Zechariah Return to Me!

Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be!…For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? Romans 11:12, 15

In Ezekiel 23, God tells a story of two young sisters who He takes on as wives. The older sister, Oholah, desired what the Assyrians had to offer and she gave herself in harlotry to them. The younger sister, Oholibah was even worse and gave herself in like manner to the Babylonians. Both women committed abominable acts of harlotry and bare children to these nations. The two women serve as an allegory of Israel (to the north) and Judah (to the south) giving themselves in idolatry and being exiled to the nations.

Following through with the story of the two women, we could continue saying Oholah and her children haven’t been heard from. Oholibah and her children have recently returned to the land after being away 70 years. God has asked them to rebuild His house.

This story serves as a background for the setting of the book of Zechariah. As soon as the people returned from Babylon, the returnees set up an altar to carry out the daily sacrifices and laid the foundation of the temple but soon afterwards faced opposition and the construction was stopped for about 16 years.

The illustrations Zechariah brings out in this book are enlightening and convicting! He has a list of appropriate examples among the people to help realize their true spiritual condition. Returnees who never returned, mourners who forgot why, a high priest in dirty duds before God, fleecing shepherds and sheep blindly following a foolish shepherd, are only some of the illustrations given in this little known book.

The book of Zechariah contains a powerful message. One’s view of God is profoundly impacted and challenged. It contains theologial correction, spiritual uplifting and eschotological orientation that present the historical interactions between a scruffy lot and a God who genuinely cares for them, constantly arranging and rearranging so they might return. It presents Messiah in a unique light as the eternal choice of God’s servant to bring about the return of the people, restoration to the land, national blessings and blessing to the nations and ultimate glory to God because His knowledge will fill the earth.

You are about to embark on the magnificent account of the ages of a prodigal nation who wanders endlessly and of a loving Father who waits tirelessly until his son, yes his dear son, comes home at last. This book is bound to encourage you as it was intended for the generation of Zechariah, to a real, intimate fellowship with God.

Zechariah is a beautiful reminder of who God is, how His plan will be carried out and some of the details about the unfolding of that plan. The book of Zechariah is largely occupied with coming Messiah and His reign of righteousness.

Zechariah clearly lays out God’s redemptive plan of the ages carried out through Messiah. No other book, other than Isaiah, contains the Messianic prophecies that are contained within the pages of Zechariah.

God reveals His will, He calls people back to Himself and provides the way for their coming, and He promises that if they will return to Him, He will return to them.¹

The book of Zechariah is arguably the most Messianic, apocalyptic and eschatological of all the Old Testament. Yet at the heart of it lies one single message throughout, “return to Me says the Lord…”. It is more than a command to hold them to the covenant, God reveals his heart in present and future plans for the nation to woo them back into a loving relationship with Him. He will show them the error of their thinking and prove to them of his undying devotion for her. Return to Me, is a heart felt invitation into fellowship with their maker.

Table of	Contents
I. Background	The Background of Zechariah
II. Zechariah 1:1-6	The first Message: Setting the theme of the book
III. Zechariah 1:7-6	The Second Message: Eight visions
IV. Zechariah 7-8	The Third Message: Four Messages
V. Zechariah 9-14	The Fourth Message: The Two Burdens
VI. Glossary of Terms
Key Term: The Story of Israel’s Return

---

The Background of Zechariah#

Historical setting#

Along with Haggai and Malachi, Zechariah is a post-exilic book written between 520 b.C. and 490 b.C.#

The Jews returned back to the land in 538b.C. after being exiled for 70 years in Babylon. Psalm 126:1-6#

Medo-Persia had overthrown the Babylonians and under Cyrus the Persian the command was given for the Jews to be allowed to go back. Ezra 2#

Zerubbabel was placed in charge as governor and is given some finances for the rebuilding of the temple. Ezra 3:7-8#

Upon first arriving, the Jews each went to their homes. On the first day of the seventh month, the priests and their brothers along with Zerubbabel and his brothers repaired the altar on its foundation and renewed the daily sacrifices.#

Upon the second year of their coming, they proceeded to lay the foundation of the temple and upon completion, a great inaugural service was held praising God for his lovingkindness. Ezra 3:8-11#

This caused a lot of interest on behalf of the Samaritans who wanted to help rebuild the temple. Their help was refused because though they feared God, they served other gods as well. Ezra 4:1-3, 2 Kings 17:33#

When the builders refused their help, they proceeded to make all sorts of trouble. They discouraged and frightened the people of Judah from continuing to build. Ezra 4:4#

The people of the land hired advisors to frustrate their efforts during the days of Cyrus and into the reign of Darius. Ezra 4:5-24#

The leaders of the land and the rest of the nations that lived in Samaria and the neighbourinig area get behind these efforts, and together they issue a letter to king Artaxerxes.#

The king responded their letter commanding the leaders issue a decree prohibiting the rebuilding of the city. They set up armed guards to stop any buidling activity.#

The rebuilding of the temple was stopped. Instead of claiming their portion and right to Jerusalem under teh God of heaven, the people went home. Nehemiah 2:19-20#

After about 16 years, Haggai and Zechariah’s prophetic ministries began. Zerubbabel and Joshua the priest along with the prophets, began to rebuild the temple. Ezra 5:1-2#

Once again, the leaders of the land tried to oppose them. However God made it possible to continue until communication was made with king Darius. Ezra 5:3-17#

after king Darius I finds Cyrus’s decree the rebuilding of the temple continues. Ezra 6:1-5#

Somehow, in the change of power, the kings decree to go back and rebuild was lost and the current king, Darius I had to search through years of records and verify if authorization had been given or not. Ezra 5, Ezra 6:1-12#

When Darius found the decree made by Cyrus with great detail, he told the governor of Samaria to leave the rebuilding of the temple alone. In fact, Darius demands the the full cost of the temple is to be paid out of the treasury of the taxes of Samaria without delay. Ezra 6:8-12#

It would be four years before the Jews will successfully finish the building. Ezra 6:14-22#

Two months prior to the prophecy of Zechariah, God had told the Jews through the prophet Haggai to begin work again on the temple. The Jews are discouraged and have lost hope.#

The message of Zechariah is one that is intended to encourage Israel not only to return to the land and to rebuild the temple but more importantly, to a spiritual return to the Lord.#

General Information#

STRUCTURING	of the book of Zechariah
Zechariah 1:1-6	The first message: setting the theme of the book
Zechariah 1:7-6	The second message: eight night visions
	1. The horseman - Taking the temperament of the nations
	2. 4 horns - Oppressing powers kept at bay
	3. Measuring Jerusalem - The city rebuilt and protected
	4. Joshua - A sinless Priest who removes all sin.
	5. Zerubbabel - A King that gives light
	6. Flying Scroll - Israel’s trouble, judgment on the nations
	7. Woman in a Basket - wickedness removed from the land
	8. 4 Chariots - Preparing for the kingdom
	A crown fit for The King
Zechariah 7-8	The third message: 4 messages
	A. Seeking the Lord’s favour
	B. Sermon #1 - Rebuke of empty ritualism
	C. Sermon #2 - Reminder of past covenant failure
	C. Sermon #3 - Restoration of Jerusalem Predicted
	B. Sermon #4 - Recovery/Rejoicing of blessing promised
	A. The nations will seek the favor of the Lord
Zechariah 9-14	The Fourth Message: two burdens
	1. The Lord comes to His people. He is rejected
	2. The people return to God, He returns to them
Key Term:	Return

Why study the book of Zechariah?#

The book of Zechariah is written directly to the Jews who were returning back to the land from the 70 year exile in Babylon.#

It is a message of encouragement, of hope and and restoration.#

It is because of the prophecies of Zechariah and Haggai that the rebuilding of the temple continued and after 4 years was completed. Ezra 6:14#

Zechariah contains a forward pointing view of the Gospel that can easily be understood with past events (from our point of view) making the book a highly Evanglistic message for those with a Jewish mindset.#

We would do well to learn from this book. The New Testament quotes or alludes to Zechariah at least 40 times.#

Not only does it unfold details of prophecy, it reveals behind-the-scenes spiritual warfare#

It shows how God is in control and never forgets his promises#

Most importantly, it reveals to us the person of Christ Zechariah dwells on the Person and the work of Christ more fully than all the minor prophets put together. (Revelation 19:10).#

It reveals to us interactions between Christ and God the Father prior to his first coming.#

It shows us his nature during his first coming and finally his galant entry and conquest on his second return as conquering king.#

For the most part, apart from the visions, Zechariah’s language is simple and direct.#

While many will say there are difficulties in studying the book of Zechariah, the message that can be clearly understood far outweighs any difficulties. One thing that aids our understanding is the promises of the future have nothing to do with returning from Babylon.#

It is our belief that the prophecies contained in the book of Zechariah are not to present to us as such a chronological unfolding of the future but rather to present to us the very purpose of prophecy - the unfolding revelation of Christ himself and God’s plan of restoration.#

“The prophecy of Zechariah is to the Old Testament what the book of Revelation is to the New. It is the Apocalypse of the Old Testament which portrays God’s future dealings with His chosen people Israel . . . The book of Zechariah, especially chapter 14, stands as a continual corrective to all those theories which deny the literal, future restoration of Israel, after a period of chastening, in her own land, over whom the Messiah will reign in Zion” (334-335).²#

Zechariah’s immediate audience as well as the generations to follow, including the church age, would greatly benefit from knowing God is far from finished with Israel. He chose to make unconditional promises to Abraham and He will keep his word. Those promises of the land, seed and blessing will be fulfilled literally. Genesis 12:1-3,#

The book of Zechariah shows how God works when His people stray, always calling them back to Himself.#

Zechariah will also teach how to return or turn to God and how not to.#

Zechariah is a book that is seldom taught as it undoubtedly presents the interpreter with many challenges.#

While Zechariah presents many future events and gives details regarding those events, the key to understanding Zechariah is not to reveal future historical narrative. Instead all the seemingly isolated events serve to support the main thread which is really a Person, God’s Messiah, Christ the Lord.#

Zechariah 1:1-6 - The First Message - setting the theme of the book#

Zechariah 1:1-2 Setting and Author#

Zechariah 1:1a In the eighth month of the second year of Darius,… This is Darius I (Darius the Great) son of Darius Hystaspes who reigned from 29th of September 522 b.C. to October 486 b.C..#

The dating given is according to a Gentile king. This is because no Jewish king is reigning and the “Times of the Gentiles” is underway. Daniel 9:24-27, Luke 21:24, Mark 13:14#

The first message of four of the book was written in the eighth month of 520 b.C. The second message was written three months later. The third message was written in 518 b.C.. Zechariah 1:1, 7, 7:1#

No dating is given for the fourth message found in chapters 9 through 14 but it appears to have been written at a later date and under different circumstances.#

The whole book is written from and is regarding the city of Jerusalem in the present and into the far future.#

Chapters 1-8 Jerusalem under Medo-Persian rule (586-332 b.C.)#

Chapters 9-10 Jerusalem governed by Greece (332-63 b.C.)#

Chapter 11 Jerusalem under Roman domination (63 b.C.-70 A.D.f)#

Chapters 12 to 14 Jerusalem’s last days of national history#

The future promises for Israel contained in this short book serve to provide a record throughout the ages as encouragement to Israel to return to Yahweh Shabaot. Every generation of Jew for over 2500 years has had, in the record of Zechariah, a faithful testimony of Yahweh interacting with her throughout the ages to bring about her yet future return.#

One day, in the not so distant future, Zechariah’s book will find it’s total fulfillment in a literal way so that “all will know that I am the Lord”.#

Zechariah 1:1b the word of the LORD came to Zechariah the prophet,… It was the word of the Lord, not Zechariah’s imagined word for the Lord.#

Zechariah was a levite, born in Babylon. His name means “Yahweh remembers”. Nehemiah 12:1, 16#

Like Jeremiah, Ezekiel and John the Baptizer, Zechariah was both prophet and priest.#

Zechariah evidently survived Joshua the high priest and became a head of his own division of priests during the time of Joiakim, the son of Joshua. Nehemiah 12:12, 16#

In the beginning of his ministry, Zechariah was probably a young man and was born in Babylon. Zechariah 2:4#

Zechariah’s contemporary, Haggai, began his ministry in September of 520 b.C..While Haggai’s focus was to return and rebuild the temple, Zechariah’s prophecy complemented his ministry focusing on a spiritual return to the Lord.#

While Haggai’s focus is more on things past and present, the message given to Zechariah will reach far into the future, relating to the returning generation of a wonderfully restored Jewish nation back in fellowship with Almighty God.#

According to some ancient versions, Zechariah was also a poet. His name is in the titles of:#

Psalm 137, 145— 50 in the LXX [Septuagint]#

Psalm 111, 145 in the Vulgate;#

Psalm 125, 145—48 in the Syriac." ³#

515b.C. Note: This Psalm [145 in LXX / 146 in Massoretic], and the four following, which end the book, are supposed to have been sung at the dedication of the second temple… ⁴#

Chapters 9 and 10 are written in poetic form.#

Zechariah 1:1c the son of Berechiah,… Berechiah was Zechariah’s father. Not much is known about Berechiah except that his name means “Yahweh blesses”. Perhaps he died young as he is not mentioned in Ezra among the returnees.#

Jesus makes a statement about Zechariah, Berechiah’s son, being martyred. Matthew 23:35#

Scholars disagree on this verse. There are differeing opinions regarding how it should be understood.#

Option 1: Jehoiada means the same as Berechiah. There was another prophet Zechariah (son of Jehoiada) who had lived 300 years earlier that was martyred. Since both father’s names essentially mean the same thing, the names were used interchangeably by Jesus. 2 Chronicles 24:20-22#

Option 2: A copyist error. Some suggest it could be a copyists’s error in the transcription of the Greek text.#

Option 3: Though this tragedy was done in secret, Jesus confesses having witnessed Zechariah son of Berechiah’s murder, just the same as he did Abel’s, which was also done in secret. This seems the most plausible option of the three.#

If this is true, and we believe it is, it is not recorded anywhere in Scripture. That however, does not make it false.#

Matthew seemed familiar with the book of Zechariah since he quotes it at least three times. It would seem it caught his attention to hear Jesus mention this event so he quotes Jesus precisely where the other Gospel writers do not.#

In the context of Matthew, Jesus seems to be aluding to the first and last of the righteous prophets of the Old Testament. To say that Zechariah son of Jehoiada was the last would excluse many prophets (including Zechariah) as righteous.#

God is not indifferent or blind to the suffering of his people. He sees all that is done in public as well as in secret. Ultimately he will bring justice. Romans 12:19-20#

The Jewish Targum (oral tradition) also states that a Zechariah, son of Iddo, a prophet and priest was killed in the sanctuary. These rabbis would have no reason to agree with the words of Jesus.#

Zechariah 1:1d the son of Iddo… Iddo is Zechariah’s grandfather. His name means “appointed time”.#

Iddo was a priest. Iddo is listed among those who returned from Babylon. Nehemiah 12:1, 12:4, 12:16#

Zechariah is also referred to as the son of Iddo. This is common practice to say his forefather or ancestor. Zechariah 1:1; Ezra 5:1; 6:14#

Ezra mentiones the prophet Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo together. Perhaps the role of priest is what Ezra is bringing out.#

Together, the names Zechariah, Berechia and Iddo say, “Yahweh remembers, Yahweh blesses at the appointed time”. The harmonizes wonderfully with the message of the book. When the appointed time comes, God will fulfill all His promises and they will be carried out with overflowing blessing.#

Zechariah 1:2-3 The great appeal, “return to Me and I will return to you”#

Zechariah 1:2a “The LORD was very angry with your fathers.… the fathers are those who were deported to Babylon. 2 Chronicles 36#

The pre-exilic fathers are used as an example of what not to do. It was their refusing to respond that send the nation into exile for 70 years.#

Zechariah 1:2b …Very angry the Text literally says angry with anger.#

Zechariah 1:3b “Therefore say to them Thus says the LORD of hosts… Zechariah’s primary audience are the people who have returned from exile in Babylon. Zechariah was to speak the Lord of hosts’ word to the people.#

This would include the few older generation that returned, the young and Zerubbabel and Joshua.#

What Zechariah spoke is not of his own initiative or deduction or interpretation. It was God’s word. Hebrews 1:1, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 1 Peter 1:20-21#

When God speaks something, He is tied to His Word to fulfill it. Ezra 1:1, Proverbs 30:5, Hebrews 6:17-18,#

Who is The LORD OF HOSTS (Yahweh Saboath)?#

In Hebrew it is Yahweh Sabaoth or Almighty of armies. It appears 235 times in the Bible#

The first time this name of God appears in the Bible is in 1 Samuel when the people of Israel were concerned about armies, particularly the Philistine armies. The name appears often in prophetical books.#

The Lord of Hosts is mentioned no less than 53 times in Zechariah. Therefore, in order to better understand the book of Zechariah we should get better acquainted with this name of God. Luke 2:13, Genesis 2:1, Nehemiah 9:6, Acts 7:42, Psa 33:6, Isaiah 37:16, Matthew 26:53#

The Lord of Hosts is the Commander of Armies#

Isaiah 13:4 …is mustering the army for battle. Zechariah 12:9, Zechariah 9:14-16, Isaiah 1:9, 2 Kings 6:15-16, Exodus 15:3, 1 Kings 22:19#

Isaiah 19:16 …Awake to punish all the nations… Isaiah 1:24, 2:12, 5:7#

Nahum 2:13 “Behold, I am against you,” declares the LORD of hosts. “I will burn up her chariots in smoke, a sword will devour your young lions; I will cut off your prey from the land, and no longer will the voice of your messengers be heard.” Isaiah 1:24, Malachi 4:1-3, Psalm 103:20-21, Matthew 13:41, Mattew 24:30-31, Revelation 19:11-20#

David was familiar with the meaning of the Lord of hosts. He invoked the Lord of Hosts when going to battle with Goliath. 1 Samuel 17:45, 2 Samuel 5:10#

Though David took off Saul’s armor, he put on the Lord of Hosts. 1 Chronicles 11:9, 2 Samuel 6:18, 2 Samuel 7:27#

The Lord of Hosts is the King:#

Psalm 24:10 Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah. Zechariah 14:9, 1 Kings 22:19, 2 Kings 6:17, Isaiah 29:6, Isaiah 13:14#

Isaiah 9:7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.#

The Lord of Hosts is The Redeemer:#

Isaiah 47:4 Our Redeemer, the LORD of HOSTS…#

Isaiah 44:6 “…the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts… Jeremiah 50:34, Malachi 3:17, Zechariah 14:16, Isaiah 44:6, Revelation 22:13, Psalm 59:5#

The Lord of Hosts is Holy:#

Isaiah 6:3 “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD (Jehovah) of hosts…” Jeremiah 32:18, Isaiah 8:14, Jeremiah 11:20, Isaiah 5:16#

The Lord of Hosts is Almighty:#

Daniel 4:35 “All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, but He does according to His will in the HOST of HEAVEN & among the inhabitants of earth & no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?”#

The Lord of Hosts and the Davidic Covenant…#

2 Samuel 7:27 “For You, O LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have made a revelation to Your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house’;…#

It is the Lord of Hosts who will ultimately will never allow injustice to His people. Zechariah 1:15, Amos 6:1, Revelation 18:7-8#

When Christ is seated on His throne , He will be called the Lord of Hosts. Zechariah 14:16-17#

As the prophets used this title, they stressed Yahweh’s sovereignty in action, not just in its abstract meaning. That is, they saw Yahweh Sabaoth as leading all armies—armies of stars, angels, and people.#

Zechariah lived when Israel had lost its army, had no military power, had little political organization, and no political power. Thus, by referring to Yahweh as “the LORD of armies,” Zechariah was reminding his hearers of their God’s abiding and active sovereignty.¹#

God is the Lord of the stars, the powers of heaven, and all the forces of the universe - a most inclusive and comprehensive name for God. ⁵#

The powerful thrust of the book of Zechariah lies in the aspect of God that God stressed in revealing Himself to His people through its writer. Zechariah used the name Yahweh Sabaoth more than any other book of the Bible.#

Zechariah’s message comes directly from the Lord of hosts himself…"thus says the Lord of hosts” Psalm 84:1-12#

Zechariah 1:3c “Thus says the Lord of hosts…Return to Me,…” The Lord of hosts…the Lord Almighty, Lord of the armies, says this…“come back to Me”.#

While Haggai is more focused on the rebuilding of the temple, Zechariah’s message is to encourage the people to return into right relationship with God.#

They had come back from exile, but they needed to turn fully and trustingly to the Lord. ⁵#

Some are offended at the idea that God’s sovereignty would be affected if man had any say in the matter. Yet clearly in this circumstance we have the Lord of Hosts Himself inviting His nation to willingly “return to Me”. It would be hypocritical of God to call to a return and force them to do so.#

God sovereignly chooses to limit Himself sovereignly allows man to respond to His invitation at will. God is looking for free responses, not forced gestures.#

God makes the invitation and leaves it up to man to respond. He does not invite until man responds, but he makes it a point to draw all to Himself. John 12:32, 48#

Zechariah tells us is that God is faithful to His word. He will hold back the wonderful promises made to Israel until she returns in belief. Romans 11:23, Zechariah 12:10#

All of God’s promises to withhold blessings will be kept.#

All of God’s promises to return to them when they return to Him will also be kept.#

In the meantime, God protects Israel from annihilation (you can’t keep a promise to a nation that doesn’t exist), keeping the gentiel nations at bay until that wondrous day when she returns to Him with all her heart.#

Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!#

The returning Jews needed to understand that merely returning to the land, reinhabitting Jerusalem, rebuilding the temple is not synonymous with placing their confidence in the Lord of Hosts. 1 John 3:3#

Zephaniah 3:1 Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!#

Zephaniah 3:2 She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the LORD; she drew not near to her God.#

The opposite of returning is to forsake. When they didn’t trust the Lord, they were completely forsaking the Lord of hosts. They kept the law in part and placed their trust in idolatry, wealth and even their religious form. Not trusting the Lord and serving other gods is called “doing evil”. Deuteronomy 4:25, 17:2-5#

Zechariah 1:3d declares the LORD of hosts,… This is a declaration from the Lord. It is probable Zechariah preached this message to all the people.#

One might think this exhortation is really uncalled for at a time like this. The people had just gone through a time of discipline where God took them away from the land into a strange land to live among a strange, pagan people who did not have the same practices and customs as they did.#

Surely they didn’t need exhorting to return to the Lord? The Lord seemed to think they did. That was enough for Zechariah and it should be enough for us when we are exhorted by the Lord.#

A new generation was now coming back to the land, They had left their exilic homes, and reistablished the daily sacrifices. The foundation for the temple was even laid. Things were seemingly going well, Did the prophet not understand how much they had already sacrificed? Wasn’t God pleased with them?#

God is more interested for their hearts to be tuned to Him, instead of all their hard efforts for Him. The Jews needed first of all to return to Him spiritually. This vital aspect of their return was totally overlooked and taken for granted due to the circumstances.#

When the trials of the building project come their way, they were quickly discouraged and frustrated. They had not been trusting the Lord of hosts for His daily spiritual provision in their lives, how could they trust God for the rebuilding of the temple? Haggai 1:9-11#

Zechariah 1:1 “that I may return to you,” says the LORD of hosts… What a wonderful proposal is made by the Lord of hosts. It is a great thing to have the Lord of hosts on your side but even greater, is to have him with you.#

The tabernacle in the middle of the nation was to serve as a reminder of God’s presence among the people.#

The Lord is not just saying “I’m going to bless you”, He’s essentially saying, “I’m going to dwell with you”. I will cohabit with you. I will share my heart with you. Exodus 25:8, Exodus 29:46, 2 Corinthians 6:6#

In the Church age, God enters (indwells) the believer through the Person of the Holy Spirit. Yet it is only as we turn to Him or rather, in New Testament vernacular, walk with Him by faith that He richly dwells in us. Acts 17:24, Ephesians 3:17, Colossians 3:16#

In the Millenial age, all of Israel will be given hearts that love God and God dwells in the midst of His people. 2 Corinthians 6:16, Ezekiel 36:26#

Zechariah 1:4-6 Their fathers returned but never returned to the Lord#

In order to communicate as clearly as possible, the Lord will clarify what “return to Me” does not not mean.#

Zechariah 1:4a “Do not be like your fathers,… Look to your fathers’ example, don’t follow in their footsteps, do not follow their example. 2 Chronicles 30:7, Ezra 9:7, Nehemiah 9:16, Psalm 78:8#

Zechariah 1:4b to whom the former prophets proclaimed,… God had spoken to them through the prophets. In fact, they had been warned countless times and in countless ways.#

The former prophets include; Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Micah, Habakkuk and Zephaniah. Jeremiah 26:5, Daniel 9:6, Zechariah 7:7, 2 Chronicles 36:21, Matthew 21:34, Mark 12:2, Luke 20:10#

Zechariah 1:4c saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Return now…(to Me) Jeremiah 4:4, Jeremiah 13:10#

It was not the Lord that needed to return to them first, it was the people that had departed from the Lord and needed to realize their state, change their minds and return to Him.#

This is not simply to a formal obedience to His law and covenant. Zechariah was to warn the Israelites not to be like their (pre-exilic) forefathers who refused to respond to the preaching of earlier (pre-exilic) prophets.#

This is not saying if Israel would have ceased from sinning, God would have returned. A return to God is not synonymous with sinning less as some teach.#

A return meant coming to God without delay on the basis of who He is and His promised Provision for sin’s atonement in the coming Messiah.#

Zechariah 1:4c …from your evil ways and from your evil deeds."’… The fathers, just like Zechariah’s generation, needed to change their minds away from what they trusted in, towards God. Acts 20:21#

Zechariah 1:4d *..evil ways and from evil deeds…*The evidence is conclusive. Their ways and deeds demonstrated the condition of their wayward hearts. Ezekiel 14:5,#

This may sound like the Lord is saying to stop their evil ways and evil deeds. They should, but that is not the point here.#

The point is to convince the people their ways and deeds were a result of a bad relationship with God. Jeremiah 2:13#

Zechariah’s admonishment to his generation is that they learn from the bad example of their forefathers and listen to what the Lord had to say and return to Him. Jeremiah 29:13, Proverbs 3:5, 1 Samuel 12:24#

The message contained in this book is intended to do exactly that to the returnees. This is true of subsequent generations as well.#

Zechariah 1:4d But they did not listen or give heed to Me,” declares the LORD.… The real issue resided in the hearts. They did not listen…Isaiah 6:10#

They were unable to hear God speaking because they didn’t listen. They were rebellious and refused to heed the many warnings. Jeremiah 17:23, 29:19, 35:17, 44:5#

Evil ways and evil deeds are used to demonstrate or to give credence their heart was clearly in the wrong place. A return to God is not merely about ceasing to do those evil things but a return to fellowship.#

A return to God is the condition of the heart (internal). The changed ways are the result (external). 2 Chronicles 12:14#

God once again invites Judah into a relationship, not mere external, religious rote. Zechariah 7:4-6, Zechariah 8:2, Amos 5:21-27, Colossians 2:23#

God hates religious rote as a replacement for a relationship. Isaiah 1:12-14, Jeremiah 4:4#

It is counted as violence to the law. Ezekiel 22:26, Zephaniah 3:4#

In Acts 17:22 Paul says these words about the superstitious Athenians on Mars Hill. So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. Jeremiah 10:2, Acts 28:3-4, Acts 17:23#

This generation was in serious danger of committing the same thing as the previous generations had done. Due to the prolonged period of delayed reconstruction, the people became discouraged. They arrived at the conclusion that it was not time for the temple to be rebuilt . Haggai 1:2#

Once again, God disciplined them, this time with a drought yet they still did not change their minds. Haggai 2:17#

Zechariah 1:5a “Your fathers, where are they?… While a small group of them returned, the fathers for the most part had been killed by the Babylonians and died off or remained in Babylon. Psalm 90:10#

Zechariah 1:5b And the prophets, do they live forever?… The prophets were human too and eventually died. Some prophets were killed by the very people they prophecied to.#

God had spoken to them then. They should have listened and returned. In a similar fashion today,#

God’s offer of salvation is today, not necessarily tomorrow. Jeremiah 26:5, 2 Corinthians 6:2#

Zechariah 1:6a “But did not My words and My statutes, which I commanded My servants the prophets,… God raised up prophets to speak His words and His statutes were written down so there would be no mistaking what God said.#

*My words…*The prophet who spoke presumptuously without the Lord commanding Him should not be feared. Deuteronomy 18:18-22, Jeremiah 28:15-17, Deuteronomy 13:5#

*My statues…*These were taught and written down. Israel was not to add or take away from them. Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 8#

Zechariah 1:6b overtake your fathers?… The words spoken through His servants and the established statutes came to pass as God had said they would. Deuteronomy 28:45#

Zechariah 1:6c …and they returned and said… (KJV) the word returned (SHUB) is correctly translated “returned” in the King James version, and not as the New American Standard Version. It’s referring to a physical return from Babylon to the land. Compare the use of SHUB in Zechariah 1:3 with Zechariah 1:6#

Zechariah 1:6d As the LORD of hosts purposed to do to us in accordance with our ways and our deeds, so He has dealt with us.… The forefathers served to testify of the veracity of God’s word. Their witness is clear, God did as He said He would do. Lamentations 1:18, 2:7#

The first temple was destroyed in 586b.C. and the second temple was finished in 516b.C., a gap of 70 years.#

The first deportation was in 605b.C. while the first return occured in 536b.C., a 70 year gap.#

The returnees were now hearing the word of the Lord through the Prophets Haggai and Zechariah. The statutes continued to speak the same and now the forefathers testimony as well, gave credence to the importance of heeding the message.#

42,360 people returned to Judah on this first wave, accompanied by 7,337 slaves and two hundred singers. Included in this group were members of the ten northern tribes taken into captivity by Assyria in 722 B.C. Ezra 2, Ezra 2:64–65, Ezra 2:70#

Though a group returned physically, their focus was on the land, the temple and on material blessings. Blessings removed and curses received. Yet they never repented, they never changed their minds from trusting themselves to trusting God.#

Jeremiah 7:4 “Do not trust in deceptive words, saying, ‘This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.’ Jeremiah 7:8#

This has been referred to as “walking at a guilty distance.” This is not what it means to walk with God. Genesis 6:9#

A note about biblical repentance#

The word repentance in the Bible has been used to translate many different words and it has caused a great deal of confusion, especially regarding the correct response to the Gospel.#

In 1384, John Wycliffe produced the first hand written English Bible. Wycliffe based his translation on Jerome’s Latin Bible as his sole source. The Latin vulgate unfortunately had several grave mistranslations, including the Greek word METANOIA (to change one’s thinking or perspective) to a word which means to do acts of penance, to be penitent.#

The doctrine of penance was what was being taught by the Roman Church, which required the sinner paying a certain penance in order to be forgiven.#

The first English Bible had a tremendous influence on the English language and the term repentance (feel profound sorrow, be penitent) replaced the original Greek word metanoia (change your mind).#

We can understand then why sometimes the Hebrew word SHUB (to turn back, return) is translated to repent when it was much clearer to translate it, ‘return’. Physically they returned. Spiritually they did not.#

In this case, the fathers recognized being wrong and that God was punishing them for disobedience. They readily accepted the consequences of their sin (punishment).#

Yet they never looked to God. They recognized God as sovereign and the punishment they deserved but their trust was never placed in the Lord. They trusted in fate. Their hope was that God somehow might show mercy on them despite their wrong doings.#

This is the wrong attitude to have. Confession of sin has no judiciary value before God unless it is brought by a turning by faith to God. Sin must be paid for not merely recognized.#

As the believer fellowships with God, God brings certain things (sin) to light which the believer should confess it to (agree with) God. Yet the basis for fellowship is not confession.#

Confession does not access or maintain fellowship, faith does. Confession is what results of repentance (a change of mind) while walking by faith in fellowship with God. He who says he has no sin…lies and is not fellowshipping with God. 1 John 1#

If one has to confess to get back into fellowship with God, the waters of grace are muddied. It is displaced suficiency of Christ onto the actions of the believer.#

More to the point, the people who came to John the Baptist confessing their sin, were believers who were responding to the preaching of repentance. John’s baptism was an appropriate response of what God was doing in the hearts of the people through John’s message. Mark 1:1-4, Matthew 3:7-8#

In like manner, the believer is to confess his sins because his sins have been forgiven. It is not for forgiveness that he confesses, but because he accepts by faith he already has forgiveness. This is aligning, saying the same, to what God says in His word.#

Christ came and died on a cross. His death is the payment for all sin not merely for sins that are confessed. When a person turns to God, it is by faith that the person of Christ has fully paid for his sin debt (past, present, future) and no other means or work is necessary to be made right with God.#

If a believer sins, a return to God (a believer who repents) is one who comes to God on the basis of who Christ is and his standing in Christ by faith and thereby providing acceptance before the Father. No amount of confession of sin makes the sinner more or less acceptable before the Father. That was Christ’s work. Colossians 2:6#

The Jewish forefathers needed approach God by faith. Merely admitting sin and accepting the consequences as from God, is not the same as approaching God by faith which requires resting in God’s provision. Ezekiel 20:43#

We find a stark contrast between the fathers and Daniel’s response when he read the prophecy of Jeremiah regarding the 70 year exile. Daniel 9:15-19#

Biblical repentance is not merely admiting you’re guilty, it’s trusting God’s solution. Matthew 27:3-5#

Biblical repentace is not feeling sorrow for something (even though that is the contemporary meaning in the dictionary). Biblical Repentance and regret are not synonymous words. In fact, the Bible used two very different words for repent and sorrow.#

It is true that God’s kindness or godly sorrow can lead to repentance but they are not one in the same thing, one leads to the other. Romans 2:4, 2 Corinthians 7:9#

Biblical repentance is not ceasing from sin, promising not to sin or changing one’s life from sin. It may help to realize the phrase “repent of your sins” is not found anywhere in the Bible. Acts 2:38 says “repent for the forgiveness of sins” which clearly shows sins being forgiven is a promised result of repentance.#

Biblical repentance not something you measure to see if it is real, true or authentic. This is a common misconception that still plagues Christianity today.#

The root is a change of mind which is internal. The results may or may not be outward and could be evidenced differently in each case but are not a requirement by God for the internal to be considered authentic. Luke 3:8-18#

Salvation is by faith in the Gospel. Salvation is not by works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9#

Biblical repentance is changing one’s mind towards God. You change your thinking from what you were trusting in to trust God alone. Acts 20:21, Acts 11:18, Isaiah 1:18, Hebrews 6:1#

In the case of an unbeliever, he or she must change their mind about God’s offer made through the Gospel (that Christ died paying for our sins and rising again) and believe it. Luke 24:45-47, Acts 19:4, Luke 13:1-5#

Or a believer in error should repent (change his or her thinking) towards God regarding walking according to the flesh or sinful lifestyle. Revelation 2:21, 3:3, 3:19, 1 John 1:9, Romans 6:1-11, Romans 8:12-13, Galatians 5:16#

The purpose of this message was that God was warning the returning Jews that the reason their fathers were sent away in the first place was because they did not trust Him.#

They would be prone to imagine the blessing of their return was a demonstration that God was pleased with them. God had sent them away from the land 70 years so that they would change their minds and return to Him by faith. Yet the fathers did not.#

Isaiah 29:13-16 Then the Lord said, “Because this people draw near with their words And honor Me with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote#

Therefore behold, I will once again deal marvelously with this people, wondrously marvelous; And the wisdom of their wise men will perish, And the discernment of their discerning men will be concealed.”#

Woe to those who deeply hide their plans from the LORD, And whose deeds are done in a dark place, And they say, “Who sees us?” or “Who knows us?” You turn things around! Shall the potter be considered as equal with the clay, That what is made would say to its maker, “He did not make me”; Or what is formed say to him who formed it, “He has no understanding”?#

James 4:8 “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you”. NKJV#

Following are some examples from the people that Zechariah brings out throughout the book to demonstrate bad believing and their need to change their minds…#

The busy returnees - for about 16 years the people stood by and concluded “it was not God’s will” to rebuild the temple. They each went to building their elaborate homes. Haggai 1:2, 4, 8#

The unlistening fathers - This lot persisted playing deaf with God and got deported. Zechariah 1:4-6#

The unmoved exiles - The jews who remained in comfort, remaining dispersed in foreign nations. Zechariah 2#

The soiled high priest - The priestly garments (ie Joshua’s) was soiled. Satan didn’t need any other incriminated evidence to bring a charge against God’s elect. Clearly, they were guilty. Zechariah 3#

The temple whiners - Since the second temple was not as grand as the first, they scorned the building of the second temple. Large or small, when God asks you to get involved it’s a grand thing! Zechariah 4#

Wickedness in the land - wickedness will have to be removed, why would God have to remove wickedness from the land of a people that “deserved” God’s blessings? Zechariah 5#

The redundant mourners - This lot mourned about their losses, only to forget the reason why they lost them in the first place. Zechariah 7-8#

The Good Shepherd rejectors - God provided a Shepherd for Israel. He was caring, compassionate and protective of the flock, yet they rejected Him. Zechariah 9#

The fleecing shepherds - The people tolerated shepherds who used them for financial gain. Zechariah 11:1-5#

Dishonest merchants - These returnees learned Babylonian ways. They used lying and swearing to secure business.#

The foolish shepherd followers - The people readily embraced a foolish Shepherd who didn’t care about them and didn’t protect them. Instead they were slaughtered. Zechariah 11:15-17#

Those who pierced the Deliverer - The infamous nation who killed their liberator.#

These illustrations serve to cause reflective consideration regarding the people’s true spiritual condition. Would they see their utter need and return to Yahweh or continue on the same path as their fathers?#

Zechariah 1:7-6:8 - The Second Message: Eight Visions#

Three months later, Zechariah received 8 visions in one night. These visions are not literal, they use symbols and types to explain future literal events. Some parts were fulfilled within the near future but most of the prophecies contained in the visions have yet to be fulfilled even today.#

These night visions serve the primary purpose of revealing to the people, God’s involvement behind the scenes to make Israel and Judah’s return to Him a reality. All of these visions deal with God’s nation, Israel and not generally speaking of God’s ‘people’.#

These visions serve to encourage the people of Zechariah’s time to finish building the temple. The temple is important for so many reasons within the existence of the Jews but a key reason is so that prophecy regarding Messiah might be fulfilled.#

They also serve to give hope to future generations as the visions unveil how God is compassionately and faithfully fighting for Israel and of His plans to make Israel the epicenter of the world.#

We will try not to discifer every detail or arrive at conclusions unwarranted by the Text. Each of these visions does not give every detail to satisfy our curiosity. Thankfully an explanation is given by an angel who explains the meaning to Zechariah so we can know what we need to know.#

Each of the visions follow a similar pattern.#

Zechariah describes what he saw#

Zechariah enquires what it means#

Zechariah is given the significance#

	Passage	Vision	Meaning
1	Zechariah 1:7-17	The horseman	God is jealous for Israel. God is prepared to fight the nations for Israel’s restoration and bring justice and through it, world peace.
2	Zechariah 1:18-21	4 horns and 4 craftsmen	The nations who have scattered Israel will be thrown down.
3	Zechariah 2:1-13	Measuring Jerusalem	Jerusalem will be restored
4	Zechariah 3:1-10	Joshua high priest	Though Israel (particularly the priesthood) has not walked as they should, God will one day restore Israel.
5	Zechariah 4:1-14	The lampstand	God empowers his people through His Spirit.
6	Zechariah 5:1-4	The flying scroll	Righteous judgement; first on God’s people, then on the nations of the world.
7	Zechariah 5:5-11	The ephah	Wickedness removed.
8	Zechariah 6:1-15	Four chariots	God’s kingdom is established with Messiah as King of the earth.
			A Crown fit for The King

Zechariah 1:7-17 The vision of the horseman#

Zechariah 1:7-8 The Vision#

Zechariah 1:7a On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, Three months after receiving the first message, Zechariah receives a second communication from the Lord.#

Zechariah 1:7b which is the month Shebat, Since Zechariah lives in a Persian/Babylonian/Hebrew culture, he gives the Aramaic month name as well. Shebat is the adapted Babylonian name for the eleventh month.#

This is January-February, the time of year when winter is on its way out in Israel.#

Zechariah 1:7c in the second year of Darius, Though Medo-Persia had years of trouble after Cyrus died, by his second year, Darius managed to bring the empire to stability and peace.#

“Darius boasted that in nineteen battles he had defeated nine rebel leaders and had subdued all his enemies. So the empire was again virtually quiet by 520 B.C.”⁶#

Zechariah 1:7d the word of the LORD came to Zechariah the prophet, the son of Berechiah,the son of Iddo, again, Zechariah gives his credentials. This may have been because these were separate messages that were later compiled into one book of Zechariah’s prophecies.#

This day (24 Shebat) marked 5 months since the rebuilding of the temple had begun. Haggai 1:14-15, 2:10, 18, 20#

Zechariah 1:7-8a …as follows: I saw at night, This time, Zechariah received a message from the Lord in the form of visions in the night.#

This was not a dream. Zechariah was awake and literally saw the things he describes. This was how God many times communicated to the Prophets. Numbers 12:6#

Zechariah 1:8b and behold, a man was riding…This man is the only rider mentioned and appears to take a more prominent role.#

Who is this rider? We are later told he is the angel of the Lord. We will discuss this later in verse 11.#

Zechariah 1:8c …on a red horse, we cannot be dogmatic since the the angel does not say, but generally speaking red symbolizes bloodshed, many times as a result of war.#

Horses then were the fastest form of travel. Horses are often seen in the context of war. Cavalry was highly regarded by many civilizations during this time.#

In Revelation 6:4 we also see a red horse who comes to take peace and cause war and bloodshed.#

Zechariah 1:8d and he was standing among the myrtle trees It appears as though the man who was riding on the red horse is now standing among the myrtle trees. He is under the shade of myrtle trees.#

Myrtle trees are seen as a good thing in Hebrew culture. In fact Esther’s Hebrew name (Hadassah) is myrtle in Hebrew. Esther 2:7#

Myrtle branches are used during the celebration of the Feast of Booths. Nehemiah 8:15, Isaiah 41:19, 55:13#

In the Millenial age, God will turn briars (result of the curse) into myrtle trees. This will be for the glory of the Lord. Isaiah 55:13, Isaiah 41:19#

Zechariah 1:8e which were in the ravine, with red, sorrel and white horses behind him. Red, sorrel and white horses behind him.#

These horses probably symbolize angelic beings as they were God’s representatives sent to “patrol the earth”.#

Persian monarchs used messengers on swift steeds to keep them informed on all matters concerning their empire. ⁷#

Zechariah 1:9a The Question#

Zechariah 1:9a Then I said, “My lord, what are these?” Zechariah wants to know the what it was that he saw.#

Zechariah 1:9b-17 The Interpretation#

Zechariah 1:9b And the angel who was speaking with me said to me,“I will show you what these are.” It is not the receptor’s task to guess what he saw. The explanation of the vision is given so that Zechariah knows what God wants to communicate. Revelation 1:1#

Zechariah 1:10a And the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered and said, The man standing enters the conversation and explains the significance of the vision…#

Zechariah 1:10b “These are those whom the LORD has sent to patrol the earth.” The horses here most likely represent angelic beings sent by the Lord.#

This angel patrol roams over the earth. These agents are sent by God to observe and report back to Him. Zechariah 6:7#

We know from Job 1:6-7 that angelic beings are roaming the earth.#

Zechariah 1:11a So they answered the angel of the LORD This is the first mention of “the angel of the Lord” in Zechariah.#

The angel of the LORD can be seen about 57 times in the Bible and 6 times in Zechariah. The definite article the helps identify He is a singular being.#

The only adequate interpretation for this being as seen here as well as other portions of Scripture, is that it is referring to the pre-incarnate Lord Jesus Christ.#

The angel of the Lord was the Lord Himself, the second person of the Trinity.#

This “man among the myrtle trees” appears to be the same as the angel of the Lord (vv. 11–13).#

The Angel of the Lord shows up six times in Zechariah. Zechariah 1:11-12, 3:1, 3:5-6, 12:8#

The angel of the Lord had an intercessory role throughout the Old Testament. Zechariah 1:12, 12:8, Exodus 14:19; 33:14; Isaiah 13:9; 1 Corinthians 10:4#

The angel of the Lord removed Joshua the priest’s filthy garments and gave him new clothes symbolizing the preparation for temple service before the Lord.#

The angel of the Lord is Yahweh but shown distinct from Yahweh in other passages. The following Scriptures illustrate how the writers showed the angel of the Lord to be Yahweh but yet distinct from Yahweh. 2 Samuel 24:16; Zechariah 1:12#

He gives comfort to Hagar. Genesis 16:7, 11#

He calls Moses. The angel of the Lord is Yahweh. Exodus 3:1-6#

He stopped Abraham from sacrificing Isaac. Genesis 22:11-12, 15-16#

To talk sense to Balaam. Numbers 22:31, 35, 38#

To prepare Gideon for battle. Judges 6:12-13, 22#

David was terrified by His sword. 1 Chronicles 21:18, 27, 30#

Geneis 3:15 tells us that God will raise up a deliverer, who is to be a man, born of the woman who will crush Satan.#

Zechariah reveals to us something more about the angel of the Lord.#

He mentions twice in this passage that He is a man. Zechariah 1:8, 10#

He removes iniquity. Zechariah 3:1, 4#

Did Zechariah see Jesus in the future? Or perhaps he actually saw the angel of the Lord before he put on humanity but was identifying#

Zechariah states twice that the angel of the Lord is a standing. Zechariah 1:8, 10#

Stephen saw Jesus standing when he was being stoned. Acts 7:55-56#

Jesus is seen standing when he receives the scroll in Heaven. Revelation 5:6#

Jesus will be seen standing on mount Zion when He returns. Revelation 14:1#

We therefore conclude that according to Zechariah and supportive Scriptures that the identity of the Angel of the Lord (capitalized from now on) is God the son, the second person of the Trinity.#

The book of Zechariah presents Christ as:#

The Angel of the Lord. Zechariah 1:11#

The man. Zechariah 1:10, 1:11, 13:7#

The Branch. Zechariah 3:8, 6:12#

God’s Associate. Zechariah 13:7#

The Shepherd. Zechariah 13:7#

Priest. Zechariah 6:13#

The King. Zechariah 9:9, 14:16, Isaiah 6:5, John 12:41#

The Redeemer. Zechariah#

God’s Servant. Zechariah 3:8#

The Stone. Zechariah 3:7#

Lord of the whole earth. Zechariah 4:14, Revelation 11:4#

The Lord of Hosts. Zechariah 14:16#

God’s servant, the Branch is a man, who will build the Temple of the Lord. Zechariah 3:8, 6:12, Isaiah 11:1, Isaiah 60:21, Jeremiah 23:5, Jeremiah 33:15, Revelation 22:16

God’s Associate the man. Zechariah 13:7#

Genesis 3:15 - A male seed of the woman, Matthew 1:23, Galatians 4:4#

John 1:14 - The eternal God put on humanity. He was fully God and fully human. Revelation 22:13, 16#

Christ was interceding on behalf of Israel before he became a man. He didn’t need to put on humanity to intercede. He had to put on humanity to pay man’s sin debt and become a substitute.

The Angel of the Lord who will one day destroy the nations that go up against Jerusalem. Zechariah 12:8#

Zechariah 1:11b They answered the man …“We have patrolled the earth, These horses went to gather intel regarding the current political climate of the earth.#

Obviously the horses symbolize something. We are not told if they have riders, nor what their colours mean.

Zechariah 1:11c and behold, all the earth is peaceful and quiet.” In the second year of Darius there prevailed universal peace; all the nations of the earlier Chaldaean empire were at rest, and lived in undisturbed prosperity. ⁸#

Peaceful (YASHAB) is to dwell or settle at ease. Genesis 20:15, Genesis 25:27#

Quiet (SHAQAT) describes a state of undisturbed tranquility. It is a condition during the absence of war. Judges 3:30#

To the reader the initial thought might be, “Peace at last, All is well!”. However this report is not received well by the Angel of the Lord.#

Zechariah 1:12a Then the Angel of the LORD said, Instead of the interpreting angel answering Zechariah, the angel of the Lord asks a question to the Lord of hosts.#

Zechariah 1:12b “O LORD of hosts, how long will You have no compassion for Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, The Angel of the Lord addresses the Lord of hosts, asking the duration of the discipline on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah. Jeremiah 25:11-12#

We are reminded of Habakuk’s cry to the Lord before Judah was taken into exile… “How long, Lord, have I called for help, And You do not hear? I cry out to You, “Violence!” Yet You do not save.”#

The Gentile nations were at peace at the expense of violence done to God’s nation Israel.#

There is sense of total indifference on behalf of the nations towards Israel’s sovereignty. Nothing is being done to allow Abrahams people to posess their land within the quiet peace at the time.#

Even today, Israel is treated with contempt.#

The only reason the Lord allows it to play out is because God desires Israel to return to Him. So as long as Israel is in a state of unbelief, we can expect the absence of peace for the land of Israel.#

There is a difference between the kind of peaceful silence the world was experiencing at that time and the peace (SHALOM) which Messiah will bring in.#

SHALOM comes from the rood word SHALAM.#

In the translation of Exodus 21-22, SHALAM is translated as “make it good”, “shall surely pay”, “make full restitution” or to “restore”. The ancient Hebrew meaning of SHALAM was “to make something whole”. Not just regarding practical restoration of things that were lost or stolen. But with an overall sense of fulness and completeness in mind, body and estate. ⁹#

Genesis 43:27-28 “Then he asked them about their well-being [SHALOM], and said, “Is your father well [SHALOM], the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?” And they answered, “Your servant our father is in good health [SHALOM]; he is still alive.” NKJV#

Messiah will bring in shalom between the offices of priest and king. Zechariah 6:13#

Messiah will bring shalom to the land. Zechariah 8:12#

Messiah will speak shalom to the nations. Zechariah 9:10#

Messiah’s name will be prince of shalom. Isaiah 9:6-7#

True, world shalom will only be attained when Jesus Christ rules from His throne in Jerusalem. Isaiah 9:6-7, Isaiah 2:4#

World peace will not come until Israel has the land God deaded her, Babylon is utterly destroyed and the Prince of Peace is reigning on His throne in Jerusalem. Revelation 17-18, Zechariah 5#

Zechariah 1:12b …with which You have been indignant these seventy years?” God is shown to be in control of Israel’s time, not the Gentile nations. God had said the time would be 70 years.#

The Angel of the Lord’s words reflect his compassion for the people and his indignation at the injustice shown to Judah and all the while the nations are “at peace”.#

The Angel of the Lord’s part here perfectly anticipates Jesus’ role as Intercessor for His people.#

Zechariah 1:13 The LORD answered the angel who was speaking with me with gracious words, comforting words. We are told the sovereign Lord of the universe responds with kind, comforting words, but we’re not told what those words were. Colossians 4:6#

Psalm 94:19 When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul.#

Isaias 35:4 Say to those with anxious heart, “Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The recompense of God will come, But He will save you.”#

Zechariah 1:14a So the angel who was speaking with me said to me, “Proclaim, saying, Just like the first message, this message was not to be kept hidden, it was to be proclaimed to the people.#

As a prophet Zechariah’s task is not to receive the message for himself but to relate to the people. Hebrews 1:1-2#

So, this is in direct response to the intercessory request made by the angel of the Lord. Zechariah 1:12#

Zechariah 1:14b ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “I am exceedingly jealous… The Lord reminds his people “I am jealous for Jerusalem and Zion!” God has a strong devotion towards his posession, Israel. Isaiah 54:8, Hebrews 12:6-7#

His disposition goes beyond what we hear when it is said, “God has a plan for you, he wants to bless you”. We must realize that God is jealously seeking his posession unto himself to not share with anyone or anything else. God is willing to go to great lengths, even to war against the nations because he desires a people unto himself.#

This would have been an important reminder to the people during this time where it could seemed God had somehow forgotten his promises to Israel.#

Zechariah 1:14c for Jerusalem and Zion. Many times in Scripture we see Zion used synonimously with Jerusalem. Here Zion should be understood as even more specific.#

The earth is at the center of creation. Israel is the central nation of the world. Jerusalem is the central city in Israel. Zion is the mountain in Jerusalem where the temple will be built. Micah 3:12#

The term, Zion serves as a reminder to the people of what God will ultimately do in setting up His kingdom and rule over the nations. Micah 4:1#

Zion is the mountain on which Messiah’s throne will be established in the city of Jerusalem. Psalm 2:6#

Zion will be the place where God will impart his knowledge and glory to the nations. Micah 4:2#

Zion can also refer to God’s people. Zechariah 2:7, 2:10#

Zechariah 1:15a “But I am very angry with the nations who are at ease; The nations were at ease with the current circumstances of Israel.#

The problem is not that the nations are at peace but that they are totally fine with the fact that Israel does not posess her land. They have done nothing but oppress Israel.#

Zechariah 1:15b for while I was only a little angry, they furthered the disaster.” God was angry with the fathers but now the nations have angered God even more. Zechariah 1:2#

Israel’s exile a disaster because it was unnecessary. Yet the response of the nations made the calamity even worse.#

The angel of the Lord steps up, despite the apparent peace and requests to know how much longer the status quo would be permitted to go on.#

The Lord had warned the nations (especially in the case the Chaldeans) they would be judged for the way they treated of the Jews. Genesis 12:3, Jeremiah 51:24, 34-35, Amos 6:1#

Zechariah 1:16a ‘Therefore thus says the LORD, “I will return to Jerusalem with compassion; Because of the injustice by the Gentile nations, God will symbolically return his presence to Jerusalem with compassion.#

Zechariah 1:16b My house will be built in it… the rebuilding of the temple is foretold here. The temple will be completed.#

Temples in the Bible#

	Temple	Timeframe
1	1st - Solomon’s	958b.C. - 586b.C.
2	2nd - Zerubbabel’s	515b.C.-70a.D.
3	Mount Gerizim (Samaritans)	450b.C.-110b.C.
4	3rd - Tribulation temple	Near end of tribulation
5	4th - The Messiah’s Temple	Millenium - New Jerusalem

House or temple (BAYITH) appears 31 times in Zechariah.#

It can refer to a physical building.#

God’s Temple. Zechariah 1:16, 3:7, 4:9, 7:3, 8:9, 11:13, 14:20, 14:21#

The temple in Shinar. Zechariah 5:11#

A dwelling for a person. Zechariah 6:10, 14:2#

It can refer to a family or people. For instance, the house of Judah or the house of Israel. Zechariah 8:13, 8:15, 8:19, 10:3, 10:6, 12:4, 12:7, 12:8, 12:10, 12:12, 12:13, 13:1#

It can refer to a religious system. Zechariah 7:3, 13:6, 5:4#

Zechariah 1:16c declares the LORD of hosts, “and a measuring line will be stretched over Jerusalem.”’ the rebuilding of Jerusalem is foretold here. This must have been astounding to hear especially while the city lied ruins.#

About 200 years earlier, God had said through the prophet Isaiah that He would raise up someone to deliver them from Babylon and Jerusalem would be built.#

Isaiah 44:28 It is I who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd! And he will perform all My desire.’ And he declares of Jerusalem, ‘She will be built,’ And of the temple, ‘Your foundation will be laid.’” .#

Zechariah adds to Isaiah’s prophecy that under Zerubbabel, the temple will be finished. Zechariah 4:9-10#

Zechariah 1:17a “Again, proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “My cities will again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion. Psalm 132:13#

The Lord of hosts promises overflowing prosperity to the cities of Judah, with a special emphasis on Zion and Jerusalem. Zechariah 6:15#

While the prophecy of verse 16 finds its fulfilment in Zechariah’s time, verse 17 is clearly yet future.#

Overflowing prosperity in the land and the Lord comforting Zion will come about after Israel returns to the Lord. Zechariah 13:9#

Zechariah 1:17 and again choose Jerusalem… God will once again place his attention on Jerusalem. Zechariah 2:12, 8:8, 13:9#

What does it mean to once again choose Jerusalem?#

70 years prior, God removed the people from the land. They were exiled to a foreign land. There was no mention of Jerusalem as God had intended her.#

Though the priests garments soil their garments, though Israel was unfaithful, the nation continued to be God’s chosen vessel. Zechariah 3:2#

God sovereignly chose the nation of Israel for the purpose of carrying out his redemptive plan for humanity and earthly restoration. 2 Chronicles 6:6#

Zechariah 1:18-21 A Vision of four horns & four craftsmen#

Zechariah 1:18 Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, there were four horns. Zechariah became suddenly aware of four horns.#

Horns used in this way typically represent earthly powers, leaders or nations. In verse 21 we see it was nations lifted up their horns against Judah. Psalm 75:10, Daniel 7-8, Revelation 12-13, 17#

Zechariah 1:19a So I said to the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these?” Zechariah did not readily understand what the meaning of what he saw.#

He saw horns but he realized they simbolize something. He asks the interpreting angel what they are.#

Zechariah 1:19b And he answered me, “These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem.” These horns (typically powers or empires) are identified as having scattered the people.#

Differing opinion exist as to the identity of the horns.#

Option 1: Nations in the past. Assyria, Egypt, Babylonia, and Medo-Persia—are in view here.#

Option 2: The 4 empires of the Times of the Gentiles mentioned in Daniel. Zechariah is shown a vision of the final outcome of the nations that oppress Israel. Ezekiel 34:11-31#

The second option seems best although we cannot be certain. Those who knew of Daniel’s prophecy would probably associate these 4 horns with Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome.#

The identity of the horns is not stated…yet they clearly portray total domination of the people of Israel by the powers that attacked and conquered them. ¹⁰#

Zechariah 1:20 Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen. I said, “What are these coming to do?” Zechariah needed to know what the 4 horns were. When he sees the craftsmen coming, he asks what they would do.#

A craftsman is a skillful artisan. He is known by what he does with his hands. Isaiah 44:12, Isaiah 54:16, Ezekiel 21:31#

Zechariah 1:21b And he said, “These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man lifts up his head; through oppression, sorrow, and misery they stooped and hung down their heads. Job 10:15#

This was Judah’s current condition even though they were allowed back into the land. They still lived under the domination of Medo-Persia at the time.#

Jersusalem will be trampled underfoot until the end of the “Times of the Gentiles”.#

Zechariah 1:21c but these craftsmen have come to terrify them, The artisans come to cause these nations to shudder.#

Zechariah 1:21d to throw down the horns of the nations who have lifted up their horns against the land of Judah in order to scatter it.” The enemy nations will be dealt with accordinly. Jeremiah 50:45-46#

to throw down - is one word in Hebrew (YADAW) meaning to cast out. Just like these nations caused Judah to be sent away, so too these craftmen come to cast these nations away.#

Even though the horns had scattered Judah, God told Zechariah the four craftsmen who would come to throw them down.#

Some suggest these craftsmen are the very successors to the horns. For instance, the first crafsman would be Medo-Persia casting out Babylon.#

The final craftsman in this case would be none other than Messiah himself who comes and casts out the last of the four horns.#

This vision served to encourage Zechariah’s audience that though things seemed hopeless in the present because of the many injustices done to them by the nations in power, they could place their hope and trust in the Lord ultimately had the stronger hand over the nations.#

Zechariah 2:1-13 A vision of measuring Jerusalem#

Zechariah 2:1a Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold… No sooner had the previous vision ended, Zechariah saw a man who had an#

Zechariah 2:1b …there was a man with a a measuring line in his hand. Though not the angel of the Lord, there is a similar angel with the form of a man in Ezekiel 40:3; 41; 42; in another connection it is seen in Revelation 11:1-2#

Zechariah 2:2a So I said, “Where are you going?” Interestingly, the vision is such that Zechariah interacts with the person in the vision.#

Zechariah was puzzled as to where he was going.#

Zechariah 2:2b And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see how wide it is and how long it is.” The man responds Zechariah and states he is going to measure Jerusalem.#

Zechariah was in Jerusalem that had been abandonded for 70 years. Zechariah 7:14, Ezekiel 33:28#

Nehemiah mentions the conditions the city was in…The remnant there in the province who survived the captivity are in great distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are burned with fire.” Nehemiah 1:3, 2:17#

Zechariah 2:3 And behold, the angel who was speaking with me was going out, and another angel was coming out to meet him…, While Zechariah is still considering where the man (angel) is going to measure, another angel heads out to meet him.#

Zechariah 2:4a and said to him, “Run, speak to that young man, saying, the second angel commands urgency in communicating this message to Zechariah. He tells the interpreting angel to run!#

Zechariah 2:4b ‘Jerusalem will be inhabited without walls because of the multitude of men and cattle within it. The urgent message was that one day Jerusalem would be filled with multitudes of men and cattle.#

Though the date of fulfillment is not stated, it would have been of great encouragement that day!#

Knowing of Jerusalem’s future prosperity would promote the rebuilding of the temple.#

Such an increase in population as here predicted could not come from the return of a large number of Jews from Babylon; it looks on to a far future day, indicated in verse 5. ⁵#

Zechariah 2:5a ‘For I,’ declares the LORD, ‘will be a wall of fire around her, God himself will be the protecting wall around the city, there will be no need for walls.#

Walls were necessary around cities to provide protection against enemy attacks. The city of Jerusalem has been surrounded by walls since ancient times. Psalm 122:7, 2 Kings 14:13, Nehemiah 1:3#

Perhaps it was hard to imagine Jerusalem full of people and commerce again, but it’s even harder to see her not needing walls.#

Just like God would be the walls around a prosperous Jerusalem in the future, so could God be the walls of protection around a tattered one. By faith, trusting in God’s protection, Judah was safe because the Lord of hosts was for them to rebuild the temple.#

Zechariah 2:5b and I will be the glory in her midst.’” This is perhaps one key phrase of the whole book. One day Israel will finally be a light unto the Gentiles. Yet not Jerusalem herself but God in her midst. Isaiah 60:1-2, John 1:14, Revelation 21:11#

What a delightful future hope Judah is given. In the very spot where Zechariah was standing, would one day be filled with people and animals. God would be the protecting wall around her and the glory in her midst. Psalm 46:5#

Zechariah 2:7-9 The unmoved exiles#

Zechariah 2:6 “Ho there! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the LORD, “for I have dispersed you as the four winds of the heavens,” declares the LORD.#

The land of the north is probably referring to Babylon. Jeremiah 6:22; 16:16#

Babylon is to the east of Jerusalem but you had to go north out of Israel to get there.#

This was directed to Zechariah’s generation. Though God had dispersed them He was not warning them flee and return to the land.#

This began then but continues today due to the lethargic response of the people who got decided to remain in their foreign lands.#

Zechariah 2:7 “Ho, Zion! Escape, you who are living with the daughter of Babylon.” Two religious systems are contrasted. Zion and daughter of Babylon.#

The daughter of Babylon probably refers to the children of the Chaldean system of religion. Isaiah 47, Psalm 137:8, Revelation 17#

This is one and the same with the religious system started in Babel. Revelation 17:5#

The command is for God’s people to flee the idolatrous of Babylon which has covered the four winds of earth.#

Zechariah 2:8 For thus says the LORD of hosts, “After glory He has sent me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye. God is jealous over His possession, Israel. He who touches his prized possession, goes up against the very Lord of hosts! Deuteronomy 32:9-10, Psalm 105:15#

blessings and curses fall on nations based on their treatment of Israel. Nobody touches her and gets away with it. He is her defender. Jeremiah 2:3, Revelation 17:14#

Since the nations had plundered them, God would manifest glory by plundering them.#

The Lord does not visit judgment on Israel’s plunderers after He is dwelling in Zion, but before it. Zechariah 12-14; Revelation 16-20#

Zechariah 2:9a “For behold, I will wave My hand over them so that they will be plunder for their slaves. The nations plan and work against God, yet God will ultimately shatter them like earthenware and give the nations as an inheritance to His Son. Psalm 2#

In a show of power, God will make these nations (them) to serve Israel (their slaves). One day Israel will be the greatest nation on earth. Isaiah 14:2, Zephaniah 2:9#

Zechariah 2:9b Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me. A most important aspect of prophecy is knowing when it is fulfilled.#

Prophecy is given by God in a way that when it is fulfilled “…you will know that I am the Lord” Exodus 6:7#

The phrase “you will know” occurs 4 times in Zechariah. At the fulfillment of the prophecies, they would know it was God because God had told them. Zechariah 2:9, 11, 4:9, 6:15#

Prophecy in Scripture is always fulfilled literally so when it happens, there is no doubt of its fulfillment. Ezekiel 12:20, Zechariah 4:9, John 8:28#

Zechariah 2:10-11 - The discouraged returnees#

Zechariah 2:10a “Sing for joy and be glad, O daughter of Zion; The daughter of Zion (God’s people) needed to rejoice instead of bemoning their current circumstances with their heads hung low.#

Ultimately God will triumph over the system of man. What an important prophecy for Judah to hold on to at a time of desperation. Zechariah 9:9#

Zechariah 2:10b for behold I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” declares the LORD. This is a Messianic prophecy. One day, Messia Zechariah 1:16,#

Dwell (SHAKAN) conveys the idea of residing or permanently staying.#

Zechariah 2:11a “Many nations will join themselves to the LORD in that day and will become My people.#

Zechariah uses a term ‘in that day’ 19 times throughout the book. It can refer to the period of time defined by the context but also it can refer to a speciic period known as The Day of the Lord.#

This is a reference to the day of the Lord when the nations will be dependent and directly connected through Israel’s rule.#

The Day of the Lord - a brief explanation#

The Day of the Lord is a major eschatological theme. It is a common topic in both New and Old Testaments.#

Of the 19 uses of ‘in that day’ in the book of Zechariah, 16 of those times are in chapters 12-14. We’ve listed those we believe refer to The Day of the Lord in the order of their appearance.#

The nations will be united to the Lord#

Zechariah 2:11 “*Many nations will join themselves to the LORD in that day and will become My people…*Zechariah 13:9#

There will be prosperity and safety#

Zechariah 3:10 *…every one of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and under his fig tree…*Micah 4:4, Jeremiah 31:5, 32:15,#

Zechariah 9:16-17 *…God will save them in that day As the flock of His people…*Zechariah 12:8,#

The Lord of hosts goes to battle against the nations, protecting Jerusalem#

Zechariah 12:3 *…I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples…*Joel 3:2, 9-15, Revelation 19, Obadiah 1:15#

Zechariah 12:4 …I will strike every horse with bewilderment and his rider with madness. But I will watch over the house of Judah… Zechariah 14:15, Ezekiel 39:20#

Zechariah 12:6 …I will make the clans of Judah…they will consume on the right hand and on the left all the surrounding peoples… Micah 4:13, Psalm 149:6-9#

Zechariah 12:8 …the LORD will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem…#

Zechariah 12:9 …I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. Haggai 2:22#

Zechariah 12:11 …there will be great mourning in Jerusalem… Matthew 24:30#

Restoration of Israel#

Zechariah 13:1 …a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for impurity. Ezekiel 47:1#

Zechariah 13:2 *…I will cut off the names of the idols from the land…I will also remove the prophets and the unclean spirit from the land…*Zephaniah 2:11#

Zechariah 13:4 *…the prophets will each be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies…*Micah 3:6#

The coming of Messiah in power and glory#

Zechariah 14:4 .*..His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives…*Acts 1:11#

Zechariah 14:6 …there will be no light; the luminaries will dwindle. Matthew 24:29#

Peace and prosperty will follow#

Zechariah 14:8 *…living waters will flow out of Jerusalem…*Isaiah 35:7, 41:18, Joel 3:17-21 - flows into dead sea. During Millenium there will be fishing there.#

Zechariah 14:9 *…the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one.*Deuteronomy 6:4, Habakkuk 2:14,#

Zechariah 14:13 *…a great panic from the LORD will fall on them…*Mark 13:8#

Integral worship to the Lord#

Zechariah 14:20 *…there will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, “HOLY TO THE LORD.”…*Revelation 20:6#

Zechariah 14:21 *…there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts in that day.*Zephaniah 3:17#

The Day of the Lord is like a jewish day.#

It begins at sundown with the Tribulation period. Zephaniah 1:14-18#

The second coming at the break of dawn. Zechariah 14:1-4#

Mid-day is during the Millenial Kingdom. 2 Peter 3:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 2 Peter 3:10#

Sundown is the Great White Throne judgment. Revelation 20#

The day of the Lord begins sometime after the rapture. 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 5:9, 2 Thessalonians 2:3#

Specifically when a peace treaty is signed with Antichrist. This begins the Tribulation period. Daniel 9:27#

The day of the Lord ends with the Great White Throne. Revelation 20#

The nature of the Day#

The overarching element in the Day of the Lord is judgment.#

God will pour out His wrath starting on Israel.#

God will pour out His wrath on the nations according to their treatment of Israel.#

The use of fire is seen throughout.#

Revelation 8:5,7,9:18, 14:18, 16:8 17:16, Revelation 18:8, 20:9, Ezekiel 38:22, Joel 2:3, Joel 2:30, 2 Thessalonians 1:7#

Obviously James and John were out of line when they asked if they should call out fire from heaven, but where would the disciples get this idea from? They knew one day the Lord will judge the earth with fire. Luke 9:54#

Events contained within the Day of the Lord#

The formation of a federation of nations into a revived Roman Empire. Daniel 2:7#

The rise of the Antichrist. Daniel 9:27, Revelation 13:1-10#

The formation of a one world religion. Revelation 13:11-18#

The seal judgments. Revelation 6#

The sealing of the 144,000 Jewish men. Revelation 7, Matthew 24:14#

The trumpet judgments. Revelation 8-11#

The Abomination of Desolation. Matthew 24:15#

The two witnesses. Revelation 11#

The persecution of Israel. Revelation 12#

The bowl judgments. Revelation 16#

The rise and fall of Babylon. Revelation 17-18#

Armageddon. Ezekiel 38-39, Revelation 16:16, 19:17-21#

The purging of the heavens and earth. 2 Peter 3:10-13#

The regathering of Israel into the land. Ezekiel 37:1-44, Matthew 24:31#

The restoration of Israel to the land. Amos 9:15#

The Second Coming. Matthew 24:29-30#

The resurrection of Old Testament and Tribulation saints. John 6:39-40, Revelation 20:4#

The Beast and the False Prophet cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 19:11-21#

The Sheep and Goats Judgment. Matthew 25#

The binding of Satan for 1000 years. Revelation 20:2-3#

The Millenium. Revelation 20#

The final rebellion of Satan. Revelation 20#

The Great White Throne Judgment. Revelation 20#

The Day of the Lord is referring to a future period of time when God begins working with Israel as a nation and ends with its ultimate restoration.#

Zechariah 2:11b Then I will dwell in your midst… The rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem is ultimately for God’s dwelling place to be established. From here He will dwell with Israel and reign over the whole earth.#

God dwelling in their midst is what the tabernacle and temple symbolized. Exodus 25:8#

Zechariah 2:11c and you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you. Messiah, God himself, in the person of Jesus Christ, will one day dwell in their midst forever.#

In the person of Christ, God will literally dwell among His people in Jerusalem. Zechariah 8:3, Ezekiel 48:8,#

Zechariah 2:12 “The LORD will possess Judah as His portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem.#

Though Israel was chosen by God in the past and given wonderful and eternal promises, in the present time they were not seen as God’s people.#

They did not walk with God as a nation in keeping the covenant, and therefore did not reflect God to the nations. Romans 11:11-12, 25#

Zechariah 2:13 “Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD; for He is aroused from His holy habitation.” God is angered at the current situation and the laxness of the nations regarding His nation, His people, His land, His city, Jerusalem and especially His house, the temple. Isaiah 62:1-4#

Zechariah 3:1-10 A vision of Joshua the high priest#

Zechariah 3:1a Then he showed me Joshua the high priest as a priest, Zechariah would have known Joshua well.#

Zechariah 3:1b standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. This setting reminds us of Job. Job was blameless before people and the Lord brings him up.#

This time, Satan brings up Joshua the High priest and accuse him before the angel of the LORD Job 1:6-12; 2:1- 7; 1 Chronicles 21:1; Revelation 12:10#

Zechariah 3:2a The LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, Satan! This preincarnate altercation between Christ and Satan shows the ongoing battle that wages on throughout history.#

Zechariah 3:2b the LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Satan’s accusation is directed against Joshua who symbolizes Jerusalem.#

Zechariah 3:2c Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” Israel was plucked out the fire. Not once, not twice, but many times.#

In context perhaps this is referring to being delivered from Babylon.#

Zechariah 3:3a Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments This was Joshua’s condition representing the priesthood and all of Israel. There was not need for Satan to try to find something, the situation was obvious. The stench of the soiled garments alone gives him away.#

Zechariah saw Joshua standing before the angel of the LORD dressed in excrement bespattered garments. Isaiah 4:4¹#

Filthy garments did not symbolize the criminal in Israel, but one in the pollution of sin. ⁵#

Isa 64:6 For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.#

Zechariah 3:3b-4a and standing before the angel. He spoke and said to those who were standing before him,#

Zechariah 3:4b saying, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” Joshua represents the current state of Israel.#

What a delightful scene to see the Angel of the Lord defending Joshua and exchanging his filthy clothes for clean ones.#

Zechariah 3:4c Again he said to him, “See, I have taken your iniquity away from you and will clothe you with festal robes.” If dirty clothes symbolized iniquity then festal robes must mean righteousness as a result of being fully forgiven.#

Isaiah 61:10 I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.#

This is a spiritual transformation by divine interaction. From being in a state of feeling shame to feeling accepted. Micah 7:18-19, Isaiah 51:2,

Zechariah (being a priest himself) can’t contain his excitement to see the filthy clothes removed and festive ones put on and exclaims…#

Zechariah 3:5a Then I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” The priestly garment included a turban. Leviticus 8:9#

clean (TAHOR) - implies the sense of purity.#

The mitre or turban of the high priest had fastened to it the plate of gold engraved with the words “Holiness to the Lord.” Exodus 28:36-38⁵#

Zechariah 3:5b So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments, while the angel of the LORD was standing by. Zechariah as priest is seen intervening on behalf of Joshua.#

This is so essential to the message of grace then and now.#

It was the Lord who removed unrighteousness. Joshua the priest, even the high priest, took no part whatsoever.#

It was God who clothed Him with festal robes. The dress goes beyond being acceptable, they are appropriate for service to the Lord. These were the robes for festal worship!#

The same is true today for the Church age saint. We have been clothed in the righteousness of Christ. His righteouness has been imputed to our account. This is justification.#

We can fall prey to Satan’s accusations and enter a downward spiral of self-condemnation. Doubt and discouragement are sure to follow. Jude 1:20-23#

There is no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus. Jude 1:24-25#

Christian, wear your festal robes with rejoicing!#

Zechariah 3:6-7a And the angel of the LORD admonished Joshua, saying, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, The admonishment comes after the Lord has defended him and taken away His iniquity.#

Joshua will now be reinstated

Zechariah 3:7b ‘If you will walk in My ways and if you will perform My service, having been cleansed, having had their sins taken away by the Lord, now Joshua is told to walk in God’s ways and in His service.#

As Joshua stands before the Lord in festal robes, he is admonished by the Lord to walk in His ways as a representative of who He is.#

Here we that twice the condition “if” is given. This is a reponsability given to Joshua. He is to walk in God’s ways and perform His service.#

Unfortunately, we so often hear that cleansing only comes after we remove our sin or if we try hard enough not to sin.#

Acceptance before God is not earned through service. Service to God is the outworking of the acceptance one already has before the Lord.#

*If…you will walk…*the first condition was of a personal nature. Joshua was to have regard for his personal walk with the Lord first and foremost.#

*If…you will perform…*the second condition was then to perform ministerial service of the temple.#

Joshua is being charged to walk with God in fellowship in order for ministerial service to take place. God is reestablishing the priestly duties under the Mosaic covenant.#

Zechariah 3:7c then you will also govern My house… The Lord of Hosts gave the priests the responsibility to govern the temple so long as they walked in His ways. Ezekiel 44:15-16#

govern (DIN) - this carries with it the idea of to judge.#

If…then you will govern My house …refers to the Temple then in building. The duties of the priests included deciding and judging between clean and unclean. Leviticus 10:8,10, Deuteronomy 17:9, Ezekiel 44:23, and Malachi 2:7 ⁵#

Ironically, when the Lord Jesus came, He confronted the hypocrisy of the chief priests and removed all doubt that they had lost this privilege for their failure to keep the first clause, “if you will walk in my ways…”. Matthew 21:23-27#

Zechariah 3:7d and also have charge of My courts… the courts must refer to that which took place in the event of quarrels. The religious leaders were to act as judges and deal with fairness and justice.#

The courts, too, had to be guarded from profanation; care had to be exercised as to the kind of persons who were to be allowed to enter.⁵#

Zechariah 3:7e and I will grant you free access among these who are standing here. The priests had access into the holy place, the high priest had access right into the holy of holies once a year. The was a tremendous privilege for the Jewish priest.#

This was possible only to priests who were ritually and morally pure. Exodus 40:30-33#

The conditions were put as to the condition of experience and service, not acceptance.#

Governing things regarding the temple, charge of the courts and free access is granted only to him who walks in His ways first and foremost.#

In the church age, every believer has been given priesthood status and has access directly to the throne of grace through the Lord Jesus Christ. Hebrews 4:14-16, 1 Peter 2:5#

Prior to ministry service, the church age saint is first to be walking in fellowship, abiding in Christ. John 15:4-5, Romans 8:12-13#

It is the spiritual believer,learning from the Word through the teaching of the Spirit, that is equipped for the ministry of service. Ephesians 4:11-12#

Zechariah 3:8a ‘Now listen, Joshua the high priest, Zechariah was to communicate this directly to Joshua the high priest.#

Zechariah 3:8b you and your friends who are sitting in front of you—indeed they are men who are a symbol, you and your friends - friends refers to the priesthood.#

They set apart to be a type or symbolize what God will one day provide in a perfect Priest from a higher order.#

While Joshua and his collegues would serve in the earthly temple, Christ who entered the Holy of Holies in heaven, who is seated at the right hand of the father, will one day serve in the Millenial temple as the Priest and King.#

Zechariah 3:8a for behold, I am going to bring in My servant the Branch. What this is saying that the temple service of the priests was prophet and to be fulfilled by God’s Servant, the Branch.#

My servant. Clearly a reference to Messiah, Jesus. Jeremiah 23:5, Luke 11:37-54, Isaiah 42:1, 49:3, 50:10, 52:13, 53:11, Ezekiel 34:23-24, Philippians 2:6-8#

The Branch (sprout) is a man, who will build the Temple of the Lord. Zechariah 3:8, Isaiah 11:1, Isaiah 60:21, Jeremiah 23:5, Jeremiah 33:15, Revelation 22:16, Isaiah 4:2, 11:1; 53:2, Jeremiah 23:5; 33:15#

It will be the Branch will build the Millenial temple, which is unlike any other temple. Zechariah 6:12-13#

Zechariah 3:9a ‘For behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua; on one stone are seven eyes. This addition is very interesting…"before Joshua” the stone.#

Here we see a third name for Messiah, the stone. While we know Christ is the prophesied cornerstone. Genesis 49:24, Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 28:16; Matthew 21:42; Acts 4:11; and 1 Peter 2:6#

Zechariah adds descriptive information to the stone. It has seven eyes, probably referring to the attribute of omniscience the Messiah will possess.#

These may be the same seven eyes of the Lamb in Revelation 5:6.#

Daniel, when describing the characteristics of Antichrist states he has eyes like a man’s. Daniel 7:8, 11:21, Zechariah 11:17#

Zechariah 3:9b Behold, I will engrave an inscription on it,’ declares the LORD of hosts, ‘and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.#

While the work of the cross is implied here and certainly the iniquity of the land being removed is on the basis of the victory acquired by Messiah on the cross, it is not referring to that here. Hebrews 10:10, 12, 14#

This is the day, the very day iniquity is removed of the land…that is…the day of her forgiveness when all of Israel will place their faith in Jesus Messiah.#

This is a once for all event. There will be no need for a repetition or renewal; His work will be once for all.#

Zechariah 3:10a ‘In that day,’ this is Messianic prophecy declares the LORD of hosts, ’every one of you will invite his neighbor…#

When Israel is found in such a spiritual condition-so reads the united testimony of the Old Testament, material prosperity is always promised her. ⁵#

Thus we read of the peace and prosperity of the time in verse 10. 1 Kings 4:25, Micah 4:4#

Zechariah 3:10b to sit under his vine and under his fig tree.’” This is an image of peace and blessing will be like in the kingdom age due to their iniquity being absolved.#

Having vines and fig trees ripe with fruit would be a sign of being in a state of blessing with God. Habakuk 3:17#

This vision is regarding Joshua the high priest as he stands accused before the Angel of the Lord. Joshua represents the priesthood and It appears to be the reaffirming of the priests for typical service until the Messiah would come to build His temple.#

If the spiritual leadership of Judah needed encouraging, no doubt the civil leadership did as well. The next vision will deal with that.#

Zechariah 4:1-14 A vision of a lampstand of gold#

The following vision is directed for Zerubbabel.#

Who is Zerubbabel?#

The civil governor of Judah#

Zerubbabel was a descendant of King David and an ancestor of Jesus Christ. Matthew 1:6, 12#

His name probably means “seed of Babylon”; but his Persian name was Sheshbazzar, suggesting he may have been in the service of the king (Ezra 1:8—5:14). Yet Zerubbabel left all the comforts of Babylon behind to take on this challenge.#

Zechariah 4:1 Then the angel who was speaking with me returned and roused me, as a man who is awakened from his sleep. The word then shows this vision came afterward. Since the vision was at night, the interpreting angel roused Zechariah so he was wide awake when receiving the vision.#

Zechariah 4:2a He said to me, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold with its bowl on the top of it, a golden lampstand, a bowl and on top the seven candlesticks…#

Many who make no distinction between the Church and Israel (a demarcation which is one of the clearest in the Bible), think the figure stands for the Church. ⁵#

It is true that lampstands are used as a figure of the Church in Revelation 1:12, 20, and that the Church is compared to lights in Philippians 2:15, but the Church is not a matter of prophecy in the Old Testament. ⁵#

The Church is first foretold in the New Testament in Matthew 16:18.⁵#

Zechariah 4:2b and its seven lamps on it with seven spouts belonging to each of the lamps which are on the top of it; Exodus 25:37#

Zechariah 4:3 also two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on its left side.”#

Zechariah 4:4 Then I said to the angel who was speaking with me saying, “What are these, my lord?”#

Zechariah 4:5 So the angel who was speaking with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said,“No, my lord.”#

Zechariah 4:6a Then he said to me,…we note the particular build-up and suspence for the reader to take notice of what is about to be explained.#

Zechariah 4:6b “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying,… this is a specific message to Zerubbabel.#

We know from the prophet Ezra that Zerubbabel listened and followed what God commanded. Ezra 5:2#

Therefore this message is of a different tone than it was to the people in general. Zechariah is of a sincere nature but evidently is trying to bring about results in his own strength.#

Zechariah 4:6c “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying,…‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts…#

As a chosen leader, Zerubbabel must have had natural talents and abilities. Yet God is saying not civil, political, physical, natural or any kind of human power but God says the temple building will be brought about by His Spirit.#

God is offering Zerubbabel an option that perhaps Zerubbabel had been too busy to even consider. God says this, what about trusting My power to be your strength?#

The prophet Haggai tells us that God stirred up the spirit of the people and they began rebuilding the temple. Haggai 1:13-14#

This is a wonderful illustration to show how God wants us to live as Christians. The teaching of God’s grace is what instructs us how to really live; to trust, to depent on God for His strength (My Spirit) not our own (power). Titus 2:11-12#

All believers get their enabling strenghtening by grace (Ephesians 6:10, 2 Timothy 2:2)#

The grace of God teaches God’s full provision for salvation from sin’s penalty and for the provision of daily living being delivered from sin’s power, while pointing to the amazing hope of our final redemption.#

This is certainly contrary to those who say, “ease does not produce strength”. They teach that one must find strength through spiritual disciplines.#

God’s power certainly does not lack man’s strength and He freely bestows it to those believers who take Him up on the option to trust Him. 1 Samuel 14:6, Hosea 1:7, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Hebrews 11:34, 2 Corinthians 4:7#

The lampstand symbolizes Israel when she is fully restored as the means of light fueled by the Holy Spirit (the unending supply of oil), unto the world. Exodus 19:6#

They were to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. This summarizes chapters 3 and 4.#

Zechariah 4:7a ‘What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain; Mountains can symbolize different things in Scripture.#

In this case the mountain is how Zerubbabel sees his current situation. The obstacles are a great mountain.#

Yet nothing is too great for the man who has the Lord of Hosts battling for him. A weak man who is God’s instrument is limitless in power! Unstoppable by the impossible!#

The task Zerubbabel is given is from first to last a spiritual work, it must be by the om- nipotent and unfailing and unerring Spirit of God.#

Zechariah 4:7b and he will bring forth the top stone with shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”’” The top stone is the what is placed at the end of a building to complete it.#

Zerubbabel will see the temple finished, but not the way he might have thought.#

The shouting of grace to the Messiah would be meaningless. The idea is that the grace of God in the power of the Holy Spirit will make this work to be realized. Not by God’s intervention, not man’s might but by God’s power enabling the human vessel who trusts Him!#

The shouts at the end are grace, grace not Zerubba Zerubba! The people will credit the completion to be God’s working. To God is the glory when God motivates and strengthens His laborours unto His work! Ezra 6:14#

God’s Spirit glorifies God, not our strength (might, prowess, ability, wisdom). The shouts of grace, grace, demonstrates trust in God for the results.#

Our incopetence and utter dependance on God allows His Spirit to work when we trust Him. The evidence…God brought it about! This is God using Zerubbabel’s hands as instruments to bring glory to himself. To God is the glory!#

One day all of Israel will recognize the high cost that needed to be paid for their redemption and they will see their Savior as the one they pierced. The value of grace is understood only upon the realization of the payment Christ made. Zechariah 12:10, John 19:34, Acts 2:32, 36-37#

Zechariah 4:8-9a Also the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will finish it. Haggai 2:23#

Once the rebuilding started back up, it took 4 years and 3 months for this promise to be literally fulfilled. Ezra 6:15#

The second temple was finished 70 years after the first one was destroyed.#

Zechariah 4:9b Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. Me is not Zechariah but Messiah.#

This is the people rejoicing in response, giving credence to God’s provision.#

Zechariah 4:10a “For who has despised the day of small things?#

The second temple wasn’t as glorious as the first. The older generation that had seen Solomon’s temple were sorely disappointed.#

When Solomon built the temple, he had 150,000 men with 3,000 superintendents no end of money. He also had other nations providing him with raw materials. He was able to build a magnificent temple unto the Lord, which was one of the sites of the ancient world.#

On the other hand, Zurabbabel had God instructing Him and the His Spirit as the power.#

Zechariah 4:10b But these seven will be glad when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel a plumb line is an instrument for building.#

Zechariah 4:10c these are the eyes of the LORD the seven eyes Revelation 5:6#

The running of God’s eyes throughout the whole earth speaks of God’s providential care put forth for the finishing of the Temple. (For the same figure see 2 Ch 16:9.)#

Zechariah 4:10d which range to and for throughout the earth.” God sees everything…nothing is hidden from Him. Isaiah 40:27, Matthew 6:6, 8, 18#

Zechariah 4:10 But these seven…will see and be glad… Don’t despise things that appear small! What matters is how the Lord sees it!#

The omniscient Lord would be pleased when He saw the building project restarted.#

The second temple serves as a type of the humble aspect of Messiah. The second temple was despised for it’s humble size, so too the Messiah would appear as a humble servant.#

God rejoices in the day when the second temple was completed just like He will be delighted when the restoration of Israel is complete through the work of Messiah. Isaiah 53#

Zechariah 4:11 Then I answered and said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right of the lampstand and on its left?” The lamp doesn’t seem to draw Zechariah’s attention like the olive trees on each side.#

Zechariah 4:12a And I answered the second time and said to him, “What are the two olive branches which are beside the two golden pipes,#

Zechariah 4:12b which empty the golden oil from themselves?”#

Zechariah 4:13 So he answered me, saying, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.”#

Zechariah 4:14a Then he said, “These are the two anointed ones who are standing by the Lord of the whole earth.” The answer is given as to the significance of the two trees beside the lampstand.#

Anointed ones literally means sons of oil.#

Man is often compared to a tree in the Old Testament. Psalm 1:3, 52:8, Jeremiah 17:8, Daniel 4:10#

There are many differing opinions as to the identity of these two annointed ones.#

Chapters three and four are connected and complementary. The priestly office (Joshua) and the civil office (Zerubbabel) have been dealt with accordingly.#

An interesting consideration for the identity of these two annointed ones are the very two men the context refers to; Joshua and Zerubbabel.#

Someone has suggested the two witnesses are the two offices (priesthood and civic) expressed in “sons of oil” to carry out the role.#

Can we see this sort of thing anywhere else?#

The book of Revelation mentions two witnesses. The identity of these two witnesses also remains a mystery, however applying the same reasoning, Moses (civil power) and Elijah (religious power). Revelation 11:3-4#

If these two in Revelation are Moses and Elijah, there are the civil and religious powers represented as with Zerubbabel and Joshua. ⁵#

The beast (civil power) and the false prophet (religious power) would be an interesting falsification of this union. Revelation 13#

The ultimate fulfillment of verse 14 is the Messiah, who is both King and Priest. Zechariah 6:11-13 ⁵#

Zechariah 4:14b Lord of the whole earth… Is clearly a reference to Christ. Revelation 11:4#

The fulfillment of this is when Messiah will be Lord of the whole earth.#

Zechariah 5:1-4 A vision of a flying scroll#

Chapter 5 deals with God’s judgment on Israel while the nations will be judged in chapter 6.#

Individual judgment on Israel#

Zechariah 5:1 Then I lifted up my eyes again and looked, and behold, there was a flying scroll. And he said to me, Zechariah looked up again and saw a two sided scroll swooping down.#

It had writing on the one side and writing on the other. Zechariah 5:3#

Zechariah 5:2 “What do you see?” And I answered, “I see a flying scroll; its length is twenty cubits and its width ten cubits.” The scroll was very large and twice as long as it was wide.#

The porch in front of the nave of the first temple was twenty cubits by ten cubits. 1 Kings 6:3#

The dimensions of the two cherubim were ten cubits high and together totalled 20 cubits wide with their wings spread out. 1 Kings 6:23-27#

The vision would teach us that the holiness of the sanctuary of the Lord is the measure of sin and that judgment must begin at the house of God. 1 Peter 4:17-18⁵#

Zechariah 5:3a Then he said to me, “This is the curse that is going forth over the face of the whole land; This time the angel interprets the meaning right away. The flying scroll represents a curse. Ezekiel 2:9-3:27, Jeremiah 36, Revelation 5, Isaiah 30:8#

Under the Mosaic covenant agreement, the people experienced blessings when they kept it but cursings when they didn’t. Deuteronomy 27:15-26, 28:15-68#

This curse is not intended for the whole earth but for the whole land of Israel. This is a curse directed specifically at individual people of Israel for not keeping the covenant.#

Zechariah 5:3b surely everyone who steals will be purged away according to the writing on one side, Malachi 3:6-9, Zechariah 8:17#

Just like the law was given to Moses on two tablets, the scroll had two sides. The writing on one side dealt with sins committed against God, while the writing on the other side was regarding sins committed against man. Exodus 32:15-16#

The first tablet were commandments dealing with God, while the second tablet was how to treat man.#

Stealing would be breaking the middle command on the second tablet.#

Zechariah 5:3c and everyone who swears will be purged away according to the writing on the other side. Jeremiah 5:2#

Swearing falsely by God’s name is breaking the middle commandment on one first tablet.#

Zechariah 5:4a “I will make it go forth,” declares the LORD of hosts, Malachi 3:5#

God himself says he will make the curse go forth. The curse will be totally successful in it’s purpose of cutting out the violators of the law.#

Zechariah 5:4b “and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who swears falsely by My name; The curse will hit the house of those judged by the flying scroll. Proverbs 11:1#

The people had turned to dishonest means (lying and swearing) so that they could build their elaborate homes. Haggai 1:3-4, 6, 9#

Haggai 2:9 “Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house To put his nest on high To be delivered from the hand of calamity!#

Haggai 2:10 “You have devised a shameful thing for your house By cutting off many peoples; So you are sinning against yourself.#

Haggai 2:11 “Surely the stone will cry out from the wall, And the rafter will answer it from the framework.#

Zechariah 5:4c *and it will spend the night…*this phrase could also be translated it shall remain. Some suggest this to be the better interpretation. Psalm 49:12, Exodus 20:5, Proverbs 3:33#

Zechariah 5:4d within that house and consume it with its timber and stones.” The curse will go into the house of the ones found guilty by the scroll. Their house would be consumed. Amos 3:15#

Those who built their home sanctuaries using dishonest means while ignoring God’s house will have no place to hide, the curse will enter their home and consume it. Habakkuk 2:9-11, James 5:2-3#

Nothing will be left of their own house for which they have worked so hard, for which they had neglected God’s house. Haggai 1:4#

Zechariah 5:5-11 A vision of a woman in a basket#

Verses 5-11 deal with national judgment on Israel in a future time. While the previous sin deals with sinful deeds, this vision deals with sin as a whole or system.#

Zechariah 5:5 Then the angel who was speaking with me went out and said to me, “Lift up now your eyes and see what this is going forth.” Following the vision of the scroll, Zechariah was encouraged to look up again.#

Zechariah 5:6a I said, “What is it?” And he said, “This is the ephah going forth.” the ephah was a standard unit of measuring volume. It was associated with a certain container.#

The ephah was a dry measure used for measuring barley or wheat. Therefore it is a symbol of commerce or trade. Ezekiel 45:9-11, Amos 8:5, Isaiah 5:10#

Zechariah 5:6b-7a Again he said, “This is their appearance in all the land#

The Berean study Bible renders this verse as their iniquity through all the land.#

The ephah as a whole symbolized their iniquity or appearance in the land as a whole.#

The implication is that it had become a national problem. This was not just an issue on an individual level. They had become nationally known for using dishonest measures.#

Zechariah 5:7b (and behold, a lead cover was lifted up); and this is a woman sitting inside the ephah.” This must be connected to the people who were using dishonest gain but it does not need to be specific since the next verse we are told the ephah represents all the wickedness in the land.#

On top of the ephah was placed a heavy cover.#

Inside the small barrel was a woman.#

It is possible that the lead cover symbolizes ministry of the Holy Spirit in restraining evil. ¹¹#

Zechariah 5:8 Then he said, “This is Wickedness!” The identity of the woman in the basket is given as the representation of wickedness.#

Wickedness includes Idolatry and all other forms of evil. Ezra 9, Isaiah 57, 65:1-7, 66:17#

The woman (wickedness), is contained within the ephah (commerce) with a lead weight (perhaps the restraining of the Holy Spirit).#

In Hebrew, the feminime is used to present abstract concepts. Proverbs 2:16 and 5:3-4#

Zechariah 5:8 And he threw her down into the middle of the ephah and cast the lead weight on its opening. Even with the lid opened for a brief moment, wickedness wanted to get out but she was thrown in by the angel and contained by the lid.#

During the church age, the Holy Spirit plays the important role of restraining the man of lawlessness. 2 Thessalonians 2:6-8#

After the church age, during the Tribulation period, wickedness will not be held back. She will do as she pleases, wherever she pleases. However a time will come when God will remove wickedness from Israel.#

Zechariah 5:9 Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and there two women were coming out with the wind in their wings; two women were needed because of the weight.#

Zechariah 5:9 and they had wings like the wings of a stork, A stork is a large bird and common to describe the appearance of the women.#

Zechariah 5:9 and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heavens. The ephah was lifted up.#

Zechariah 5:10 I said to the angel who was speaking with me, “Where are they taking the ephah?” This time, Zechariah didn’t ask who these were or what the ephah was but where they were taking it.#

The ephah will be removed from the land of Israel, but where?#

Zechariah 5:11 Then he said to me, “To build a temple for her in the land of Shinar; Wickedness will be carried away from the land of Israel to Shinar.#

The reference in the land of Shinar is to Babylonia. This was the land where man had first united in a universal rebellion against God. Genesis 10:10, 11:2, 11#

Genesis 11:2, 4 It came about as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there..They said, “Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”#

Zechariah 5:11 and when it is prepared, she will be set there on her own pedestal.” Once the temple is prepared, wickedness will have a fixed resting place as an object of worship.#

Babylon stands throughout Scripture for confusion in spiritual matters, for idolatry, for spiritual uncleanness. Revelation 17:3-5#

Just like in the days of Nimrod, the people will once again unite under a common purpose to make a name for themselves and instead of scattering, they will flock together and build wickedness a house. ¹²#

The Lord is allowing evil to play its course. Wickedness will have her own temple and be set up to be worshipped. Her power will be great over the people to bring unity in two main areas:#

One common, forced religion. Revelation 13:12-15#

One governmental, forced commerce. Revelation 13:16-17#

The fulfillment of this vision must be future. It cannot be interpreted as referring to the exile to Babylon since they had already returned.#

The city of Babylon will be made a perpetual desolation with nothing dwelling in it. This can never be said to have happened to Babylon.#

The city of Babylon was never been destroyed in the way God said it would be. ¹³#

Jeremiah foretold of Babylon’s literal future destruction. Jeremiah 50-51 ¹⁴#

Jeremiah 51:62 and say, ‘You, O LORD, have promised concerning this place to cut it off, so that there will be nothing dwelling in it, whether man or beast, but it will be a perpetual desolation.’#

When Medo-Persia overthrew Babylon, the city was never affected.#

Hundreds of years later, Alexander the Great stayed in Babylon. In fact, It is said that Alexander wanted to rebuild the Tower of Babel.#

Wickedness will become centralized as she sits on her pedestal in her house in Babylon (Shinar). She will continue her influence on the nations until Babylon is destroyed at the end of the Tribulation. Revelation 17-18#

We will see the fulfillment of this in greater detail in Zechariah’s second burden.#

Zechariah 6:1-8 A vision of four chariots#

Zechariah 6:1-8 Judgment on the nations#

Zechariah 6:1-3 The vision#

Zechariah 6:1a Now I lifted up my eyes again and looked, and behold, four chariots were coming forth… Zechariah looks and he sees four chariots coming.#

Chariots typically were used in battle. These chariots are going out in a war-like fashion to execute judgment. Psalm 46:9#

Chariots often symbolize power and authority. Psalm 20:7, Isaiah 66:15, Habakuk 3:8, Haggai 2:22#

Some suggest the 4 chariots symbolize the 4 empires in Daniel. This seems unlikely.#

Zechariah 6:1b from between the two mountains; and the mountains were bronze mountains. The chariots came from between two mountains. Psalm 36:6#

We are not told if the mountains were made of bronze or if they were of that color. There is no reason to think these mountains are not physical locations since the destination of the chariots are geographical locations, therefore the place of origin must be as well. Zechariah 6:8#

It may be that the place of origin of the chariots are mount zion and mount olives divided by the valley of Jehoshafat. Zechariah 14:4#

The bronze in Scripture is often where God’s judgement deals with sin. Numbers 21:9, John 3, Revelation 1:15#

The prophet Joel mentions the valley of Jehoshaphat in relation the judgment of the nations. Joel 3:2, 12#

Zechariah 6:2-3 With the first chariot were red horses, with the second chariot black horses, with the third chariot white horses, and with the fourth chariot strong dappled horses...#

earlier in the evening Zechariah saw a vision of three colours of horses. The meaning of the horse colors are not explained to us.#

Revelation 6 mentions horses of the same colours although they proceed in a different order.#

Red - takes peace, men slay one another. Symbolizes war and bloodshed#

Black - often symbolizes death and famine#

Strong dappled or grizzled - possibly plagues#

White - often symbolizes triumph and victory. In Revelation 6 it refers to the Antichrist while in Zechariah it refers to God’s agents claiming victory.#

There are similarities with these horses and the horses in Revelation but similarity does equate to identity.#

Zechariah 6:4-8 The Interpretation#

This vision clearly shows how the Lord almighty is in control over sovereigns. It regards divine judgment on Gentile nations rin relation to their poor treatment to Israel. Isaiah 66:15#

Zechariah 6:4 Then I spoke and said to the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these, my lord?” Zechariah wishes to know the identity of the horse pulled chariots.#

what are these - this was Zechariah’s question regarding the vision with the horseman, the 4 horns, and the two olive trees.#

One day the same question will be asked regarding the Messiah’s wounds between His arms. Zechariah 13:6#

Zechariah 6:5 The angel replied to me, “These are the four spirits of heaven, going forth after standing before the Lord of all the earth, The angel’s answer refers to the question Zechariah makes.#

The Lord of all the earth - is a term used to describe the Lord as the sovereign of the earth.#

When Joshua crosses the Jordan to posess the land. Joshua 3:11, 13#

When Israel is made strong and plunders the nations before the Millennium. Micah 4:13#

The word spirits (RUACH) can be translated breath, wind, or spirit . There are some who say these are spirits and others who say they are angels.#

Do people carry these judgments out or are they angels? Arguments exist for both sides.#

Having been in the presence of the Lord (Sovereign) of all the earth, these four winds were His messengers, the executors of His will. Psalm 104:4, Hebrews 1:7#

These are four spirits sent out before the Lord. Four spirits (winds) many times refers to divine judicial judgment. Daniel 7:2, Revelation 7:1#

Zechariah 6:6a with one of which the black horses are going forth to the north country; and the white ones go forth after them, One group of horses goes north. The other group goes south.#

Directions in Scripture are in relation to Jerusalem. The city of Jerusalem is at the center (naval) of the earth according to God. Ezekiel 38:12, Ezekiel 5:5#

Jewish tradition teaches that the center of Israel is Jerusalem. The center of Jerusalem is the Temple which has the holy place as its center which contains the ark in its center and in the center of the ark. ¹⁵#

Israel’s enemies always attacked from the north or from the south. To the west of Jerusalem is the Mediteranean sea. To the east is an impassable desert.#

The black horses go north, the direction from which most of Israel’s enemy invaders descended on the Promised Land. Jeremiah 1:14; 4:6; 6:22; Ezekiel 1:4#

Babylon would have invaded Israel from the north. South of Israel is Egypt. Ezekiel 39:2#

Zechariah 6:6b-7a while the dappled ones go forth to the south country. “When the strong ones went out, they were eager to go to patrol the earth.” All the chariot teams seem eager to execute the command.#

Egypt lay to Israel’s south, and it was another implacable enemy.#

Zechariah 6:7b And He said, “Go, patrol the earth.” So they patrolled the earth. God grants them permission to go patrol the earth. The context calls for a broader scope than the land of Israel. This is a patrol sent to the whole earth.#

The reality is that the Lord of all the earth will execute judgment on all of Israel’s enemies.#

Zechariah 6:8 Then He cried out to me and spoke to me saying, “See, those who are going to the land of the north…” The Lord now responds to Zechariah as the vision plays out.#

It is probable that verse 6 and verse 8 refer to Babylon. If this is the case, this is merely a temporary appeasement of God’s wrath against Babylon since Babylon will be reserved for judgment. Zechariah 5:5-11, Revelation 17-18#

Zechariah 6:8 have appeased My wrath in the land of the north. The black horses and white horses brought judgment upon the land of the north and appeased God’s anger.#

Since the chariots went in compass directions, we should probably understand their judgment to be universal. Zechariah 2:6; Jeremiah 49:36; Ezekiel 37:9; Revelation 7:1¹#

This vision presents several difficulties in its details, however the message is clear. God will have vengeance on those nations who have mistreated Israel.#

Zechariah’s vision assures us that God is in control of the future and will judge the Gentile nations during “the day of the Lord.” God is longsuffering. 2 Peter 3:9¹⁶#

However, there comes a time when nations “fill up the measure of their sins” and then God’s judgment must fall. Genesis 15:16, Matthew 23:32#

Following the destruction of Babylon we will see Messiah usher in the 1000 year Kingdom.#

Zechariah 6:9-15 A crown fit for The King#

In the vision in chapter three we saw the priestly line being reinstated and in chapter four we saw the royal line represented by Zerubbabel. Zechariah is told to have a crown made and hold a ceremony crowning the priest, which symbolically points ahead to Messiah who will serve in the capacity of priest and king, a union of the two offices.#

The eight night visions have ended, but the coronation of Joshua is closely connected with these revelations which extend in scope from Zechariah’s day to the full establishment of Israel in blessing.¹⁷#

Zechariah 6:9-10a The word of the LORD also came to me, saying, “Take an offering from the exiles, Zechariah was to receive a gift from a group of exiles who had arrived from Babylon.#

Zechariah 6:10b from Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah; Zechariah was instructed to receive an offering (not demand it) from these exiles. These exiles were gracious givers who wanted to contribute towards the temple building. Ezra 1:4, 6#

While it is not Zechariah’s job to receive offerings for the building project, God sends Zechariah to collect this special offering and will give it a singular purpose.#

Zechariah 6:10b and you go the same day and enter the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, where they have arrived from Babylon. God specifically tells Zechariah to go to a specific person’s house and meet those men there.#

Zechariah 6:11 “Take silver and gold, make an ornate crown and set it on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. This calls the attention of the listener. Crown for a priest? This is strange, as you don’t crown a priest.#

Crown - The Hebrew shows it should be plural, except in verse 14 it is singular. Revelation 19:12#

Kings were to be from the tribe of Judah while priests could only be from the tribe of Levi. Gen 49:10,#

No king could be serve in the office of priest and no priest could serve in the office as king.#

Anybody that mixed the two offices of priest and king suffered terrible consequences.#

Saul - 1 Samuel 13 relates how king Saul tries to take on priestly duties to help. Though he was told he did it anyway and the consequence for doing it was that his kingdom was taken from him that very day.#

Uzziah - 2 Chronicles 26#

Jeroboam - as king took on the prerogative to add two other places of worship, at Dan and Bethel. Two things come into play here. He got involved in the office as priest but primarily he played with the lineage of kings, specifically the line of David. 1 Kings 12:26-31, 1 Kings 14:9, 1 Kings 11:32, 1 Kings 11:28-29#

Joshua here serves as a type of a priest that will be crowned as king. To be warranted by God and the two offices joined in one person meant only one thing, this was referring to the Messiah. God’s annointed priest-king.#

Christ is still a priest but is seated behind the veil on the Father’s throne. Today, Christ is not reigning as king. He has not been crowned yet. He will one day return to earth and will be crowned as king and function as priest and king in the Millenial age. Revelation 3:20#

Zechariah 6:12a “Then say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Behold, a man whose name is Branch, The branch is a referrence to Messiah. Zechariah 3:8, Isaiah 11:1, Jeremiah 23:5, Jeremiah 33:14-18#

Zechariah 6:12b for He will branch out from where He is; After the identity of this Man is established to be Messiah, we now are told what He will do.#

This speaks of Messiah’s very humble beginning when He comes. Isaiah 53:2, John 19:5,#

Zechariah 6:12c and He will build the temple of the LORD. This speaks of Messiah’s second coming to build the fourth temple which will be during the Millenium. Ezekiel 40-46#

Instead of using the more common word for temple BAYIT, the word temple here is HEYKAL (translated temple or palace).#

Verses 12, 13, 14, 15 and 8:9 use the word HEYKAL to describe the temple (or palaceb) of the Lord. Haggai 2:18#

Ezekiel 8-11 The Shekinah glory departs from the first temple.#

Ezekiel 40-46 - The Shekinah glory returns to the fourth temple.#

Since the first temple was literal, we can assume the fourth temple will also be literal.#

The dimensions given for the fourth temple are literal and cannot be understood unless one takes it to be a physical temple with physical measurements.#

This temple will not be built until the Millenium and will only be erected during the Millenium since there is no physical temple in the Eternal State. Revelation 21:22#

Prior to Jesus, the Jews always believed this verse was Messianic.#

Zechariah 6:13a “Yes, it is He who will build the temple of the LORD, and He who will bear the honor…He will build the temple and he will bear the honor…While Zerubbabel was instrumental in building the second temple, he was did not receive honor, God did.#

The temple Jesus will build will be the millenial temple and He will receive all the honor for the building of it.#

Zechariah 6:13b and sit and rule on His throne. He will build the temple and set up His throne in it.#

This speaks of two different roles. He sits and He rules. He sits as priest because of His finished redemptive work and rules as king from His throne. Revelation 3:20#

The Branch’s kingdom would be widespread. Furthermore, He would build the temple of Yahweh. Zerubbabel, not Joshua, was God’s choice to build the restoration temple (4:9-10), but Messiah, whom Joshua prefigured, would build the future temple for Yahweh. Isaiah 2:2-4; 56:6-7; Ezekiel 40—43; Micah 4:1-7; Haggai 2:6-9).¹⁸#

Zechariah 6:13c Thus, He will be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two offices.”’ The Priest will not only reign on a throne but His rule will be categorized by peace between the office of priest and office of king. The king will rule from His throne. This is the Davidic throne promised beforehand. 2 Samuel 7:12-16#

Upon the merging of the two offices, Jesus will usher in world peace (shalom).#

He brings peace with God judicially#

He brings peace of God in the heart#

He brings physical, world peace#

Zechariah 6:14 “Now the crown will become a reminder in the temple of the LORD to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah and Hen the son of Zephaniah. The crown(s) serves as a reminder and that Zerubbabel’s temple will be built. This will serve as a reminder for those generous exiles (that generation) who returned and took part building the second temple.#

However it also points to a greater fulfillment in the very Man who the crown is made for, the Priest-King, Messiah who will come and build the fourth temple and reign from it.#

Zechariah 6:15a “Those who are far off will come and build the temple of the LORD.” Jeremiah 31:10#

Those who are far off is referring to the scattered people of Israel who will come to build the millenial temple.#

Zechariah 6:15b Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. And it will take place if you completely obey the LORD your God. Acts 2:39#

Complete obedience is referring to that which is only accessed by faith in Jesus Christ and his finished (complete) obedience and payment for sin on the cross. This will take place when Israel as a nation recognizes Jesus Messiah.#

the fulfillment of the covenant promises will come to pass when they as a nation are right with God. Not merely practicing the rituals but with a right heart before God. This is what will take place when Israel puts their faith in Yahweh, specifically Jesus, Yahweh.#

Zechariah 7-8 - The Third Message: Four Messages#

Zechariah 7:1-14 The mourners who forget why#

After the 8 visions, Zechariah now continues the theme of the book, returning to the Lord. Some 14 months have passed since Zechariah preached his first message from the Lord to return to Him. Haggai 2:12-16#

As it happens, the people decided to take up national fasts to remember the temple, the destruction of Jerusalem and other important events. This has been going on for 70 years now and the people of Bethel send a group of people to ask the priests if they should continue or not.#

The people, especially the older generation, missed Solomon’s temple, the glory days of Jerusalem and the way things used to me. Their trust was focused on returning to those “glory” days. Jeremiah 7:4#

Their theological understanding of returning is about returning to when things were better. They were mistaken to focus on the historical blessings instead of the giver of the blessings.#

Their reason for seeking God was that His blessings would return, not because they were desirous to return to Him.#

The next two chapters deals with clarifying this misunderstanding.#

First, God will show them the error of their thinking. Then, He will show them where (or who) their faith should be placed on.#

Zechariah 7:1 In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Chislev. 14 months had passed between Zechariah’s first last message and this third one.#

Zechariah 7:2 Now the town of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regemmelech and their men to seek the favor of the LORD,#

Bethel means house of God, probably about 12 miles north of Jerusalem. At the time of the writing of Zechariah, Bethel was part of Judah, not Samaria. Ezra 2:28#

we don’t see Regemmelech mentioned any other place. However there is a Sharezer who together with Adrammelech killed their father, the Assyrian king Sennacherib, and fled to Ararat. Isaiah 37:38#

Esarhaddon began to reign in place of his father, Sennacherib. 2 Kings 19:36-37#

It is of some interest to note that Zerubbabel was offered help to rebuild the temple by Samaritans who stated, “Let us build with you, for we, like you, seek your God; and we have been sacrificing to Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here.” Ezra 4:2#

Were these two men Regemmelech and Sharezer trying to merely “appease” God?#

Historical records show that a man named Regemmelech is a title of the king’s spokesman. If this is the same man, perhaps he had some governmental authority.#

Bethel has a history of idolatry. It was at Bethel that Jeconiah set up a calf to be worshipped so that the people would not go down to Jerusalem to worship.#

Zechariah 7:3a speaking to the priests who belong to the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, “Shall I weep in the fifth month and abstain,#

Zechariah 7:3b as I have done these many years?” This was something they had practiced over and over every year, every time the date come up.#

Perhaps they might have taken note of the prophet Jeremiah’s conclusion as he lamented the destruction of Jerusalem. Though he was increadibly sad, his hope was in the Lord not on better days. Lamentations 5:21, 3:21-23#

The second temple was destroyed in 70a.D. by Titus the Roman. It was destroyed on the 9th day of the 5th month which is the same day Nebuchadnezzar burned down the first temple in 586b.C.#

Today the Jews commemorate this day with fasting and morning. Instead of returning to the Lord, the religious Jews want God to give them a temple so as to return their religious activities. No wonder God does not answer this prayer.#

Message #1 - Addressing a wrong concept of repentance#

Zechariah 7:4-5 Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, “Say to all the people of the land and to the priests…’ Zechariah as priest and prophet receives the word of the Lord telling him communicate it to the people, including the priests.#

Zechariah 7:4-5 When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months these seventy years… these fasts had been held for over 7 decades.#

The fast of the fifth month was remembering when Solomon’s temple was burned by Nebuchadnezzar in 586b.C. 2 Kings 25:8#

The fast of the seventh month was commemorating the slaying of the Babylonian appointed governor, Gedaliah. Because of this the people had to flee to Egypt. 2 Kings 25:25#

Fasts were also held in the fourth and tenth months remembering the demise of Jerusalem. Jeremiah 39:2, 2 Kings 25:1-2#

These fasts were not given by God at the giving of the law. They were self-imposed by the people and held throughout the years of Babylonian captivity.#

On the surface, the question being brought before the priests seems sincere. God’s answer through Zechariah will reveal a problem.#

Perhaps many grew up practicing them and presumed they should just continue, not necessarily ever question why they got started in the first place.#

Matthew 6:16 “Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.#

Matthew 6:17 “But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face#

Matthew 6:18 so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.#

Their theological understanding of what repentance meant needed to be challenged. They were more upset about the effects than the cause. To them, a return meant mourning over the evil that resulted in order to make the good return.#

Their concept of returning to God was an issue of how they were affected not what God said. The very reason they were taken out of the land was not a series of mishaps but because God had said their total disregard for Him would lead to their demise.#

Isaiah 30:15 For thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said, “In repentance and rest you shall be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength.” But you were not willing,#

Through this series of 4 messages, God will show them the crisis in their thinking in order to pleade with this generation of post-exile jews to change their thinking and return to Him by faith.#

5. Zechariah 7:5b …was it actually for Me that you fasted? perhaps it seemed like a good idea at the time and someone suggested they embark on times of fasting to commemorate the loss of the temple among others.#

In the minds of the people, especially the younger generation, it was a practice they had always done. They grew up doing it. It was normal to do it. Perhaps if the question had been, “why do you fast?”, the answer would have been, “because we’ve always done so…”.#

God goes beyond the initial why question and moves to a deeper level to make them question their level of sincerity, did you consider Me when doing it? Was it me you were after? Was I the intent of your heart?#

They were missing the point by asking if they should continue or not. They seem to have the presumption that what they did was right. Somehow they appear to have believed that their fasting caused their return to the land.#

So God makes them questions, why had they done it in the first place? Isaiah 58:3-8#

motivation for these particular fastings were not for God. Neither did God ever tell them they should be done.#

Certainly the ritualistic weeping had an appearance of spirituality. Surely God would be impressed and be moved to show mercy? Isaiah 39:13#

To ask if they should continue the fasts when the temple is rebuilt is a little like staring at a photograph of a person, trying to remember you, while the real person sits next to you.#

Today, Christians do things out of habit or even worse, because of habit in the name of God, thinking they must be done because they have been practiced for decades. Perhaps we should ask ourselves why we do what we do. Is it really for a deeper fellowship with God that we do it?#

forgetting the reality behind the ritual is hanging on to an empty ritual. There is a mighty power in tradition to blind people from reality. Mark 7:13#

One day in the future, all of Israel will weep, not for loosing out on some blessings or as a means to commemorate better days, but the day they realize it was them that had pierced their Deliverer and Messiah. Zechariah 12:10-14#

1) This is the day the nation of Israel will repent, they will change their minds and turn to God in faith to receive the forgiveness of sins through the finished work of Jesus the Messiah on the cross. Oh what a blessed day that will be! A glad reunion between a nation and their God.#

One of the greatest misunderstandings of the Bible today centers around the understanding of what repentance is. In order to inspire what they consider to be repentance, many are teaching a Gospel of works. “Clean up your life and you will be saved”, “have you truly mourned for your sin?”, “turn from your sin and be saved”.#

What was needed for Israel to be restored? To return to God. A simple turning from what they were trusting in (idolatry) to once again trust God.#

God is richly revealing His goodness, forbearance and long-suffering to lead people turn to Him. That is, to change their minds from what they are believing to believing in Him. Romans 2:4#

Some teachings of “grace” essentially promote a sense of rebellion against the law of God. Grace is not contrary to the law, it is contrary to legalism. These false understandings end up promoting the believer with a license to sin.#

Legalism seeks to find God’s favour either for justification or sanctification by means of law keeping. It is possible to see the Christian life as keeping with external morality, however God would question us, did you do it for Me?#

Grace teaches us Christ as the means to walk with God. Grace gives us the correct motivation of a thankful heart.#

In Christ the believer upholds and agrees with the law in, never rebelling against it.#

On the contrary, God is never in favour of legalism. Legalism springs from self-righteousness and a complete misunderstanding of God’s perfect righteousness and man’s depravity.#

The Christian is never encouraged to walk independent of God. Quite the opposite, God works all things together towards his/her utlimate good, for a life in total dependancy upon God. Isaiah 66:2, John 15:5, 19, Romans 8:32-33, Psalm 40:16-17#

6. Zechariah 7:6 ‘When you eat and drink, do you not eat for yourselves and do you not drink for yourselves? In a similar fashion to their fasting (ceasing from any food), eating and drinking is done without considering God but for mere physical supplement. We do it for self preservation.#

Whether we eat or don’t eat makes little difference before God if our relationship with Him is estranged.#

6. Zechariah 7:7 ‘Are not these the words which the LORD proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and prosperous along with its cities around it, and the Negev and the foothills were inhabited?’”#

God says through Zechariah, I"m saying now what I said through prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah and Amos spoke to the previous generation. This generation was on their way to repeating exactly same thing. The circumstances might be different but the message is exactly the same.#

The reason they were sent into exile in the first place, the reason the glorious days were over, was their own fault for not trusting the Lord. God had said through the prophets that it would happen if they did not listen.#

a. Amos 4:6 “But I gave you also cleanness of teeth in all your cities And lack of bread in all your places, Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the LORD.#

b. Amos 4:7 “Furthermore, I withheld the rain from you While there were still three months until harvest. Then I would send rain on one city And on another city I would not send rain; One part would be rained on, While the part not rained on would dry up.#

c. Amos 4:8 “So two or three cities would stagger to another city to drink water, But would not be satisfied; Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the LORD.#

d. Amos 4:9 “I smote you with scorching wind and mildew; And the caterpillar was devouring Your many gardens and vineyards, fig trees and olive trees; Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the LORD.#

e. Amos 4:10 “I sent a plague among you after the manner of Egypt; I slew your young men by the sword along with your captured horses, And I made the stench of your camp rise up in your nostrils; Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the LORD.#

f. Amos 4:11 “I overthrew you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, And you were like a firebrand snatched from a blaze; Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the LORD.#

This question demonstrates the way the people thought. They lamented over the consequences but had not learned why they lost it in the first place.#

It did not seem to enter their minds that they were actually estranged with God. This really didn’t bother them. What bothered them is ‘keeping a good testimony’.#

Their thinking dictated that if they would felt sorry enough, sad enough, if they truly lamented their condition, God would see them in their lamentable state and feel pity.#

This is an example of a self-righteous approach and comes from a faulty understanding of God’s absolute righteousness. The only way to approach God is God’s way through God’s provision.#

just like the fasting in those days was not for God, today’s Christian activities can be godless while having a certain spiritual look appeal to them. Colossians 2:20-23#

Sermon 2 - Showing the cause; failure to walk by faith#

7. Zechariah 7:8-9 Then the word of the LORD came to Zechariah saying, “Thus has the LORD of hosts said, ‘Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother; God takes the nation back to a right perspective under the Mosaic law. They had willingly entered into this covenant with God.#

If Israel kept the law, God would bless them. However, when Israel did not follow their part of the covenant, God was obligated to curse them.#

The key thing to note is that failure to keep the Mosaic law was a given. God was not exiling them for failure to keep the law but rather for their failure to walk with Him in order to keep the law.#

Failure to listen means they were so intent on keeping the law they failed to be instructed on how God meant them to carry it out. The law was really meant to show them inadequacy so they would look to Him as they failed, as they learned and grew closer and closer to God as a result.#

This verse is not teaching in favour of modern day “social justice”. The law was in place to protect the oppressed, not to force “equality” on everyone.#

God shows the people they failed. They were not dispensing fairness, brotherly kindness and compassion. Failure to keep their agreement should have been cause to seek to restore it with the other party - in this case God.#

Commandments 1-4 related to God, commandments 6-10 related to man.

a. Zechariah 7:10a and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; James, the epistle written to scattered Jews says, these are the marks of true religion. James 1:27#

Empty rituals, morning lost benefits caused by ones own sin is just lamentable.#

They were not only neglecting but oppressing the most vulnerable in the nation.#

A stranger (GER) was a legal, non-jew living in the land. Ruth the Moabite, was an example of a stranger in the land.#

b. Zechariah 7:10b and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.’ Their hearts were against one another therefore they devised evil. Proverbs 4:23#

8. Zechariah 7:11 “But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing. This served as an instruction to this generation. Refusing to listen to God comes at inevitable consequences.#

Their indifference to God’s word is what caused the 70 year exile.#

9. Zechariah 7:12a “*They made their hearts like flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts#

Flint is a very hard stone used for cutting and piercing things. A heart like flint is one that is hard, calloused and cannot hear God’s word.#

Notice these people hardened their hearts and as a result they came to a point of being deaf. They were deaf because they chose not to not because God never gave them the ability to hear.#

This perhaps seems impossible but given time and a constant indifference to the conscience and to the hearing of God’s voice, one becomes cold, indifferent and far. To the extent that one becomes deaf. Jeremiah 22:21#

Zechariah 7:12a had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; Acts 6:8-15#

Zechariah is the first to record this doctrine of the Spirit. It was the Spirit that prompted the prophets to speak.#

They refused to listen to the prophets, they refused to see their failure to keep the law and need to turn to God in faith. Acts 7:51-53#

When Stephen reminded the first century Jews about this and they stoned him. Acts 7:54-60#

Matt#

10. Zechariah 7:12b-13 therefore great wrath came from the LORD of hosts. They did not keep the covenant, so in keeping with the agreement, the wrath of God came. Did they return to God when they realized this? Unfortunately no.#

For over 1000 the Scriptures were warning them of this. Deuteronomy 28:49-50#

It is easy to misunderstand God’s wrath is brought on due to His relationship being cut off with His people. It is a faith issue, not perfection issue.#

When God’s people don’t walk as they should, that is, trusting in Him, in His ways, listening to what He has to say, then God will turn to other methods to capture the attention of His people.#

10. Zechariah 7:12b-13 “And just as He called and they would not listen, so they called and I would not listen,” says the LORD of hosts; God reverses the situation. For countless times God has been calling to them, now they get to see what it’s like when God doesn’t listen.#

A relationship implies communication between each other. God had been speaking to the people but the people did not want to listen to Him. The communication was broken and the relationship suffered.#

While the people seemed to be fine without God, they ignored him. When troubles came however, they called out to God for help and in turn, God did not listen to them.#

Would they miss the point of God’s not answering their call?#

Was God playing “the silent game” with them because He was being querulous?#

Did they call out to God because they realized they needed God or because they wanted to be freed of the situation?#

If God had helped them get what they desired, would it have helped the relationship?#

11. Zechariah 7:14a “but I scattered them with a storm wind among all the nations whom they have not known. God’s ways are perfect. He was wanted their ultimate good, since they were not in a condition to listen, He sent them into different directions where they were no longer together in the land.#

Since they wanted to be like the rest of the nations, God does exactly that. He scatters them to the nations. 1 Samuel 8:5#

So much of Israel’s custom revolved around the land, Jerusalem and the temple. These were given to them by God and could serve them as reminders of who He was. Yet now, in a strange land they had nothing except God. Would they turn to God to trust Him?#

Storm Wind Ezekiel 1:4#

Zechariah 7:14b Thus the land is desolated behind them so that no one went back and forth, for they made the pleasant land desolate.”#

The land was made to rest. Rest from Israel’s abuse to it but mostly, God removed them away from the land so by being alone in a strange land they might turn to God in faith.#

The point being made is clear. The reason they were exiled, the reason Jerusalem and the temple was destroyed was due to their incapacity to keep the covenant agreement, not because they had not kept a certain self-appointed fast.#

It’s good that the priests had to be receiving this message too. They were a major part of the problem and their teaching needed to encourage a return to the Lord.#

In light of this, their question seems so very insignificant and it should encourage these men from Bethel and anyone else to repent, change their minds, return to the Lord.#

B. Zechariah 8:1-23 - 10 promises concerning Jerusalem#

1-8 future laid out

9 -13 - get busy rebuilding

14-15 - trust in God’s promises

16-17 - go back to the mosaic covenant

1. Message #3 - Promises 1-7#

1. Promise #1, The Lord will return to Zion and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem#

a. Zechariah 8:1-2 Then the word of the LORD of hosts came, saying, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘I am exceedingly jealous for Zion, yes, with great wrath I am jealous for her.’ Zechariah 1:14-16#

Zion is used many times interechangeably with Jerusalem. 2 Samuel 5:7, Isaiah 40:9, Psalm 87:2-3#

Zion can also refer to the people of Israel. Isaiah 60:14, Isaiah 52:1#

Hebrews used Zion in a figurative sense to speak of the New Jerusalem. Hebrews 12:22#

God is exceedingly jealous for Zion.#

It would appear in this context that Zion is used as the Holy Mountain. Zion here seems more specific than just Jerusalem, it is mount Zion where Jesus will reign and be worshipped.#

Zechariah 1:14, Psalm 2:6, Psalm 132:13, Ezekiel 16

b. Zechariah 8:3a “Thus says the LORD, ‘I will return to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem is the only city that God says He will make his holy habitation. This will come about during the Millenial Kingdom.#

2. Zechariah 8:3 Promise #2, Jerusalem will be called the city of truth#

a. Zechariah 8:3b Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth,#

b. Zechariah 8:3c and the mountain of the LORD of hosts will be called the Holy Mountain.’ The city of Jerusalem is not this way today.#

Revelation 11:8 - “Sodom in Egypt” during the tribulation.#

3. Zechariah 8:4-6 Promise #3, Jerusalem will have complete peace and safety#

a. Zechariah 8:4-5 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Old men and old women will again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each man with his staff in his hand because of age. ‘And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets.’ The elderly and the young (the most vulnerable people groups) will be safe and will not be afraid.#

Nebuchadnezzar burned Jerusalem to the ground leaving the young and the old lying on the ground. This is what this generation had seen. God says he will turn it around. Lamentations 2:21#

Restoration from the exile:4. Promise #4, God will gather the Jews from the east and the west and bring them back to Jerusalem

b. Zechariah 8:6 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘If it is too difficult in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, will it also be too difficult in My sight?’ declares the LORD of hosts.#

When God announces restoration it may seem improbable but that is what is going to happen. Genesis 18:14

a. Zechariah 8:7-8a “*Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Behold, I am going to save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west; *#

Obviously east and west implies more than just Babylon. This is a worldwide return.

and I will bring them back and they will live in the midst of Jerusalem; Physical restoration. This sets the stage for discipline during the Tribulation. 2 Peter 3:10#

5. Promise #5, The Jews will once again be those who reflect God unto the peoples of the earth (they will be God’s people). God will work with Israel once again.#

a. Zechariah 8:8b and they shall be My people, and I will be their God in truth and righteousness.’ This is more than just a physical return, this is when Israel will return to the Lord! Isaiah 66:8, Zechariah 12:10#

This sets the stage for the blessings of the Millenial Kingdom.#

Under the Mosaic covenant, Israel would be God’s special people among the nations if they kept their part. That is, they would be a nation who reflected God and God would bless them before the Gentile nations.#

This is why while the Jews are in exile they are not God’s nation. They do not reflect God as a nation nor do we see God blessing them in the land of promise.#

This in no way affects the Abrahamic covenant given 600 years prior that declared them as a nation to be God’s posession. This was an unconditional covenant and promise God made to Abraham regarding his descendants.#

So even though the Jews are in exile, they are still his people and His promises to them still hold true.#

Exodus 19:5 ‘Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine;#

Though Israel had not walked with God, there would be a time when Israel could be counted as the people of God among the nations if they kept the covenant conditions. This will come about because God will give them a new heart and the Spirit of God will dwell in them to empower them to walk as they should.#

b. Zechariah 8:9 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Let your hands be strong, God was offering them the strength yet they were to let Him.#

Zechariah 8:9 you who are listening in these days to these words from the mouth of the prophets, those who spoke in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, to the end that the temple might be built. pay attention to the prophets who told you to get busy rebuilding the temple. Two of these were Zechariah and Haggai. Zechariah 2:12, Ezra 5:1, 6:14#

a. Zechariah 8:10 ‘For before those days there was no wage for man or any wage for animal; and for him who went out or came in there was no peace because of his enemies, and I set all men one against another. There were political, economical problems. Haggai 1:3-6#

They worked hard and yet had no wages. God had caused the political and economical problems.#

b. Zechariah 8:11 ‘But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ declares the LORD of hosts.#

God has changed his disposition. The current group would have a very different treatment if they returned to HIm.#

6. Promise #6, The land will be a blessing and yield fruit#

a. Zechariah 8:12a ‘For there will be peace for the seed: the vine will yield its fruit, the land will yield its produce and the heavens will give their dew; Deuteronomy 28:1-14 Quoting by way of blessing if they went back tothe Mosaic covenant. Matthew 6:33#

Israel had experienced times of cursing in the land, times of discipline away from the land. This speaks of a time of great blessing in the land.#

b. Zechariah 8:12b and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things.#

Notice how God is actively making this to come about. Believing Israel “the remnant” will have as an inheritance off these things. Not by their doing or by their obedience but because God causes it to come to pass for those who believe in Him.#

In other words, God is saying that when they were focused on their homes, econbnomy, politics, etc God made it harder for them. HOwever, now as they focus on the temple, God would supply all their needs in abundance. Matthew 6:33#

7. Promise #7, Israel will become a blessing to the nations#

a. Zechariah 8:13 ‘It will come about that just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you that you may become a blessing.#

Do not fear; let your hands be strong.’ Do not fear, trust me! This reminder is listed 365 times in the Bible. How do you stop being afraid? Trust God’s promises. Zechariah 8:14-15#

Again he says, let you hand be strong. In other words, trust me, let me strengthen you!#

In just the same way that Israel has been a stigma among the Gentile nations, God will turn it around. He will reunite the houses (people) of Judah and Israel. They will be one nation under God. He will deliver them and they will no longer be a curse but a blessing to the other nations.#

God told them this so that they would take courage. They could find strength in this future promise.#

trust in promises 14-15#

b. Zechariah 8:14-15 “For thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Just as I purposed to do harm to you when your fathers provoked Me to wrath,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘and I have not relented,. God purposed to bring harm against His people. Why? Because God relentlessly held them to the covenant they had entered into with God. God never quit upholding His part.#

God disciplines those He loves. He is relentless because he loves his people. Hebrews 12:5#

so I have again purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not fear! With that same relentless passion, God says he has purposed to do good to the city of Jerusalem and His people. Malachi 3:8-11, Jeremiah 29:11#

Just like there were clauses regarding cursing in the covenant, there were clauses regarding obedience that resulted in blessings. Deuteronomy 28, Leviticus 26#

Once again, he reiterates, do not fear. God says, “when you trust me, you have nothing to fear!” Proverbs 28:1,#

In a similar sense, for the church age, we have nothing to fear when we trust God! 2 Timothy 1:7#

Heart sins = Zechariah 8:16-17 - based on what has been previously discussed, God says, rather than focussing on morning, they should go back to keeping the covenant.#

a. Zechariah 8:16 ‘These are the things which you should do: speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment#

Because of who they were, because of their association with God as a people, the natural course of action should be to reflect God in their dealings with one another.#

They as a community should be truth tellers within the assembly of the believing.#

They were to be people of judgment. They should make judgments according to truth. Deuteronomy 13:1-5,#

We aren’t to judge regarding people’s motives. And we aren’t to judge hypocritically. Matthew 7:1-6#

for peace in your gates. They were to be people who promote peace. Primarily with each other.#

b. Zechariah 8:17 ‘Also let none of you devise evil in your heart against another, Zechariah 7:10#

Heart sins: These are sins committed in the heart.#

beware! private thoughts will eventually lead to public actions. Proverbs 4:23#

500 years before Jesus, Zechariah was instructing against heart sins. Matthew 5-7#

Zechariah 8:17 and do not love perjury;” Loving to lie is something the Lord detests. False weights are an example of what this is talking about. Jeremiah 5:30-31#

The treatment they had for eachother was reflective of who they had as God. Love for one another and being honest were two key points in the Mosaic covenant.#

Swearing by God’s name and lying were probably strategies of business learned from their time in Babylon. They went from farming to commerce. They learned to take advantange of their neighbour (telling them untruths) and used God (using God’s name in vain) to legitimize business. Matthew 5:33-37#

These two sum up the two aspects of the law. 4 laws were regarding their relationship with God and 6 dealt with their interaction with fellow man.#

This did not reflect God’s ways established for Israel.#

In regards to false prophets, though they are more at fault, it does not mean the people were innocent. The people wanted to hear things they liked. If the people would judge according to truth, false teaching would dry up.#

In a similar way today, there would be no business for false teachers if the people of God would judge according to truth.#

for all these are what I hate,’ declares the LORD. God is a God who loves, but He says there are things He hates.#

hauty eyes, lying tongue (perjury), hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness (perjury), one who spreads strife among the brothers (seek peace).#

Jesus also is quoted saying he hates the sin of the nicolaitans. This was something that a group of people were teaching. Possibly a teaching that promoted laity-clergy distinction. Revelation 2:6#

Message #4 - Fasting will become joy, gladness and cheerful feasts#

8. Promise #8, God will turn their mourning into gladness#

a. Zechariah 8:18-19a *Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘The fast of the fourth, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth months…*Four fasts were held every year conmemorating the byproduct of their sin.#

Religion thrives on ceremony. The greater the number of rituals, the higher the religion.#

Religion must of needs highlight the problem but only the God of the Bible provides full and complete restitution by grace.#

Zechariah 8:19b …will become joy, gladness, and cheerful feasts for the house of Judah; The pharisees walked around with sad faces because that was the image of spirituality.#

True spirituality is God’s complete provision in Christ. One response is characteristic to Him who experiences the spirituality that comes from Christ - turns mourning into joy, gladness and cheerful feasting! Psalm 30:11,#

Israel will one day experience this with God, when by faith they return to Him. Zephaniah 3:14-20#

a. Zechariah 8:19b so love truth and peace.’ Rather than focusing on mourning their losses, they should focus on loving truth and peace.#

The nations of the world seek peace. Yet it is at the cost of truth. Unless there is true justice, truth divides, therefore the nations of the world are willing to do away with truth to establish “world unity” and “peace”*.#

9. Promise #9, Gentiles will pour into Jerusalem to seek God’s favor#

a. Zechariah 8:20 Thus says the LORD of hosts,’ It will yet be that peoples will come, even the inhabitants of many cities.#

This prophesies a crowd coming from cities will come. Honor and popularity will be returned to Jerusalem as the capital. There will be unity among the people. Israel and Judah will be united as one nation. The cities speaks of the cities of Israel.#

Reason of exaltation#

a. Zechariah 8:21 ‘The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, “Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts; I will also go.” We see the urgency of going, “let us go at once” to seek the favour of the Lord.#

This is how the conversation had began…they were seeking the favour of the Lord.#

The people don’t go to see a statue or buy an idol but to seek the favor of the Lord and seek Him.#

Location of the exaltation#

b. Zechariah 8:22 ‘So many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD.’ The people of many nations come to Jerusalem. The fulfilment of this will be when Jesus is reigning in the city of Jerusalem. Zechariah 14:16-18#

Why do people come to go to Jerusalem? Because that is where Jesus is.#

10. Promise #10, The Jew will be seen as a blessing to the Gentiles#

Preeminence of city of Jerusalem#

a. Zechariah 8:23 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘In those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”’” This is Israel being God’s people and God being their God.#

In the kingdom, 10 gentiles will grab the garment of one jew to ask him to take them to Jerusalem to seek the Lord.#

The center of the world will be Jerusalem because Jesus will be there. Isaiah 49:22-23, Deuteronomy 28:13#

God’s blessing upon the jews will be undeniable. People of all nations will recognize the God of the Jews and seek to find favor with Him through the access available to the Jew.#

This was God’s purpose with the nation of Israel from the beginning. They were to be a light unto the Gentiles. They were to be a vessel of pointing the way to God.#

Interestingly, after Satan is released from the abyss after 1000 years, he immediately attacks Jerusalem. Revelation 20:9#

These future promises were to encourage the returnees in the present.#

The church also has many wonderful promises for the future which are to impress on us in the present.#

Zechariah 9:1-14:21 - The Fourth Message: The Two Burdens#

Zechariah 9:1-11:17 The Burden concerning the Gentiles nations and offering up the Kingdom of God#

The following 5 chapters were probably written at a later date of Zechariah’s ministry.#

Many skeptics have tried to discredit the authenticity of chapers 9-14 saying it is not the same author as the first 8 chapters. However these arguments are untenable and can be refuted.#

Difference of style is not a conclusive argument for different authorship because style of writing can change with different circumstances.#

Chapters 9-11 have to do with foretelling how God will come to Israel in the person of Jesus Christ and offering them to return to Him and set up His kingdom. They will reject Messiah and his offer.#

Chapters 9 and 10 prophetically explain the time period when Israel was subjugated under Greece.#

Chapter 11 foretells when she is under Roman domination.#

Chapters 12-14 have to do with foretelling how God will not postpone the promised blessings due to Israel’s return to the Lord.#

Like the prodigal son returned back to his father, we are told so too Israel as a nation will one day return wholeheartedly to their God through faith in Jesus Christ as Messiah.#

Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”#

Israel rejected this offer but out of that rejection God will create a new administration inclusive of the Gentiles.#

During this time, God will not work around one nation but through a new assembly, an organism composed of Jews and Gentiles known as The Church of Jesus Christ. Romans 9:25-29#

God temporarily changed his focus from buidling a nation to building a spiritual gathering because of Israel’s persistent unbelief. Romans 9:30-33#

The Jews that believe during the timeframe of the Church are included in the Church. Sadly, by and large Jews continue rejecting to return to the Lord.#

1 Peter 2:25 For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.#

Though Israel as a nation rejected their Messiah, Like a loving father, God continues working circumstances throughout history towards Israel’s future return.#

God is a God who is tied to keep his Word.#

Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be!…For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? Romans 11:12, 15

Burden #1 contains three chapters.#

Chapter 9 - hymn#

Chapter 10 - Messiah rejected#

Chaper 11 - False shepherd#

Verses 1-8 judgment on oppresive nations surrounding Israel using Alexander the Great. Then comes Messiah unlike Alexander, he was a humble man.#

300 years before Jesus came, God will use a Macedonian king named Alexander the Great to judge surrounding nations. The Greek language and culture became popularized throughout the world. This will set the scene for Messiah’s arrival.#

Zecharia 9:1-6 A Hymn of Divine Conquest and Protection#

Zechariah 9:1-8 Judgement of nations in the land, preparing the way for God’s Messiah.#

After the battle of Issus in 333bC., Alexander the Great’s conquered from north to south beginning at Syria, Phoenicia and then Philistia.#

Hadrach, Hamath and Damascus are cities of Syria.#

Tyrus and Sidon are principal cities of Phoenicia#

Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron and Ashdod are chief cities of Philistia.#

Zechariah 9:1a The burden of the word of the LORD#

Generally speaking, a burden is something God puts on somebody’s heart. 1 Corinthians 9:16, Jeremiah 20:9#

The word burden (MASSA) in conection to prophecy should be understood as a catastrophic judgment imposed on the prophet to be discharged with a sense of urgency. Zechariah 12:1, Malachi 1:1, Isaiah 13:1#

Zechariah 9:1b is against the land of Hadrach with Damascus as its resting place… uncertain. Hadrach (Chadrak) is a syrian deity. This city no longer exists but has been identified as existing between Hamath and Aleppo.#

a. Damascus means a well-watered land in Syriac.#

Zechariah 9:1 (for the eyes of men, especially of all the tribes of Israel, are toward the LORD).#

This verse could also be translated “for the Lord has his eyes upon men and upon the tribes of Israel…” Zechariah 1:8,#

The Lord sees all and takes into account everything and executes judgment and blessing accordingly. Zechariah 9:8, Proverbs 15:3#

Zechariah 9:2a And Hamath also, which borders on it; Amos 6:2, 2 Kings 25:18-21#

Zechariah 9:2b Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise. Cities in the land of Lebanon. The king of Tyre serves as a type or an example of Satanic force behind a king. Ezekiel 28:12-17#

Though Tyre and Sidon are wise, it will not save them.#

These cities were wise in their own eyes. Ezekiel 28:3-5, Proverbs 3:7#

Zechariah 9:3 For Tyre built herself a fortress And piled up silver like dust, And gold like the mire of the streets. Their trust was in economic power. Their wealth was piled up. James 5:3#

This fortress of wealth will not defend them. Her trust (build herself) is in piled up riches.#

Zechariah 9:4 Behold, the Lord will dispossess her And cast her wealth into the sea; And she will be consumed with fire. Behold, the Lord enters into action. The Lord will use Alexander the Great to plunder Tyre.#

Tyre was an important commercial city with a great port that was thought to be impossible to conquer.#

The Assyrians laid siege against Tyre for five years but never conquered the city.#

Nebuchadnezzar tried to conquer Tyre for 13 years#

Within 7 months, Alexander took the city and burned it to the ground.#

The nations saw this and feared. Ezekiel 27#

Zechariah 9-5-7 - Philistia es dealt with#

Zechariah 9:5a Ashkelon will see it and be afraid. One of five main Philistine cities. Joshua 13:3, 1 Samuel 6:17#

It was Ashkelon that historically caused God’s people to be afraid.#

“see it and be afraid” in Hebrew is a play on words, TERE and TIRA.#

Zechariah 9:5b Gaza too will writhe in great pain; She inflicted pain on Israel, now she will suffer pain.#

Zechariah 9:5c Also Ekron, for her expectation has been confounded. We are uncertain what her expectation was but God takes it away.#

Zechariah 9:5d Moreover, the king will perish from Gaza,#

Zechariah 9:5e and Ashkelon will not be inhabited.#

Zechariah 9:6a And a mongrel race will dwell in Ashdod, God destroyed the cities and people and mixed them with a hybrid people. It may have been Alexander’s policy to mix the conquered peoples with each other.#

Zechariah 9:6b And I will cut off the pride of the Philistines. Jeremiah 25:20, Amos 1:6-8, Zephaniah 2:4-7#

1 Peter 5:5, Proverbs 16:18

Zechariah 9:7-

Zechariah 9:7 And I will remove their blood from their mouth And their detestable things from between their teeth. Philistine paganism involved drinking blood. It refers to idolatry.#

Zechariah 9:7b Then they also will be a remnant for our God, And be like a clan in Judah, This appears to be saying there will be a remnant of believers among the Philistines. Ezekiel 33:25#

Zechariah 9:7c And Ekron like a Jebusite. When David conquered Jerusalem the Jebusites inhabited the city. David let them live and they were incorporated into Israel, Ekron will be same. 2 Samuel 24:16, 1 Chronicles 21:18#

Zechariah 9:8 But I will camp around My house because of an army, While God is judging the surrounding nations, He is also protecting Israel, Jerusalem and the temple.#

This is probably referring more to the protection of his people, Israel though all are ultimately included.#

Zechariah 9:8 My house By this time the temple had been standing for about 200 years.#

Zechariah 9:8 Because of him who passes by and returns; This was fulfilled about 200 years later in 333b.C. when Alexander refrained from destroying Jerusalem.#

According to the historian Josephus, after Alexander took Gaza he made his way quickly to Jerusalem. When the high-priest heard this he ordered that the people should cry out to God and ask for protection.¹⁹#

At that time the high priest had a dream where he was told to take courage, adorn the city and open the gates and that the rest appear in white garments and that all the priests should wear their priestly garments.¹⁹#

According to the dream the priest acted entirely, and waited for Alexander. When Alexander saw them, everybody was in white and the high priest in purple, he approached by himself and fell before him.#

Later on, when asked why he had adored the priest, Alexander said, “I did not adore him, but that God who has honored him with that high-priesthood; for I saw this very person in a dream, in this very habit…and remembering my vision and the exhortation which I had in my dream, I believe that I bring this army under divine conduct, and shall therewith conquer Darius, and destroy the power of the Persians, and that all things will succeed according to what is in my own mind.”¹⁹#

Zechariah 9:8 And no oppressor will pass over them anymore, For now I have seen with My eyes. Zechariah 9:1, Jeremiah 16:17, Isaiah 60:18, Ezekiel 28:24#

Zechariah 9:9 - Zechariah Describes the Messiah

Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! This is perhaps the most known verse of Zechariah. It was fulfilled during Palm Sunday about 2000 years ago, 500 years after it was written.#

Zechariah 9:9a Behold, your king is coming to you; 500 years prior, Zechariah announced the coming of melech Yisrael! For Israel to have a king meant political sovereignty and deliverance from the oppression of vassal nations.#

Judah was overthrown by Babylon and taken into captivity. When they returned, they were subject to the whims of the Medo-Persians. Even though Zerubbabel was in the direct line of David, he was not king. This confirms Coniah’s curse. Luke 3:27, Matthew 1:12, Jeremiah 22:30#

God wanted a king for Israel. He just had a certain kind of king in mind, not the kind Israel desired.#

God wanted a king that was unlike pagan nations. A king that was just, righteous, faithful and good, one who recognized God as sovereign and he would act as earthly regent. Deuteronomy 17:14-20#

An important phase in the historical development of Israelite kingship was Yahweh’s promise, delivered through the Prophet Nathan, that the Davidic dynasty would remain forever. 2 Samuel 7:8–16, 1 Chronicles 17:7–14; Psalm 87 88:3–5, 20–38#

This assertion was the basis of future eschatological hopes for a new kingdom and an ideal king, and in this regard also Israelite kingship differed radically from the kingship patterns of Egypt and Mesopotamia.²⁰#

The king the people wanted was like the other nations. 1 Samuel 8:4-6#

Zechariah 9:9b He is just and endowed with salvation, a just king equipped with deliverance!#

Salvation is spiritual peace with God. Isaiah 45:21, 53:11, Jeremiah 23:5-6, Malachi 4:2#

Why wasn’t the kingdom established upon His first visitation?#

It was not because they did not enthrone the Messiah. No! John 6:15, Romans 9:33#

In fact, He did not permit them to enthrone Him by force.#

In order for Him to reign as their Messiah King, they needed to return to the Lord first! Jeremiah 24:7, Malachi 3:7, 2 Chronicles 7:14#

It is not the people of Israel who enthone the Messiah but God will do so over his enemies. Psalm 110:1#

Zechariah 9:9 is part of a larger unit that anticipates a time in which the people of Yahweh’s perennial adversaries will be pacified and humiliated and Philistia incorporated within it (9:1-8). The king whose advent Jeremiah (23:5, etc.) and Ezekiel (34:23-31, etc.) also looked forward to is described according to ideal specifications. He will be strong to save and lowly and unassuming at the same time (9:9)²¹#

Zechariah 9:9c Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Unlike Alexander, God in human flesh came to earth and chose to be born in a manger and rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. Luke 2:7#

Why wouldn’t Jesus make his triumphal entry into Jerusalem riding a horse like Alexander the Great?#

There are over 188 mentions of horses in the Bible. It may surprise you to know that Israel was not supposed to have horses.#

The reason that Israel never was allowed horses is expressly stated in the second giving of the law.#

Deuteronomy 17:15-16a you shall surely set a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses…“But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses:#

God had told the Israelite kings or the people not to have horses so that they would not be prone to return once again to Egypt. Egypt was the primary provider of horses at the time.#

Deuteronomy 17:16b forasmuch as the Lord hath said unto you, ‘Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.’”#

When God delivered Israel from Egypt, he wanted them to make a clean break and that they wouldn’t have any reason to ever want to return. If Israel was not to return to Egypt, they must not trade with Egypt in any form.#

When the the decalog prohibits covetting, it does not mention horses yet it names oxen and donkeys. Surely horses are would be more desireable than donkeys…#

Exodus 20:17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”#

Archeological digs have found that all the nations in the area had horses but not Israel, that is, not until the time of Solomon in 970b.C. and that was out of disobedience. 1 Kings 10:26#

Years later when King Solomon disobeyed and aquired horses that is exactly what ocurred…#

1Kings 10:28 Also Solomon’s import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the king’s merchants procured them from Kue for a price. 1 Kings 10:26-29#

Knowing this fact, Psalm 20 verses 7 through 9 make a lot more sense.#

Psalm 20:7 Some boast in chariots, and some in horses; But we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God.#

Psalm 20:8 They have bowed down and fallen; But we have risen and stood upright.#

Psalm 20:9 Save, O LORD; May the King answer us in the day we call.#

God did not want the people of Israel to conquer the land trusting in horses and chariots but in God. Zechariah 10:5#

David conquered the land on foot. Therefore David’s triumphs are really a testimony that God conquered the land for them. Psalm 18:39-50#

Proverbs 21:31, “The horse is prepared for the day of battle: but deliverance is of the Lord.”#

When the people returned they brought with them 736 horses. This speaks of the people’s condition after 70 years in a foreign land. The adopted new practices from teh Chaldeans. Ezra 2:66, Nehemiah 7:68#

Therefore, in humility, in keeping with the law and in trusting the Father, Jesus the king entered Jerusalem riding on what is possibly a fine-bread donkey. What a magnificent entrance in keeping with everything God is and does!#

Jesus made no exceptions when dealing with Himself in His first coming. He came under the law not to rebel against it but to fulfill it.#

All four gospels state this verse is fulfilled upon the triumphal entering into Jerusalem. Matthew 21:1–11, Mark 11:1–11, Luke 19:28–44, John 12:12–19#

Matthew 21:1 And when they had approached Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,#

Matthew 21:2 saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with her; untie them, and bring them to Me.#

Matthew 21:3 “And if anyone says something to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”#

Matthew 21:4 Now this took place that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying,#

Matthew 21:5 “SAY TO THE DAUGHTER OF ZION, ‘BEHOLD YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU, GENTLE, AND MOUNTED ON A DONKEY, EVEN ON A COLT, THE FOAL OF A BEAST OF BURDEN.’”#

Matthew 21:6 And the disciples went and did just as Jesus had directed them,#

Matthew 21:7 and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid on them their garments, on which He sat.#

Matthew 21:8 And most of the multitude spread their garments in the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees, and spreading them in the road.#

Matthew 21:9 And the multitudes going before Him, and those who followed after were crying out, saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David; BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Hosanna in the highest!”#

While on the outskirts of town people followed Jesus crying, “Hosanna to the Son of David…”, many in the city of Jerusalem had no idea who He was.#

Matthew 21:10 And when He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, “Who is this?”. Matthew 21:1-10#

Matthew 21:15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done, and the children who were crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant, Clearly the religious leaders had no small part in keeping the people confused regarding the identity of the coming King.#

The people wanted political peace. When the leaders of Israel realized that they had better chances of getting political peace with Rome then they yelled, “we have no king but Caesar”.#

The people stumbled over Jesus. The kingdom of God is more than mere politics. Entrance to the Kingdom requires absolute righteousness. This was Jesus’ offer to them. Matthew 5-7#

Zechariah 9:10 Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey. This prophecy is not unique to Zechariah. It is aluded to back in Genesis 49.#

Genesis 49:10 “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes, And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.#

Genesis 49:11 “He ties his foal to the vine, And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine; He washes his garments in wine, And his robes in the blood of grapes.#

reveals Christ’s lowliness in outward condition as well as His inward disposition. The donkey is seen as the animal of peace. Genesis 49:11#

The four Gospels include this event.

Mark 11:7 They brought the colt to Jesus and put their coats on it; and He sat on it.

Luke 19:35 They brought it to Jesus, and they threw their coats on the colt and put Jesus on it.

John and Matthew make a point of quoting this passage in Zechariah…

John 12:14 Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written,

John 12:15 “FEAR NOT, DAUGHTER OF ZION; BEHOLD, YOUR KING IS COMING, SEATED ON A DONKEY’S COLT.”

Matthew 21:4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

Matthew 21:5 “SAY TO THE DAUGHTER OF ZION, ‘BEHOLD YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU, GENTLE, AND MOUNTED ON A DONKEY, EVEN ON A COLT, THE FOAL OF A BEAST OF BURDEN.’”

Zechariah 9:10-10:12 - Zechariah announces The Kingdom to be established upon the acceptance of their king#

The people of Israel had suffered for hundreds of years under the oppresive hands of the Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Medo-Persians, under Greece and upon the Kings arrival, they were under Rome’s oppresive rule.#

Zechariah 9:10-10:12 The Messiah’s offer…Since Israel rejected their Messiah on his first visit, these promises were postponed until the second coming.#

Zechariah 9:10a I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim… Ephraim here represents the land of the northern kingdom of Israel. Genesis 48:8-22#

The chariot was almost exclusively used in battle. Since Israel didn’t have chariots, this refers to the removal of war caused by gentile peoples in the land of Israel. Leviticus 26:6, Joshua 9:15#

Zechariah 9:10b And the horse from Jerusalem; And the bow of war will be cut off. And He will speak peace to the nations; Jesus will return as a conqueror going out to war then bring in peace. Psalm 72:8#

This may be what the Horseman on the red horse in chapter one is willing to go and do. Just like the patrol returned saying there was peace on the earth while Israel suffered, now, the Angel of the Lord, The Messiah himself will go out against the nations that went against Israel and bring in true lasting peace upon the whole earth. Zechariah 1:8-17#

Isaiah 2:4 And He will judge between the nations, And will render decisions for many peoples; And they will hammer their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they learn war.#

The United Nations has tried to appropriate this verse taking on a Messianic role. Ironically, there have been more than 150 wars since the formation of the United Nations in 1945. This is far from bringing in peace.#

It was through a series of battles that Jacob had acquired posession of the land and it has been battle after battle for Israel ever since.#

This would bring great hope to a people who have experienced war since they arrived on the land. This will happen when God’s King, the Messiah will reign, He will speak peace to the nations.#

peace is the word shalom.

Jesus will put down all warfare and strife. The chariot, the horse and the battle bow as representing weapons of warfare. he will remove all these and bring in world Shalom.#

Jesus came in humility, for a time He stooped down lower than the angels, became a man, offered himself as God’s humble yet sufficient sacrificial provision for Israel’s true return, His offer was peace, true peace, eternal peace with God.#

Zechariah 9:10c And His dominion will be from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth.#

Earth is the word (ERETS) which could be translated land, however since the definite article is not in the Hebrew we understand it is not referring to the land of Israel but rather the earth, referring to a world wide kingdom. Psalm 72:8, Psalm 22:27-28#

When Jesus comes to the earth, he will bring world peace in justice and truth. To be specific Jesus will reign from sea to sea.#

John says that in the eternal state there is no sea, this therefore must be speaking of a future reign after Zechariah’s time and before the eternal state.#

We know this will be fulfilled during the 1000 Millenial Kingdom which is after the Tribulation and before the eternal state. Revelation 20:4-6#

The entire time period between Zechariah 9:9 and 9:10 was previously unseen by Old Testament prophets.#

Today, thanks to Paul’s teachings, we know it to be the church age. 1 Peter 1:10-11#

This is why the Qumram arrived at the conclusion that there would be two Messiahs. Their names were Ben-Joseph and the second Messiah would be Ben-David. They believed there would be two different Messiahs. Why? Because they did not have Paul’s writings explaining the mysetery of the church.#

Isaiah 9:6a For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; This portion was fulfilled on the first coming, but the second part of the verse has over 2000 years in between.#

The second portion of the prophecy in this verse has yet to be fulfilled…#

Isaiah 9:6b And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.#

Isaiah 9:7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.#

Today God is using the church to cause the Jews to be jealous of what they missed on Christ’s first coming. Romans 11:11, 14#

The church will spend 7 years in Heaven. However, then they (the church) will reign upon the earth…this is a literal 1000 year reign on the earth from Jerusalem.#

Revelation 5:10 “And Thou hast made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”#

Verses 11-17 - The Maccabean victory -protection given from Antiochus IV#

Zechariah 9:11a As for you also, because of the blood of My covenant with you,… In order for a covenant to be firm, it had to be ratified in blood. Isaiah 61:1, Matthew 26:28, Psalm 105:7-11#

Previously we saw a covenant to the peoples which dealt with God’s holding the nations at bay so as to not allow them to completely anhilate the people of Israel.#

This covenant however is far greater in its scope and fulfillment. It is referring to a covenant God made to Abraham. Genesis 15:9-12, 18-20,#

This is a description of the wonderful things God will do for Israel because of his promise to her. Israel, like no other nation in the world has a covenant that God made with them. Genesis 5:9-10#

When a covenant was made, customarily, both parties passed between the the parts of cut up animals. While they walked through the parties would declare that the same should happen to them if they break their covenant.#

When God made a covenant to Abraham. It was a special ceremony because God did it with himself while Abraham slept. Therefore, the picture is that God made the unilateral covenant without any involvement or requirement on behalf of Israel, Abraham’s descendants.#

God made many covenants throughout Scripture. They all kept a similar pattern. God promised he would make it. Then he ratified it. Then he clarified it. Then he fulfilled it.#

Ezekiel 36:22 end time regathering was undeservedly. God was being faithful to Himself. He always keeps his word. Specifically the promise he made to Abraham.#

Zechariah 9:11b …I have set your prisoners free from the waterless pit... Luke 16:24, restoration of those still in Babylon because of his covenant with them.#

Cisterns without water were used as prisons. Genesis 37:24, Jeremiah 38:6#

One cannot get out of a waterless pit unless someone rescues you. Genesis 37:23-28#

waterless pit - Joseph, jeremiah, daniel, Psalm 40#

Zechariah 9:12a Return to the stronghold, O prisoners who have the hope;#

God had made them rest the land. Every seven years the people were to trust God to provide while they rested the land. Since they did not trust the Lord, the kept farming the land even on the seventh year…they did this for 70 seventh years. Therefore the Lord took them out of the land, one year for every seventh year the land wasn’t given rest.#

2Ch 36:21 to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its sabbaths. All the days of its desolation it kept sabbath until seventy years were complete.#

Leviticus 26:34 ‘Then the land will enjoy its sabbaths all the days of the desolation, while you are in your enemies’ land; then the land will rest and enjoy its sabbaths.#

Leviticus 26:35 ‘All the days of its desolation it will observe the rest which it did not observe on your sabbaths, while you were living on it.#

Zechariah 9:12b This very day I am declaring that I will restore double to you. When God gets you out of the pit, he promises to make up double. Isaiah 61:7#

Job was granted double after his trials. Job did not know what God was going to do. Job 42#

Exodus 12:17 ‘You shall also observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt; therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as a permanent ordinance.#

Daniel 8:21-25, 11:23-35#

Zechariah 9:13-17 Macabean War - feast of dedication/festival of lights. John 10:22-24#

Zechariah 9:13a For I will bend Judah as My bow, I will fill the bow with Ephraim. This image of a bow and arrow refers to a reunited Israel, both Judah (2 southern tribes) and Ephraim (10 northern tribes) together as God’s bow and arrow in battle.#

Zechariah 9:13b And I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece;#

Times of the Gentiles:#

Babylon 605-539 b.C.#

Medo-Persia - 539-331b.C.#

Greece - 331-64b.C.#

If Zechariah lived in the 500’s bC. how could Zechariah have seen the Grecian era? Daniel 10:20#

The reference of greece is no problem if you believe God knows the future.#

Zechariah 9:13c-14a And I will make you like a warrior’s sword. Then the LORD will appear over them,#

Zechariah 9:14b And His arrow will go forth like lightning;#

This is a type of How the Lord will come at the end of the tribulation. Matthew 24:27#

And the Lord GOD will blow the trumpet, This is not the rapture at the last trump. God has more than one trumpet sound. THis is for Israel.#

And will march in the storm winds of the south.#

storm winds of the south - God has been known to create the whirlwinds. Job 1:19#

The Jewish people threw off the bonds of Antiochus iV for about 100 years. Zechariah 9:11#

Zechariah 9:15a The LORD of hosts will defend them. God does not sleep nor slumber. The Lord of Hosts, is he who is ready to go to battle for them. Psalm 27:10#

Zechariah 9:15a And they will devour and trample on the sling stones; no weapon formed against God will prosper. Isaiah 54:17#

rather these peoples will become stones in the crown of the King.#

Zechariah 9:15a And they will drink and be boisterous as with wine;#

Zechariah 9:15a And they will be filled like a sacrificial basin,#

Zechariah 9:15a Drenched like the corners of the altar.#

Zechariah 9:16a And the LORD their God will save them in that day As the flock of His people; Save here is not referring to salvation from the penalty of sin but rather it is saying that The Lord of Hosts will deliver them from their oppressors.#

That day refers to this day, Hanukah serves as a type of the deliverance that will occur in the Tribulation.#

This is the day of victory when the Jews will miraculously overthrow the diabolical reign of Antiochus Epiphanes 167b.C..#

Zechariah 9:16b For they are as the stones of a crown, Sparkling in His land.#

Zechariah 9:17a For what comeliness and beauty will be theirs!#

These are the covenant blessings that will come to Israel when she returns to the Lord. Deuteronomy 28:1-14#

Israel will no longer be despised but will be an attractive nation. People will want what the Jews have.#

Zechariah 9:17b Grain will make the young men flourish,#

Zechariah 9:17c and new wine the virgins.#

Zechariah 10:1-12 The True Shepherd#

Zechariah 10:1a Ask rain from the LORD at the time of the spring rain - droughts on the land came about because of their wrong relationship with the Lord.#

rain is simbolic of blessing or prosperity.#

Spring is when they sow their seed. This is important to planting season. Joel 2:23#

Zechariah 10:1b The LORD who makes the storm clouds; And He will give them showers of rain, vegetation in the field to each man. why ask God for rain? Because he is the one who makes the clouds to rain. Job 36:27-28#

Why would there be no rain? Because God has devised that people still need to trust in the King for their daily provision. This is a means to impress upon the people to depend on God. Jeremiah 14:22, Joel 2:23-27#

Zechariah 10:2a For the teraphim speak iniquity,#

The teraphim refers to many idols. They were household gods used for divination, probably shaped like human beings. Judges 17:4-5, 1 Samuel 19:13, 16#

The idolatry in the land, the household idols came into their homes and people were looking to these idols for provision instead of God.#

Zechariah 10:2a And the diviners see lying visions Deuteronomy 18:14, Jeremiah 27:9, Jeremiah 29:8, Micah 3:7#

Zechariah 10:2a And tell false dreams; Jeremiah 23:32#

Zechariah 10:2b They comfort in vain. Job 21:34, Jeremiah 6:13-14, Jeremiah 37:19#

Zechariah 10:2b Therefore the people wander like sheep, Though they provide an immediate feeling of comfort, it is in vain because it was not based on reality. Acts 19:19#

Zechariah 10:2c They are afflicted, As long as these people were clinging to this idolatry, they were wandering like sheep. Zechariah 11:7, Numbers 27:17, Ezekiel 34:5, Jeremiah 50:6,#

Mattew 9:36 Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Isaiah 61:1, Isaiah 49:13, Luke 19:10#

Why consult God when I can get their palm read? It provided instant gratification.#

Why consult God when I have a god for that? A god for every want.#

The people were consulting demons or learning doctrines of demons and being ‘guided’ by this. They were wandering aimlessly.#

Saul lost his kingdom by consulting mediums.#

Zechariah 10:2c because there is no shepherd. Sheep don’t do well without a shepherd.#

Sheep aimlessly wander without a shepherd. A shepherd leads to water, leads to grass for food. A shepherd protects and keep the sheep safe.#

Just like sheep without a shepherd are sheep lying in wait to be preyed on, so too the nation of Israel was open season for tragedy.#

God’s intent to#

Zechariah 10:3a “My anger is kindled against the shepherds, And I will punish the male goats; Ezekiel 34:17#

The male goats are the civil leaders, who are worthy of blame for what has occurred.#

Zechariah 10:3b For the LORD of hosts has visited His flock, the house of Judah,#

As sheep become restless and wander, now the Lord of Hosts has come. He will comfort the flock.#

Zechariah 10:3c And will make them like His majestic horse in battle.#

A Description of the King#

Zechariah 10:4a “From them will come the cornerstone, The leader who would stabalize the nation would come from the house of Judah. Judges 20:2, 1 Samuel 14:38, Isaiah 19:13, 1 Corinthians 3:11, Isaiah 28:16#

Zechariah 10:4b From them the tent peg, messiah that would hold the kingdom in place.#

The tent peg refers to the large peg in an Oriental tent on which were hung many valuables.²²#

It will be in Messiah that the people will rest their hope. Isaiah 22:23-24#

Zechariah 10:4c From them the bow of battle, in battle he destroyes the enemies of the nation.#

He is the Man of war. Exodus 15:3#

Zechariah 10:4d From them every ruler, all of them together. Psalm 45:4-5#

Zechariah 10:5a “They will be as mighty men,#

Zechariah 10:5b Treading down the enemy in the mire of the streets in battle;#

Zechariah 10:5c And they will fight, for the LORD will be with them; This is in conjunction with Armageddon.#

First He makes them like adorned horses for battle, then he turns them into His bow and then makes them mighty men of battle.#

When Jesus comes he will be coming as a warrior.#

Zechariah 10:5d And the riders on horses will be put to shame. The Gentiles are those with the horses. They will not be able to stand against the people of God. Ezekiel 38:4, Daniel 11:40#

Zechariah 10:6a “I will strengthen the house of Judah, And I will save the house of Joseph, And I will bring them back,#

After solomon’s idolatry, the united kingdom of Israel between the 10 tribes to the north called Israel and two tribes to the south called Judah. 1 Kings 11#

the house of Judah is the southern kingdom of Judah. The house Joseph represents the northern kingdom of Israel.#

This verse is stating the reunion the political union of the tribes of the north with the tribes of the south.#

Nobody knows exactly where the 10 tribes are today. They appear to be spread out around the earth. Yet when this occurs, God will rescue them, He will get them from where they are and gather them to the land.#

Zechariah 10:6b Because I have had compassion on them; And they will be as though I had not rejected them,#

God demonstrates his compassion with Israel even after their many rejections of Him.#

Zechariah 10:6c For I am the LORD their God and I will answer them.#

Zechariah 10:7a “Ephraim will be like a mighty man, And their heart will be glad Ephraim was the son of Joseph but he was later adopted by Jacob to be one of the heirs. Genesis 49:22-26, Judges 1:22-23#

Though Assyria came and overtook and scattered the northern tribes, God will one day bring them back and make them mighty.#

This would have ocurred when Jesus offered peace with God. Since it was rejected, it has been postponed until they do return to the Lord.#

Zechariah 10:7b as if from wine; Indeed, their children will see it and be glad, Their heart will rejoice in the LORD. The promise is such that it will be as if they had never been cast off.#

Zechariah 10:8a “I will whistle for them to gather them together, For I have redeemed them; as a Shepherd’s whistle or a beekeeper’s call they are beckoned by God. Isaiah 7:18#

This illustrates what the Lord will do and the people of Israel will gather to Him. John 10:27-28#

Zechariah 10:8b And they will be as numerous as they were before. The land of Israel will be a time of prosperity before the division of the kingdom at the end of Solomon’s reign.#

Zechariah 10:9 “When I scatter them among the peoples,#

This is not Babylon alone since Assyria and Egypt are mentioned later. since it’s referring to a plural number of people.#

They will remember Me in far countries, They will remember is a strong implication that Israel has returned to the Lord.#

We are reminded Zechariah’s name means God remembers.#

And they with their children will live and come back. Not the present generation but sometime in the future. Their return is to Israel (come back). This is a geographical return to Israel.#

Zechariah 10:10 “I will bring them back from the land of Egypt And gather them from Assyria;#

Egypt and Assyria. Isaiah 11:11#

Zechariah 10:10 And I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon#

They will be brought to Gilead is east of the Jordan in the land of Israel.#

Lebanon is#

Zechariah 10:10 Until no room can be found for them.#

Zechariah 10:11 “And they will pass through the sea of distress And He will strike the waves in the sea,#

Zechariah 10:11 So that all the depths of the Nile will dry up; God will literally dry the Nile river up.#

Zechariah 10:11 And the pride of Assyria will be brought down And the scepter of Egypt will depart. Assyria will be humbled and brought down politically. Egypt’s authority will be taken away. Genesis 12:3,#

Zechariah 10:12 “And I will strengthen them in the LORD, And in His name they will walk,” declares the LORD. Israel will once again walk by faith, strengthened in the Lord.#

The state of Israel when Messiah will come#

Zechariah 11:1-3 Judgment on Israel#

Zechariah 11:1 Open your doors, O Lebanon, That a fire may feed on your cedars. Jeremiah 22:23#

Zechariah 11:2a Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen, Because the glorious trees have been destroyed;#

Zechariah 11:2b Wail, O oaks of Bashan, For the impenetrable forest has come down. God will go after the strong point of the nation. Exodus 27:6#

Zechariah 11:3a There is a sound of the shepherds’ wail, For their glory is ruined; The shepherds…wail…their glory is ruined. Jeremiah 25:34-38#

God is upset with these leaders. Zechariah sees it 500 years earlier.#

Zechariah 11:3b There is a sound of the young lions’ roar, For the pride of the Jordan is ruined. everything they took pride in will be destroyed..#

reasons for wailing#

4-7 doomed for slaughter#

Zechariah 11:4 Thus says the LORD my God, “Pasture the flock doomed to slaughter. Similar to before, Zechariah will take up mimes to explain what is going to ocurr.#

Zechariah is standing in the place of the Shepherd.#

Zechariah 11:5a “Those who buy them slay them and go unpunished, buying the sheep to slay.#

The picture here is of Israel being delivered into the hand of their oppressors. Israel will be dispursed into the nations.#

Zechariah 11:5b and each of those who sell them says,‘Blessed be the LORD, for I have become rich!’#

Israel is being taken to slaughter in the name of the Lord! Religious people are getting rich from this injustice.#

Zechariah 11:5c And their own shepherds have no pity on them.#

Zechariah 11:6a “For I will no longer have pity on the inhabitants of the land,” declares the LORD;#

Zechariah 11:6b *“but behold, I will cause the men to fall, each into another’s power and into the power of his king; and they will strike the land, and I will not deliver them from their power.” A king is referenced here. A foreign entity they are being sold to.#

This happened with Assyria, Babylon, Greece and Rome in 70AD.#

WE have no king but Caesar.#

Zechariah 11:7a So I pastured the flock doomed to slaughter, hence the afflicted of the flock.#

Zechariah 11:7-14: The True Shepherd’s offer is rejected#

Zechariah 11:7b And I took for myself two staffs:#

Two staffs. Eastern shepherds carried a rod to beat away beasts from the sheep and A crocked staff to retrieve sheep over cliff and from tangled places.#

Zechariah 11:7c the one I called Favor God had chosen Israel. Deuteronomy 7:7#

Zechariah 11:7d and the other I called Union; God’s desire was to take the divided nation and unite them. Ezekiel 37:15-28#

Zechariah 11:7e so I pastured the flock.#

Psalm 23,#

Zechariah 11:8 Then I annihilated the three shepherds in one month…#

“One writer has counted forty different interpretations of these words”.²³#

This verse is possibly the verse that has the most interpretations of any other verse in the Old Testament.#

The context of this passage is during Christ’s first coming. The three shephers are removed within one month. Zechariah 10:3, Matthew 21:42-46#

“…These three shepherds are the Pharisees and Herodians, the Sadducees.” Matthew 22:15-16, Matthew 22:23, Matthew 22:34-35²⁴#

The context referrs to the first visitation of the Messiah and these three groups were religious leaders at that time.#

During His first coming, these three groups set aside their differences in order to get rid of Jesus Christ.#

In order to get the death penalty, they became allies with Rome.#

When Rome destroyed the temple in the 5th month 70a.D. this may have been a death blow for these groups for selling out to the Romans.#

According to the Mishnah, both temples were destroyed on the 9th of Av. This could hardly be seen as a coincidence.²⁵#

Zechariah 11:8 for my soul was impatient with them, and their soul also was weary of me. They mutually disagreed#

Zechariah 11:9 Then I said, “I will not pasture you.#

Zechariah 11:9 What is to die, let it die, and what is to be annihilated, let it be annihilated; and let those who are left eat one another’s flesh.”#

Zechariah 11:10 I took my staff Favor and cut it in pieces, to break my covenant which I had made with all the peoples. Not merely a covenant to the people (Israel) but to all the peoples (nations). Isaiah 56:6-7#

“We aren’t told this specifically but by implication, God has made a covenant with the peoples of the earth in relation to His own people Israel.#

One suggests, God has placed the nations under restraint lest they work Israel harm or ill.”²⁶ Job 5:23, Ezekiel 34:25, Hosea 2:18, Genesis 12:3#

Romans 15:8-9#

It is commonly stated that the New Covenant is for the church. That cannot be for several reasons:#

The New Covenant was promised to the house of Judah and the house of Israel. Jeremiah 31:31#

The New Covenant conditions have not been met.#

The New Covenant has not been fulfilled#

The Church program has not replaced God’s program for Israel. God’s promises must be fulfilled with the nation of Israel in order to fulfill the many prophecies and, “then you will know I am the Lord”.#

Regarding Israel…the promise has not been broken, only postponed. And postponement is not abandonment with God. That is what Zechariah 14 shows.²⁴#

Zechariah 11:11a So it was broken on that day,#

Zechariah 11:11b and thus the afflicted of the flock who were watching me…the afflicted of the flock refers to the small number of believing Israel.#

Zechariah 11:11c realized that it was the word of the LORD. John 8:28#

Zechariah 11:12a I said to them, “If it is good in your sight, give me my wages; Matthew 26:15, Mark 14:10-11#

Zechariah 11:12b but if not, never mind!” So they weighed out thirty shekels of silver as my wages.#

The chief priests paid Judas Iscariot 30 pieces of silver to betray Jesus. Matthew 26:14-16#

Zechariah 11:13a Then the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter, Zerubbabel is told to act this out in the temple and it sybolizes what actually will occur when Jesus is betrayed by Judas.#

Zechariah 11:13b that magnificent price at which I was valued by them.” Isaiah 53:3, Acts 4:11#

Zechariah 11:13c So I took the thirty shekels of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the LORD. This was fulfilled when Judas returned the money to the chief priests and they in turn used it to buy a piece of land from the potter to use as a burial site for stranger. Matthew 27:3-7#

This is the second temple (restored by Herod). This temple was to be destroyed in 70a.D. by Titus on the same day as Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the first temple in 586b.C.#

Centuries earlier, just like Zechariah wrote these words, the prophet Jeremiah is quoted as having spoken the following…#

Matthew 27:9-10 …AND THEY TOOK THE THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER, THE PRICE OF THE ONE WHOSE PRICE HAD BEEN SET by the sons of Israel; AND THEY GAVE THEM FOR THE POTTER’S FIELD, AS THE LORD DIRECTED ME.”#

The imagery of clay in the hands of a potter is an illustration of how God can make vessels of blessing and vessels of wrath. It his prerogative. Jeremiah 18:1-12#

While the chief priests were willing to pay 30 pieces of silver for the Messiah, God sacrificed His only Son. The chief priests arranged their payment in secret while God paid in plain view for everyone to see. The chief priests maintained their power but God maintained perfect righteousness.#

Zechariah 11:14 Then I cut in pieces my second staff Union,#

to break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. With the rejection of the Shepherd comes the scattering of the sheep. A sheep without a shepherd will be prone to wander away not remain with together with the flock.#

Shepherds had two rods. One to protect and one to pull out of danger.#

Earlier the frist staff was broken. it was the staff that represents favor. 11:10#

Now Zechariah breaks the second staff entitled unity. If Messiah would have been placed as king he would have reunited the kingdom. The tribes of the north and the tribes of the south would have been one again. 1 Kings 12, Jeremiah 31:31,#

Zechariah said earlier messiah would come and unite the two kingdoms. Zechariah 10:6-8,#

Ezekiel talks about two staffs coming together. This happens in the millenium.#

Judah and Israel will only be united when the Messiah is their Shepherd and brings them back together.#

Christ came in the name of the Father, He was not received. Another should come in his own name, and him the people would receive.²⁷John 5:43#

Land is wailing - Zechariah 11:1-3#

flock is doomed. Zechariah 11:4-7#

god no longer favours flock 11:8-11#

Israel sells out Messiah 11:12-13#

Unity placed on hold 11:14#

Coming false shepherd - 11:15-16#

God destroys Antichrist Zechariah 11:17#

Zechariah 11:15-17 The False Shepherd#

Zechariah 11:15 “The LORD said to me, Take again for yourself the equipment of a foolish shepherd. Zechariah is asked to continue the charades but this time he was to change his apparel to impersonate a foolish shepherd.#

Foolish means someone who does not take God into account. “The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God”” Psalm 14:1#

Jesus said He was The Good Shepherd. He laid His life down for the sheep. John 10:10-11#

This illustrates what the people will accept as their shepherd. John 5:43#

Zechariah 11:16a “For behold, I am going to raise up a shepherd in the land… This could mean the shepherd will be a Jew or one in Judah. He is own of their own raised up by God.#

The difference between this false shepherd and the previous false shepherds is that this one was not chosen by the people.#

Zechariah 11:16a a shepherd…who will not care for the perishing, This shepherd has other interests. He is not a good shepherd.#

Instead of feeding the flock he will fleece the flock.#

Daniel sheds light on this shepherd…he will be a wicked king.#

Daniel 11:36 “Then the king will do as he pleases, and he will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will speak monstrous things against the God of gods; and he will prosper until the indignation is finished…#

Paul describes him this way…#

2 Thessalonians 2:4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.#

The temple of God refers to the Tribulation temple. Antichrist places his throne in the temple, as though he were God.#

This refers to the abomination of desolation Daniel spoke of at the midpoint of the tribulation period.#

Daniel 11:37 “He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the desire of women, nor will he show regard for any other god; for he will magnify himself above them all.#

Revelation 13:4 they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?”#

Because the Antichrist gets his ruling power directly from Satan (the dragon), when people worship him, they are actually worshipping Satan.#

Revelation 13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven.#

Revelation 13:7 It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him.#

Revelation 13:8a All who dwell on the earth will worship him…#

Though God will permit Antichrist to rise to power, his reign will be temporary and brought to an end at the end of the 7 year Tribulation period.#

Revelation 13:5 …and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him.#

Zechariah 11:16b a shepherd…who will not…seek the scattered, heal the broken, or sustain the one standing,#

Zechariah 11:16c but will devour the flesh of the fat sheep and tear off their hoofs. John 10:10#

Evidently the nation of Israel has had a time of peace since it refers to them as fat. Antichrist comes into power and signs a peace treaty. Israel experiences a time of peace it seems before Antichrist breaks the treaty after 42 months.#

Tearing off the hoofs of the sheep probably represents the shepherd as extremely greedy, searching for the last edible morsel that he can extract from his charges whom he has consumed.²⁸#

Zechariah 11:17a “Woe to the worthless shepherd Who leaves the flock! Woe, take pity, because God will destroy this false shepherd. John 10:12#

Zechariah 11:17b A sword will be on his arm And on his right eye! His arm will be totally withered And his right eye will be blind.” The arm represents power, the eye intelligence. These will be destroyed. God will remove his power and his intelligence. Revelation 13:3#

his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye utterly darkened. - JNDarby translation#

A sword will hurt the Good Shepherd. Zechariah 13:7#

Summary of Antichrist#

He will be a man from Israel, not interested in women given great satanic authority to reign as king.#

It seems at one point he receives a fatal blow and is miraculously restored to life. At least enough time for him to come back and reign another 42 months (3 1/2 years).#

He will use the Jewish people to achieve his goals. Ultimately he will persecute the Tribulation saints (those who believed during the Tribulation period).#

Zechariah 12:1-14:21 The Burden regarding Israel#

The following three chapters (12-14) could easily be the most important eschatological chapters for Israel. These chapters clearly reveal future events in the life of Israel that God brings a turn around after being rejected for a undescribed period of time.

Zechariah 12:1- A Day of Mourning#

Key theme in burden 2: Day of the Lord regarding Israel (18x in this burden)#

provides us with more details. Battle of Armageddon (Revelation) destruction of those nations. Correlates with 1 and 8th vision.#

repentance of israel necessary for Messiah’s coming to them.#

The same Shepherd that was rejected in the first burden will come and rescue them in this burden. The king on the donkey will come riding on a horse.#

false prophets - relates to 7th version.#

life during millenium -#

When Moses is about to begin instructing Israel regarding their identity as a people, he begins by teaching God as creator and owner.#

Now, Zechariah, in pertaining things of the future, he will go back to God as creator and owner, setting a creator-creature distinction.#

Zechariah 12:1-3 A Day of World Focus on Jerusalem#

Zechariah 12:1 God is creator of the heavens, earth and man#

Zechariah 12:1 three fold declaration of God as creator and owner.#

Zechariah 12:1a The burden of the word of the LORD concerning Israel. While the first burden was regarding the nations, this second burden is specific to Israel.#

Zechariah 12:1b Thus declares the LORD who stretches out the heavens, God has authority over the heavenly realm. Genesis 1:1#

Zechariah 12:1c lays the foundation of the earth, He also has authority over the earthly realm Genesis 1:1#

Zechariah 12:1d and forms the spirit of man within him, God is over the human real.#

Humans have a material part (physical body) and an inmaterial part (the soul). God has formed man’s spirit within him. Genesis 2:7#

These three expressions show God as the creator is no doubt owner and fully empowered over creation to do as He wishes. God has all the necessary credentials.#

This is like when Jesus, when about to interact with the 7 churches in Revelation. Each time he introduces himself according to what He will say. Revelation 2-3.#

Zechariah 12:2-3 God will raise Jerusalem to make the nations stumble#

Zechariah 12:2a “Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling to all the peoples around; God will raise up Jerusalem to cause stumbling to the nations.#

Reeling (RA’AL) - staggering - something that causes one to stumble like in a drunken stupor. The nations won’t be able to control themselves. They will gravitate to jerusalem. The center of the tesnion will be Jerusalem.#

Jerusalem will become an absession to the nations. It will make them stumble around like drunken people.#

This may be fulfilled when the peace treaty is signed.#

Zechariah 12:2b and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be against Judah. The central focus of the nations appears to be Jerusalem which is at the center of Judah, therefore it will also be attacked.#

Zechariah 12:3a “It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples;#

In that day…this is when the nations of the world come up against Jerusalem, Jerusalem will become a heavy stone#

all who lift it will be severely injured. Jerusalem is like an immovable stone that the more the nations try to move it, will be cut. Genesis 12:3#

Joel 3:2 I will also gather all the nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and I will enter into judgment with them there on account of my people and mine inheritance, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations: and they have parted my land;#

Since the nations of the earth cut the land of Israel, God will or divide them.#

God is creator and owner of the earth. ALso of man’s spirit within him. Is God limited to moving someone’s spirit in one direction or another? God says if you try to move or affect Jerusalem in any way, I will do it to you! This is true throughout hsitory not just during this time. To all the peoples of all time.#

This refers to the whole period of the Tribulation.#

Those who try to mess with the apple of God’s eye will have to deal with God.#

Zechariah 12:3b And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it. Not some, but all. Zechariah 14:2,#

This is the insanity of the nations against Israel.

This hasn’t happened yet but Zechariah says, it will happen one day. When? We can’t be dogmatic but there are certain clues in Scripture.#

Possible scenario:#

Israel is regathered in the land. Ezekiel 37:12, Isaiah 11:11-42#

Ancient cities rebuild and inhabited. Ezekiel 36:1-5, 8-10#

Muslim Arab resistance - Jeremiah 49#

Isaiah 17, Zephaniah 4:2, Jeremiah 49#

Has to be a level of security and prosperity. Ezekiel 38:10-12,#

Once they are then Gog and Magog - perhaps this will be the catalyst to sign the peace treaty. Daniel 9#

Midpoint of tribulation. Matthew 24:15-21#

1260 day period - second half of Daniel 70th week. 1/3 of nation will be protected while they are hunted down by Antichrist.#

Armageddon - Revelation 16:16, 19:18-21#

This burden probably begins near the midpoint of tribulation#

Joel 3:9 Proclaim this among the nations: prepare war, arouse the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near, let them come up.#

Joel 3:10 Beat your ploughshares into swords, and your pruning-knives into spears; let the weak say, I am strong.#

Joel 3:11 Haste ye and come, all ye nations round about, and gather yourselves together. Thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Jehovah.#

Joel 3:12 Let the nations rouse themselves, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there will I sit to judge all the nations round about.#

Joel 3:13 Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down, for the press is full, the vats overflow; for their wickedness is great.#

Joel 3:14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of Jehovah is at hand in the valley of decision.#

Joel 3:15 The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.#

Joel 3:16 And Jehovah will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: and Jehovah will be a shelter for his people, and the refuge of the children of Israel.#

Zechariah 12:4-9 The Lord of Hosts defends Israel. Psalm 21:4

Zechariah 12:4a “In that day,” declares the LORD, “I will strike every horse with bewilderment.#

Zechariah 12:4b and his rider with madness. But I will watch over the house of Judah,#

Zechariah 12:4c while I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. The nations come against Israel on horses. Ezekiel 38-39,#

blindness - removed from jewish people, Zechariah 12:10#

madness, blindness and bewilderment is an interesting combo. Deuteronomy 28:28,#

It is a dangerous thing to go against Israel. Israel’s true iron dome is God. Psalm 21:4#

Zechariah 12:5a “Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, In order for Judah to recognize their help comes from the Lord, they have to have their blindness removed. Judah recognizes in their hearts that their defender, the one who fights for them is the Lord of Hosts. Proverbs 4:23, Nehemiah 4:20#

The pride of Israel has to be broken and depend on God. Daniel 12:7#

Zechariah 12:5b ‘A strong support for us are the inhabitants of Jerusalem through the LORD of hosts, their God.’#

Just like Israel, we too have blindness that needs to be removed. We too have things that we regard as strengths and one by one God has to show us that those are hinderances rather than strengths.#

One of Israel’s problem is their success. It’s easy to give themselves credit instead of realizing it’s God who is for them.#

God will put us in circumstances that our “strengts” are unable to save us. He is wanting to show us our only strength is when He is our strength. This is a lesson that cannot be learned unless you go through it.#

Zechariah 12:6a “In that day I will make the clans of Judah like a firepot among pieces of wood and a flaming torch among sheaves, Once God is on their side (they trust God) they will be mighty and untouchable.#

Zechariah 12:6b so they will consume on the right hand and on the left all the surrounding peoples,#

Zechariah 12:6c while the inhabitants of Jerusalem again dwell on their own sites in Jerusalem. The city of Jerusalem will be back in her place. The land is theirs by right. The creator of the earth has deeded them the land.#

They are dwelling on their own sites. Ezekiel 34:13, 36:24, 37:14, 21, Leviticus 25:23#

Zechariah 12:7a “The LORD also will save the tents of Judah first, save here refers to physical protection. Hebrews 11:7, Phillipians 1:13#

tents - defenseless people.#

Zechariah 12:7b so that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem will not be magnified above Judah. people living in the city have fortification (gated community). Both those in the tents (homeless) and those in the city will be saved in the exact same way.#

Success will not be attributed to human ability.#

The Lord will defend the tents before the protected capital so that both recognize it is the Lord. Both will realize the victory is of the Lord.#

In order for the instrument not to take credit from God, he often chooses the least qualified people to use.#

Gideon - least of his clan#

Moses - isn’t qualified. Not a speaker.#

Jeremiah - Who am I? I am but a youth#

If God can work through a flawed instrument, people won’t say it was them, people are obligated to say God did it. if we believe that we are inadequate for God, take heart, we are precisely the kind of person God has used throughout history! 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, 2 Corinthians 10:17#

God will work so that human pride will not be indulged. ⁵#

Zechariah 12:8 “In that day the LORD will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem,#

Zechariah 12:8 and the one who is feeble among them in that day will be like David, God is their strength. They are supernaturally powerful. The most feeble will be like David! 1 Samuel 18:7#

Zechariah 12:9a and the house of David will be like God,#

man thinking he can become a God started in the very beginning. This is not saying it is like Genesis 3:5, Isaiah 14:14#

This should be understood as they will seem like God in the eyes of their enemies. Exodus 7:1#

Zechariah 12:9b like the angel of the LORD before them.#

The Angel of the Lord is limitless in His power. Isaiah 37:6#

The reason they will look like the Angel of the Lord before them, is becuase it really is the Angel of the Lord fighting for them.#

Zechariah 12:9c “And in that day I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.#

Zechariah 12:10 - A Day of Mourning

Zechariah 12:10a “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, Only when Israel comes back will God pour out His Spirit. Ezekiel 36:24-25, Joel 2:28#

God is regathering Israel, even today, bringing them back to the land. Ezekiel 36:24#

Spirit is RUAH. God is pouring out grace in verse 10 and removing the spirit (RUAH) of impurity in verse 12. The land is mourning in verse 10 but is cleansed in verse 12.#

The prophets spoke of the Day when God’s Spirit would be poured out. It would be the dawning of a new age when all the promises made would be fulfilled. Isaiah 32:15, Joel 2:28-32, Ezekiel 39:29#

Zechariah 12:10b so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; Psalm 22:16-17, Zechariah 2:11#

John confirms the fulfillment of this prophecy as he stood from afar and watched Jesus being crucified and pierced through with a spear. John 19:34-37#

When the Jews killed people they were stoned. John 8:58-59#

When the Messiah was to come the Jews pierced Him.#

Psalm 22 predicts the crucifixion 1000 years in advance.#

Isaih 53:5 is a prophecy 700 years in advance of the cross.#

This is 500 years before this method of capital punishment. If a man would have written Zechariah they would have said the man they had stoned…Acts 2:23#

Yet the fulfillment of this verse is not when they pierced Jesus Christ but during the Tribulation period when the nation of Israel repents. They will change their minds regarding Jesus. This is at least 2500 years in advance.#

Zechariah 12:10c and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, The loss of a son, an only son is among the greatest sorrows known to man.#

When Israel comes to life, they will begin to sob with great sadness.#

Some say that in order to be saved one must exert emotion, particularly sadness. If this is true, then Judas was saved. Hell will be filled with people who exerted deep sadness but never repented.#

The nation here is exerting sadness because they are saved.#

The only requirement to receive the free gift of salvation is faith. John 3:16, Acts 16:30-31, Ephesians 2:8-9#

We are justified freely by his grace. Romans 5:1#

Upwards of 150 passages in the Bible condition receiving salvation to believing only. ²⁹#

It is grace that teaches us the deep appreciations of the Person of Christ and His work. Titus 2:11-13#

They will see Jesus of Nazareth in a new way! Upon realizing who He is and what He did they will be impacted by their response of rejection. Their self-righteousness had taken them to crucify God’s Shepherd who in turn gave His life for the sheep.#

The Holy Spirit includes several instances in Scripture of grieving parents over their only son.#

Exodus#

Luke 7:12-15 Widow from Nain#

Jeremiah 6:26, Amos 8:10#

Joseph story: brothers betrayed him, then his brothers reunited. They rejected him then received him. Gen 50:20, Gen 45:14, The brothers are a type of Israel’s story when they are reunited with their Messiah.

Zechariah 12:10-13:1 The Deliverance of Judah

Zechariah 12:10 and they will weep bitterly over Him#

Matthew 5:4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.#

Zechariah 12:10 like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.#

This is

Zechariah 12:11a “In that day there will be great mourning in Jerusalem,#

Zechariah 12:11b *like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the plain of Megiddo.*2 Chronicles 35:25-27#

Josiah, one of the last godly kings, when he died there was great weeping.

In Josiah’s death, the last hope for Judah faded and the people wept uncontrollably.

This is the valley of Armageddon. Revelation 16:16

As this conflict is taking place, the whole nations starts to weep uncontrollably.

Zechariah 12:12 “The land will mourn, every family by itself;#

This describes a individual revival taking place in a national sense. Matthew 24:30#

Matthew 24:30 “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the land lament, and they shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Darby#

Zechariah 12:13a the family of the house of David… represent the kings, regal authority over the nation. 2 Samuel 7:16#

Zechariah 12:13a the family of the house of Nathan… represents the prophets. 2 Samuel 7:17, 12:7#

Zechariah 12:13a *the family of the house of Levi…*The priests will mourn.#

Zechariah 12:13a the family of the house of Shimeites by itself Non-priestly levites who weren’t necessarily priests.#

Zechariah 12:13b and their wives by themselves; the wifes of the royal family, the prophets, priests and all the levites will weep.#

Zechariah 12:14 all the families that remain, every family by itself and their wives by themselves. of the remaining families, all Individuals will be revived, families will be revived and ultimately all of remaining Israel is saved. Romans 11:25-26, Jeremiah 5:31, Jeremiah 30:7#

Zechariah 13:1-5 Spiritual Cleansing

Zechariah 13:1 “In that day a fountain will be opened#

involves cleansing of the land of wickedness. The flying Scroll of vision 6.#

There will be an interval period of 75 days. Daniel 12:11 1290 - Midpoint to end of tribulation is 1260 but 1335 (+45)#

12 and 13 are so close, a chapter division was uncalled for. Same place, people and theme are the same in Chapter thirteen.#

Israel converts in chapter 12 but cleansed in chapter 13.#

Ezekiel 47 - fountain flows into Dead Sea. Dead sea comes back to life. This may be a prophecy like that.#

Zechariah 13:1 for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for impurity. this fountain pictures the cleansing that takes place in Israel. Ezekiel 36:24-28, John 3:3, 5#

Zechariah 13:2a “It will come about in that day,” declares the LORD of hosts, “that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, Idolatry will be removed from the land.#

Commandments #1 and #2 deal with idolatry. Ignoring these first two commandments is what got Israel sent into captivity.#

Zechariah 13:2b and they will no longer be remembered;#

Zechariah 13:2c-5 False Prophets removed

Zechariah 13:2c and I will also remove the prophets and the unclean spirit from the land.#

the unclean spirit is what Satan uses to blind people and believe the deception of the false prophets.#

False prophets can do miracles.

1. Say, Let’s follow other gods. Contradict what God has said.
2. Prediction is inaccurate. Deuteronomy 18:20-22

Revealtion 20:1 - Satan bound for 1000 years. So we would not deceive nations. Idolatry will not be started again because they will be bound up.

Demonic influence is removed…no temptation to idolatry. Those born in Millenium will have freedom to choose for or against God. None of Israel will reject God however. It will come from the nations.

Zechariah 13:3 “And if anyone still prophesies, then his father and mother who gave birth to him will say to him, ‘You shall not live, for you have spoken falsely in the name of the LORD’; This is a return to the law. Deuteronomy 13:1-5#

Parents who have children who have false prophets will execute them.

Zechariah 13:3 and his father and mother who gave birth to him will pierce him through when he prophesies. Deuteronomy 13:6-10#

Zechariah 13:4 “Also it will come about in that day that the prophets will each be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies, Jeremiah 23, Ezekiel 13#

All teaching must be tested. How do we test it? By placing it in light of Scripture. 1 John 4:1#

Zechariah 13:4-5 and they will not put on a hairy robe in order to deceive; The dangerous situation for false prophets will cause them to go into hiding.#

Elijah was a prophet who is known to have worn hairy robes. John the baptist also wore a heavy robe. 2 Kings 1:8, Matthew 3:4#

Zechariah 13:5 but he will say, ‘I am not a prophet; I am a tiller of the ground, for a man sold me as a slave in my youth.’ They will pretend they aren’t prophets at all. They will lie about their background.#

Zechariah 13:6a “And one will say to him, ‘What are these wounds between your arms?’ Him in the context is a false prophet trying to avoid being caught.#

Traditionally this verse has been interpreted to say that this is talking about Jesus. To see Jesus in this passage is simply a poor hermeneutic as the context will not allow it.#

False prophets and would cut themselves to enhance their ecstasy, to increase ritual potency, or to identify themselves with a particular god. 1 Kings 18:28; Jeremiah 41:5; 48:37#

If someone saw such wounds on a false prophet’s body in that future day, the false prophet might claim that he had received his injuries by accident in a friend’s house. The modern practice of claiming, “I walked into a door,” to avoid telling the real reason for an injury, is similar. Wounds “between the arms” (lit. hands) ¹#

Zechariah 13:6b Then he will say, ‘Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.’ False prophets, in order not to get caught, will say it was an accident to avoid further questioning.#

Zechariah 13:7-9 - Israel Struck their own Shepherd

Zechariah 13:7 “Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, God commands the death penalty upon Messiah. Isaiah 53:10#

Contrary to popular opinion, when God gave His son, Messiah, it was to be the sin bearer for all of humanity. Isaiah 53:12, John 3:16, Romans 5:8#

God allowed the Jews to have their way and to convince Rome to hold a public crucifixion of an innocent man, the lamb of God.#

*And against the man, My Associate,"*literally, “the man of my union.” The Hebrew for “man” is “a mighty man,” one peculiarly man in his noblest ideal. “My fellow,” that is, “my associate.” “My equal” ([De Wette]; a remarkable admission from a Rationalist). “My nearest kinsman” [Hengstenberg],#

Declares the LORD of hosts. The identity of the Messiah, He will man and divine#

My Associate - the son

The Shepherd that was struck with the Sword - Matthew 26:30

Jesus to Disciples - Jesus quotes this verse.

God here associates himself with the Shepherd that was struck. When Israel rejected the Son they rejected the Father.

Matthew 26:31 - Jesus quoted this verse.

Zechariah 13:7 “Strike the Shepherd that the sheep may be scattered; And I will turn My hand against the little ones. We are not explained who the Shepherd is until Jesus quotes this verse giving us the time of fulfillment and the identity of the Shepherd and sheep.#

The little ones - the disciples were scattered, Israel was scattered. Deut 4:27#

Mark 14:27-28 And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, because it is written, ‘I WILL STRIKE DOWN THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP SHALL BE SCATTERED.’ “But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.”#

Jesus quotes Zechariah then continues saying that He would be raised again. This beautifully ties Zechariah in with the Gospel accounts.#

Strike (NAKAH) is to smite, to be stricken, a blow, to wound. Notice how it is God who plays the leading role in Messiah’s work. He causes him to be stricken. God raises Messiah back up.#

Isaiah 53:4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted.#

Jesus was smitten of God. The next verse goes on to explain why…#

Isaiah 53:5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.#

The word scourging (CHABBURAH singular) here is another word for blow or wound. The blow that Jesus received, His death on the cross, resulted in the forgiveness of our sins.#

Notice that God had told Zechariah He would do this 500 years in advance. He would strike down the Shepherd, turn His hand against the little ones and raise the Shepherd back up. This prophecy refers to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.#

The Gospel was God’s eternal plan for the redemption of man.#

Jesus’ death on the cross is the maximim expression of love and justice merging together at one place. The perfect justice requiring a perfect sacrifice was realized when God’s Son Himself paid with His life. At that same moment, God demonstrated His love for mankind. Romans 5:8#

Zechariah 13:8-9 Israel is Fully Restored#

Zechariah 13:8 “It will come about in all the land,” Declares the LORD, “That two parts in it will be cut off and perish;#

Two thirds of Israel will die. Ezekiel 28:38#

Hitler is known for having killed up to a third of Israel. What will happen at this time (in the Tribulation) in history has nothing camparable to it neither will there every be anything like it.#

Matthew 24:15 - abomination of desolation. Let the reader understand - flee to the mountains.#

Zechariah 13:8-9 But the third will be left in it. “And I will bring the third part through the fire, The immediate context refers to the land, two thirds of the people perishing and one third surviving, we can assume then the fire must also be literal.#

The refiners fire is the way metals are purified. 1 Peter 1:6-7#

This fire will serve God’s purposes to test the Jews and to look heavenward and call on the name of the Lord.#

The remnant that survives would include the 144,000 sealed Jews mentioned in Revelation 7:1-8 and 14:1-5#

God has to move heaven and earth to bring about Israel’s restoration.

Zechariah 13:9a Refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested.#

In the days of Zechariah, a refiner would take the raw gold or silver and place it in a ceramic container. Inside the container was the ore—not just the precious metal, but also impurities such as zinc, lead, and salt.³⁰#

The ceramic container was put into a fiery kiln for five days. During those five days, all of the impurities would separate to the outside edges of the container. Nothing would be left in the middle of the vessel but the pure silver or gold. ³⁰#

Zechariah 13:9b They will call on My name, They will call because they believe. Romans 10:9-10.#

This verse has a chiastic structure using they, I, I, they.#

When will the jewish nation call on the Lord? At the end of the Tribulation. Matthew 23:37-39, Psalm 118:26, Joel 2:32, Romans 10:13,#

Zechariah 13:9c And I will answer them;#

Romans 11:26 - the remaining 1/3 will be saved.#

God will one day answer them because he is promising right here that this is what He will do.#

Zechariah 13:9d I will say, ‘They are My people,’ God has returned to them because they returned to Him in faith.#

Zechariah 13:9e And they will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’”#

Israel has returned. The Lord is her God.#

Upon their successful response to the testing, once again Israel will be seen to be God’s people among the nations. God will bless them as His people.#

Zechariah 14:1-3 The Kingdom

Zechariah 14:14:1-7 - Jerusalem’s Deliverance

Israel is the naval of the earth . Ezekiel 5:5

The land of the Israel is in the center of the earth.

The naval is set in the center of the human body, so the land is the naval of the world, situated in the center of the world in Jerusalem. Jerusalem in the center of the land of Israel. And the sanctuary in the center of Jerusalem. The holy place in the center of the sanctuary, and the ark of the covenant in the center of the holy place, and the foundation stone before the holy place because from it the world was founded. ³¹

A thirteenth-century crusader map places Jerusalem at the center of the earth…[the map] depicts the earth as a three-leaf clover, each leaf being a continent: Europe, Asia, and Africa. The three are drawn together by a ring encircling a single city; that city is Jerusalem.¹⁵#

Those who do not believe in the 1000 Millenial Reign of Christ say that Zechariah 14 is used far too heavily to defend it. We will seek to keep a sound hermeneutical approach in keeping with a consistently historical, grammatical view. When interpreting eschatology we must not change our method of Bible interpretation. Unlike Postmillenialist Milton Terry who wrote…#

“A thorough interpretation of the prophetic portions of the holy Scripture is largely dependent upon a mastery of the principles and laws of figurative language, and of types and symbols.”#

The truth is, one must be use caution but to require “mastery… of the types and symbols” is to require only the best can interpret the text, implying really a private interpretation. We will try to allow the Scriptures to explain to us the intended meaning of the Text.#

How would one determine that this prophecy has to do with a “millennial reign” of Christ upon the earth?#

Did Jesus, during his earthly ministry, so interpret it?#

Did any inspired New Testament writer quote from Zechariah 14, giving it a “dispensational” interpretation?#

exactly who is it that will make that escape flight to the east when the mountain is cleft? Moreover, it cannot be the righteous, for they will be “caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thes. 4:17). Who else, pray tell, is left?#

Since summer and winter will occur only as long as the earth remains (Gen. 8:22), and as the earth will not remain beyond the Coming of Christ (2 Pet. 3:4,10), it is obvious that the events of this verse cannot transpire after the literal return of Jesus - which supposedly is alluded to in verse 4#

Verse 12 tells of Jehovah smiting his enemies and their “flesh” being consumed. Again, this cannot refer to a period after the literal return of Christ; the Coming of the Lord will signal “the end,” at which point the dead will be raised, and the living - in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye - will be changed from flesh to a new, spiritual essence. We will pass from corruption to incorruption, from mortality to immortality (1 Cor. 15:23-24,51-53).#

Three main views exist regarding the Millenium and the interpretation of Zechariah chapter 14.#

Some hold it to be a symbolic prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, together with a spread of the gospel throughout the Christian age thereafter.³²#

Some say it is a depiction of the history of spiritual “Jerusalem” (the church), from the time of its commencement on the day of Pentecost throughout the Christian age.#

Chapter 14 are Zechariah’s prophecy regarding a future fulfillment when Messiah returns to the earth to establish a literal earthly kingdom in Jerusalem.#

Zechariah 14:1 Behold, a day is coming for the LORD when the spoil taken from you will be divided among you. The nations will come to take wealth from Israel.#

Then the Lord will return their spoil. Zechariah 14:14#

Just like God took away, He now turns to bless them.#

The interpretive key here is a day is coming. This clearly refers to the Day of the Lord which is a period of time.#

They day of the Lord stands in contrast to man’s day. Currently man is having his day but a time will come when God will openly intervene with the affairs of man, first for judgment, then for blessing.#

The day of the Lord in its broadest sense refers to the period of time beginnign with the rapture and continuing until the creation of the new heavens and new earth.#

However the Day of the Lord does not always refer to the whole period of time. Context helps determine what portion of the day is being referred to. It could mean any one of the following:#

The Tribulation period#

The Second Coming#

The Millenium#

The entire period between the Rapture until the new heavens and the new earth.#

There are different terms used to describe the nature of the Day of the Lord.#

Wrath. Zephaniah 1:15, Zechariah 14:1-9#

Judgment. Revelation 14:7#

Indignation. Isaiah 26:20-21#

Trial. Revelation 3:10#

Trouble. Jeremiah 30:7#

Destruction. Joel 1:15#

Darkness. Amos 5:18#

Desolation. Daniel 9:27#

Overturning. Isaiah 24:1-4, 19-21#

Punishment. Isaiah 24:20-21#

Glory. Isaiah 11:10#

Praise. Isaiah 12:1, 4#

Salvation. Isaiah 25:9#

Worship: Isaiah 27:13#

Zechariah 14:2-3 The Great Tribulation#

verses 2 and 3 cover most of the Great Tribulation period.#

Zechariah 14:2a For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, The war of all world wars. Israel vs the nations of the earth.#

God makes the nations join together against Israel. The is a world war against Israel. Ezekiel 38-39, Zechariah 12:3, Ezekiel 5:5, Ezekiel 38:12

World War II and the enormous catastrophe it brought upon mankind occurred “probably mainly” because of anti-Semitism…Indeed, Adolf Hitler launched the war to a large extent to prevent “world Jewry” from physically annihilating the German nation. ³³

There’s a chunk of real estate the world community thinks peace will break out all over the Middle East. It’s a dispute of a territory that they call the West Bank . Why is it called the West Bank in the east? When you use the expression West Bank you’re using a Jordanian mindset. ³⁴

Zechariah 14:2b the houses plundered, the women ravished and half of the city exiled, The people inside Jerusalem will take a beating.#

2/3 of the nation will be destroyed.

Zechariah 14:2c but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city. The people outside of the city will not have access to help.#

When the Romans came against Jerusalem in A.D. 70 they came with a multinational army and brought terrible destruction on the city and its people. Yet there was none of the deliverance that Zechariah will describe in the following verses, so it is difficult to say that this was fulfilled in the Roman attack upon Jerusalem in A.D. 70.³⁵#

The second coming

Zechariah 14:3 Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle. Just about when things seem lost, when no one else will help Israel, the Lord will come and turn it all around. Psalm 121:4, Exodus 4:2,#

Messiah will come and supernaturally overcome the nations going against Jerusalem. He no longer comes in reference to sin but as a conquering warrior. He returns as the Lion of Judah.#

Revelation 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.#

Revelation 19:12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself.#

Revelation 19:13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.#

Revelation 19:14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. This is the Lord of Hosts coming.#

Revelation 19:15 From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.#

Revelation 19:16 And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”#

Zechariah 14:4-9 7 Literal Events Foretold when Jesus Descends#

1. Zechariah 14:4a In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; 2 Samuel 15:30, Acts 1:9-12, Matthew 24:3,#

the Mount of Olives rises to a height of 2,710 feet, making it higher than the Temple Mount.#

The last time God descended on a mountain in this way was in the giving of the law. Exodus 19:18#

Jerusalem, and to the east, the mount of olives are physical places. Jesus Christ is physically coming back to earth. Job 19:25#

This is not the rapture of the Church. The rapture is not a return where we are caught up to meet the Lord in the air.#

Jesus’s feet will first touch the earth where they left, ont he Mount of Olives. Just like Jesus left physically, he will return physically. Acts 1:9-11

2. Zechariah 14:4c and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, The instant Jesus touches it, it will split the mountain.#

An oil company doing seizmic studies fournd a major fault in this area going east to west precisely through the mount of Olivies. It is so severe that it could split at any time. It is waiting for the feet to land. Ezekiel 38:19#

Experts say Israel lies on a major fault line which could split and cause the death of thousands. ³⁶#

Zechariah 14:4d so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south.#

3. Zechariah 14:5a You will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; The remnant will flee when this happens. Azel could be a village near Jerusalem.#

Zechariah 14:5b yes, you will flee just as you fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Amos 1:1#

Josephus mentions an earthquake in connection with Uzziahs sin (pride) as king decided to go into the temple to act as priest.#

4. Zechariah 14:5c Then the LORD, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him! The holy ones is the church. Revelation 19:14, Revelation 1:6, 5:10#

Angels will also be coming with Christ. Matthew 25:31, Jude 14,#

God’s faithfulness and protective power during this gruesome attack on Jerusalem remind us that our safety does not depend on our distance from danger. Our safety is in God’s hands. He keeps us through the most dangerous times we will ever face.#

5. Zechariah 14:6 In that day there will be no light; the luminaries will dwindle. Matthew 24:29, Revelation 16:10#

Zechariah 14:6 For it will be a unique day which is known to the LORD,#

Zechariah 14:7 neither day nor night, but it will come about that at evening time there will be light. At the point of evening, light comes.#

When it is supposed to be the darkest, it becomes the lightest. Jesus is called the Morning star. 2 Peter 1:19, Revealtion 2:28, Revealtion 22:16#

Zechariah 14:8-11 - The Kingdom Comes#

6. Zechariah 14:8a And in that day living waters will flow out of Jerusalem,#

In the day national Israel acknowledges Jesus…these things will come about.

The whole kingdom program is riding on Israel’s response to their king. The whole earth could believe but if Israel does not, there will be no kingdom. However, though only Israel believe and no one else in the world believe, the kingdom will come.#

The kingdom comes after Jesus returns in a literal, physical coming. This does not happen until Israel returns to the Lord.#

Zechariah 14:8b half of them toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea;#

The Mediterranean sea is referred to as the western sea. The Easter sea is the Dead Sea. Ezekiel 47:1-12#

East and West in relation to what? In relation to Israel, and specifically Jerusalem. This is God’s compass rose.#

Today there is an ongoing battle regarding the an area known as the “west bank”. West in relation to what? It is not west of Israel, it is west of Jordan. So from God’s perspective that land should be called the “East Bank”. Every time we use the term “West Bank” we are using an anti-Israel perspective.It’s better to use terms like Judea and Samaria.³⁷#

Zechariah 14:8c it will be in summer as well as in winter. that is, it will never dry up. During the 1000 years of Christ, these waters will flow year around.#

Christ’s earthly reign

7. Zechariah 14:9a And the LORD will be king over all the earth; Jesus funcioning as king is yet future to Zechariah.#

Jesus is prophet, priest and king.#

In his first coming Jesus carried out the role as prophet.#

Today Jesus is acting as high priest at the Father’s right hand.#

Jesus is sustaning the universe.#

Jesus is interceding before the Father#

Jesus is presenting us as standing before the Father.#

In the Millenial age, Jesus Christ will exercise his role and King over all the earth not heaven. Revelation 3:21#

David’s throne is earthly#

David’s throne is in Jerusalem#

Revelation 20:3 Satan is bound, actual true justice comes to earth.#

The Lord will be king…not happening yet. Then He will be king over all the earth. This is not heaven.#

It’s an earthly restoral of what Adam lost in the garden of Eden. Luke 4#

We must be careful to distinguish the Millenial age from the Eternal state.

The Messianic Reign is Eternal but 1000 years of it is transitional#

Millenium Age	Eternal State
Satan is in the Abyss	Satan is in the Lake of Fire
Seas	No Sea
Death	No death, mourning or pain
Luminaries - Isaiah 30:26	No sun moon or stars
Temple - Ezekiel 47	No Temple
Evil	No evil
Partial curse	No Curse
Plagues
Sin Nature
Salvation by faith	Faith is no longer, all saved
Temporary	Eternal
Transition
Time	Timeless
Rebellion

The eternal state will NOT include:#

Satan - he is in the lake of fire (not the abyss)#

Sea - Zechariah just mentioned two seas#

Death no mourning or pain - There will be no rebellion ever. That’s not what Zechariah is talking about. No reign, no rain.#

Luminaries - Sun , moon - Isaiah 30:26#

Temple - Ezekiel 47, from the temple will flow waters.#

Evil -#

Curse#

Sin nature -#

Zechariah 14:9b in that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one. He is the only candidate, he is the only one in line, there is not debate, no question, there is no doubt, he is the only one.#

Zechariah 14:10-15 The King will Establish His Kingdom#

Zechariah 14:10a All the land will be changed into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem;#

Zechariah 14:10b but Jerusalem will rise and remain on its site from Benjamin’s Gate Benjamin’s gate was in the northern wall of Jerusalem.#

Isaiah 2:1-4.#

Zechariah 14:10c as far as the place of the First Gate to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s wine presses. Jerusalem has risen, but certain things have remained.#

These places are specifically mentioned because it means to show us literal, physical locations.#

Zechariah 14:11 People will live in it, and there will no longer be a curse, for Jerusalem will dwell in security.#

Jerusalem will be repopulated. Zechariah 8:4-5#

Not only Jerusalem, but the whole earth will be repopulated. The number of rebels at the end of Millenium is like the sand of the seashore. Revelation 20:8#

Zechariah 14:12-15 - Judgment on Nations#

Zechariah 14:12a Now this will be the plague with which the LORD will strike all the peoples who have gone to war against Jerusalem; God has a record of the nations that have attacked Israel.#

If God promised to bless nations through Israel, why on earth would the nations wants to do anything to disrupt that divine blessing?#

A light offense against Israel is returned by God by a heavy offense against the nation.#

Exodus 4:22 - God said he would bring plagues against the enemies of Jerusalem.#

Zechariah 14:12b their flesh will rot while they stand on their feet, and their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongue will rot in their mouth. Nuclear reaction? Chemical weapons? Matthew 24:21-22 - if the 7 year tribulation had gone on, nobody would have lived through it.#

Flesh rots while standing on Feet#

Eyes rot in sockets#

Tongue rots in mouth#

Revelation 6:8 75% of the earth is eliminated. 50% world’s population is destroyed.#

Revelation 11 - Two Witnesses whole world will watch them die and come back to life. This is easily possible today through live television.#

Zechariah 14:13a It will come about in that day that a great panic from the LORD will fall on them;#

God causes great panic. Many times man in a state of fear goes against eachotehr.#

Zechariah 14:13b and they will seize one another’s hand, and the hand of one will be lifted against the hand of another.#

Man starts killing eachother.#

Judges 7:22 - Gideon didn’t have to do much. God caused great fear and they killed eachother and fled.#

Ezekiel 38:2 - Every sword will be against one another.#

Zechariah 14:14a Judah also will fight at Jerusalem;#

Genesis 49:10 Messiah comes from Judah. Teh scepter shall not depart from Judah…#

Micah 5:2, - clans of Judah, little town called Bethlehem.#

Zechariah 14:14b and the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be gathered, gold and silver and garments in great abundance.#

Ezekiel 38:12 tells us why the nations attacked Israel. Israel has to be in a state of wealth. Specifically in Silver and gold and clothing in great abundance.#

in 1867 Mark Twaine said it was a barren expanse. Innocense abroad.#

In our lifetime Israel has become a nation.#

Israel is in the process of becomming phenominally wealthy. Her gross domestic product is far better than her neighbours.#

Israel has discovered oil in their land.#

Ezekiel 38:12 - 14#

Israel’s gold from the period of Solomon has been vastly lost. It appears as though the Israeli’s hid it. So much so that subsequent generations lost track of it. Will there be an unearthing of the silver and gold that was hidden?#

The nations will steal it, but eventually God will return it back to them. Zechariah 14:1, 14#

Zechariah 14:15a So also like this plague will be the plague on the horse, the mule, the camel, These are the enemy animals. Ezekiel 38:4#

The landform between Israel and Syria is divided by the Golan Heights. IT is impassable by modern vehicles. It must be passed by horseback.#

The Golan Heights now belongs to the people of Israel.#

The enemy comes into Israel through mountains. What mountains? The Golan Heights would fit that perfectly.#

The animals are need to pass the Golan Heights.#

Zechariah 14:15b the donkey and all the cattle that will be in those camps. When the plague hits all these animals it will make it difficult for these nations.#

The horse is still used in warfare in certain terrain.#

Zechariah 14:16-19 Kingdom Worship#

Zechariah was a priest (possibly a poet). What an appropriate way to end the book!#

The Nations Worship#

Zechariah 14:16a Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem The nations that remain will be subject to the King of Kings who reigns from Jerusalem. Zechariah 8:20-23; Isaiah 2:2-4; 45:21-24; 60:4-14; Ezekiel 40—48; Philippians 2:10#

Whoever is left of the nations - two judgments that take place on the earth for tribulation survivors. Some will be saved, some will not.#

Unbelievers who survive will be cast off into Hades. Surviving believers will enter the Millenium age.#

The Millenium will begin with mortals who happen to survive the Tribulation and are believers.#

There is a parrallel judgment for surviving Jews that will take place in Acts 20:30-34#

There will be no unbelieving Jews at this time.#

4 Future Judgments for the World

Bema	Nations	Israel	Great White Throne
Church	Remaining nations	Remaining Jews	at the end of the Millenium

Zechariah 14:16b will go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, The specific purpose the nations have for going to Jerusalem will be to worship…#

Notice that the nations will go up - in the future - to Jerusalem to worship the King.

Jesus’ Three Offices

Prophet	Priest	King
Past	Present	Future
First Coming	Now Seated	Messianic Kingdom

Isa 65:25

Just like David was anointed but never actually reigned until Saul was deposted, so too Messiah has been annointed and waiting the time set by God the Father to reign upon His own earthly throne. 1 Samuel 16, 2 Samuel 2, 2 Samuel 5#

It is not until Satan (as Antichrist) is deposed that Christ will reign. First Antichrist must be chained and thrown into the Abyss, then Messiah will take his rightful place and begin His ministry as King reigning from the city of Jerusalem.#

That is why when Satan is released at the end of the Millenium, he goes straight to attack the Beloved City (Jerusalem) because he knows where the authority is. Revelation 20:7-9#

Zechariah 14:16c The King who is the Lord of hosts…There is no mistaking the identity of this King. He is the Lord of hosts. The Father has bestowed on Him the role as Lord of hosts. Psalm 24:10, Jeremiah 48:15#

“Zechariah portrays the Messiah as the complete and perfect King#

(1) Mediating Servant. Zechariah 3:8#

(2) Priest. Zechariah 6:13#

(3) Judge. Zechariah 14:16-19#

(4) Warrior. Zechariah 10:4; 14:3-4#

(5) Shepherd. Zechariah 11:8-9; 13:7#

(6) Shalom - bringing King. Zechariah 3:10; 9:9-10#

Kingship in Israel was integrated into a theocratic system in which Yahweh alone was considered king and absolute ruler of the universe. Exodus 15.18;19.6; Numbers 23.21; 1 Samuel 8.7; 12.12; Judges 8.23 ³⁸#

The human king was but Yahweh’s earthly regent. Yet here see a regent who is the Lord of hosts. That is, this human earthly regent is the universal sovereign. Revelation 19:16, Psalm 24:10 ²⁰#

Zechariah 14:16b and to celebrate the Feast of Booths. The Feast of Booths of one of three of the most important feasts in the life of Israel. It was a time of grateful rejoicing. Leviticus 23:40, Deuteronomy 16:14-15, Nehemiah 8:17#

Leviticus 23 gives the Jewish feasts. One of those is the Feast of Booths. It commemorates the provision of the Lord.#

Celebrated The Feast of Booths does not imply that the Kingdom is once again under the law.#

There are usually objections to taking the temple and sacrifices literally.#

A return to the Mosaic Law which ended when Messiah died. While there are similarities in the sacrifices, they are different, just like Noah’s sacrifices were different from Moses’ sacrifices.#

The Noaic system and the Mosaic system had sacrifices yet they were not the same. They were both very different systems. Similarity is not equality.#

All these differences show that this is not a return to the Law of Moses but is rather a Kingdom Law. How is it different?#

Mosaic Law	Kingdom Law
No horses	Horses
Only Priest has access	All have access
Relates only to Israel	Includes Israel, Church and the nations

This is the only feast that Zechariah mentioned that is celebrated. However Zechariah 8:19 mentions turning mourning into feasts.#

The Apostle Peter evidently concluded that the messianic kingdom had begun when he saw Jesus transfigured (Luke 9:33). He suggested that the disciples make three booths for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. This indicates that the Jews in Jesus’ day associated the Feast of Booths with the beginning of Messiah’s kingdom, which is the same connection that Zechariah made here. ¹#

Differences between Millenium and Eternal State

Millenium	Eternal State
limited time (1000 years)	never ending
Rebellion at the end	No evil
Sin restrained	Sin removed
Curse restrained	Curse Removed
Still death	No death
Mortals and resurrected people	Only Resurrected people
Still preach gospel	Destiny is sealed
Renovation of earth	New Creation
Transitional	Non-transitional (lasts forever)
Luminaries (Sun moon and stars)	No luminaries
Satanic activity (at end)	Satan is removed
4th Temple	No Temple

To the Nations - Blessings and Curses

Zechariah 14:17a And it will be that whichever of the families of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem Clearly Jerusalem is a literal city. The families of the earth are the remaining people of the nations of the world.#

Zechariah 14:17b to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, there will be no rain on them. They will come to Jerusalem for the express purpose of worshipping the King. Matthew 2:6#

First the eternal Angel of the Lord was seen to be a man. Then we see the man presented as a King. Now the King is presented as the Lord of Hosts and reigning in Jerusalem. Nations will come to him to worship. Matthew 2:2#

Unlike any other king in the history of mankind, this king holds the world in His hands. He controls the wind and the rain. This will cause people to fear him as it did the disciples. Mark 4:39-41#

The nations will need to walk by faith just like they have in any other age. They will need to trust in Messiah for salvation for what He did on calvary, They will need to walk by faith trusting in Messiah’s provision over the power of sin and also trust in Messiah to provide their material needs.#

Failure to keep Kingdom law results in curses. Specifically in this case, they will get no rain.

The Millenial Kingdom - A Harmony of Worship in Three parts

This new Age brings God’s fulfilment of the New Covenant to Israel and Judah who will be united as one nation. Jeremiah 31:31#

At the same time, in her glorified state, the ministry of New Covenant administration will be responsibility of the Church#

Messiah deals with the nations in terms of blessings and curses depending on their relation to Him.#

Zechariah 14:18a If the family of Egypt does not go up or enter, then no rain will fall on them;#

Zechariah 14:18b it will be the plague with which the LORD smites the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths. God has turned the tables. Egypt is now dependent on Israel’s God to survive. They must render homage every year to the Lord, otherwise they are not sent any rain.#

Zechariah 14:19 This will be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths. Any nation who does not trust in the Lord to present themselves before the Lord on the Feast of Booths, will not receive any rain the following year.#

Zechariah 14:20-21 The Holiness of The King will Prevail#

Zechariah 14:20a In that day there will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, “HOLY TO THE LORD.” Due to the fact that Egypt has been given her rightful place in relation to Israel, we now see horses used in Israel. The horses are seen to contribute to the glorification of the LORD.#

In the kingdom, Instead of using the horses to fight, they are used to ring bells that read “Holy to the Lord”.#

This speaks of a new dispensation no longer under the law. Under the law, Israel was prohibited to own horses. If one point of the law must be changed, the whole law is affected. James 2:10#

Therefore we conclude this must be a dispensation, the fulfillment of the New Covenant, not under the law but a multi-program administration under the Spirit of grace and supplication where priesthood and royalty are joined in one office characterized by a rule of peace and a rod of iron.#

This is a new administration where God includes Christ as King of the nations, Israel as His dearest subjugates, Jerusalem as His capital city, Zion the mountain of his throne, the Church as His beautiful queen and the angels as his personal ministers.#

During the age of Law, only the turban of the priest held an inscription, “holy to the Lord”. Exodus 28:36#

During the 1000 years reign of Christ, even the minutest things like bells on horses will be considered set apart for the worship of the Lord.#

The new means of walking will proceed from Zion in Jerusalem, not Sinai. Isaiah 2:1-4#

The whole life will be pervaded by the holiness of the LORD. The people will then be the holy nation that God has always envisioned. Exodus 19:6 ³⁹#

Zechariah 14:20b And the cooking pots in the LORD’S house will be like the bowls before the altar. Here the cooking pots in the temple are likened to the 100 bowls in the temple. 2 Chronicles 4:8#

Zechariah 14:21a Every cooking pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holy to the LORD of hosts; Every pot throughout the land will be usable. Not just those set apart for use in the temple.#

Zechariah 14:21b and all who sacrifice will come and take of them and boil in them. Every pot in the land will be usable for cooking the sacrifice. The implication is that all are sacrificing not just the priest as seen in Levitical law. Leviticus 6:24-28#

Zechariah 14:21c And there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts in that day. Genesis 9:25-27, Isaiah 35:8; Ezekiel 43:7; 44:9; Revelation 21:27#

The house of the Lord is referring to the 4th Temple of the Millenium. Canaanites will not be allowed into the temple. Deuteronomy 23:3-4

Revelation 11:5 “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.” Zechariah 14:9#

A Mighty Fortress is our God#

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;

Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:

For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;

His craft and pow’r are great, and, armed with cruel hate,

On earth is not his equal.

–

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;

Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing.

Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is he;

Lord Sabaoth is his name, from age to age the same,

And He must win the battle.

–

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,

We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us;

The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;

His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,

One little word shall fell him.

–

That word above all earthly pow’rs, no thanks to them, abideth;

The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth;

Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;

The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,

His kingdom is forever. - Martin Luther

---

Glossary of Terms#

1. Day of the Lord - 
2. The Angel of the Lord - 
3. Lord of Hosts - 
4. House of Ephraim - 
5. House of Joseph - 
6. House of the Lord - 
7. My House - 
8. The Branch
9. The Temple
10. The Tribulation
11. Daniel's 70th week
12. Dispensations
13. Millenium
14. Eternal State
15. Mosaic Law
16. Kingdom Law

---

Doctrines in Zechariah#

1. Repentance
2. The divinity of Messiah
3. The humanity of Messiah
4. The redemptive plan of God for man
5. God’s future program for Israel
6. The Day of the Lord
7. The Second coming
8. The Tribulation

The units of volume mentioned in the Bible are the following:#

homer. Lev. 27:16, Isa. 5:10, Ezek. 45:11 13:14; Hos. 3:2#

kor Ezek. 45:14#

Letekh (jar, half of barley) Hos. 3:2#

Ephah Ex. 16:36, Ezek. 45:11 13; 46:14,#

Bath. Ezek. 45:11, 14; II Chron. 2:9#

Se’ah Gen. 18:6, I Sam. 25:18 I Kings 18:32, II Kings 7:1, 18#

Hin Ex. 29:40 Ezek. 45:24 46:11, 14#

Omer Ex. 16:16, 36; Lev. 23:10 – 14#

Issaron Ex. 29:40, Lev. 14:21, Num. 15:4#

Qav. II Kings 6:25#

Log, which is the small liquid measure. Lev. 14:10, 12, 15, 21, 24#

	Homer kor	letekh	ephah bath	seʾah	hin	omer – ʿissaron	qav	log
homer – kor	1
letekh	2	1
ephah – bath	10	5	1
seʾah	30	15	3	1
hin	60	30	6	2	1
omer – ʿissaron	100	50	10	3.5	1.75	1
qav	180	90	18	6	3	1.8	1
log	720	360	72	24	12	7.2	4	1

---

Bibliography#

A more recent Jewish “commentator,” Woody Allen, has cautioned: “And the lamb and the wolf shall lie down together, but the lamb won’t get any sleep.”

The Jewish belief that the Messiah’s reign lies in the future has long distinguished Jews from their Christian neighbors who believe, of course, that the Messiah came two thousand years ago in the person of Jesus. The most basic reason for the Jewish denial of the messianic claims made on Jesus’ behalf is that he did not usher in world peace, as Isaiah had prophesied: “And nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore” (Isaiah 2:4 ). In addition, Jesus did not help bring about Jewish political sovereignty for the Jews or protection from their enemies.