THE BOOK OF ZECHARIAH

THE BOOK OF ZECHARIAH
A BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE BOOK

“Zechariah, like Haggai, was a prophet to the remnant which returned after the 70 years. There is much of symbol in Zechariah, but these difficult passages are readily interpreted in the light of the whole body of related prophecy. The great Messianic passages are, upon comparison with the other prophecies of the kingdom, perfectly clear. Both advents of Christ are in Zechariah’s prophecy, Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:1-11; Zechariah 14:3-4. More than Haggai or Malachi, Zechariah gives the mind of God about the Gentile world-powers surrounding the restored remnant. He has given them their authority, Daniel 2:27-40, and will hold them to account; the test, as always, being their treatment of Israel.” — Scofield.

Little is definitely known concerning this prophet. He was a contemporary of Haggai, and joined him in arousing the Jews to rebuild the Temple at Jerusalem, Zechariah 6:14. Evidently he was a young man at the time of his prophecy, Zechariah 2:4.

Like Haggai, he saw the sinful condition and religious indifference of his people, and uttered stirring exhortations which aided in the rebuilding of the temple. But his Prophecy had a broader scope—he looked down the ages and beheld the coming of the Messiah King and the dawning of a brighter day for Zion.

Date: Two months after Haggai’s prophecy, Haggai 1:1; cf. Zechariah 1:1.

Key Verses: Zechariah 1:3; 4:6.

Future Hope: “At evening time it shall be light,” Zechariah 14:7.

A Brief Summary of the Book:

Opening Exhortation: Zechariah 1:1-6.

Section 1: A series of eight visions:

1) The Man among the Myrtle Trees, and the Drove of Horses, Zechariah 1:7-17.

Sebat—the eleventh month of the Jewish year, from the new moon in February to the new moon in March.

2) The Four Horns and the Four Carpenters or Smiths, Zechariah 1:18-21.

Four horns—To a pastoral people like the Jews the horns of the strongest in the herd naturally suggested a symbol of power and pride of conscious strength: hence the ruling powers of the world (Revelation 17:3, 12).

3) The Man with the Measuring Line, Zechariah 2.

The “man” is Messiah, who, by measuring Jerusalem, is denoted as the Author of its coming restoration. Thus the Jews are encouraged in Zechariah’s time to proceed with the building.

4) The Cleansing of the High Priest, Zechariah 3.

5) The Golden Candlestick, and the Two Olive Trees, Zechariah 4.

6) The Flying Roll, Zechariah 5:1-4.

7) The Woman in the Ephah, Zechariah 5:5-11.

NOTE: The “ephah” is the Hebrew dry measure containing about thirty-seven quarts. Alluding to the previous vision as to theft and perjury: the ephah which, by falsification of the measure, they made the instrument of defrauding, shall be made the instrument of their punishment. — Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Comm.

8) The Four Chariots, Zechariah 6:1-8, and the Crowning of the High Priest, Zechariah 6:10-15.

Section 2:

The answer to the deputation from house of God or Bethel concerning the fasts; In the end the fasts shall become festivals, Zechariah 7:1-8:23.

Section 3:

Predictions concerning a period of the history of the Jews, and a vision of the ultimate triumph of God’s kingdom, Zechariah 9:1–14:21.

Messianic Element: The Kingly Messiah.

1) First coming in lowliness, Zechariah 9:9, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.”

2) The Prince of Peace, Zechariah 9:10, “And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.”

3) Crucified, Zechariah 12:10, “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.”

4) A Shepherd forsaken by his sheep, Zechariah 13:7, “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.”