The bible - Book of Zechariah

1. The Bible - Book of Zechariah – 12th
February 2017
"Therefore tell the people: This iswhat the LORD Almightysays: 'Returnto me,' declares the LORD
Almighty,'andI will return to you,' says the LORD Almighty."(Zechariah 1:3).
We can learn fromZechariah1:1 that identifiesthe authorof the Bookof Zechariahas the Prophet
Zechariah. The Bookof Zechariahwaslikelywrittenintwoprimarysegments,between520 and 470 B.C.
There were a couple of prominentmeninthe Bible namedZechariah(alternate spellingZachariasor
Zachariah).One wasan OldTestamentprophetwhoprophesiedinthe daysof Haggai and whowrote
the bookof Zechariah (Ezra5:1; Zechariah1:1). ThisprophetisalsomentionedbyJesusashavingbeen
murderedbythe rebelliousanddisobedientJewsof hisday.We can learnthis fromMatthew 23:35,
“Andso uponyou will come all the righteousbloodthat hasbeen shed on earth, from the bloodof
righteousAbel to the bloodof Zechariahson of Berekiah, whomyou murdered between the temple
and the altar.” The otherprominentZechariahwasa priest,the fatherof Johnthe Baptist (Luke 1:5).
Zechariahwasa prophetfrom520 BC to 518 BC inJerusalem, about2500 yearsago. Duringthat era,
manyJewswere returningfromthe BabylonianCaptivitytorebuildJerusalemandthe Temple,which
had beendestroyedbythe Babylonians.Zechariah, the sonof Iddo,wasinstrumentalininspiringhis
fellowJewstorebuildthe Templeaswe can see in Ezra 6:14, “So the elders of the Jews continuedto
buildandprosper under the preachingof Haggai the prophetand Zechariah,a descendantof Iddo.
They finishedbuildingthetemple accordingto the commandof the Godof Israel andthe decrees of
Cyrus,Darius andArtaxerxes, kings ofPersia.”
Zechariahbeganprophesyingduringthe same yearasthe prophetHaggai,inabout520 BC. Zechariah's
propheciescame fromvisionsthatshowedGod'spower,God'sjudgmentof sin,the importanceof
spiritual strength,andthe promise of thingstocome,includingthe promise of the Messiah.Zechariah's
propheciesoftenlookedfarintothe future,afuture inwhichthe Jewswouldagainbe exiledfromtheir
homelandandscatteredthroughoutthe world.HispropheciessaidthatJewswouldbe persecuted
worldwide,thatJerusalemwouldbecome abattlegroundof nations,andthatJerusalemwouldbecome
the religiouscenterof the world.
Today,we can see withourowneyesthatZechariah'spropheciesaccuratelydescribedthe worldwide
dispersionof Jewsthathastakenplace duringthe past1900 years,as well asthe fact that Jerusalemhas
become a focal pointof the international community(the UnitedStatesandEurope,andthe United
Nations) anda religiousfocal pointamongJews,ChristiansandMoslems. Zechariahmeans"Yahhas
remembered".The Bible'sbookof Zechariahisthe 11th bookof the twelve MinorProphets. Zechariah
emphasized thatGodhasusedHis prophetstoteach,warn and correctHis people. Unfortunately, the
Jewsrefusedtolisten. TheirsinbroughtGod'spunishment.
The Book of Zechariahteachesthat salvationmaybe obtainedbyall. The lastchapterdepictspeoples
fromall over the worldcomingtoworshipGod,who desiresthatall people follow Him. Thisisnotthe
doctrine of universalism, i.e.,thatall peoplewouldbe savedbecause itisGod'snature to save. Rather,
the bookteachesthat God desiresthatall people worshipHimandacceptsthose whodo,regardlessof
theirnational orpolitical expressions,asinthe freeingof JudahandJerusalemfromtheirpolitical
enemies. Finally,ZechariahpreachedthatGodissovereignoverthisworld,anyappearance tothe
contrary notwithstanding. Hisvisionsof the future indicate thatGodseesall thatwill happen. The
depictionsof God'sinterventioninthe worldteachthatultimatelyHe will bringhumaneventstothe

2. endHe chooses. He doesnoteliminate the individual'sfreedomtofollow Godorrebel,butholdspeople
responsible forthe choicestheymake. Inthe lastchapter,eventhe forcesof nature respondtoGod's
control. We can readfrom Zechariah13:9, "This thirdI will bring intothe fire; I will refine them like
silver andtest them like gold.They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, 'They are
my people,' andthey will say,'The LORD is our God.'"
PropheciesaboutJesus Christandthe messianiceraaboundinZechariah.Fromthe promise that
Messiahwouldcome anddwell inourmidst (Zechariah2:10-12; Matthew 1:23) to the symbolismof the
Branch and the Stone (Zechariah3:8-9, 6:12-13; Isaiah 11:1; Luke 20:17-18) to the promise of His
SecondComingwhere theywhopiercedHimwill lookuponHimandmourn (Zechariah12:10; John
19:33-37), Christisthe theme of the Bookof Zechariah.Jesusisthe Saviorof Israel,afountainwhose
bloodcoversthe sinsof all who come to Himfor salvation (Zechariah13:1; 1 John 1:7).
The practical application thatwe canget fromthe bookof Zechariahisthat God expectssincere worship
and moral livingof ustoday.Zechariah'sexample of breakingthroughnational prejudice remindsusto
reach outintoall areas of oursociety.We mustextendGod's invitationof salvationtopeople of all
national origins,languages,racesandcultures. We are requiredto helptoeducate thembutnot force
them...Itisour God givenmandate forChristianstoshare the message thatsalvationisonlyavailable
throughthe shedbloodof JesusChristonthe cross,who diedinourplace to atone for our sin.Butif he
or she rejectsthat sacrifice whichisafree giftfromGod, there isno othersacrifice throughwhichwe
can be reconciledtoGod. Because there isnoothername underheavenbywhichmenare saved which
we can learnfrom Acts 4:12, “Salvationisfoundinno one else, for there is no other name under
heaven givento mankindby which we must be saved.” Therefore asChristianswe needtohasten
because there isnotime to lose;todayisthe day of salvation aswe can learnfrom 2 Corinthians6:2,
“Forhe says,“Inthe time ofmy favor I heard you, and in the day ofsalvationI helpedyou.”Itell you,
now isthe time ofGod’sfavor,now is the day of salvation.”
Key Verses:
Zechariah 1:3, "Therefore tell the people: Thisis what the LORD Almightysays:'Return to me,'
declares the LORD Almighty,'andI will return to you,' says the LORD Almighty."
Zechariah7:13, "'WhenIcalled,they did not listen;so when they called,I would notlisten,' saysthe
LORD Almighty."
Zechariah9:9, "Rejoice greatly,O Daughter ofZion!Shout, Daughter ofJerusalem! See, your king
comes to you,righteous andhavingsalvation,gentleandridingon a donkey, ona colt,the foal ofa
donkey."