Reading the Bible together – Zechariah

July 2020

– The book we are reading this month is the book of Haggai, which is the 37th book of the Old Testament.

This will be the 64th book of the Bible we will have read, since commencing this initiative over four years ago in October 2015. (We have actually read Matthew and Joshua twice!) . There are a total of 66 books in the Bible, 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. Only 2 more to go and we will have read the whole Bible together!

We may not be able to review this book in the usual way during the coronavirus lockdown.  However, this does not stop us from continuing to read the Bible together and to benefit from our own personal study of this book.

Introduction to the Book of Zechariah

Zechariah 12:9-10 – And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

Zechariah 13:6-7 – And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.

A Brief Overview

Bible Survey – Zechariah
Hebrew Name – Zekar-yah “Yahweh is Remembered”
Greek Name – Zacharias (Greek form of the Hebrew)
Author – Zechariah (According to Tradition)
Date – 520 BC Approximately
Theme – The First and Second Coming of Messiah
Types and Shadows – In Zechariah Jesus is the Humble King

Summary of The Book of Zechariah

Overview

• Chapter 1:1-6 – the Lord’s anger toward Israel and rebuke of their fathers.
• Chapter 1:7-17 – the vision of the man among the myrtle trees.
• Chapter 1:18-21 – the vision of the four horns and the four carpenters.
• Chapter 2 – the vision of the surveyors measuring line, and God’s promises of blessing.
• Chapter 3 – the vision of Joshua’s cleansing.
• Chapter 4 – the vision of the golden lampstand.
• Chapter 5 – the vision of the flying scroll and the ephah.
• Chapter 6 – the vision of the four chariots, and the crowning of the high priest.
• Chapter 7 – the question is raised about fast days.
• Chapter 8 – the fasts that become feasts of celebration.
• Chapter 9 – the rise of a world ruler and the rise of the Prince of peace.
• Chapter 10 – the divine Prince of peace and his triumph.
• Chapter 11 – Israel rejects her good Shepherd.
• Chapter 12 – the siege of Jerusalem on the day of the Lord, and Yahweh appears with wounds in hand and feet.
• Chapter 13 – Israel’s fountain of cleansing at the reception of the Messiah.
• Chapter 14 – the final messianic kingdom.

Zechariah was the son of Berechiah and the grandson of Iddo (Zechariah 1:1, 7). He was born in Babylon and had returned to Jerusalem in the group led by Zerubbabel sixteen years previous to the time of his ministry (Nehemiah 12:4, 16). He was a contemporary of Haggai and began to prophesy two months after Haggai in 520 BC. The work of rebuilding the temple was already in progress. Zechariah preached at least two years longer than Haggai (Zechariah 7:1) and possibly even longer.

The situation was the same as described in the introduction to Haggai. The purpose of Zechariah’s preaching was to strengthen the people in the reality of their calling, their history, and their future, as well as that of the nations. Zechariah also joined Haggai in the task of encouraging the construction of the temple and to see it through to its completion. Zechariah reproved the people, he gave them encouragement and exhortation, as well as the promises of God’s blessing and spoke much about the Messiah and what would happen to the Jews and the nations when He comes.

Outline of the Book of Zechariah

The book is divided into two parts: Zechariah 1-8, concerned mainly with the rebuilding of the temple, and Zechariah 9-14, dealing with future events, notably the coming of Messiah and the glory of His reign.

Zechariah begins his book (Zechariah 1) with a reminder that the captivity had been a result of disobedience. He continues by relating a series of visions designed to show that God is in control of history and will bring a glorious blessing to the faithful remnant of His people. Jerusalem is pictured as so prosperous it is having to be enlarged to hold the people (Zechariah 2). The vision of Joshua the high priest, clothed in filthy rags (Zechariah 3) seems to be a definite prevision of the atonement of Christ. Other visions in the book point to the certainty of God’s judgment and ultimate victory over sin, culminating in the coming of the Messiah.

More information can be found HERE

SHORT ILLUSTRATED SUMMARY OF ZECHARIAH

Back to news