Zachariah

“In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of Jehovah unto Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, the prophet, saying, Jehovah was sore displeased with your fathers. Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Return unto me, saith Jehovah of hosts, and I will return unto you, saith Jehovah of hosts. Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets cried, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Return ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith Jehovah.”
‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭1:1-4‬ ‭ASV‬‬

Date**: 520 BC at the same time as Haggai but Haggai prophesied for only three months, Zachariah for 50 years

**Historical Setting**: The captivity and the return of Israel from Babylon (Ezra 5:1,6:14). By now Israel has forsaken idolatry. The rise of synagogue a period of no prophecy for seventy years. The spiritual conditions are quite poor in the land. All the preceding major and minor prophets were pre exilic prophets, Ezekiel and Daniel both were the exilic prophets followed by the three post exilic prophets. Zachariah preceded Haggai by three months.

**Theme**: Israel during the times of the Gentiles

**Key Phrase**: Jehovah of Hosts occurs 52 times.


Joy unspeakable full of glory

 

The First Vision

“I saw in the night, and, behold, a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle-trees that were in the bottom; and behind him there were horses, red, sorrel, and white. Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will show thee what these are.”
‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭1:8-9‬ ‭ASV‬‬


The First Vision of Horses

Vs 7: Date is the same year that Haggai was called. Also 3 months have passed from the call of Zachariah to now when he begins to see the visions.

Vs 8: The man riding upon a red horse in a low shady place (low shady place is a symbol of the gentile world) behind the key rider are three riders who represent God’s divine agents who deal in the affairs of human government.

Vs 9: Zachariah requesting an identification of the riders, the Rider on the red horse, the Angel speaking to him and the Angel of Jehovah are all the same person in this context. The man on the red horse, the one revealing the identities, the Angel of Jehovah (the Old Testament manifestation of the second person of the Trinity, God the Son)

Vs 10: Interpretation given, they are angelic beings who have a specific mission in the Gentile nations. “To and fro” words used to describe angelic movement Job 1:7, 2:2.

Vs 11: these angels now tell the Angel of Jehovah that they’ve completed their mission. Their report, all the world is still and earth at rest. That may seem a positive report but Israel is still desolate, nothing is moving forward to complete God’s plan of completing Israel’s restoration. It seems a positive report but is really a negative report. Things are not moving towards the accomplishment of the plan.


Joy unspeakable full of glory

 

“Then the angel of Jehovah answered and said, O Jehovah of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?”
‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭1:12‬ ‭ASV‬‬

Promise of Mercy to Zion
Vs 12: Messianic prayer from the Rider on the Red Horse. When? Now that the 70 years of Babylonian captivity is done? This shows a specific ministry of Angel of Jehovah (Messiah) to pray for the Jews on behalf of Israel and Jerusalem Isaiah 2:6-7 points out that there are special angels appointed to the walls of Jerusalem who pray continually for Israel’s restoration.

Vs 13: A message of comfort to the Messiah (Angel of Jehovah)


Joy unspeakable full of glory

 

“So the angel that talked with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.”
‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭1:14‬ ‭ASV‬‬


Vs 14: Zachariah told to cry out 7 declarations made to the AOJ, (1) I am jealous for Jerusalem (2) I am sore displeased with the Gentiles being at ease, again Points to the negative message of verse 11. Although God wanted the Gentiles to punish Israel, they went too far and now will be punished: elaborated by the 2nd vision of Zachariah (3) I am returning to Jerusalem with mercy, the program will continue (4) the temple will be rebuilt: elaborated by the 5th Vision (5) a line will stretch out (a symbol of building) over Jerusalem: elaborated by the 3rd Vision (6) Jerusalem will be the Chief City elaborated by the 4th Vision, (7) Jehovah will choose Jerusalem.


Joy unspeakable full of glory

 

“And I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, four horns. And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. And Jehovah showed me four smiths. Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head; but these are come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations, which lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.”
‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭1:18-21‬ ‭ASV‬‬


The Second Vision
Elaborates on God’s displeasure with the gentile nations for what they did to the Jews.

Vs 18: The four horns: “I lifted my eyes and saw” introducing fact that this a new vision.

Vs 19: the identity of the four horns, represents the four gentile empires of Daniel chapter 2 and 7, Babylon, Medeo Persian, Greek, and the empire of imperialism/Rome which eventually morphs into the Antichrist empire. A horn used as a symbol in the Bible normally represents the pride of gentile empires.

Vs 20-21: The identities of the four smiths. These are come to punish and terrorize the four horns. (1) Cyrus who brought down Babylon (2) Alexander who brought down Persia (3) Pompeii who brought down Hellenistic empire & (4) Jesus the Messiah who will bring down the Antichrist’s empire.


Joy unspeakable full of glory