Good to see everyone tonight to worship the Lord with you It's my song through endless ages Jesus led me all the way I was like the end of that song don't you Shouldn't get tired of it now singing it anyway and thinking on And of course that goes a little bit with our message tonight You showed up for part two For the Mars is part two you didn't know that You have to listen to the recording of part one. You missed the first half of the message, but that's okay. Zechariah chapter two, that's where we are. And this morning we considered the first three verses of that chapter. Here the Lord gives a vision to the prophet of a man with a measuring line. And of course, that man turns out truly to be one of the Lord's angels and he's measuring out the city of Jerusalem as it will be when Christ returns and he reigns on earth there during the millennial reign. But tonight we're going to get into the heart of the vision and see what the Lord teaches about this city. And it's interesting as we read through this chapter, I don't know, maybe some of you got curious and you read it this afternoon, I don't know. As you read through it, you don't read of a great description of beautiful towers or ramparts. Even a temple in the midst is not described here. But what we do read about it is amazing and it's wonderful. It might not seem that way at first, but it is. Notice this. I'm in Zephaniah. Let me turn to Zechariah. confusing. Zechariah 2 verse 1, I lifted up mine eyes again and looked, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand. Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof? And behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him, and said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein." Now that might not sound very glorious. The title of this sermon is The City Without Walls. In Zechariah's day, the greatness of a city could often be measured by the height and breadth of its walls. You could know right away you were coming to a great city when you came to a great big wall that surrounded it. Remember we talked about Nineveh and the might of that city as it was in Jonah's day and as it eventually would face destruction. That city had great walls that were said to be 60 feet high and three chariots could ride abreast of one another on the walls and it was boasted of that. Babylon they found in ancient inscriptions, as far as ancient Babylon goes, the walls by them are described as being 300 feet high. And they are said to be miles and miles around. I think 56 miles long is the length of that supposed wall that they had. I don't know, that's just the way they described it. We've seen the Great Wall of China in pictures. I don't know if anybody's visited it, but there's a mighty wall there, right? One of the great wonders that they were able to construct this massive and lengthy wall. That meant that the city could not be taken. It didn't matter how great the army that was that was coming against it. If they had provision and they had a mighty wall, that city would stand. That's the idea of the wall. And I think it said something about the glories and the treasures that are found therein. If there's a great wall, there must be something good inside the wall. It's the idea. Well, Jerusalem here is described as a city without a wall. But that's not a negative thing. That isn't as if it is unfinished or uncared for. That's speaking of the great blessing of the city. And we want to go through this chapter, this vision tonight, and kind of understand why that is. Why is it that the lack of a wall speaks of the greatness of that city, and more than that, the greatness of the God that is blessing it here? We're going to see the glorious reasons a wall was not to be needed in the New Jerusalem. And just like we did this morning, As we look at the future Zion of our Lord Jesus Christ as he reigns on earth, and we certainly see that that is the context here in this chapter, we can still make applications to the church today and our service to the Lord and what he's doing for us. And we could say the church is like a city without a wall, just as we can say that of Jerusalem. And I hope you understand what I'm talking about as we go through this. Why does the city not need a wall? Why is it a city without a wall? Well, number one, there are no walls because of God's people that will dwell there. Verse four, And the angel said to him, Run, speak to the young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men that are therein. When Cyrus The Persian king decreed that the Jews could return to Jerusalem and they could go back to their homeland. You know, most of them didn't go. About 50,000 returned to the Jerusalem area. You know, that's compared with when David numbered the people, there were six million people there, an army of 1.6 million. That's the might of the nation in David's day. Here they are, 50,000 people around Jerusalem trying to rebuild it. You know, that can be pretty discouraging, can't it? discouraging because you're small in number, discouraging because many of the people decided that it wasn't worth it to come and to be a part of this work. They're at home in Babylon. I can understand as these few people are trying to rummage through the rubble that was Jerusalem and looking around and seeing the few people that are with them, how frustrating that would be to them. But this is the encouragement to the people through Zachariah. The Lord says to them, this Jerusalem of the future going to be inhabited as towns without walls because there's going to be so many people there. Because of the multitude of men right now, it might be that most of the people the Lord has given this call and this opportunity to come back and most of the people haven't hearkened to it. But when the Messiah comes back. He's going to call him in a powerful way and they'll respond. Verse 6 describes this. He calls to them, Ho! Ho! Come forth and flee from the land of the north, saith the Lord, for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heavens, saith the Lord. Deliver thyself, O Zion, dwellest with the daughter of Babylon. For thus, saith the Lord of hosts, after the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you. For he that toucheth you toucheth the apple. of His eye. So He's calling to them. He calls to them in that day and He will call to them yet again in the future. We read of this call in several portions of scripture and I'll just read those to you for time's sake. Ezekiel 20 verse 34, the Lord says, I will bring you out from the people and will gather you out of the countries wherein you are scattered with a mighty hand and with a stretched out arm and with fury poured out. Isaiah 11 says, And it shall come to pass in that day that the LORD shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. So here the Lord's calling His people back to Him, and men are going to respond in great numbers and return. Even more encouraging, though, than the fact that they do return is why they return. They're not saying, hey, there's good jobs at Jerusalem, let's go. They're not saying, hey, that looks like a beautiful city to live in, let's go. That's what everybody else is doing, let's follow the crowds. No, they're saying, that's where Jesus is, I want to be there. And they're coming to draw near to Him. Jeremiah 24 7 tells us this, the Lord says, I will give them in heart to know me, that I am the Lord and they shall be my people and I will be their God for they shall return into me with their whole heart. That's what's wonderful. Lord, right now people are saying, you know what? Babylon looks a lot more comfortable to live in than Jerusalem. But in the day that God calls these people, not just to the ear, but He gives them a new heart, they return wholeheartedly to be a part of His work. That's an encouraging promise to these faithful Jews, don't you think, that are laboring there? That your nation's not going to fade away. You might just be a small people in the midst of a mighty Persian empire. But one day God's going to give a great call. And He's going to restore the number of people and the blessing and joy of that people to beyond what it used to be in David's day. But this is a blessed thought for us today. Now let's turn this and let's say, how does this apply to us today? You know, I think we can look out tonight, relate a little more to Zachariah's time, can't we? We might say the people are out there in Babylon. Some can't be here because they're sick, some can't be here because of other reasons, they're traveling, but a lot of people could be here and they're not because they'd just rather not be here. Just like Zachariah's day, a lot of people say that's a lot of trouble to go to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. I'll stay here. And that's frustrating. We're a small group. Yet I think what this prophecy reminds them of is with the encouragement that we need today, that we have a God that will draw his people, that calls his people. John 6, 37, Jesus says, All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. You say, oh, if Jesus was here in person, surely people would come. You know, He's going to call men in that day, but He calls men with the same power today. He calls men the same way today in many ways. What does He do? He gives them a heart to know Him. that he is the Lord. He's not going to do it in person. He's not going to do it today in his own self, setting foot on earth and reigning from Jerusalem. Right now, he's yet at the right hand of God, but he's given the church a commission to go out and to spread the gospel to all nations and to bring that message. And he works the same way today. And let me say this in the context of his churches, he's going to fill a city. He'll save his elect. He'll draw his people unto himself. We're told in Revelation. Remember, we read this this morning. It is a multitude which no man can number that will one day bow before Christ. I'll tell you, it's a multitude that God knows the number of. That he's purpose to draw himself. What a blessing. The church is a city in many ways like a city without walls because God draws His people unto it and He will save His people through the message of the church. Just as He will draw men into the New Jerusalem one day unto Himself, He is calling men through the message we proclaim. And let's not ever doubt the power of that call. So because of His people, the multitude that He's going to bring unto Himself, there's no walls. Number two, there's no walls because of God's provision. There's no walls because of God's people. Now there's no walls because of God's provision either. His great provision. Zechariah 2, 4, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein. Cattle in Zechariah's day. Well, in our day, that's worth a little bit of money. If we had a cow, a cow would be worth some money. But in Zechariah's day, that was one of the chief forms of wealth that you had. We see that it's spoken of with Abraham and with Isaac and with Jacob, that as the Lord blessed them, what was talked about, they had herds, right? So here are cattle, a testimony of wealth and provision and blessings, bountiful provisions. If you were in this day, that would be one of the most, that would be pretty much the greatest thing that you had as far as wealth was concerned, would be your herds, your cattle. Now here in this new Jerusalem, there are overflowing blessings. There are so many men and so many cattle, so many provisions that the Lord has given them. Walls cannot contain it. You know it says in 1 Kings 10 verse 27 that Solomon made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones and cedars made he to be as sycamore trees that are in the veil for abundance. He brought great wealth into that city and many were blessed during the reign of Solomon. Those were good times. But that's nothing compared to when Jesus returns. Not even the glories of Babylon or Persia or Rome that would follow can compare to what the Lord's going to do in this wonderful city of Jerusalem. Malachi 3 10 gives this. It's a promise, but also an encouragement. It says, bring you all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be meat in my house and prove me now here with say it, the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there may there shall not be room enough to receive it. And that was true. That was a promise for that day. The Lord says, trust me and give to what I've asked you to give and be faithful and I will provide overflowing blessings to you. And it's kind of the same encouragement that they're getting here in Zechariah. The people have to sacrifice. Remember they had to, in Haggai, they had to quit building their house and build God's house. Remember that? That's what's going on. They had to give of what they had and of their time and their energy first to the Lord and to build His house and to honor Him. And it was a time that was a struggle. But the Lord is assuring them it's not a struggle in vain. He's going to supply their need in that day. We read about that in Haggai. They had had a famine when they were not faithfully serving the Lord. And the Lord says, I'm going to supply the needs of your fields. But one day, here are overflowing blessings. Blessings that the walls cannot hold in. How do we apply this to us? Well, you know, I don't preach what the world would call a prosperity gospel message. I preached a prosperity gospel message the other week, and it wasn't about money. The world might have this a lot of a lot of. Men under the name of Christianity may preach this, that if you give your tithes and you serve the Lord, He's going to give you more money, and He's going to give you more possessions, and He's going to give you good health. And men are encouraged with this mindset. But of course, that's not to be our focus. That's not our focus. We pray, give us this day our daily bread. Indeed, but long before that, we prayed, Lord, thy name be honored. Hallowed be thy name. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. The love of money is the root of all evil. Colossians 3 2 says we're to set our affections on things above, not on things on the earth. So that's not the focus here. But we can be sure of this, that the loving sacrifices that we make to the Lord and the trust that we have in him as we serve him in our times of want are not going to be in vain. Now, it might be that God does not have a purpose to make you rich, and that's good, because riches would draw you from Him. They'd distract you from Him. You'd be consumed with things you shouldn't be consumed with, and you wouldn't be trusting Him as you should, and you wouldn't be showing His glory by that trust. He protects us from things that would draw us from Him. But you know what? He also gives us what we need as long as we're here. He gives us good things. Psalm 84 11 is always true. The Lord God is a sun and a shield. The Lord will give grace and glory. No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. I've said this before. We have something better than anything we want. We have a God that gets what's best, right? What God gives me is better wealth than what I would give myself. Because I probably would. Even the pastor, all of us had that struggle. If somebody said here's a million dollars, if you want it, we'd say, I want it. But God says that's not what's best. Or he may, but it doesn't appear that that's his will for me right now. He has better plans. But let me tell you, when it comes to true riches, remember the real prosperity we talked about? They're about Gaius and his prosperity, soul prosperity. John rejoiced for his friend. He says, your soul prospers. This is prosperity that we can have today. Fellowship with God. contentment in the Lord, joy in the Lord. And let me tell you this, when it comes to this, these riches, this prosperity, there are no walls. To hold it in. Everything else has walls. Everything else has limits. There are limits to how much that you can grow in your knowledge. of the things of this world. There are limits to the possessions that you can have in this world. There are limits to how much fame and glory you get in this world. You know, there are walls when it comes to the time. There comes a point where you have no more time and no more health and no more energy and you reach your limit. But when it comes to growth in the Lord, When it comes to joy in his word and the lessons and teaching and encouragement of the scriptures, when it comes to the fruitfulness that we can have for him, when it comes to the crowns that we can cast before his feet one day, when he returns again, no walls. Isn't that good? The pleasure of Christ is limitless. Although we would seek it above all else as believers. Here's a blessing without walls. In the New Jerusalem, indeed, physical provision will be there, but ultimately the true provision of God's love and spiritual provision in that day and today has no limits. But number three, there are no walls because of God's protection. No walls because of protection. You know, the whole purpose of a wall, when you get down to it, why do you build a wall? Why make all that effort? Look at that Great Wall of China. You know, thousands and thousands of people died building this massive wall. Why build it? Because they were Mongols. They wanted to keep out of China. They had an enemy. And if you had a wall, you might be a small group, but if you got that solid barrier and you have good provisions behind it, well, Those people can camp out there all they want and we'll just stand behind our wall and we'll laugh at them, throw stuff at them. You needed a wall in Zechariah's day. Nehemiah talks about one of the first things the Jews did when they rebuilt the city. They had to rebuild that wall and half of them stood there with weapons in their hands while the other half labored on the walls because of the danger of the Samaritans or the other nations that might attack them. And they couldn't wait till they could get those walls up. Well, here the Lord says in this Jerusalem. There's not going to be in need of a wall. And that's a good thing, a wall will not be needed for good reason. Verse five, for I say, if the Lord will be under her, a wall of fire roundabout and will be the glory in the midst of her. You know, I've told you this this morning, I take this chapter very literally. I don't spiritualize it. We're making application to the church today, but I take it very literal what the Lord is saying about this New Jerusalem. In fact, we can. In Revelation chapter 20, we kind of get a picture of it. And the wall of fire. In Revelation 20 verse 7, And when a thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison and shall go out and deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, the number of whom is the sand of the sea. And they went on the breadth of the earth and come past the camp of the saints about and the beloved city. And what happens? Fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. Just like Zechariah said, right? The Lord says, I'm a wall of fire round about you. They might have marched up that city, said, ah, no walls. Here we come. But there was a wall of fire. Even Satan couldn't overcome. What man can raise his voice when the Son of God is there? Zechariah 2 verse 13 says, Be silent, O flesh, before the Lord, for He has raised up out of His holy habitation. There's no need of a wall or swords or shields or any fear of man or devil. The people can rest securely when the Lord is there in a wall of fire around His people. You know, in 2 Kings chapter 6, I always like this chapter. Here, Elisha has gone to Dothan and the Syrians, he's been revealing the Syrians' plans to Israel. Syrians didn't like it. They found out Elisha's in Dothan. They show up and they decide they're going to surround that city and they're going to get Elisha. And Elisha's servant comes out in verse 15, the servant of the man of God at second King six, verse 15, the servant of the man of God was risen early and gone forth. Behold, the unhost come past the city, but with horses and chariots and his servant said unto him, alas, my master, how shall we do? We're in trouble. And he answered, Fear not, for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. Again, a very real picture, isn't it? You know, in the same sense, so it was in Zechariah's day. Haggai 2 and verse 4, the Lord gives this very comfort to the people of Israel. He says in Haggai 2, 4, Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, the governor, saith the Lord, and be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehoshaphat, the high priest, and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work, for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts. Even though they couldn't see him with their eyes, They couldn't see the chariots of fire that surrounded the city. The Lord was there all the same, and none was going to take them from his hand. Now, that didn't mean they didn't need to build a physical wall. That might have been his will for the city in that day, but he was with them. That's the point. None could stop them from doing what he purposed. Is it true of us today? Oh, it's true. It's true physically, but even more spiritually. We can't see the chariots of fire. We can't see the angels that surround us. We can't see the hand of God that is wrapped around us even today. But I tell you, it is true as much as it was for Elisha, as much as it was true for Zechariah, as much as it's true for the New Jerusalem, it's true for us today. The Lord is here with his people. Jesus says in Matthew 28, 20, Lo, I'm with you always, even unto the end of the world. In John 10 and verse 28, Jesus says, I'll give unto them my eternal life and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of mine hand. My father which gave them me is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my father's hand. Now this is coming from a warrior. I mean, I am. I'm a warrior. I worry about the state of things today. I worry about the direction that we're taking, not necessarily about persecution. I thank the Lord I don't face that today. We may in the future. But boy, the downward spiral spiritually of our nation. The direction we're headed. How can we keep our family and our church members and ourselves from falling into Satan's devouring mouth? That's frightening. But here's a comfort. As dark and as dreary as the world is today in their sin, the God of righteousness is still here. The God of perfect righteousness still surrounds us as we're drawing nigh to him. We can know he is nigh unto us. We can lay hold of those promises again that he has measured out to us in the word of God. The gates of hell should not prevail against my church. No man will take one of my people from my hand. I will redeem every one of my own that I have purpose to save in eternity. What peace we had to find in this. There's no need of a wall. You know, I I know there's a temptation. Hey, let's move up. Let's move to the wilderness somewhere where the world can't find us. And let's hide. You know, we can't do that. We're to be lights in the world. Right. Jesus didn't say go hide. He said, go and preach the gospel to every creature. We're not of the world, but we got to live among the world and we got to stand for truth in this dark world. But as we do. We can have this comfort, a wall of fire, spiritual fire surrounds us. There is no temptation taken of man, but such is common to man, but God is faithful. He'll not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able, but will with that temptation also make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it. That's the promise of God in his word. Oh, may we take comfort in this. No wall is needed if the Lord is with me. But then finally, there are no walls because of God's approachability. Listen to how this chapter reads out in verse six, he says, ho, ho, come forth and flee. from the land of the north, saith the Lord. For I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the Lord. Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon. For thus, saith the Lord of hosts, after the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you. For he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. For behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be as spoiled to their servants. And ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me. Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for lo, I come and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord. And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day and shall be my people. And I will dwell in the midst of thee and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts has sent me unto thee. You know, when you came up to a walled city in these days, the walls are sometimes hard to get through. They got some gates and the gates may be open, but there's generally a soldier that would be standing at the gate. And you would have to be proving, as you entered through that gate, that you were a peaceful person for the soldier to let you through. But you know, generally, big cities with a palace in them, there's going to be another gate, right? A gate that leads to the king's portion of the city. An inner gate. And only a precious few are allowed past that gate. You better have a good reason. You better have some friends in high places if you're going to get through that. Gates barred people from coming in. But there are no walls in this city, not an inner wall, not an outer wall. The Messiah says, as I'm here, you can come and you can have fellowship with me. You can draw near. I'm not going to shut any man out. I want to draw my people and Israel and Judah. And guess what? Also, our men from all nations and they won't be shut out. They can draw near to me in this Jerusalem. And they can worship me and enjoy me. That's the treasure of this beautiful city. That's going to be the treasure of heaven, my friend, when we're there. It's not the beauty of the houses, not the great population, not the riches that are there, not even the protection that is there. It's Jesus Christ is there. What a wonderful place. But let me say this, and again, I can't see the hearts of everyone here. I know we have unbelievers here, I think, here in this building. I know there's some listening on the internet and some watching on TV tonight. I can tell you, we have a gospel today in which there are no walls. No walls. In John 3, 16, Jesus gives an invitation and there's no gate you have to go through. God so loved the world that whosoever he has given his only son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Whosoever. In John 6, verse 40, he says, This is the will of Him that has sent me, that everyone which seeth the Son and believeth on Him may have everlasting life, and I will raise Him up in the last day. Revelation 22, 17, The Spirit and the Bride say, Come, and let him that heareth say, Come, and let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely. You say, But I'm a Gentile. I'm not a Jew. But I'm not from a Christian background. But I've done so many terrible sins. Surely I could never draw near and find salvation. No one like me could be accepted. Look at my past. Look at my failures. The Lord says whosoever. Whosoever will come in real repentance and genuine faith in Jesus Christ alone, they're going to find no walls barring their way. They're going to find the open, loving arms of a heavenly father through Christ. My friend, the only walls, if you're without the Lord Jesus Christ today and you've walked away from this gospel many times before, let me tell you, the only walls that are barring you is your rebellion and your refusal to bow and to seek after Jesus Christ. And I encourage you today, draw near to him. There's no walls. Draw near and believe in true repentance. Believe upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and you'll find everlasting joy in his fellowship. This is a gospel with no walls. What an encouraging promise for Zechariah's day. What hope they had. Now, they had to live in this city that had some walls. They had to look forward. One day there will be that city. One day there will be that blessing. But today we'll trust the Lord. And they went forward to that work. But on a grander scale, what hope and what joy we can have even today. As God draws men into himself and he blesses through the gospel that we proclaim and he adds to his churches and there are no walls that can contain, I think the blessing. That he is giving to his churches and to his people, even today, and certainly he will in eternity. The protection that he gives. We don't need a wall, do we? but all the gospel that he gives that bars none from turning from sin and finding salvation through the Savior today. What a wonderful lesson I think we learn as we consider the city without walls and the blessing without walls that God has bestowed upon his people through his word. Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Heavenly Father, we thank you for the message tonight. We pray that you would continue to apply it to our hearts and to our lives, that we may find its full joy in this promise. I rejoice to know one day your son will come again and he'll set foot on this earth and he'll reign in glory. And I rejoice to see just the picture of his power and his control over all and his goodwill and purpose that will surely be done and the blessing his people will find in that day. But even though I live before these times, I can rejoice today. in the same power, in the same love, in the same work. There's so many great encouragements I can take even now because you're a God that is with us now, protecting us, guiding us, leading us forward. Give us peace in this. And oh, Father, you would touch the heart of a sinner today. Lord, I know you have the power to in the same way that you would touch the hearts of sinners in that day, and they will hear that Christ is there and they will draw near to him and bow and worship and find hope. Oh, that the sinner today would see Jesus Christ by faith as their hope of salvation and drawn near to him. In Jesus precious name, we pray. Amen.