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The Four Chariots
6 Now I lifted up my eyes again and looked, and behold, (A)four chariots were coming forth from between the two mountains; and the mountains were bronze mountains. 2 With the first chariot were (B)red horses, with the second chariot (C)black horses, 3 with the third chariot (D)white horses, and with the fourth chariot strong (E)dappled horses. 4 Then I spoke and said to the angel who was speaking with me, “(F)What are these, my lord?” 5 The angel replied to me, “These are the (G)four spirits of heaven, going forth after standing before the Lord of all the earth, 6 with one of which the black horses are going forth to the (H)north country; and the white ones go forth after them, while the dappled ones go forth to the (I)south country. 7 When the strong ones went out, they [a]were eager to go to [b](J)patrol the earth.” And He said, “Go, [c]patrol the earth.” So they [d]patrolled the earth. 8 Then He cried out to me and spoke to me saying, “See, those who are going to the land of the north have [e](K)appeased My wrath in the land of the north.”
9 The (L)word of the Lord also came to me, saying, 10 “(M)Take an offering from the exiles, from Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah; and you go the same day and enter the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, where they have arrived from Babylon.
The Symbolic Crowns
11 Take silver and gold, make an ornate (N)crown and set it on the head of (O)Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. 12 Then say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Behold, a man whose name is [f](P)Branch, for He will [g](Q)branch out from where He is; and He will (R)build the temple of the Lord. 13 Yes, it is He who will build the temple of the Lord, and He who will (S)bear the honor and sit and (T)rule on His throne. Thus, He will be a (U)priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two [h]offices.”’ 14 Now the (V)crown will become a reminder in the temple of the Lord to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah and [i]Hen the son of Zephaniah. 15 (W)Those who are far off will come and [j]build the temple of the Lord.” Then you will (X)know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. And it will take place if you completely (Y)obey the Lord your God.
Hearts like Flint
7 In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is (Z)Chislev. 2 Now the town of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regemmelech and [k]their men to [l](AA)seek the favor of the Lord, 3 speaking to the (AB)priests who belong to the house of the Lord of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, “Shall I weep in the (AC)fifth month [m]and abstain, as I have done these many years?” 4 Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, 5 “Say to all the people of the land and to the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months [n]these (AD)seventy years, was it actually for (AE)Me that you fasted? 6 When you eat and drink, [o]do you not eat for yourselves and do you not drink for yourselves? 7 Are not these the words which the Lord (AF)proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and [p](AG)prosperous along with its cities around it, and the [q](AH)Negev and the [r]foothills were inhabited?’”
8 Then the word of the Lord came to Zechariah saying, 9 “Thus has the Lord of hosts said, ‘(AI)Dispense true justice and practice (AJ)kindness and compassion each to his brother; 10 and (AK)do not oppress the widow or the [s]orphan, the [t]stranger or the poor; and do (AL)not devise evil in your hearts against one another.’ 11 But they (AM)refused to pay attention and [u](AN)turned a stubborn shoulder and [v](AO)stopped their ears from hearing. 12 They made their (AP)hearts like [w](AQ)flint [x]so that they could not hear the law and the (AR)words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the (AS)former prophets; therefore great (AT)wrath came from the Lord of hosts. 13 And just as (AU)He called and they would not listen, so (AV)they called and I would not listen,” says the Lord of hosts; 14 “but I [y](AW)scattered them with a (AX)storm wind among all the nations whom they have not known. Thus the land is (AY)desolated behind them [z]so that (AZ)no one went back and forth, for they (BA)made the pleasant land desolate.”
A Scene of Heaven
15 Then I saw (A)another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, (B)seven angels who had (C)seven plagues, which are (D)the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished.
2 And I saw something like a (E)sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had (F)been victorious [a]over the (G)beast and (H)his image and the (I)number of his name, standing on the (J)sea of glass, holding (K)harps of God. 3 And they *sang the (L)song of Moses, (M)the bond-servant of God, and the (N)song of the Lamb, saying,
“(O)Great and marvelous are Your works,
(P)O Lord God, the Almighty;
Righteous and true are Your ways,
(Q)King of the [b]nations!
4 “(R)Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name?
For You alone are holy;
For (S)all the nations will come and worship before You,
For Your [c](T)righteous acts have been revealed.”
5 After these things I looked, and (U)the [d]temple of the (V)tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened, 6 and the (W)seven angels who had the seven plagues (X)came out of the [e]temple, clothed in [f]linen, clean and bright, and (Y)girded around their chests with golden sashes. 7 Then one of the (Z)four living creatures gave to the (AA)seven angels seven (AB)golden bowls full of the (AC)wrath of God, who (AD)lives forever and ever. 8 And the [g]temple was filled with (AE)smoke from the glory of God and from His power; and no one was able to enter the [h]temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.
Prayer for Deliverance and Guidance.
A Psalm of David.
143 Hear my prayer, O Lord,
(A)Give ear to my supplications!
Answer me in Your (B)faithfulness, in Your (C)righteousness!
2 And (D)do not enter into judgment with Your servant,
For in Your sight (E)no man living is righteous.
3 For the enemy has persecuted my soul;
He has crushed my life (F)to the ground;
He (G)has made me dwell in dark places, like those who have long been dead.
4 Therefore (H)my spirit [a]is overwhelmed within me;
My heart is [b](I)appalled within me.
5 I (J)remember the days of old;
I (K)meditate on all Your doings;
I (L)muse on the work of Your hands.
6 I (M)stretch out my hands to You;
My (N)soul longs for You, as a [c]parched land. [d]Selah.
7 (O)Answer me quickly, O Lord, my (P)spirit fails;
(Q)Do not hide Your face from me,
Or I will become like (R)those who go down to the pit.
8 Let me hear Your (S)lovingkindness (T)in the morning;
For I trust (U)in You;
Teach me the (V)way in which I should walk;
For to You I (W)lift up my soul.
9 (X)Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies;
[e]I take refuge in You.
10 (Y)Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
Let (Z)Your good Spirit (AA)lead me on level [f]ground.
11 (AB)For the sake of Your name, O Lord, (AC)revive me.
(AD)In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble.
12 And in Your lovingkindness, [g](AE)cut off my enemies
And (AF)destroy all those who afflict my soul,
For (AG)I am Your servant.
24 Four things are small on the earth,
But they are exceedingly wise:
25 The (A)ants are not a strong people,
But they prepare their food in the summer;
26 The [a](B)shephanim are not mighty people,
Yet they make their houses in the rocks;
27 The locusts have no king,
Yet all of them go out in (C)ranks;
28 The lizard you may grasp with the hands,
Yet it is in kings’ palaces.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.