Zechariah (2025)

‘How great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty!’ Zech. 9. 17

Zechariah’s ministry is overwhelmingly positive. In a region of our Bible that is unsurprisingly less visited, due to the focus being upon Israel and matters of judgement, this prophecy stands out among the minor prophets ‘as a beacon upon the top of a mountain’, Isa. 30. 17. The principal message of the book could be summarized in the words of Zechariah chapter 9 verse 17, ‘how great is his [God’s] goodness, and how great is his beauty!’

He does not, as other prophets, denounce the sin of God’s people and serve warning of penalty. This is entirely fitting, given Zechariah was a young man, Zech. 2. 4. As Solomon recognizes, ‘knowledge and discretion’, Prov. 1. 4, are desirable characteristics of youth.

The euphoria that had accompanied the returning faithful had been dampened by a number of factors. We read, in the early chapters of Ezra’s history of this period, of small numbers relative to the task in hand, some undertaking work they were not especially skilled to do, what appeared to be insuperable opposition from influential people, and a realization that it was unlikely that the glory days of a bygone era would return. Does this resonate with you in our situation today?

In such circumstances, Zechariah reminds them of the unfailing ‘goodness’ of their covenant-keeping God towards them, and the ‘beauty’ of the character of their coming King. In what might have been considered to have been a ‘day of small things’, Zech. 4. 10, he makes them mindful that they have a great God and a glorious future guaranteed. Similarly, ‘it doth not yet appear what we shall be’, 1 John 3. 2.

The structure of this book is evident:

The eight visions (chh. 1-6) -the foes of Israel (Will they be conquered?)

With their anticipations not being realized as they had imagined when leaving Babylon, the minds of these returnees must have been filled with questions regarding the intentions of their God. The visions serve to provide affirmative answers to these unspoken questions.

The series of visions took place in one night and are bounded by:

• Introduction (Ch. 1. 1-6) - TheProphetic Call - Learning from the past.
• Conclusion (Ch. 6. 9-15) - The Prophetic Climax - Looking to the future.

First vision - the man among the myrtle trees, 1. 7-17

Question answered: Is our God among us or not?

Content: Israel may be outcast but is never forgotten by their God.

Second vision - the four horns and the four carpenters, 1. 18-21

Question answered: Will our enemies be dealt with?

Content: Pictures the overthrow of Israel’s opponents.

Third vision - the man with a measuring line, ch. 2

Question answered: Will our city regain her splendour?

Content: The restoration, re-populating, and prosperity of Jerusalem.

Fourth vision - the high priest, ch. 3

Question answered: Will our defilement be removed?

Content: Portrays Israel cleansed and fulfilling their priestly purpose for God.

Fifth vision - the candlestick, ch. 4

Question answered: Will Israel be a testimony for God again?

Content: Effective testimony is only in the power of the Spirit of God.

Sixth vision - the flying roll, 5. 1-4

Question answered: Will the Law be effective once more?

Content: The earth will be governed according to righteous law enforcement.

Seventh vision - the ephah, 5. 5-11

Question answered: Will evil practice be dealt with?

Content: Wickedness will be curtailed and judged.

Eighth vision - The four chariots, 6. 1-8

Question answered: Will our God exert His rule in the earth?

Content: The rule of heaven is to be established in the world.

The four messages, chh. 7, 8 -the fasts of Israel (Should they be continued?)

During the captivity they had introduced a number of mournful fasts, 8. 19, to commemorate various tragic events associated with them going into captivity:

• Fast of the tenth month - The siege of Jerusalem, 2 Kgs. 25. 1
• Fast of the fourth month - The capture of Jerusalem, 2 Kgs. 25. 3
• Fast of the fifth month - The destruction of Jerusalem, 2 Kgs. 25. 8
• Fast of the seventh month - The murder of governor Gedaliah, 2 Kgs. 25. 25☺

In reality, in the keeping of these fasts they were feeling sorry for themselves rather than about themselves. They were lamenting the effect, i.e., God’s judgement, instead of the cause, their sin. Resenting more than repenting.

Now, two years after the visions had been given and two years before the temple reconstruction was completed, Ezra 6. 15, a deputation was sent to the house of God to enquire if it was relevant any longer to maintain these fasts, Zech. 7. 2, 3.

We do well to review betimes the relevance of what we do and why we do it! The unequivocal message of this book is ‘that that dieth, let it die’, 11. 9. We are too insistent upon maintaining extra-biblical practices which have lost pertinence.

Reasons are given in the messages as to why they should discontinue with these fasts; two negative reasons from their past in the first two messages, found in chapter 7, and then two positive reasons from the future in the final two messages in chapter 8.

The four messages each begin with the formula ‘the word of the Lord’, Zech. 7. 4, 8; 8. 1, 18

Message 1. 7. 4-7

First reason to discontinue (negative): These fasts were not for God’s glory but ‘for yourselves’, v. 6.

• They were of their own instituting and being sustained for selfish motives.

Message 2. 7. 8-14

Second reason to discontinue (negative): The events they commemorated happened because they ‘refused to hearken … [to] the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath’, vv. 11, 12.

• Effectively they were lamenting God’s judgement and thereby begrudging it.

Message 3. 8. 1-17

First reason to discontinue (positive): The prospect of the Lord’s return. ‘I am returned … so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong’, vv. 3, 13.

l The prophetic present is used in verse 3. This event has not been realized yet but is spoken of as a certainty. Amillennialists struggle here!

Message 4. 8. 18-23

Second reason to discontinue (positive): The potential to attract. The fasts were to become feasts so that ‘the inhabitants of many cities … many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord’, vv. 20, 22.

• God does not want His people to dwell in despondency. Negativity does not attract.

The two burdens, chh. 9-14 -the future of Israel (What can be contemplated?)

• Chh. 9-11 - the rejection of the King when He came in grace
• Chh. 12-14 - the return of the King when He comes in glory

The final six chapters portray prophetic events and reveal the career of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Zechariah has more information about the Messiah than all the other minor prophets taken together. Though there are references to the Lord elsewhere in the book, cp. Zech. 3. 8; 6. 12, 13, the final six chapters are replete with some significant details of the coming King.

First burden - the rejection of Messiah the King, chh. 9-11

These chapters establish that Israel’s near enemies, and empires that were to arise, will be dealt with alike in judgement by God. A careful reading will reveal that these prophecies have only been fulfilled in part. There remains much that is, even now, yet to be fulfilled. The reason why not all has been accomplished as God asserts it will be is that the nation of Israel rejected Messiah the King that came unto them ‘having salvation’, Zech. 9. 9; Matt. 21. 5. Their evaluation of His worth was ‘thirty pieces of silver’, Zech. 11. 12, the price the Jews covenanted with Judas for delivering up the Saviour, Matt. 26. 15. Consequently, God says ‘I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land … they shall smite the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them’, Zech. 11. 6. This has been the experience of the nation ever since and will continue to be so until they recognize the Lord Jesus as the king they have rejected. This is foretold in the remaining chapters of the book.

Second burden - the return of Messiah the King, chh. 12-14

The second burden is entirely future even from our standpoint, with the exception of a solitary glance back to the smiting of the Shepherd in Zechariah chapter 13 verse 7. In a ‘day’ to come, repeatedly referred to in these closing chapters, Israel will gaze upon the one ‘whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him’, 12. 10, when ‘his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives’, 14. 4. The return of the Lord Jesus to the earth to reign is a necessity if God’s promises to Israel are to be realized. In grace, ‘there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David … for sin and for uncleanness’, 13. 1. The once rejected Monarch ‘will say, it is my people’ and they shall say, ‘The Lord is my God’, 13. 9, and ‘The Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day’, 14. 9.

Conclusion

Thus, Zechariah’s uplifting book is brought to an exulting conclusion. His ministry had the desired, positive effect. We read in Ezra chapter 6 verse 14 that the people ‘builded, and they prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo’. His words retain the same impact as we consider ‘how great is his [God’s] goodness, and how great is his beauty!’ Zech. 9. 17.

The structure of this book is evident: