Zechariah
The prophet Zechariah ("the Lord remembers"), a priest from a prominent family, identifies himself as "the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo" (Zechariah 1:1). The latter, Zechariah's grandfather, returned to Judah under Zerubbabel in 538 BC (Nehemiah 12:4), and he, it seems, had a lasting influence on young Zechariah (see Ezra 5:1, where the prophet is called "the son of Iddo"). Zechariah began his ministry in Jerusalem in "the second year of Darius" (Zechariah 1:1), 520 bc, and his last, dated prophecy (Zechariah 7-8) came to him just two years later. Most conservative scholars believe that the undated prophecies in chapters 9-14 are later, given to him perhaps early in the next century.
As just mentioned, the book—at fourteen chapters, equal to Hosea, the longest of the Minor Prophets—divides neatly into two parts. The first eight chapters make up the first part, which can be further split according to its eight visions and two longer discourses. In many ways, the visions resemble those the apostle John received on the Isle of Patmos and recorded in the book of Revelation. In general, they are symbolic representations of what God is doing and prophecies of what He will do. Most of them contain messages that Zechariah's contemporaries could apply to their situation in Judah—messages of hope and mercy for the Jews and oppression and judgment on their enemies. They also contain antitypical prophecies for the end time, for instance, the vision of the olive trees (Zechariah 4:3, 11-14), which Revelation 11:4 identifies as the Two Witnesses.
Chapters 7 and 8 contain two discourses that provide lasting instruction for God's people. The first concentrates on the subject of obedience. The question of continuing to fast to commemorate the destruction of Jerusalem had come up. God replies, "When you fasted and mourned . . . during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me—for Me? . . . Should you not have obeyed the words which the Lord proclaimed through the former prophets . . .?" (Zechariah 7:5, 7). He goes on to say that their forefathers' disobedience directly caused their captivity.
The second discourse is a long prophecy that predicts that Jerusalem will one day be restored as a holy city, where God will return to dwell. It quickly becomes apparent that He is looking far into the future, the time of the end, when He will bring all of Israel back to the Promised Land, and they will once again be His people (Zechariah 8:7-8). The just-returned remnant of Judah is only a type of what will happen when God acts to restore Israel in the soon-coming Millennium.
The last six chapters form the second part of Zechariah's prophecy, which is itself divided into two "burdens." The first burden spans chapters 9-11. It begins with a warning to surrounding nations that God will defend His people, and not only that, a King is coming to save them. Chapter 10 prophesies that Judah and Israel will be regathered and restored, and they will return to Him. This is followed by the enigmatic chapter 11, a prophecy or a parable that concentrates on the shepherds (leaders) of God's people, broadly indicating that God will hold abusive leaders accountable for their perfidy and their irresponsibility in doing their duties.
The remaining chapters (12-14) comprise the second burden. Chapter 12 foretells how end-time events will revolve around Jerusalem, but despite the madness surrounding them, God will save the people of Judah. He will show them grace, and they will respond by accepting the Messiah, the One "whom they pierced" (Zechariah 12:10), mourning what they have done. The next chapter continues their reform, as idolatry is eliminated throughout the land. It ends with a prophecy of the Shepherd who is struck down and His sheep scattered, yet in the end, after horrific testing, the people return to God. Finally, chapter 14 famously recounts the events of the Day of the Lord, when Christ descends to defeat His enemies and set up His Kingdom on earth.
Of all the Minor Prophets, Zechariah contains perhaps the most Messianic prophecies and allusions. In addition to those that have already been mentioned, Messiah is called "My Servant the BRANCH" in Zechariah 3:8 and "the Man whose name is the BRANCH" in Zechariah 6:12. The well-known prophecy of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey appears in Zechariah 9:9-10. Though these references were not well understood at the time, we understand them as clear prophecies of Messiah.
The prophet Zechariah ("the Lord remembers"), a priest from a prominent family, identifies himself as "the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo" (Zechariah 1:1). The latter, Zechariah's grandfather, returned to Judah under Zerubbabel in 538 BC (Nehemiah 12:4), and he, it seems, had a lasting influence on young Zechariah (see Ezra 5:1, where the prophet is called "the son of Iddo"). Zechariah began his ministry in Jerusalem in "the second year of Darius" (Zechariah 1:1), 520 bc, and his last, dated prophecy (Zechariah 7-8) came to him just two years later. Most conservative scholars believe that the undated prophecies in chapters 9-14 are later, given to him perhaps early in the next century.
As just mentioned, the book—at fourteen chapters, equal to Hosea, the longest of the Minor Prophets—divides neatly into two parts. The first eight chapters make up the first part, which can be further split according to its eight visions and two longer discourses. In many ways, the visions resemble those the apostle John received on the Isle of Patmos and recorded in the book of Revelation. In general, they are symbolic representations of what God is doing and prophecies of what He will do. Most of them contain messages that Zechariah's contemporaries could apply to their situation in Judah—messages of hope and mercy for the Jews and oppression and judgment on their enemies. They also contain antitypical prophecies for the end time, for instance, the vision of the olive trees (Zechariah 4:3, 11-14), which Revelation 11:4 identifies as the Two Witnesses.
Chapters 7 and 8 contain two discourses that provide lasting instruction for God's people. The first concentrates on the subject of obedience. The question of continuing to fast to commemorate the destruction of Jerusalem had come up. God replies, "When you fasted and mourned . . . during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me—for Me? . . . Should you not have obeyed the words which the Lord proclaimed through the former prophets . . .?" (Zechariah 7:5, 7). He goes on to say that their forefathers' disobedience directly caused their captivity.
The second discourse is a long prophecy that predicts that Jerusalem will one day be restored as a holy city, where God will return to dwell. It quickly becomes apparent that He is looking far into the future, the time of the end, when He will bring all of Israel back to the Promised Land, and they will once again be His people (Zechariah 8:7-8). The just-returned remnant of Judah is only a type of what will happen when God acts to restore Israel in the soon-coming Millennium.
The last six chapters form the second part of Zechariah's prophecy, which is itself divided into two "burdens." The first burden spans chapters 9-11. It begins with a warning to surrounding nations that God will defend His people, and not only that, a King is coming to save them. Chapter 10 prophesies that Judah and Israel will be regathered and restored, and they will return to Him. This is followed by the enigmatic chapter 11, a prophecy or a parable that concentrates on the shepherds (leaders) of God's people, broadly indicating that God will hold abusive leaders accountable for their perfidy and their irresponsibility in doing their duties.
The remaining chapters (12-14) comprise the second burden. Chapter 12 foretells how end-time events will revolve around Jerusalem, but despite the madness surrounding them, God will save the people of Judah. He will show them grace, and they will respond by accepting the Messiah, the One "whom they pierced" (Zechariah 12:10), mourning what they have done. The next chapter continues their reform, as idolatry is eliminated throughout the land. It ends with a prophecy of the Shepherd who is struck down and His sheep scattered, yet in the end, after horrific testing, the people return to God. Finally, chapter 14 famously recounts the events of the Day of the Lord, when Christ descends to defeat His enemies and set up His Kingdom on earth.
Of all the Minor Prophets, Zechariah contains perhaps the most Messianic prophecies and allusions. In addition to those that have already been mentioned, Messiah is called "My Servant the BRANCH" in Zechariah 3:8 and "the Man whose name is the BRANCH" in Zechariah 6:12. The well-known prophecy of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey appears in Zechariah 9:9-10. Though these references were not well understood at the time, we understand them as clear prophecies of Messiah.
Zechariah
The prophet Zechariah ("the Lord remembers"), a priest from a prominent family, identifies himself as "the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo" (Zechariah 1:1). The latter, Zechariah's grandfather, returned to Judah under Zerubbabel in 538 BC (Nehemiah 12:4), and he, it seems, had a lasting influence on young Zechariah (see Ezra 5:1, where the prophet is called "the son of Iddo"). Zechariah began his ministry in Jerusalem in "the second year of Darius" (Zechariah 1:1), 520 bc, and his last, dated prophecy (Zechariah 7-8) came to him just two years later. Most conservative scholars believe that the undated prophecies in chapters 9-14 are later, given to him perhaps early in the next century.
As just mentioned, the book—at fourteen chapters, equal to Hosea, the longest of the Minor Prophets—divides neatly into two parts. The first eight chapters make up the first part, which can be further split according to its eight visions and two longer discourses. In many ways, the visions resemble those the apostle John received on the Isle of Patmos and recorded in the book of Revelation. In general, they are symbolic representations of what God is doing and prophecies of what He will do. Most of them contain messages that Zechariah's contemporaries could apply to their situation in Judah—messages of hope and mercy for the Jews and oppression and judgment on their enemies. They also contain antitypical prophecies for the end time, for instance, the vision of the olive trees (Zechariah 4:3, 11-14), which Revelation 11:4 identifies as the Two Witnesses.
Chapters 7 and 8 contain two discourses that provide lasting instruction for God's people. The first concentrates on the subject of obedience. The question of continuing to fast to commemorate the destruction of Jerusalem had come up. God replies, "When you fasted and mourned . . . during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me—for Me? . . . Should you not have obeyed the words which the Lord proclaimed through the former prophets . . .?" (Zechariah 7:5, 7). He goes on to say that their forefathers' disobedience directly caused their captivity.
The second discourse is a long prophecy that predicts that Jerusalem will one day be restored as a holy city, where God will return to dwell. It quickly becomes apparent that He is looking far into the future, the time of the end, when He will bring all of Israel back to the Promised Land, and they will once again be His people (Zechariah 8:7-8). The just-returned remnant of Judah is only a type of what will happen when God acts to restore Israel in the soon-coming Millennium.
The last six chapters form the second part of Zechariah's prophecy, which is itself divided into two "burdens." The first burden spans chapters 9-11. It begins with a warning to surrounding nations that God will defend His people, and not only that, a King is coming to save them. Chapter 10 prophesies that Judah and Israel will be regathered and restored, and they will return to Him. This is followed by the enigmatic chapter 11, a prophecy or a parable that concentrates on the shepherds (leaders) of God's people, broadly indicating that God will hold abusive leaders accountable for their perfidy and their irresponsibility in doing their duties.
The remaining chapters (12-14) comprise the second burden. Chapter 12 foretells how end-time events will revolve around Jerusalem, but despite the madness surrounding them, God will save the people of Judah. He will show them grace, and they will respond by accepting the Messiah, the One "whom they pierced" (Zechariah 12:10), mourning what they have done. The next chapter continues their reform, as idolatry is eliminated throughout the land. It ends with a prophecy of the Shepherd who is struck down and His sheep scattered, yet in the end, after horrific testing, the people return to God. Finally, chapter 14 famously recounts the events of the Day of the Lord, when Christ descends to defeat His enemies and set up His Kingdom on earth.
Of all the Minor Prophets, Zechariah contains perhaps the most Messianic prophecies and allusions. In addition to those that have already been mentioned, Messiah is called "My Servant the BRANCH" in Zechariah 3:8 and "the Man whose name is the BRANCH" in Zechariah 6:12. The well-known prophecy of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey appears in Zechariah 9:9-10. Though these references were not well understood at the time, we understand them as clear prophecies of Messiah.
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