“Fear Not, but Let Your Hands Be Strong”
Have you ever had a strange dream? One filled with images that were maybe startling or disturbing? Zechariah is a book that has several night visions filled with images that are strange and similar to other apocalyptic imagery in books like Ezekiel and Revelation. In Ezra 5:1-2, we are told that both Zechariah and Haggai were prophets who helped push the people to complete the work on the temple. Their visions had important messages to share about either the current state of the people or a future promise.
Zechariah appears to be part of a family of priests based on Ezra 5:1 and Nehemiah 12:16. Most likely, this would have made the completion of the temple even more important to Zechariah, and he would have had the background to speak about the temple in a very specific way. Zechariah is the longest of the minor prophets and has a unique layout with the visions he experienced at the beginning of the book and very specific Messianic prophecies at the end of the book.
The book opens with an introduction of the prophet warning the people to turn from their evil ways and remember what happened to their ancestors. The people do repent, and this seems like a good sign, but later in the book, we will be left to wonder if this was a true change of heart in the people. The first chapter includes a vision of four horsemen on patrol and another vision of four horns and four blacksmiths. The first vision represents the Lord’s patrol of the earth, and the second represents the nations who rose up against Judah and Israel and the Persians who scattered these nations.
In the second chapter, Zechariah sees a vision of a man with a measuring line representing the new Jerusalem. In the third and fourth chapters, there are visions around Joshua, the high priest, and Zerubbabel, a descendent of David. These two men represent the leaders of the exiles and point to the Messiah to come.
In chapter five, there is a vision of a flying scroll that goes around cleaning out all who break the law representing the new Jerusalem that will be purified by the scripture. The second vision is of a woman in a basket (who is Wickedness) that is carried away to the land of Shinar which reflects on the captivity of Judah due to their rebellion against God.
Finally, in chapter six, there are two final visions. The first is four chariots, again representing God’s patrol of the earth. The second is of Joshua, the high priest, being given a crown, clearly pointing to the future Messiah who will be both Priest and King.
Chapters seven and eight have the people coming to ask Zechariah if they should continue to weep and abstain as they have done for many years, but Zechariah turns the question back on them and asks if they are ready to be faithful to God. Are they ready to do these things FOR God and not for themselves? He again calls them to obey and complete the work and they will be blessed.
The book takes a clear turn then in chapters nine through fourteen. The language becomes poetic and includes Messianic imagery. The new King is described as humble and riding on a donkey coming into Jerusalem, and then in chapter eleven, He is described as a Shepherd who is rejected by the leaders and the people. In chapters twelve through fourteen, God states He will pour out His spirit on the inhabitants of this new kingdom (12:10), the idolatry will be stopped, and the coming of the Lord is described. In fact, this new Jerusalem is described as a new Eden with a river of life flowing out from the city and all nations coming to this new kingdom.
Zechariah’s message is one of both warning and hope – similar to many of the other prophets. He continues to press the people to repent and do the work – both the physical work of building the temple, but more importantly, the spiritual work of building their lives on the foundation of God. He reminds them of the consequences of sin – both from examples of the past and what they may be in their time and the future. However, it is also a message of hope and how God keeps His promises, even when we are not faithful. The question Zechariah presents to the people of his time is still the same question to us – are we willing to be faithful to God and have a heart that is ready to serve in His kingdom, or are we ultimately serving ourselves? Can we take comfort in knowing the Lord will return, or will we be plagued because we won’t submit to His kingship?
