ZECHARIAH [3 4 AUGUST DAY 216 - 217]
INTRODUCTION
Zechariah means Yahweh remembers. An appropriate name for this prophet who exhorted the people to return to God. Zechariah was the grandson of Iddo, a priest who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel and Joshua (). He was a contemporary of the prophet Haggai, the first postexilic prophet (; ) about 520-518 B.C,
Nearly 20 years after returning from the Babylonian exile in the time of Cyrus (538 B.C.), Gods people were discouraged. The foundation of the temple had been laid shortly after the initial return, in 536 B.C., but powerful opposition had prevented any further progress on rebuilding the temple. Under the circumstances, many people concluded that theirs was a day of small things () in which God was absent from his people. Many viewed faithful obedience as useless. It seemed to make more sense to forget God and to pursue the best life possible.
Zechariah encourages Israel in their mission of rebuilding the temple through a series of prophetic visions and messages of the ultimate restoration and triumph as the fulfilment of God's promises in the coming Kingdom of God with the return of the Messiah.
The Book of Zechariah has two main parts with an interlude.
Chapter 1-7 The Eight Visions in four symmetric forms. The first and eighth (1:8-17; 6:1-6) are the four horse men like rangers patrolling Jerusalem representation of God's attentive watch over the nations, The second and seventh (1:18-21; 5:5-11) show God is against the nations that afflict Israel. The third (2:1-13) and sixth (5:1-4) Jerusalem is measured by a man with a plum line speaks of its extension as a nation join others in worship and the liar and evil will be punished. The fourth (3:1-10) Joshua, the high priest and Zerubbabel, the royal descendant of David symbolizes God's mercy and grace. The 2 olive trees which symbol of God's success is more than political but dependence on the Spirit. The final with Joshua being crowned (6:4-15) symbolized of the future messianic priest-king.
Chapter 8 Fasts to Feasts (an interlude) They came to Zechariah grieving will the kingdom coming soon but he asked if they would be people who ushered in by their repentance and remain faithful.
Chapter 9-14 The Two Oracles, The first, chapter 9 to 11 Images of the messianic Kingdom. The second, chapter 12-14 God will pour out His Spirit over them and they would repent and the all nations will see coming to New Jerusalem.