Read: Zechariah 1: 1-6
The book of Zechariah is at the same time both obviously similar and strikingly different to all the other minor prophets. At 14 chapters it is one of the two longest books of the minor prophets (Hosea is the other one).
First of all, it has many familiar themes.
Zechariah was a contemporary of Haggai, and he prophesied between 520 and 518 BC. His family are recorded as being among the priests that returned from Exile, so it seems likely that he was a priestly prophet (Nehemiah 12: 16). Like Haggai his major theme was encouragement of the people to get on with the rebuilding of the Temple after the return from Exile. Like most of the other prophets he focuses on Israel’s future choices and possible results. He calls for repentance, spiritual renewal and a return to a right relationship with God. He gives comfort and encouragement. He brings God’s promises of peace, the judgement of the nations, the restoration of Jerusalem and righteousness among God’s people. He also speaks about a future restoration of Israel, the Lord’s return to the Temple and the establishment of God’s Kingdom.
Secondly, some of the book is just plain weird!
Several chapters of Zechariah are written in a style known as apocalyptic literature. In modern usage, apocalypse has come to mean a sudden destructive catastrophe, but in the original language of the Bible it means unveiling, revealing (as in the book of Revelation) disclosure or uncovering.
Often the message is hidden in plain sight, using symbols and code that an angel or spiritual visitor interprets. There’s often a very good reason for this. It is probably dangerous to prophecy the future destruction of a superpower that is currently at the height of its power…for Zechariah this was Persia, that was represented by one of the 4 horns in chapter 1: 18-20.
Apocalyptic literature is notoriously difficult to accurately explain if you are not one of the people for whom it was originally written, making it an interpretative minefield…tread cautiously with confident explanations.
Finally, and this is the striking difference, Zechariah makes more references to the coming Messiah than any other minor prophet. Many of Zechariah’s prophecies were picked up by Jesus and the early church as direct references to his coming into the world as Messiah and Saviour of the whole world.
There are a lot of things to be studied in Zechariah, but I’ve decided that my reflections are going to focus on 6 prophecies from Zechariah that found fulfilment in the coming of Jesus.
See if you can spend some time checking out all the Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled in Jesus. There are lists of Bible references to help you find them on the internet. How do they make you feel?
Pilgrim Traveller 