Introduction
1. One word that describes the life of God’s people after the exile: re-build.
2. What was the exile? The Jews revolted against the Babylonian empire, and in 586 B.C. Jerusalem and its temple were burned. The best and brightest were taken captive to Babylon. In 538 B.C. Cyrus the Great (Persian king who defeated Babylon) ended the exile, allowing the Jews to return home.
3. In the post-exilic period there were three times the Jewish exiles returned to Jerusalem. The Lord sent Haggai 16 years after the first return, and Zechariah two months after. Malachi came 80 years later during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah.
4. The returned exiles had to rebuild their lives from scratch! They were worried about the future, trying to survive day by day. Do you identify with them?
5. Covenant EFC is in a period of building and rebuilding. In this season, the post-exilic prophets help us to see from God’s point of view. They inspire us to ask for:
A. A BIGGER VISION OF GOD (ZECHARIAH)
1. Zechariah provides us a profound picture of God’s glory! The prophet embodies this message — Zechariah means “the Lord remembers”! In Zechariah 10:9 the people will be called to remember the Lord again because He remembers them!
2. The Lord gave a fresh vision of His glory through eight supernatural visions in Zechariah.
3. In Vision 3, the Lord promised His people that He would be a wall of fire around them (vv. 4b-5).
4. In the same vision, the Lord reveals His heart for the nations! (vv. 10-11a)
5. God is saying to us — ask me for a bigger vision! Ask me for a bigger vision of my Son, Jesus!
6. Zechariah chapters 9-14 help us to behold Jesus the Son of God (9:9, 12:10)
B. A DEEPER PASSION FOR GOD’S MISSION (HAGGAI AND MALACHI)
1. The story in Haggai did not end with disobedience — the people rallied to build the house of the Lord, because He stirred their spirits (Haggai 1:13-14).
2. We are here today because God stirred faithful men and women to build His house — before our time.
3. Are our spirits stirred to build God’s house for the generations to come? During the time of Malachi, 80 years later, the people weren’t.
4. Malachi 3:13-14 is a disputation (the sixth of six disputations in Malachi). God’s people felt it was vain to serve God.
5. We might feel that way for various reasons, including wounds and disappointments. But God heals us and continues to heal us (Malachi 4:2)
Conclusion
1. In our season of building and rebuilding, let’s remember that God alone is able to build His church! God alone can give us a bigger vision and a deeper passion!
2. This is how the work will get done — not by our power or might, but by His Spirit (Zech 4:6).
Sunday Worship Songs at cefc.ch/sws
Next Week’s Topic: Haggai 1:1-11
Next Week’s Speaker(s): Rev Edmund Wong (BPJ,) Rev Tony Yeo (WDL) & Hor Guo Yi (East)
