Title: Faith that makes great mountains flat
Contents
Zechariah (14) Faith that makes great mountains flat (Zechariah 4:7-10)
1. Dedicated bold faith
The ‘great mountain’ in verse 7 refers to the great barrier that blocked the building of the temple in Zechariah’s time. It is said that the great mountain becomes flat in front of Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel was the governor who devoted himself to building the temple. In the face of devotion and bold faith, even problems like mountains become flat, and furthermore, they become paved roads leading to blessings. Sometimes when we encounter big problems, we cling to God with a poor heart. That is the purpose and reason for which the problem is given. Even in the midst of problems, if you hold on to God and go out with bold faith, the problem becomes a stepping stone to success and Jacob's ladder to heaven.
2. Christ-Centered Faith
A ‘capstone’ is placed on the top of a building when construction is finished. In a spiritual sense, the headstone symbolizes Christ. When the temple, that is, the church, is built around the cornerstone, grace will abound, and the great mountain will be turned into a plain. Sometimes when I run into a big problem, I think like this. “If I had money, I could have overcome this problem.” I think it would be nice to have something like that, but the most important thing is to make Christ the cornerstone of your life. Then all the necessary will be filled.
3. Faith that endures to the end
At the time of Zechariah, the people of Israel laid the foundation stone for the temple and stopped construction for 16 years, but God made sure to complete the temple through Zerubbabel so that the work that began with God's grace could be completed (verse 9). If you persevere toward the holy vision, if you run, God will surely make it happen. Philippians 1:6 says this: “We are sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Christ Jesus.” Even if it is difficult and difficult, if you persevere until the end, a good vision will surely bear good fruit.
4. Faith that starts even if it is small
God tells us not to despise the “day of little things” (verse 10). Why did you describe the day when the rebuilding of the temple began as a “day of small things”? It was because the beginning was too humble compared to when Solomon's temple was built. In verse 10, “the eyes of the Lord who go throughout the whole world” means that God sees everything, and “having a plumb line” means “doing your best.” If you are not ashamed of starting small and do your best in it, God, who watches all things, will turn even the great mountains into plains.
<Do not despise the little things>
Today, people usually like big places. So they flock to big markets, big restaurants, and big churches. A big place has its advantages, but a small place has its own advantages. ‘Living in the big water’ is good, but ‘living in the big water’ in a small place is better, and ‘a life of looking at the small things’ is a more blessed life than a ‘life enjoying the big things’. The eye to discover the inner little pearl is the spiritual eye that will lead to the greatest blessings in the future.
When I do small things, I sometimes feel like this. “How could this help!” But do not ignore the little things. All big things start with small things. When Zerubbabel brought the first stone to build the temple in a situation where he had returned from captivity in Babylon and had no money and no means of living, how insignificant must he have seemed to people. But the important thing is that God is initiating and watching.
Do not despise the little things, but cherish the little things. Make small beginnings meaningful, and value small commitments. Also, do not give up tomorrow's dreams and hopes for the sea of grace, at least the fruits of the present. Elijah looked up to a small cloud the size of a palm over a distant mountain and heard the sound of a great rain. Even if there is only a cloud the size of a palm in your life, don't give up hope, hold on to that little sign of faith and do your best. Then the little cloud will one day turn into a rain of great blessing.