Ralph Porter
© 2002
AUTHOR, DATE AND BACKGROUND
The author of the book is identified as Zechariah, a contemporary prophet of Haggai.
Therefore, the historical setting is the same as that of Haggai.
They worked together to motivate those who returned to Israel under the edict of Cyrus
to build the temple.
Zechariah extends to a later period than Haggai.
PURPOSE AND THEME
The meanings of the names of his genealogy recorded in 1:1 combine to reveal
the
message of the book:
Zechariah => "Yahweh remembers"
He is the son of Berechiah => "Yahweh will bless"
He is the grandson of Iddo => "His appointed time"
From these names can be drawn the message of the book:
"Yahweh remembers His people and will bless them in His appointed time."
The prophecy is given to encourage the people to rebuild the temple.
It contains a detailed description of the judgment of the nations and the resultant
blessings for Israel.
The book also calls the attention of the people to God's covenant program.
Yahweh has remembered Israel and is instituting a program which will climax in the
fulfillment of the covenants, the millennial kingdom.
They are at a turning point in Israel's history.
They have been judged and are starting a new generation, a new relationship to God,
a new challenge and a fresh renewal of the promises.
God has turned back to Israel.
Therefore, they should repent and submit to his authority, in order to experience the
blessings He has promised them.
Zechariah emphasizes God's program for Israel, while Daniel emphasizes
God's
program for gentiles in the same period.
APPLICATION
What lessons do we learn about our lives today from this prophecy?
"Yahweh Remembers!"
Ralph Porter
|
EIGHT VISIONS 1-6 |
FOUR MESSAGES 7-8 |
TWO BURDENS 9-14 |
|
Divine Program for Israel |
The Question of the Fasts |
Divine Program for Gentiles |
|
Call to Repentance 1:1-6 Historical introduction 1 Prerequisite for blessing 2-6
1:7-6:8
1:7-17 Recognition of Israel's state and promise of deliverance.
1:18-21 God will use 4 gentile powers to subdue Israel but will raise 4 deliverers.
2:1-13 Jerusalem will be restored.
3:1-10 The nation will be cleansed and restored to their chosen position.
4:1-14 Their function as lights will be performed by the power of the Spirit under Messiah.
5:1-4 Sin must be the judged.
5:5-11 False religious system is removed.
6:1-8 Judgments will bring them to confession.
Coronation of Joshua 6:9-15 Picture of the coming priest-king. |
First Message 7:1-7
1-3 Should the fasts be continued?
4-7 They were misusing the purpose of the fasts.
7:8-14
8-10
11-12 Rejection
13-14 Judgment
8:1-17
1-8
9-17
8:18-23
18-19
20-23
fasts. Your motives have been wrong. Decide in the light of what God is going to do for you. He will bless you and you will forget your suffering. |
First Burdensome Message 9-11
and its effect on Israel.
9:1-8
9:9
coming 9:10-10:12
11:1-17
12-14
Movement of gentiles against Israel that will force them to confession and repentance.
12-13
12:1-9
12:10-13:6
13:7-14:21
13:7-9
14:1-5
14:6-21 |
Ralph Porter
Psalm 63:1
David was in the desert of Judah.
He was experiencing the hot sun and the thirst that the desert dryness produces.
His physical condition makes him think about his spiritual condition.
He felt like he was in a spiritual desert, far from God, far from God's house and far from God's people.
He desired to go back and enjoy the intimate fellowship with God he had known so well in the past.
Have you ever been out on the desert?
You know about the hot sun, the dry wind, and the lack of water?
We will probably never have to pass the long time on the desert that David did.
But we all know something about being on that spiritual desert David was talking about.
We have all passed long periods under the hot sun of life in the world, without enjoying the refreshing springs of living water which David was
desiring to enjoy again.
Israel had just come through more than 70 years in a spiritual desert.
God punished them for their disobedience and idolatry by sending them into
captivity where
they could recognize the spiritual "dry spell" they were living in.
Although they were far from God, He had not forgotten them.
He was aware of their physical and their spiritual state.
He had a program to restore them, if they would just turn back to Him!
In order for Israel to enjoy God's blessing, they would have to obey His Word.
They were at a decisive point in their
history a new generation was beginning, a
new relationship
with God, a new affirmation of God's promises.
God was beginning a program that would culminate in the fulfillment of
the covenants God
made with previous generations.
Zechariah prophesied in order to announce the good news to them.
AUTHOR, DATE AND BACKGROUND
The author of the book is identified as Zechariah, a contemporary prophet of
Haggai. Therefore,
the historical setting is the same as that of Haggai.
They worked together to motivate those who had returned to Israel under the
edict of Cyrus to
build the temple.
Zechariah extends to a later period in the work than Haggai does.
PURPOSE AND THEME
The theme of the book of Zechariah is found in his name.
The meanings of the names of his genealogy recorded in verse one combine to reveal the
message of the book:
Zechariah => "Yahweh remembers"
He is the son of Berechiah => "Yahweh will bless"
He is the grandson of Iddo => "His appointed time"
From these names can be drawn the following theme:
Yahweh remembers His people and will bless them in His appointed time."
The prophecy is given to encourage the people to rebuild the temple.
It contains a detailed description of the judgment of the nations and the
resultant blessings for
Israel.
The book also calls the attention of the people to God's covenant program.
YAHWEH HAS REMEMBERED ISRAEL AND IS INSTITUTING A PROGRAM
WHICH WILL CLIMAX IN THE FULFILLMENT OF THE COVENANTS,
THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM.
1:14, 16, 17; 2:5, 10, 11-12; 3:2, 8; 8:3, 8, 13, 15; 9:14, 15; 10:6, 12; 13:9; 14:21
They are at a turning point in Israel's history:
They have been judged and are starting a new generation, a new
relationship to God, a new
challenge and a fresh renewal of the promises.
God has turned back to Israel.
For this reason, they should repent and submit to his authority, in order to
experience the
blessings He has promised them.
The book is important to the formation of eschatology.
It is parallel to Daniel.
Daniel traces the story from the beginning of the captivity.
Zechariah traces it from the end of the captivity.
Zechariah emphasizes God's program for Israel,
Daniel emphasizes God's program for gentiles in the same period.
The two overlap considerably, but the emphasis of their presentation is
different.
ORGANIZATION
Zechariah's structure is divided in three sections.
The book begins with EIGHT VISIONS which reveal God's program for
Israel from the rebuilding
of
the temple to the establishment of the millennium. 1-6
FOUR MESSAGES follow which answer questions raised concerning the
continuation of the
fasts. 7-8
Finally, TWO BURDENSOME PROPHECIES which reveal God's program
for Gentiles are
proclaimed. 9-14
ARGUMENT
EIGHT VISIONS REVEALING GOD'S PROGRAM FOR ISRAEL
1-6
Zechariah begins with the description of eight night visions the prophet
saw.
The visions, combined with the introduction and appended coronation of
Joshua, reveal the
prophetic outline of God's dealings with Israel from the prophet's day to the institution of
the kingdom.
They are intended to reveal God's program and to assure them of His
faithfulness and of the
fulfillment of previously revealed prophecy.
INTRODUCTION OF THE VISIONS
1:1-6
Historical preface
1:1
Appeal for repentance
1:2-6
The visions are preceded by an introductory call to repentance.
Until the people recognize their condition under God's wrath, they will
not experience the
blessings God has promised them.
They are reminded of God's judgment on their ancestors and of the
abiding presence of His
laws.
They are exhorted to turn to Him.
EIGHT NIGHT VISIONS
1:7-6:8
1.
Man among the myrtle trees
1:7-17
Recognizes the present sunken and dispersed condition of Israel and
promises
deliverance.
Points forward to the immediate restoration of Israel at that time, but
also, beyond that,
to the final restoration.
Description of the vision
1:7-8
Explanation of the vision 1:9-13
Question from Zechariah 1:9a
Response of the angel 1:9b
Commission of the patrol 1:10
Report of the patrol 1:11
Appeal for mercy 1:12
Reply of comfort 1:13
Proclamation to the people 1:14-17
Yahweh's attitude toward His people 1:14
Yahweh's attitude toward the nations 1:15
Yahweh's promise to restore Israel 1:16-17
2.
Four horns and four craftsmen
1:18-21
Pictures four Gentile rulers that God would use to subdue Israel.
These four rulers are succeeded by four deliverers whom God would
use to rescue
Israel.
Four horns
1:18-19
Four craftsmen 1:20-21
3.
Man with the measuring line
2:1-13
Views the ultimate restoration and expansion of Jerusalem.
The cities will overflow from the increased population.
The presence of Messiah is predicted which carries the ultimate
fulfillment into the
millennium.
The near view applies to the growth of the city in Zechariah's
time.
The vision
2:1-5
Description of the vision 2:1-4a
Message of the vision 2:4b-5
The appeal 2:6-13
To those in Babylon 2:6
To those in Jerusalem 2:7-12
To all flesh 2:13
4.
Cleansing of Joshua
3:1-10
Foresees, in the cleansing of the high priest, the cleansing of the
nation.
It pictures the restoration of Israel as the high priestly nation.
It illustrates her restoration and redemption.
Description of the vision
3:1-7
Joshua's trial 3:1-3
Description of the scene 3:1a
Participation of Satan 3:1b
Participation of the Angel of Yahweh 3:2
Condition of Joshua 3:3
Joshua's transformation 3:4-5
Removal of polluted garments 3:4
Restoration of pure garments 3:5
Joshua's challenge 3:6-7
Promise of Messiah's coming 3:8-10
The promise of His coming 3:8-9a
The results of His coming 3:9b-10
Removal of guilt 3:9b
Peace and security 3:10
5.
Golden lampstand and two olive trees
4:1-14
Designed to show how the people are enabled to do the things which
they are going to
do.
Their function as lights will be performed by the power of the Spirit
under the direction
of Messiah.
The near view promises divine enablement through Joshua and
Zerubbabel.
It anticipates the coming of Messiah who will unite the two offices
in one.
Description of the vision
4:1-3
Introduction 4:1
Lampstand 4:2
Olive trees 4:3
Message of the vision 4:4-10
Message of the olive trees 4:11-14
6.
Flying scroll
5:1-4
Reveals the judgment of sin.
The measurements of the scroll are equal to those of Solomon's porch
and to those of
the temple.
The vision applies to the cleansing of Israel at the time they become
priests.
It occurs at the beginning of the millennium.
Description of the vision
5:1-2
Message of the vision 5:3-4
7.
Woman in the ephah
5:5-11
Refers to the removal of the false religious system.
An idolatrous system was symbolized by a woman.
The woman is carried to Babylon by two other women with wings
like a stork, an
unclean animal.
There she is established and set on a base.
The vision is concerned with her removal from God's land and
people, not the place to
which she is carried.
Nevertheless, it is significant that she is taken to the place where
false religion was first
originated and where false religious systems were notably present.
8.
Four chariots
6:1-8
Pictures judgment.
The chariots and horses are instruments of judgment God uses to
bring Israel and
Jerusalem to the place of confession.
Description of the vision
6:1-3
Message of the vision 6:4-8
Summary of the message 6:4-5
Elaboration of the message 6:6-7
Results of the mission 6:8
CORONATION OF JOSHUA
6:9-15
The first section of the book which lays out God's program for Israel from
the time of
Zechariah to the beginning of the millennium, concludes with the symbolic coronation of
Joshua.
Certain individuals come from Babylon to Jerusalem to bring an offering.
It was evidently a contribution from those still in Babylon for the temple.
They use the offerings to make crowns for the head of the priest.
Zerubbabel was not crowned, lest the institution of the Davidic kingdom
occur.
Joshua receives a double crown which points ahead to the crowning of
Messiah who will
serve both offices.
The crowning of Messiah is the climax of the program which Zechariah
has revealed.
FOUR MESSAGES CONCERNING ISRAEL'S FASTS
7-8
Two years pass between the visions and the four messages.
The work on the temple is half done.
The decree of Darius has been pronounced and the hardships are over.
Practical problems arise.
The people want to know if they should observe the fasts commemorating
the destruction of
the city.
The purpose of those fasts seems to be gone.
Though they only inquire about one fast, the whole system is in view.
The four messages were given to answer their question.
FIRST MESSAGE
7:1-7
The first message rebukes them for misusing the fasts.
Request concerning continuation
7:1-3
Rebuke because of misuse
7:4-7
The fast was designed to represent repentance for their sin, but they
were using it to
memorialize their own suffering.
SECOND MESSAGE
7:8-14
The second message focuses their attention on the cause of their
suffering.
Requirements of God
7:8-10
They ought to repent of the cause of their suffering.
God has established certain responsibilities for His people.
God wants them to turn back to Him-NOT lament their own condition!
Response of the nation
7:11-12a
The people had deliberately rejected God's desire.
Results for the nation
7:12b-14
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