Zechariah

Historical Background & Purpose of Prophet:

 

Zechariah was a prophet God used to encourage the people to completely finish the temple. Zechariah came from a priestly family, the son of Berechiah and grandson of Iddo, who raised him in Palestine. (Zechariah 1:1) The events taking place in the beginning happened around 520-518. A time when the first return of exiles had been led from Babylon to Jerusalem under Zerubbabel’s leadership and the temple had started to be built. After much persecution and hardship though; they became discouraged. This is why God raised Zechariah up to encourage them to finish. Then, in chapters 9-14 we jump to the time of 480-470, after the temple is built, and Zechariah prophesies about the most glorious infilling of the temple to come: Jesus. Messianic prophesies fill the pages of Zechariah.

God’s character & nature

Zechariah reveals a God who has a magnificent plan and will fulfill it. This can be seen in his plan to rebuild the temple so that Jesus will come and fill it; the ultimate covenant. Jesus is revealed as a servant 4:8), Jesus is revealed as one who wipes away sins (4:9), God is a fair judge, full of mercy, kindness, takes care of widows, orphans, foreigners and the poor and is full of truth. 7:9 In God we find peace, joy and truth. And my favorite of all about Jesus’s character and nature:

“Look, your king is coming to you.

He is righteous and victorious

,yet he is humble, riding on a donkey-

Riding on a donkeys colt.”

Zechariah 9:9

God’s redemptive plan:

We see through the visions and prophesies in Zechariah that God has a redemptive plan for a new covenant where we, the church who believe in Jesus, will be the nation Israel. Within us will be peace everlasting and an indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Messianic prophecies fill Zechariah (9:9-12), as well as prophecies about the Pentecost (12). God’s redemptive plan revealed in Zechariah is sometimes confusing, but all together exciting because we are a part of the nation Israel, redeemed back to God and the fulfillment of many promises in Zechariah.