Jesus spoke to the waves tossing the boat in the midst of the sea and he said 'peace be still!' So a tale of two cities. 00:33:45.675 --> 00:34:01.840 Zacharias generation like ours was required to choose between two cities, two loves and for them it must be Babylon or Jerusalem, it couldn't be both And this is a choice we also must make. 00:34:02.240 --> 00:34:03.920 Flee from the wrath to come. 00:34:04.080 --> 00:34:05.920 That's what the vision tells us. 00:34:06.480 --> 00:34:09.200 And let's flee to the city of God. 00:34:09.825 --> 00:34:13.505 Let's flee to rejoicing in the Lord. 00:34:13.905 --> 00:34:16.305 Let's flee to Him alone who can meet our need. 00:34:16.305 --> 00:34:29.680 And there in the temple that was not built by hands but by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, let's be still before the Lord worshipping him in quietness and gladness and peace. 00:34:30.800 --> 00:34:40.975 Through Jesus Christ God has roused himself from his holy dwelling to live among us and make us his people forever. 00:34:41.535 --> 00:34:44.255 We're pilgrims passing through. 00:34:44.655 --> 00:34:52.415 We have to redeem the time because the days are evil, and we should be continually fleeing to the city of God. 00:34:54.179 --> 00:35:01.779 The city of God ultimately the church, but even beyond that there, Jesus Christ himself. 00:35:02.419 --> 00:35:02.899 Amen.