Zechariah 1-4
Introduction
Zechariah 1-8 picks up where Ezra 4 left off.
Work on the temple had come to a standstill for a variety of reasons:
Ezra 4:24 Work at a standstill
WHY?
1. Internal Discouragements (Ezra 3:12)
2. External Discouragements (Ezra 4:4-5)
3. General Selfishness (Addressed in Haggai)
Result?
Zerubbabel, the leader of the project, went back to Babylon. It is possible he went back to seek assistance in the project, but in any case, it seems to took employment as a bodyguard for King Darius. Josephus records a story in which Zerubbabel was a contest and was able to ask for anything as a reward. He asked, of course, for help in renewing the effort to rebuild the temple. And so Darius, a friend of Zerubbabel, obliged.
Return x2
Zerubbabel returned, again, with another large company of Jews and plenty of political backing, but the discouragements continued and so God raised up 2 prophets: Haggai & Zechariah
What was their message?
Message #1 (Zechariah 1:1-6)
*This message was delivered in the 2nd year of Darius, in the 8th month
Problem: The Lord was very angry with their forefathers b/c they wouldn't listen to the prophets
Solution: If the present generation returns to God, He will return to them
Evidence: The forefathers and prior prophets are gone, but God remains
Result: The people repented and realized the lackluster return was due to their sin
At this point, Zechariah begins to experience 'visions' which convey God's message
Message #2 (Zechariah 1:7-17)
*This vision was seen in the 2nd year of Darius, in the 11th month
What was the vision?
Zechariah saw a man riding a red horse among the trees in a ravine. In fact, there were three other horses there as well (red, brown & white). They reported to the angel of the Lord that the whole world was at rest and peace. This fact led the angel of the Lord to wonder how long mercy will be withheld from Jerusalem and Judah. The Lord assured the angel that He was jealous for Jerusalem.
What did the vision mean?
The riders/horses represent either angels assigned to the task of observing the state of world affairs, or simply to God's omniscience in regard to such things. The world was in a state of rest and peace, but God was not at all pleased with this state of affairs. He was very angry with the nations and their sense of self-security. God was to return to Jerusalem with mercy and bring them prosperity, comfort & election. God was not through with Jerusalem despite appearances.
Message #3 (Zechariah 1:8-21)
*This vision was seen by Zechariah, seemingly, after the previous vision.
What was the vision?
Zechariah saw 4 horns and 4 craftsman coming toward them.
What did the vision mean?
The horns represent those nations which scattered Jerusalem/Israel/Judah. The craftsman represent the agents by which God will terrify and thrown down these nations who scattered His people. In other words, those nations would not get away with what they had done. Justice was coming.
*The sermon and visions of chapter 1 convey a) The need for the people to return to the Lord b) The assurance that God will indeed return to His people and c) The assurance that the enemies of Israel will indeed receive their just punishment.
Message #4 (Zechariah 2:1-13)
*This vision was seen by Zechariah, seemingly, after the previous vision
What was the vision?
A young man was on his way to Jerusalem, carrying a measuring line, hoping to measure the city. Angels, however, hurried to tell the man that Jerusalem would be a city without physical walls because of its enormous population. Instead, the Lord Himself would be a wall of fire around it.
What did the vision mean?
There was no sense measuring Jerusalem since it was to become an indefinable city. The vision speaks of the great future of Jerusalem. In response to this assured future, God's people should come out of the land of the north (Babylon). Those nations which have plundered Jerusalem have irritated God (as if they had poked God in the eye) and will themselves be plundered by their own slaves. The vision means that God will come to dwell with His people once again, but His people won't only be made up of Jews, but of 'many nations!' The vision means that God was on the move.
* Though some would see this as a prediction of a future millennial age (they envision Jesus physically 'coming' to physical Jerusalem and the nations physically moving there), I see this vision as a prediction of the spiritual 'coming' (presence) of God among the spiritual Jerusalem (the church) and the believing nations/gentiles joining the remnant of Israel as His chosen people.
Message #5 (Zechariah 3:1-10)
*This vision was seen, seemingly, after the previous vision
What was the vision?
In the vision, the high priest (Joshua) was standing before the angel of the Lord in filthy clothes. Satan was standing beside him to accuse him. The Lord rebuked satan. The angel commanded that the filthy robes be taken off and Zechariah asked that clean clothes be put on him. Then, the angel of the Lord promised Joshua a great future if he walks in obedience.
What did the vision mean?
Joshua, as the high priest, represented the people before God. The fact that his filthy clothes were exchanged for clean one's means that the sins of God's people were gone and now they were righteous in the Lord's sight.
* While everything up to verse 7 fits nicely into the post-exilic context, it seems clear that verses 8-10 foreshadow an even greater future. Verse 8 seems to indicate the Joshua and his contemporaries were a sign/symbol for a future reality. Indeed, Joshua seems here to be a type of Christ (the Branch, the stone). It is almost certainly significant that in a single day (v. 9 & the crucifixion) Jesus atoned for sin and brought peace. So, once again, the vision seems to have a dual fulfillment. It is partially fulfilled in this post-exilic community, but FULL-filled in the coming, death & resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Message #6 (Zechariah 4:1-14)
*This vision was seen, seemingly, after the previous vision.
What was the vision?
Zechariah saw a gold lampstand with a bowl & seven lights on it between 2 olive trees. Two of the branches, apparently, produced golden oil that was keeping the lampstand burning.
What did the vision mean?
It seems to me that the two olive branches represent Joshua & Zerubbabel (though a case could be mean that they represent Haggai & Zechariah). Whoever they represent, though, their service to God is what is keeping God's work in the world alive. It is utterly important that they continue to produce fruit (of the Spirit, v. 6). This vision was to be an encouragement to Zerubbabel, reminding him of the vitality of his ministry and promising him that he would, indeed, get to finish what he had started (v. 9).
Zechariah 1-8 picks up where Ezra 4 left off.
Work on the temple had come to a standstill for a variety of reasons:
Ezra 4:24 Work at a standstill
WHY?
1. Internal Discouragements (Ezra 3:12)
2. External Discouragements (Ezra 4:4-5)
3. General Selfishness (Addressed in Haggai)
Result?
Zerubbabel, the leader of the project, went back to Babylon. It is possible he went back to seek assistance in the project, but in any case, it seems to took employment as a bodyguard for King Darius. Josephus records a story in which Zerubbabel was a contest and was able to ask for anything as a reward. He asked, of course, for help in renewing the effort to rebuild the temple. And so Darius, a friend of Zerubbabel, obliged.
Return x2
Zerubbabel returned, again, with another large company of Jews and plenty of political backing, but the discouragements continued and so God raised up 2 prophets: Haggai & Zechariah
What was their message?
Message #1 (Zechariah 1:1-6)
*This message was delivered in the 2nd year of Darius, in the 8th month
Problem: The Lord was very angry with their forefathers b/c they wouldn't listen to the prophets
Solution: If the present generation returns to God, He will return to them
Evidence: The forefathers and prior prophets are gone, but God remains
Result: The people repented and realized the lackluster return was due to their sin
At this point, Zechariah begins to experience 'visions' which convey God's message
Message #2 (Zechariah 1:7-17)
*This vision was seen in the 2nd year of Darius, in the 11th month
What was the vision?
Zechariah saw a man riding a red horse among the trees in a ravine. In fact, there were three other horses there as well (red, brown & white). They reported to the angel of the Lord that the whole world was at rest and peace. This fact led the angel of the Lord to wonder how long mercy will be withheld from Jerusalem and Judah. The Lord assured the angel that He was jealous for Jerusalem.
What did the vision mean?
The riders/horses represent either angels assigned to the task of observing the state of world affairs, or simply to God's omniscience in regard to such things. The world was in a state of rest and peace, but God was not at all pleased with this state of affairs. He was very angry with the nations and their sense of self-security. God was to return to Jerusalem with mercy and bring them prosperity, comfort & election. God was not through with Jerusalem despite appearances.
Message #3 (Zechariah 1:8-21)
*This vision was seen by Zechariah, seemingly, after the previous vision.
What was the vision?
Zechariah saw 4 horns and 4 craftsman coming toward them.
What did the vision mean?
The horns represent those nations which scattered Jerusalem/Israel/Judah. The craftsman represent the agents by which God will terrify and thrown down these nations who scattered His people. In other words, those nations would not get away with what they had done. Justice was coming.
*The sermon and visions of chapter 1 convey a) The need for the people to return to the Lord b) The assurance that God will indeed return to His people and c) The assurance that the enemies of Israel will indeed receive their just punishment.
Message #4 (Zechariah 2:1-13)
*This vision was seen by Zechariah, seemingly, after the previous vision
What was the vision?
A young man was on his way to Jerusalem, carrying a measuring line, hoping to measure the city. Angels, however, hurried to tell the man that Jerusalem would be a city without physical walls because of its enormous population. Instead, the Lord Himself would be a wall of fire around it.
What did the vision mean?
There was no sense measuring Jerusalem since it was to become an indefinable city. The vision speaks of the great future of Jerusalem. In response to this assured future, God's people should come out of the land of the north (Babylon). Those nations which have plundered Jerusalem have irritated God (as if they had poked God in the eye) and will themselves be plundered by their own slaves. The vision means that God will come to dwell with His people once again, but His people won't only be made up of Jews, but of 'many nations!' The vision means that God was on the move.
* Though some would see this as a prediction of a future millennial age (they envision Jesus physically 'coming' to physical Jerusalem and the nations physically moving there), I see this vision as a prediction of the spiritual 'coming' (presence) of God among the spiritual Jerusalem (the church) and the believing nations/gentiles joining the remnant of Israel as His chosen people.
Message #5 (Zechariah 3:1-10)
*This vision was seen, seemingly, after the previous vision
What was the vision?
In the vision, the high priest (Joshua) was standing before the angel of the Lord in filthy clothes. Satan was standing beside him to accuse him. The Lord rebuked satan. The angel commanded that the filthy robes be taken off and Zechariah asked that clean clothes be put on him. Then, the angel of the Lord promised Joshua a great future if he walks in obedience.
What did the vision mean?
Joshua, as the high priest, represented the people before God. The fact that his filthy clothes were exchanged for clean one's means that the sins of God's people were gone and now they were righteous in the Lord's sight.
* While everything up to verse 7 fits nicely into the post-exilic context, it seems clear that verses 8-10 foreshadow an even greater future. Verse 8 seems to indicate the Joshua and his contemporaries were a sign/symbol for a future reality. Indeed, Joshua seems here to be a type of Christ (the Branch, the stone). It is almost certainly significant that in a single day (v. 9 & the crucifixion) Jesus atoned for sin and brought peace. So, once again, the vision seems to have a dual fulfillment. It is partially fulfilled in this post-exilic community, but FULL-filled in the coming, death & resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Message #6 (Zechariah 4:1-14)
*This vision was seen, seemingly, after the previous vision.
What was the vision?
Zechariah saw a gold lampstand with a bowl & seven lights on it between 2 olive trees. Two of the branches, apparently, produced golden oil that was keeping the lampstand burning.
What did the vision mean?
It seems to me that the two olive branches represent Joshua & Zerubbabel (though a case could be mean that they represent Haggai & Zechariah). Whoever they represent, though, their service to God is what is keeping God's work in the world alive. It is utterly important that they continue to produce fruit (of the Spirit, v. 6). This vision was to be an encouragement to Zerubbabel, reminding him of the vitality of his ministry and promising him that he would, indeed, get to finish what he had started (v. 9).
posted by matthew at 2:30 PM
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