INTRODUCTION

Zechariah prophesied during the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem after their 70-year captivity by the Babylonians (about 520BC). His prophecy concides with that of Haggai.

In 538BC, according to Cyrus' decree, some 50,000 Jews returned.
In 536BC, they "laid the foundation" of the temple.
Opposition came, and the work stopped for 14 years.
But in 521BC, when Darius Hystapes took over, he confirmed that Darius' decree was valid. It was at this time Haggai and Zechariah were instruments of God to encourage the continuation of building the temple.
In 516BC, the temple was completed.

The first 6 chapters of Zechariah give record of visions for encouragement.
Chapter 7 deals with questions concerning feasts and fasting.
Chapter 8 is an encouraging word of God's presence.
Then, chapters 9-14 are prophecies for the future.

The difference in subjects between chapters 1-8 and chapters 9-14 are the reason for the difference in style of writing. When an author writes of different subjects, his style is more likely to change for presentation purposes.

CHAPTER 1

1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, 2 The LORD hath been sore displeased with your fathers. 3 Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.

The "second year of Darius" was 520BC. This prophecy came specifically to Zechariah for the people.

The beginning of the message is a call to repentance. God had shown His "sore" displeasure with the nation by allowing them to be taken into captivity for 70 years. Now, He is calling them to "repent," or turn to Him.

God's promise to the people is that He Himself will "turn unto" them if they will repent.

God's promise is always the same concerning repentance. "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you." ( James 4:8) Repentance is the major theme in almost every book of the Bible. God can do nothing with us until we acknowledge Him as God and turn to Him as Lord of our lives. God's desire is to save us and help us, but He will only work with us when we REPENT!

"If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them." (Jer 18:8)
"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:38)
"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;" (Acts 3:19)
"In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matt 3:1-2)
"From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matt 4:17)
"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

Repentance is the act of commitment toward the Lord. It means we are heading toward hell because of our sins, and we "turn around" and start back toward God. OR, it means that save people are headed for chastisement and/or destruction because of sins, and they "turn around" on a path of return to the Lord.

Without that act of commitment, God will do no work in our lives except conviction. You see, repentance is a "change of mind" - where we determine we are going to follow Jesus as Lord. THEN, God can work a "change of heart" by allowing His Holy Spirit to come into our lives and be our Guide. We must FIRST have the "change of mind" before God can work a "change of heart."

4 Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the LORD. 5 Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever? 6 But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned and said, Like as the LORD of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us.

These people to whom Zechariah preached certainly knew that their forefathers had not repented and turned to the Lord. As a result, God's "Word" took "hold" on them, and God had destroyed them just as He had promised: "Your fathers, where are they?"

What God had prophesied through His prophets (the Babylonian captivity) had surely happened just as He said (vs 6). We ARE God's created beings, and He can do what He wills with us.

God has prophesied that continued sin (rebellion from Him as Master of our lives) ends in spiritual death: "For the wages of sin is death;.." (Romans 6:23A)
God created us for submission to and fellowship with Him. That is our PURPOSE of BEING! Any rebellion from that purpose is SIN.

There is hope, though, in the little word "but!" Romans 6:23 continues with "BUT the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
God has provided a PLAN by which all sinners can be saved. That plan is submission of their lives to Him as Lord and savior, and surrender to His Lordship in our lives.

Next, begins a section of 8 visions which obviously were given to Zechariah in the same night, on the 24th day of the 11th month of the 2nd year of Darius (520BC).

VISION OF HORSES AND RIDERS (vss 7-17)

7 Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, 8 I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white. 9 Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be. 10 And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth. 11 And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest. 12 Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years? 13 And the LORD answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words. 14 So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy. 15 And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction. 16 Therefore thus saith the LORD; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the LORD of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem. 17 Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the LORD shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.

The "man" Who rides the "red horse" (vs 7) is obviously the Lord, Jehovah - Jesus. He is called "the angel of the LORD" (vs 11). One must note that the angels riding other horses "answered" this "man" (vs 11). Note that He is riding a "red horse" symbolizing war. The Lord is Captain of the hosts (Joshua 5:14). He is the ultimate Conqueror of all enemies.

There is also an angel who talks with Zechariah. It is his job to make the visions clear (vs 9).

The message that the angels give to the Lord is that the earth is "still, and is at rest." There's no war going on. Actually in over 6,000 years of history, the earth has seen less than 200 years of peace. Darius' reign began with the turmoil of war, but at this time all the nations have been subdued.

God's "word" to Zechariah is one of comfort (vs 13).
First, He speaks of His jealousy for Jerusalem. The Hebrew word is qana' (kaw' naw), which generally means to be zealous because of desire. God has a great desire for Jerusalem because it is the place from which He will rule all nations in the millenium.
Second, He speaks of his displeasure with the nations that "are at ease." God had indeed used them to chastise Israel, but the nations had carried out His will with grievous anger and spiteful treatment.
Third, God says He has "returned" to Jerusalem with spiritual force. His return is marked with "mercies," and and His "house" will be built there.
Fourth, God speaks of His protection of Jerusalem. He will cause the city to be restored and will bring"prosperity" to the people.
Fifth, the Lord says He will continue to "comfort" Zion, and will make that place His certain choice.

God will certainly conquer all enemies against Him. But today, God is offering peace through surrender to His Lordship. And He will certainly comfort to those who do surrender to Him.

VISIONS OF HORNS AND CARPENTERS

18 Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns. 19 And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What be these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. 20 And the LORD shewed me four carpenters. 21 Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.

Now Zechariah sees two things in another vision.

First, he sees 4 "horns." I believe the symbolism here is yet uncaptured. Some say they symbolize forces of evil which come from the four directions of the earth. Some say these horns represent the forces of the major powers in the earth: Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome. All of those persecuted Jews. If there is a specific reference to which this symbolism can relate, I'm not aware of it. However, we may suffice to say that these "horns" represent all the foes of God and His people.

Second, Zechariah sees four "carpenters." These are skilled workers, and their job is to "fray" the "horns."

Notice there are 4 horns and 4 carpenters. For every enemy of God, there is a corresponding force which anihilates it or them.

If we "repent" and turn to God, He promises to turn His mercies toward us. His care and comfort toward us are born out of His mercies. One day, and I believe soon, God will destroy ALL His enemies, and the enemies of His people.

These are comforting thoughts received from God's Word!

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.