Wednesday, December 10, 2008

God Moves Through People


Tonight in Bible study we reviewed Zechariah's eight night visions he received on February 15, 519 BC. The consistent theme of the visions was to show that God was able and willing to restore the Jews returning from Babylonian exile. The purpose of the visions was to motivate the Jewish leaders and the general public to fulfill God's plan for their generation.

In the fifth vision Zechariah is shown a lampstand that was burning oil supplied by two olive trees. At the end of the vision Zechariah ased the angel who was talking to him , "What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?" The problem with this question was the use of the word "What" instead of "Who" because the angel answered, "These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth."

The two trees were two men, Joshua, the high priest, and, Zerubbabel, the governor or civil leader. These two men were represented as two trees who supplied an unlimited supply of oil for the lamp, but this was only possible because they were anointed by God.

The point: God anoints people in order to accomplish his will. It was clear through out these eight visions that God was ready to move but he first had to convince the people who were anointed for that generation to move before his plan for rebuilding the temple and reestablishing the nation of Israel would move forward. It is the same today. When God moves in the earth or provides the supplies that are needed he will do it through people.

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com