Zechariah calls the people to spiritual renewal. And he calls them to rebuild the temple. He reveals the future of Israel.

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14

RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize

SUMMARY

Title

The book is named for its author.

Author

The name “Zechariah” means “the LORD remembers.”

Zechariah was born in Babylon. He was born a Levite. He was a contemporary of the prophet Haggai.

He returned to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon with almost 50,000 other Jewish exiles.

Date

Zechariah’s ministry began on October 27, 520 BC.

Purpose

The Babylonian Empire destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC.

The Jewish people were marched to Babylon to be exiles. They were without the temple, and without sacrifices.

Many years later, in 538 BC, Cyrus the Great, king of Persia, defeated Babylon. He authorized nearly 50,000 Jewish people to return to Jerusalem.

They were led by Zerubbabel, and accompanied by Joshua the high priest and the Prophets Haggai and Zechariah.

Soon, they rebuilt altar for burnt offerings and resumed the Levitical sacrifices. In the second year of their return, they laid the foundation of the temple.

However, harassment from the Samaritans, combined with eventual pressure from Persia, brought a halt to the rebuilding of the temple.

Spiritual apathy set in. For about 16 more years, the construction of the temple was discontinued.

Two months after Haggai delivered his first sermon, Zechariah began his prophetic ministry.

He called the people to spiritual renewal. And he called them to rebuild the temple. He did those things by revealing the LORD God’s plans for the future of Israel.

The Book of Zechariah is the most messianic book of the Old Testament. (see Note 1)

It is frequently cited by the New Testament authors. The New Testament either cites or alludes to Zechariah 41 times (see Note 2)

NOTES

Note 1. See George L. Robinson, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1956, 5:3136.

Note 2. Eberhard Nestle and Kurt Aland, eds., Novum Testamentum Graece. New York: American Bible Society, 1950, pp. 670-1.

OUTLINE

NINE VISIONS

Zechariah 1:7-17. The Red Horse

Zechariah 1:18-21. The Four Horns and the Four Craftsmen

Zechariah 2:1-13. The surveyor with a measuring line

Zechariah 3:1-10. Joshua the High Priest

Zechariah 4:1-14. The golden lamp stand and two olive trees

Zechariah 5:1-4. The flying scroll

Zechariah 5:5-8. The basket of wickedness

Zechariah 5:9-10. The two women

Zechariah 6:1-15. The Four Chariots

FOUR MESSAGES

Zechariah 7:1-3. Zechariah is given four messages

Zechariah 7:4-7. A message of rebuke

Zechariah 7:8-14. A message of repentance

Zechariah 8:1-17. Restoration is on the way

Zechariah 8:18-23. Rejoicing is on the way

TWO ORACLES

THE FIRST ADVENT OF THE MESSIAH

Zechariah 9:1-8. Judgments on the nations surrounding Israel

Zechariah 9:9. The arrival of the Prince of Peace

Zechariah 9:10. The Messiah will establish peace

Zechariah 9:11-17. The Messiah will deliver Israel

Zechariah 10:1-5. The Messiah will destroy false shepherds

Zechariah 10:1-6-12. The Messiah will regather all Israel

Zechariah 11:1-14. Devastation is on the way

Zechariah 11:15-17. Consequences of rejecting the True Shepherd

THE SECOND ADVENT OF THE MESSIAH

Zechariah 12:1-9. The LORD God will rescue Israel

Zechariah 12:1-14. People will mourn the killing of the Messiah

Zechariah 13:1-6. The fountain of grace will flow anew

Zechariah 13:7-9. The True Shepherd

Zechariah 14:1-3. The world will attack Jerusalem

Zechariah 14:4-5. The Deliverer returns

Zechariah 14:6-21. The Messianic kingdom is established

MEMORIZE

Zechariah 4:6. Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit says the LORD Almighty. (NIV translation)

Zechariah 8:8. I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God. (NIV translation)

Zechariah 8:22. Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to implore the favor of the LORD. (NAB translation)

Zechariah 8:23. Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men of every nationality, speaking different tongues, shall take hold, yes, take hold of every Jew by the edge of his garment and say, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you. (NAB translation)

Great verses to memorize from the entire Bible

ZECHARIAH