Exposition by Max A Forsythe
The
Reformer's Fire
Exposition by Max A Forsythe
Many of you will perhaps remember the children's story about the Emperor's new clothes. As that story goes, two con men persuade the emperor that they can weave a magical cloth visible by only the wise and able. Of course no one wants to admit that they cannot appreciate the finery that everyone else Ooos and Aaahs over. Who would want to admit being the only fool in any administration or kingdom.
Finally, so the story goes, the Emperor parades through the streets to display the finished product and until a little boy bluntly speaks the truth, the entire citizenry is pulled into the con. Remember the classic words of the young man? "The emperor has no clothes". Of course, with that sudden exposure the whole crowd roars with laughter and only a fool would insist that he had seen anything!
In like manner two elvish pranksters in Britain stepped forward about a year ago to announce that they were the ones who went out with board and string to make the crop circles in the wheat fields of England. But, some scientists still refuse to believe that any hoaxters from our planet have been having a field day. Yes, you can fool some of the people some of the time, but as always you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.
Now, by way of introduction you are probably wondering where all of this foolishness is leading? Let me take that famous line from the "Emperor's New Clothes" and change it slightly so that you may better understand the greatest tragedy in all of history! "The clothes have no king". May our worldly politicians beware of what the public is learning of late. Satisfaction with the public performance of our leaders is declining speedily. "The clothes have no king". Let's take this concept a little further and apply it as the theme of our passage in Zechariah today. Look if you will to the entirety of chapters 9:1 to 11:3.
We have here in these verses an oracle commanded to Zechariah for passage to the people. One of my commentators suggests that the term oracle means a heavy burden. To draw out the Hebrew implications of the term what we have here is the prophetic equivalent to the task of the young man in our children's story. Someone has to tell the truth to deliver the people from the con artists. None of the natural leaders of that fictional kingdom are responsible enough to admit the nonsense of it all.
In this oracle, the Lord's hand is heavy upon the leadership of Israel. What we as Christians see here obviously are references to the coming of Jesus Christ. What the Jews of Jesus time and the world of our own do not see is the King! This prophetic passage will trip up the wisdom of the worldly who do not see our Christ. This was the burden laid heavily upon the prophet Zechariah. He would speak of the coming of a King who would not be recognized. This is high tragedy.
"The clothes have no King!" Even as the prophetic assembly of a greater kingdom here noted was assembled, the reality of the coming king was ignored. We may understand that in the first eight verses of Chapter Nine, the named and famed kingdoms of Palestine were doomed to destruction and assimilation. With the destruction of these ancient kingdoms - some of their peoples found their way into the temple of the Lord our God. Even as peoples in the Successor States of Eastern Europe are hungry for the God of heaven long denied by absentee communist masters.
In the second section of our passage there is announced the coming of a promised King to Zion's hill. Even the Lord Himself is promised in appearance in the third section. And in His appearance, Judah is assured that the Lord will care. Well do we know who was adorned with majesty, power and honor on that foal of a donkey one Palm Sunday long after the time of Zechariah. Would that Israel's leaders had dusted off this prophecy and publicly worshiped the King who came unto His own.
But, his own received Him not. The man Jesus, as we know was the Lord Himself, come down to Zion. But tragically the Old Testament Church leaders did not acknowledge their King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The clothes flung so wildly in the street for the great King to ride over in majesty were just as quickly regathered and the people forgot the God they had welcomed. Within the week, the same crowd was calling for their King's crucifixion.
Now, before we condemn the Christ killers too quickly let us understand the tragedy in verses two and three of chapter ten. The people of Jesus' time, just like the people of every other time, including our own, were looking for solid signs. The comedy scene in Jesus Christ Superstar where Jesus is asked "to walk across my swimming pool" is not as far fetched as it may sound. Paul well appreciated the desires of the peoples to see miraculous verification of the Lord's presence as we heard in our call to worship today.
Just as the Jews of Jesus time ignored the coming king after these things were accomplished that were prophesied in this passage, so too do the worldly discredit the accomplishment of any prophetic passage. Worldly leaders have not changed since the time of Zechariah or of Christ. They little acknowledge the King vested with all power and glory and majesty. Even though the prophecies of old predicted many things about Jesus Christ. The reality of the words are not enough.
Yes, there may have been a man called Jesus. Yes, material clothes may have hung on his frame. But, to call Him a king? Or even worse in the eyes of the world, to call him God? Thank the goodness of God's mercy that we are not like the worldly, we like the innocent child may certainly affirm that "the clothes do indeed have a king!"
In spite of bad, indifferent and negligent leadership over the course of time, the Lord Himself has cared for Judah and her adopted children. Now, several commentators read into the last part of this passage the idea that modern Israel will one day be restored. I think not, that was the very same mistake that the Jews of Jesus time made!
They too were looking for a premillennial coming of the Messiah. Instead I believe that what we see in the last portion of this prophecy is the promised revival within all nations because of what Christ accomplished. Look at the blessed promise in verse ten, the last phrase: "and there will not be room enough for them." Won't the final coming be a wonderful time in this sense?
And may we discover in our own time a hint of that joyous occasion as well. Yes, we all have fond hopes for revival in our time. Will we allow our hopes to be focused on essentials? By that I mean, will we be content with what the Lord has already accomplished in your heart and is accomplishing in those around you? Perhaps too many of our hopes are focused on a grand and glorious revival shaking this nation of ours? Let us focus a little closer to home. Will we be content to accept the revival of one heart at a time.
As our passage in Zechariah closes we may well appreciate the revival works of our God. Chapter ten, verse twelve tells us that "'I will strengthen them in the Lord and in his name they will walk,' declares the Lord." May we open our hearts to this premise and as we sense His presence, let us constantly affirm that there is a King in Zion whom we know from His Word. Finally, may we allow Him to work His will in our life even as we move from strength to strength and prepare ourselves for eternity with Him.
Resources Used:
Baldwin, Joyce G. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries:Zechariah.
Bently, Michael. Welwyn Commentary: Building for God's Glory.
Boice, James M. The Minor Prophets: An Expositional Commentary.
Lloyd-Jones, Martyn. Revival.
Places Preached:
Christ Covenant REFORMED (Presbyterian Church in America)
Box 13926 -- Columbus, OH 43213
Zec09a 15 November 92
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