Hierarchical Précis
Minor Prophets
Zechariah
Zechariah’s name means “Jehovah remembers”.
Like Jeremiah and Ezekiel, Zechariah was also a priest.
Zechariah
was
contemporary
with
Haggai
and
began
preaching
just
prior
to
Haggai’s
third
message,
with
his
final
prophecy
being
some
forty
years
later.
He
was
also
a
visionary,
as
were
Daniel
and
Ezekiel,
with
his
prophecies
reaching
far
into
the
future
concerning
the first and second coming of Jesus Christ.
The
first
six
chapters
record
Zechariah’s
eight
visions
given
in
a
single
night,
which
are
both
an
encouragement
to
the
people
to
continue the work of rebuilding the temple, and prophetic in nature. (Some break these eight visions down further into ten.)
Zecahariah prophesied in 520 and 519 B.C. but his writings were considered to have been completed around 470 B.C.
Eight visions
[Zec 1-8]
The four riders; The four horns
[Zec 1]
In
October/November
of
520
B.C.,
Zechariah
calls
his
people
to
repentance.
A
few
months
later,
in
February
of
519
B.C.,
he
has
a
series of eight visions in one night.
The
first
is
of
four
horsemen
who
go
about
the
world
and
find
it
at
ease
and
content
while
His
people
are
scattered.
This
displeases
God and a message of comfort and encouragement is given to His people, assuring them the temple will be rebuilt.
The
second
vision
is
of
four
horns
signifying
the
four
enemies
that
scattered
Judah,
Israel
and
Jerusalem,
and
of
four
carpenters
who will take away these enemies’ power.
Jerusalem is measured; it will be a city without walls
[Zec 2]
In
this
next
vision,
a
man
is
seen
with
a
measuring
line
in
his
hand
to
measure
the
city
of
Jerusalem
(a
measuring
line
is
a
symbol
of
restoration).
Zechariah
is
told
that
Jerusalem
will
grow
far
beyond
its
current
limits
and
will
greatly
prosper,
with
God
as
its
protector.
Those still in Babylon are encouraged to return.
A prophecy follows addressed to all mankind, which is the gathering of the Gentiles in the Day of the Lord to become His people.
Clean garments for the high priest
[Zec 3]
In
this
vision,
Joshua
the
high
priest
is
seen
standing
being
resisted
by
Satan,
who
is
then
rebuked
by
the
Lord.
Joshua
is
wearing
filthy
garments,
which
are
replaced
with
a
change
of
raiment,
signifying
his
acquittal
of
any
accusation
from
Satan.
Joshua
is
symbolic
of the Messiah, our great high priest, who is now foretold removing all sin and bringing peace to all mankind.
The gold lampstand and the two olive trees
[Zec 4]
Zechariah
is
now
given
a
vision
of
a
gold
lampstand
fed
by
seven
pipes
from
two
olive
trees,
providing
a
constant
supply
of
oil
to
keep
the
lamps
burning.
This
is
a
vision
of
encouragement
to
show
that
the
building
of
the
temple,
started
by
Zerubbabel,
will
also
be
finished by him, not by his own might, but through the power of God’s Spirit, which is constantly available to him.
The flying scroll - sin removed
[Zec 5]
The
next
vision
is
of
a
great
flying
scroll,
representing
God’s
judgement
of
the
sinful,
followed
by
a
vision
of
a
great
measure
of
sin
carried away to Babylon, that is, removed from the land.
The four chariots
[Zec 6]
The
eighth
and
final
vision
corresponds
to
the
first.
Here,
God
is
keeping
watch
over
the
whole
world
with
the
horses
now
drawing
four
chariots,
signifying
divine
judgement.
Then
there
is
a
symbolic
crowning
of
Joshua
(symbolic
because
priests
could
not
be
kings),
prefiguring the dual role of Jesus the Messiah as our high priest and king.
This concludes the eight visions Zechariah received in one nigh
t.
The problem of fasting
[Zec 7]
Nearly
two
years
later,
in
December
of
518
B.C.,
when
rebuilding
of
the
temple
was
well
underway,
a
delegation
from
the
people
asks
whether
two
fasts
should
now
continue.
(The
fast
in
the
fifth
month
commemorated
the
fall
of
Jerusalem
in
587,
and
that
of
the
seventh
month
was
in
memory
of
the
murdered
governor,
Gedaliah.)
God
questions
the
spirit
in
which
these
fasts
were
conducted,
reminding them of their failings in the past that caused them to go into exile.
A joyous future for Jerusalem
[Zec 8]
God
promises
a
glorious
future
for
the
remnant
of
Israel
in
Jerusalem,
where
God
will
return
to
make
his
home
in
the
city.
It
will
be
a
time
of
peace,
joy
and
gladness.
He
reminds
them
of
the
early
times
of
Haggai,
and
how
they
will
now
be
blessed
again,
then
tells
them
what
He
requires
of
them
and
what
He
hates.
In
that
future
time,
many
people
will
come
from
all
nations
to
seek
the
Lord
in
Jerusalem.
In
chapters
9
to
14
we
have
two
prophetic
oracles:
the
great
messianic
future
and
the
full
realisation
of
God’s
kingdom.
The
first,
chapters
9–11,
concern
the
advent
and
rejection
of
the
Messiah;
the
second,
chapters
12–14,
the
second
coming
and
acceptance
of
the Messiah.
The first advent of Jesus Christ
[Zec 9-11]
Judgement on Israel’s enemies and the coming of the Messiah
[Zec 9]
The
first
eight
verses
speak
of
the
coming
invasion
of
Tyre
and
the
coastal
areas
to
the
south
by
Alexander
the
Great
who,
although
he
passes by more than once, does not invade Jerusalem.
The
remaining
verses
tell
first
of
Jesus’
triumphant
entry
[vs
9],
quoted
in
part
in
Matthew
21:5
and
Luke
19:30–38,
and
then
Christ’s second coming when he will reign in the great kingdom age.
Israel gathered
[Zec 10]
Further
encouragement
is
given,
with
the
condemnation
of
false
leaders
followed
by
promises
of
the
faithful
being
strengthened
and
returned to their land in glory, and their enemies humbled.
The Messiah is rejected
[Zec 11]
Israel
will
be
invaded
by
the
Romans
from
the
north
through
Lebanon,
moving
south
to
Jerusalem.
The
leaders,
who
care
more
for
their
own
circumstances
than
those
of
the
people,
will
be
cut
off.
God
will
use
the
Romans
as
his
instrument
of
judgement,
when
the
people
will
be
left
to
their
mercy
as
they
relieve
them
of
their
power
and
cause
them
to
disperse.
Yet
God
will
take
care
of
His
flock,
but
the
prophets,
priests
and
rulers
will
be
cut
off
in
one
month
because
of
their
mutual
loathing.
With
the
crucifixion
of
Jesus,
the
covenant
God
made
with
all
the
people
will
be
broken.
After
the
rejection
of
the
true
Messiah
with
the
betrayal
of
Christ
for
thirty
pieces
of
silver
(later
to
be
cast
on
the
floor
of
the
temple
and
then
to
fall
into
the
potter’s
hands),
the
time
will
come
when
they
will
accept a false messiah, the antichrist, who will receive an injury leaving him with a withered right arm and a blind right eye.
Israel’s deliverance and cleansing
[Zec 12-13]
The
time
will
come
when
Israel
will
be
a
‘burdensome
stone’
to
all
the
world
as
they
gather
against
her,
but
she
will
overcome
her
enemies
and
again
inhabit
Jerusalem,
when
her
glory
will
be
magnified.
God
will
destroy
any
nation
that
comes
against
Israel.
Through
God’s Spirit, who testifies of Christ, Israel will come to recognise the one they had rejected and there will be a great mourning.
In
that
day,
Israel
will
be
cleansed
of
all
idols,
false
prophets
and
demons.
But
there
is
more
tribulation
to
come,
from
which
only
a
third will remain faithful to proclaim their God.
The final siege of Jerusalem; The return and reign of the Messiah
[Zec 14]
When
the
nations
are
gathered
against
Jerusalem
and
take
the
city
along
with
half
of
its
inhabitants,
then
God
will
intervene
against
them.
There
will
be
a
great
earthquake,
which
will
cause
His
people
to
flee
to
safety;
then
Christ
will
come
with
His
saints
to
rule
the
earth
from
Jerusalem,
which
will
be,
for
the
first
time,
completely
safe.
The
nations
that
fought
against
Jerusalem
will
suffer
plagues
and
confusion.
Those
who
survive
will
be
required
to
go
to
Jerusalem
each
year
to
celebrate
the
Feast
of
Tabernacles,
the
only
remaining compulsory feast day. The disobedient, those not responding to this call, will be punished.
I
n that day everything will be holy.