Zechariah Intro and Chapter 1
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Introduction
Introduction
Well today we start looking at the Old Testament book of Zechariah. He is a OLd Testament minor prophet, minor meaning the amount of material ascribed to him, 14 chapters as apposed to some prophets that have over 50 which makes them a major prophet.
Now Zechariah is one who ministers in what we call the post exilic period, meaning after the exile in Babylon.
Now Zechariah, we could say something special about him, anyone know? He is not only a prophet but he is also a priest as well. He was born in Babylon, so he grew up hearing the stories of what God was doing in their midst, their punishment and yes he was among those who returned to Babylon after the 70 years were up, 538 bc
We know at a later time, when Joiakim was high priest, Zechariah apparently succeed Iddo ( his grandfather) as head of the priestly family. Apparently Zechariah’s father died at an early age.
Now we know that Zechariah is a contemporary of Haggai, but continued his ministry long after Him. The Lord calls him at a young age and thus he will minister well into the reign of Artazerxes I (465-424 BCE).
We know without a doubt even though some knuckleheads have tried to challenge it.. that Zechariah is the author of the entire book.
The chief reason we know that Zechariah writes is the Lord rebukes the people of Judah and to encourage , motivate them to complete the rebuilding of the temple.
The purpose of the visions is to call the people of Judah back to himself. They were to return to Him,
There is a heavy theological teaching about the coming of Jesus , his humility, rejection, crucifixion and his return with all glory.
There is a heavy meaning in his name, Zechariah means the Lord (Yahweh) remembers… By the use of his personal covenant name we see the covenant is remembered and He will be faithful to his people. The Lord will do what He has promised.
Amen and amen...
So lets begin to look at chapter 1
We will start with the first few verses today…
1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying,
1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying, 2 “The Lord was very angry with your fathers.
Now there is a lot of detail here in these opening verses...
From that open time, we believe that Zechariah;s ministry began about a month before Haggai would receive his final ministry.
The second year of Darius reign would be about 520 bc, We also know he is killled later in Life, Jesus mentions this in
35 so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.
So perhaps between August and October, we believe is when the Lord called Zechariah to announce the Word of the Lord. And we are given the names of his Father and his grandfather whom I have mentioned early in our introduction.
And the Lord says he is angry with ( very angry with ) their fathers. One thing is that they have been unable to stay focused on the Lord’s Temple. Oh, they finished their own houses but they did not finish the Lord’s temple.
Now lets move on to verses 3 and 4..
3 Therefore say to them, Thus declares the Lord of hosts: Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. 4 Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the Lord.
Zech 1:
Therefore, is that word of transition, as the Lord has called you, return to me says the Lord
The phrase the Lord of hosts speaks to the Lord as one who is of boundless resources… the God of universal power. and is God is the one who has it all, they should be motivated to work, and work well.
The phrase “return to me is the call he has called to them… return to me and i will return to you says the Lord,,,
we see the same call in , in Jame 4:8, and Ezek 18:30
The implication of returning to the Lord reveals their heart, if they have truly returned, then their hearts are converted.. God will punish them again if they persist in sin.
Do not be like their forefathers, who did not hear or return to the Lord when he sent His prophets to them with the message of return.
God has been calling them to come home.
Now verse 5-6
5 Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? 6 But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? So they repented and said, ‘As the Lord of hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and deeds, so has he dealt with us.’ ”
IN contrast to the one thing that is eternal, which is the Word of God, and being eternal it is relevant to all life, we see that their fathers and those prophets are gone.. They have perhished and they have fallen away.
Listen to
25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
Their fathers recognized the word of the Lord, they turned from their former ways. They did as they were taught to do in the past...
Now a new thought arises, Verses 7-8
7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying, 8 “I saw in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen, and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses.
Verse 7 reveals a new word came from the Lord to Zechariah.
Shebat is the 11th month of the Jewish year, it runs the New moon of Feb to the new moon of March in our calendar. The word Shebat means “shoot” and refers to the time when the shoots begin to spring forth from the trees during this time we would identify as spring time.
And Zechariah says that at night he saw a man riding a Red horse, and he was among the myrtle trees in the glen and behind him ere red, sorrel and white horses.
The Jews begin their day with sunset, there the night which means the night which preceded the twenty fourth day of the month is meant in verse 7.
The man He sees refers to Jesus. The second person of the trinity. He is manifested in a man’s form, the incarnation. and he is referred to as the “angel of Jehovah” (verses 11 and 12).
The riding of a horse refers to a swiftness is executing God;s will in His providence.
The red horse refers to blood shed, implying vengeance to be inflicted on the foes of Israel. The Myrtle trees is a symbol of the Jewish church, not the cedar but the lowly fragrant myrtle.
The lowly place speaks to where they once where, the lowly banks of the Babylon river basins where they were once in captivity.
The white horses in the vision refers to the victory that Israel will experience in the future.
Verses 9-10
9 Then I said, ‘What are these, my lord?’ The angel who talked with me said to me, ‘I will show you what they are.’ 10 So the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered, ‘These are they whom the Lord has sent to patrol the earth.’
Verse 9 begins a scene of dialogue Zechariah has with the angel, who appears to be interpreting the vision as well as the Lord talking..
Zechariah asks the what it is he is seeing… and the angel says he will show him and in verse 10, the angel of the Lord, Jesus who is standing among the Myrtle trees
He is gone to patrol… Listen to this explaniation
Lord hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth—If “Satan walks to and fro in the earth” (implying restless activity) on errands of mischief to God’s people (Job 1:7), the Lord sends other angels to “walk to and fro” with unceasing activity everywhere to counterwork Satan’s designs, and to defend His people (Ps 34:7; 91:11; Heb 1:14).
Now verses 11-12
11 And they answered the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees, and said, ‘We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth remains at rest.’ 12 Then the angel of the Lord said, ‘O Lord of hosts, how long will you have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which you have been angry these seventy years?’
The earth is a rest....While the Persian empire was in a state of bliss, we see that Jews are still under the oppression of foreigners. And the Lord himself speaks to the Lord his God.
It is like how long will you wait until you work for them, it has been 70 years . That was the number of years they were to be punished for their sin.
Verses 13-14
13 And the Lord answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me. 14 So the angel who talked with me said to me, ‘Cry out, Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion.
The Lord answers.... comforting and good words.
So with verse 14, cry proclaim as to be a heard, so it can be heard by all. I am jealous for Jerusalem. A a husband is jealous for his wife, wronged by others, so Jehovah is for his city.
18 Then the Lord became jealous for his land
and had pity on his people.
and then verses 15-17
15 And I am exceedingly angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was angry but a little, they furthered the disaster. 16 Therefore, thus says the Lord, I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; my house shall be built in it, declares the Lord of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem. 17 Cry out again, Thus says the Lord of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.’ ”
Verse 15 the Lord says he is angry with the nations. They say they are secure, but he is displeased with them, Judah is in affliction, but I love her and am jealous for her.
They have been persecuting them for trying to finish the Temple work. The heathen also threatened Judah with extinction, trying to satisfy their own ambition.
3 Therefore say to them, Thus declares the Lord of hosts: Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. 4 Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the Lord. 5 Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? 6 But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? So they repented and said, ‘As the Lord of hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and deeds, so has he dealt with us.’ ”
But the Lord says he has returned to Jerusalem with Mercy, my house shall be buit.
The measuring line stretched out over Jerusalem.
The measuring line stretched out over Jerusalem.
line—(Job 38:5). The measuring-line for building, not hastily, but with measured regularity. Not only the temple, but Jerusalem also was to be rebuilt (Ne 2:3, &c.; compare Zec 2:1, 2). Also, as to the future temple and city, Ez 41:3; 42:1–44:31; 45:6.
and with verse 17, not only Jerusalem but all those cities around it in Judah will be blessed, they will be once again experience good things. Both physical and spiritual...
Now verses 18-21
Now verses 18-21
18 And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four horns! 19 And I said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these?” And he said to me, “These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.” 20 Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. 21 And I said, “What are these coming to do?” He said, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no one raised his head. And these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it.”
The number 4 is to be taken literally, the reference is probably Assyria, Egypt, Babylon and Medo-Persians. These 4 are symbolic of strength. These 4 have disrupted the nation itself..referring to Judah, Israel and Jerusalem.
Then the Lord showed them 4 craftsmen, and he said what are they coming to do…Thes have come to tear down the horns. All of Judha’s enemies will be defeated