Then the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God, Why do you break the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken you.’” But they conspired against him, and by command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the Lord. Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, had shown him, but killed his son. And when he was dying, he said, “May the Lord see and avenge!”
Subject: Service to God
God uses His servants the way He wants. In the life of Hosea we saw this servant marry a prostitute and have the prostitute run away. God had Hosea buy her back. Elijah was taken to a brooke and feed by ravens. Amos was called from tending sheep, delivered his message and returned to his sheep. Daniel was feed to the lions, but rescued by God. In the above passage Zechariah was stoned to death by a wicked king - his only audience for his prophecy. As far as we can see Zachariah had no fruit from his preaching, although the king who stoned him (Joash) would, as he spoke in his prophecy, die. Jonah saw the entire city of Nineveh come to God in faith. Nahum, sent later to the Ninevites, saw none come to God. God uses his servants and sees their fruit and their ministries accomplish what He wants. We are not in charge of the fruit, the methods, the process, or the calling. In the above passage we are told that Zechariah as "clothed" with the Spirit of God. He was simply faithful to God. That is all that is required.
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