A Light To The Nations

Today we are going to look at the Old Testament book of Zechariah. Bible Scholar George L. Robinson has called the book of Zechariah, “the most messianic, the most truly

apocalyptic and eschatological of all of the writings of the Old Testament.” This book has been quoted or alluded to some 41 times by New Testament writers.

This book is messianic or Christological, meaning that it is a book about Christ. Jesus can be found throughout this book. In fact, when you find the statement, “The angel of the LORD” in this book, it is Jesus talking or being spoken to.

Furthermore, throughout the Old Testament, you will find that the angel of the Lord speaks as God, identifies Himself with God, and exercises the responsibilities of God (Genesis 16:7-13; 21:17-18; 22:11-18; Exodus 3:2; Judges 2:1-4; 5:23; 6:11-24; 13:3-22; 2 Samuel 24:16; Zechariah 1:12; 3:1; 12:8).

This book is all about Jesus but, it is also all about the future of Israel.

The prophet Zechariah has eight visions…all in one night! The visions are apocalyptic. In other words, they resemble the visions in the books of Daniel, Ezekiel and Revelation.

Zechariah’s visions begin with a restoration of the people, a rebuilding of the temple, a rebuilding of the city, the salvation of the nations and then the witnessing ministry of the people of the nation of Israel. At the time of these prophecies Israel’s light has been extinguished because of their sin of rejecting the Messiah but one day their lampstand will be relit and they will shine for the Lord.

This historical background of the book of Zechariah is as follows. Jerusalem continued to sin against God and He allowed them to fall to their enemies, namely the Assyrians and the Babylonians. The armies of Nebuchadnezzar came in and deported the inhabitants of Jerusalem to Babylon for a period of 70 years as prophesied by the Prophet Jeremiah (Jer. 25:11; 29:10).

When the Babylonian Empire fell to the Persian Empire (539 BC), Cyrus the Great decreed that the Jews could return to Jerusalem to rebuild their temple (Ezra 1:2-4). But only a few of the 50,000 Jews returned. These included Haggai and Zechariah (whose calls to the ministry were only two months apart). It also included the High Priest Joshua and Zerubbabel, who was the governor (Ezra 2).

One of the first things they did upon returning to Jerusalem was to rebuild the altar and reinstitute the burnt offering sacrifice (Ezra 3:1-6). In the second year of their return they laid the foundation of the temple (Ezra 3:8-13; 5:16).

Nehemiah was living at this time and he received from the king assistance to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem that were burned down but there was external persecution, internal hopelessness and spiritual indifference that halted the rebuilding of the temple for about 16 years.

The Bible Study Commentary says that “In the second year of Darius (520 B.C), God raised up Haggai the prophet to encourage the Jews in rebuilding. Haggai preached four sermons in four months and then disappeared from the scene. Two months after Haggai delivered his first sermon, Zechariah began his prophetic ministry, encouraging the people to spiritual renewal and motivating them to rebuild the Temple by revealing to them God's plans for Israel's future. With this prophetic encouragement the people completed the Temple reconstruction in 515 B.C.”

We find eight visions in the first six chapters of Zechariah.

An Interpretation of Zechariah's Eight Night Visions in chapters 1-6:

Vision - The Red-horse Rider with Red, Brown and White Horses among the Myrtles

Reference - 1:7-17

Meaning - God sent these sentries which reported that there was peace (perhaps an enforced peace under strong Persian rule from 538 B.C. until 334 B.C. when Alexander the Great retaliated). The time was ready for the Jews to return.

Vision - The Four Horns and the Four Craftsmen

Reference - 1:18-21

Meaning - Judgment against the four powers (horns) who scattered Israel (perhaps meaning Assyria, Egypt, Babylon, and Tyre, (Ezekiel 26-28)); Also a vision of four craftsmen: possibly four kings of Medo-Persia who destroyed the four horns and allowed Israel to return and rebuild (Cyrus, Darius I, Artaxerxes and one unnamed (Ezra 6:14)

Vision - The Surveyor with a Measuring Line

Reference - Chapter 2

Meaning - God's future blessings on a restored Israel (if you are measuring you are planning and giving hope)

Vision - The Cleansing and Crowning of Joshua the High Priest

Reference - Chapter 3; 6:11-13

Meaning - Joshua symbolizes the returnees who were cleansed and then restored. In the future Joshua symbolizes the priest/ king function of Jesus Christ, the Branch. The stone with seven eyes may indicate God's presence with them.

Vision - The Golden Lampstand and the Two Olive Trees

Reference - Chapter 4