September 18, 2025
A Future Hope
Zechariah 6-10
Seth Reich
Big Book Idea
Remember, God will ultimately fulfill his promises to Israel through Christ.
Key Verse | Zechariah 9:9-10
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
and the war horse from Jerusalem;
and the battle bow shall be cut off,
and he shall speak peace to the nations;
his rule shall be from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
Zechariah 6-10
Chapter 6
A Vision of Four Chariots
1 Again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four chariots came out from between two mountains. And the mountains were mountains of bronze. 2 The first chariot had red horses, the second black horses, 3 the third white horses, and the fourth chariot dappled horses—all of them strong. 1 6:3 Or and the fourth chariot strong dappled horses 4 Then I answered and said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” 5 And the angel answered and said to me, “These are going out to the four winds of heaven, after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth. 6 The chariot with the black horses goes toward the north country, the white ones go after them, and the dappled ones go toward the south country.” 7 When the strong horses came out, they were impatient to go and patrol the earth. And he said, “Go, patrol the earth.” So they patrolled the earth. 8 Then he cried to me, “Behold, those who go toward the north country have set my Spirit at rest in the north country.”
The Crown and the Temple
9 And the word of the LORD came to me: 10 “Take from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon, and go the same day to the house of Josiah, the son of Zephaniah. 11 Take from them silver and gold, and make a crown, and set it on the head of Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. 12 And say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD. 13 It is he who shall build the temple of the LORD and shall bear royal honor, and shall sit and rule on his throne. And there 2 6:13 Or he shall be a priest on his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”’ 14 And the crown shall be in the temple of the LORD as a reminder to Helem, 3 6:14 An alternate spelling of Heldai (verse 10) Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen the son of Zephaniah.
15 And those who are far off shall come and help to build the temple of the LORD. And you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. And this shall come to pass, if you will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.”
Chapter 7
A Call for Justice and Mercy
1 In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Chislev. 2 Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-melech and their men to entreat the favor of the LORD, 3 saying to the priests of the house of the LORD of hosts and the prophets, “Should I weep and abstain in the fifth month, as I have done for so many years?”
4 Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me: 5 “Say to all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted? 6 And when you eat and when you drink, do you not eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves? 7 Were not these the words that the LORD proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and prosperous, with her cities around her, and the South and the lowland were inhabited?’”
8 And the word of the LORD came to Zechariah, saying, 9 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, 10 do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.” 11 But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear. 4 7:11 Hebrew and made their ears too heavy to hear 12 They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the LORD of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great anger came from the LORD of hosts. 13 “As I 5 7:13 Hebrew he called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear,” says the LORD of hosts, 14 “and I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations that they had not known. Thus the land they left was desolate, so that no one went to and fro, and the pleasant land was made desolate.”
Chapter 8
The Coming Peace and Prosperity of Zion
1 And the word of the LORD of hosts came, saying, 2 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath. 3 Thus says the LORD: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts, the holy mountain. 4 Thus says the LORD of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of great age. 5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. 6 Thus says the LORD of hosts: If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my sight, declares the LORD of hosts? 7 Thus says the LORD of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country, 8 and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.”
9 Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Let your hands be strong, you who in these days have been hearing these words from the mouth of the prophets who were present on the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built. 10 For before those days there was no wage for man or any wage for beast, neither was there any safety from the foe for him who went out or came in, for I set every man against his neighbor. 11 But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, declares the LORD of hosts. 12 For there shall be a sowing of peace. The vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew. And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. 13 And as you have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong.”
14 For thus says the LORD of hosts: “As I purposed to bring disaster to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the LORD of hosts, 15 so again have I purposed in these days to bring good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; fear not. 16 These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; 17 do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the LORD.”
18 And the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, 19 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: The fast of the fourth month and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah seasons of joy and gladness and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace.
20 Thus says the LORD of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities. 21 The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD and to seek the LORD of hosts; I myself am going.’ 22 Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD. 23 Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”
Chapter 9
Judgment on Israel's Enemies
1
The oracle of the word of the LORD is against the land of Hadrach
and Damascus is its resting place.
For the LORD has an eye on mankind
and on all the tribes of Israel,
6
9:1
Or For the eye of mankind, especially of all the tribes of Israel, is toward the LORD
2
and on Hamath also, which borders on it,
Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise.
3
Tyre has built herself a rampart
and heaped up silver like dust,
and fine gold like the mud of the streets.
4
But behold, the Lord will strip her of her possessions
and strike down her power on the sea,
and she shall be devoured by fire.
5
Ashkelon shall see it, and be afraid;
Gaza too, and shall writhe in anguish;
Ekron also, because its hopes are confounded.
The king shall perish from Gaza;
Ashkelon shall be uninhabited;
6
a mixed people
7
9:6
Or a foreign people; Hebrew a bastard
shall dwell in Ashdod,
and I will cut off the pride of Philistia.
7
I will take away its blood from its mouth,
and its abominations from between its teeth;
it too shall be a remnant for our God;
it shall be like a clan in Judah,
and Ekron shall be like the Jebusites.
8
Then I will encamp at my house as a guard,
so that none shall march to and fro;
no oppressor shall again march over them,
for now I see with my own eyes.
The Coming King of Zion
9
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
10
I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
and the war horse from Jerusalem;
and the battle bow shall be cut off,
and he shall speak peace to the nations;
his rule shall be from sea to sea,
and from the River
8
9:10
That is, the Euphrates
to the ends of the earth.
11
As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you,
I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.
12
Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope;
today I declare that I will restore to you double.
13
For I have bent Judah as my bow;
I have made Ephraim its arrow.
I will stir up your sons, O Zion,
against your sons, O Greece,
and wield you like a warrior's sword.
The LORD Will Save His People
14
Then the LORD will appear over them,
and his arrow will go forth like lightning;
the Lord God will sound the trumpet
and will march forth in the whirlwinds of the south.
15
The LORD of hosts will protect them,
and they shall devour, and tread down the sling stones,
and they shall drink and roar as if drunk with wine,
and be full like a bowl,
drenched like the corners of the altar.
16
On that day the LORD their God will save them,
as the flock of his people;
for like the jewels of a crown
they shall shine on his land.
17
For how great is his goodness, and how great his beauty!
Grain shall make the young men flourish,
and new wine the young women.
Chapter 10
The Restoration for Judah and Israel
1
Ask rain from the LORD
in the season of the spring rain,
from the LORD who makes the storm clouds,
and he will give them showers of rain,
to everyone the vegetation in the field.
2
For the household gods utter nonsense,
and the diviners see lies;
they tell false dreams
and give empty consolation.
Therefore the people wander like sheep;
they are afflicted for lack of a shepherd.
3
“My anger is hot against the shepherds,
and I will punish the leaders;
9
10:3
Hebrew the male goats
for the LORD of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah,
and will make them like his majestic steed in battle.
4
From him shall come the cornerstone,
from him the tent peg,
from him the battle bow,
from him every ruler—all of them together.
5
They shall be like mighty men in battle,
trampling the foe in the mud of the streets;
they shall fight because the LORD is with them,
and they shall put to shame the riders on horses.
6
I will strengthen the house of Judah,
and I will save the house of Joseph.
I will bring them back because I have compassion on them,
and they shall be as though I had not rejected them,
for I am the LORD their God and I will answer them.
7
Then Ephraim shall become like a mighty warrior,
and their hearts shall be glad as with wine.
Their children shall see it and be glad;
their hearts shall rejoice in the LORD.
8
I will whistle for them and gather them in,
for I have redeemed them,
and they shall be as many as they were before.
9
Though I scattered them among the nations,
yet in far countries they shall remember me,
and with their children they shall live and return.
10
I will bring them home from the land of Egypt,
and gather them from Assyria,
and I will bring them to the land of Gilead and to Lebanon,
till there is no room for them.
11
He shall pass through the sea of troubles
and strike down the waves of the sea,
and all the depths of the Nile shall be dried up.
The pride of Assyria shall be laid low,
and the scepter of Egypt shall depart.
12
I will make them strong in the LORD,
and they shall walk in his name,”
declares the LORD.
Footnotes
[1] 6:3 Or and the fourth chariot strong dappled horses[2] 6:13 Or he
[3] 6:14 An alternate spelling of Heldai (verse 10)
[4] 7:11 Hebrew and made their ears too heavy to hear
[5] 7:13 Hebrew he
[6] 9:1 Or For the eye of mankind, especially of all the tribes of Israel, is toward the LORD
[7] 9:6 Or a foreign people; Hebrew a bastard
[8] 9:10 That is, the Euphrates
[9] 10:3 Hebrew the male goats
Table of Contents
Introduction to Zechariah
Timeline
Author and Date
Zechariah was a prophet and a priest. He began his ministry in 520 B.C., shortly after Haggai had begun his prophetic work.
Background
Nearly 20 years after returning from the Babylonian exile in the time of Cyrus (538 B.C.), God’s people were discouraged. The foundation of the temple had been laid shortly after the initial return, in 536 B.C., but powerful opposition had prevented any further progress on rebuilding the temple. And, there was little evidence of the kind of spiritual renewal that the earlier prophets had anticipated. Jewish sovereignty had not been restored. A moral reformation of the people had not occurred. Jerusalem was still only partially rebuilt and had no significance among the surrounding nations. Under the circumstances, many people concluded that theirs was a “day of small things” (4:10) in which God was absent from his people. Many viewed faithful obedience as useless. It seemed to make more sense to forget God and to pursue the best life possible.
Key Themes
- The need for turning to the Lord in repentance (1:1–6) and serving him with sincerity (ch. 7).
- The Lord’s concern and care for his people’s difficulties (1:8–17; 4:10).
- Jerusalem’s future expansion and blessing (2:4, 12; 8:1–8; 14:16).
- The complete and permanent removal of the people’s sin (chs. 3; 5), and the removal of false prophecy and idolatry from the land (13:2–6).
- The importance of the temple as the source of God’s blessing (ch. 4).
- The Lord’s wrath at the nations that plundered Judah and Jerusalem (1:18–21; 14:3–5).
- The Divine Warrior’s return to terrorize Israel’s foes (9:1–8), and the coming of the Branch, a Davidic ruler who will save his people, cleanse their sins, and establish peace (3:8; 6:9–15; 9:9–10).
- The pouring out of God’s Spirit, resulting in repentance and the opening of a fountain for the cleansing of sin (12:10–13:1).
- Judgment on the wicked shepherds of God’s people and their replacement by a good shepherd (11:1–17).
- The striking of the good shepherd and the scattering of the flock (13:7–9).
- The Lord’s final triumph over the nations (ch. 14).
Outline
- Oracles and Visions (1:1–8:23)
- The Return of the King (9:1–14:21)
- The first oracle: leaders and their people (9:1–11:17)
- The second oracle: the people and their leaders (12:1–14:21)
The Near East at the Time of Zechariah
c. 520 B.C.
Zechariah prophesied to the people of Judah soon after they had returned from exile in Babylon. Several years earlier, in 539 B.C., Cyrus the Great had conquered Babylon and absorbed its territory into his empire. A year later he permitted the people of Judah to return to their homeland and rebuild the temple. Cyrus and his son Cambyses extended the Persian Empire until it stretched from Egypt and Lydia to the borders of India.
Fact: “Your king is coming.”
“Your king is coming.” In 9:9, Zechariah prophesies about the coming of a future king of Israel. The NT quotes this verse when describing Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey (Matt. 21:5; John 12:15).
Fact: Zechariah in the NT
Zechariah in the NT. Several NT writers quote or allude to the book of Zechariah. One estimate is that 54 passages from Zechariah occur in 67 different places in the NT. Many of these are in Revelation.
Fact: Eight visions
Eight visions. The book of Zechariah has two major sections: chs. 1–8 and chs. 9–14. The first section contains eight visions that describe what God plans to do. Many of the symbols and images in these visions also appear in Revelation.
Fact: Widows, fatherless children, sojourners, and the poor
Widows, fatherless children, sojourners, and the poor were vulnerable members of society (7:10). Treating them justly and kindly matters very much to the Lord, and he will punish those who mistreat them (see Ex. 22:21–24; Deut. 10:18–19).
Fact: When did Israel defeat Greece?
When did Israel defeat Greece? Zechariah predicted that the sons of Zion would someday defeat the sons of Greece (9:13). This is probably a prophecy of the Maccabean revolt in the second century B.C., when the Jews defeated the successors of Alexander the Great who had become their rulers.
The Hebrew Calendar
The Hebrew calendar was composed of 12 lunar months, each of which began when the thin crescent moon was first visible at sunset. They were composed of approximately 29/30 days and were built around the agricultural seasons. Apparently some of the names of the months were changed after the time of Israel’s exile in Babylon (e.g., the first month of Abib changed to Nisan; for dates of the exile, see p. 31). The months of the Hebrew calendar (left column) are compared to the corresponding months of the modern (Gregorian) calendar shown in the center column. Biblical references (in the third column) indicate references to the Hebrew calendar cited in the Bible.
*Periodically, a 13th month was added so that the lunar calendar would account for the entire solar year.
Oracles against the Nations in the Prophets
| Isaiah | Jeremiah | Ezekiel | Joel | Amos | Obadiah | Jonah | Nahum | Zephaniah | Zechariah* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammon | 49:1–6 | 25:1–7 | 1:13–15 | |||||||
| Arabia | 21:13–17 | |||||||||
| Assyria (Nineveh) | 10:5–19; 14:24–27 | (Nineveh) | (Nineveh) | |||||||
| Babylon | 13:1–14:23; 21:1–10; 46:1–47:15 | 50:1–51:64 | 2:9–12? | |||||||
| Damascus | 17:1–6? | 49:23–27 | 1:3–5 | 9:1 | ||||||
| Edom | 21:11–12 | 49:7–22 | 25:12–14 | 1:11–12 | 1–14? | |||||
| Egypt | 18:1–20:6 | 46:2–26 | 29:1–32:32 | |||||||
| Elam | 49:34–39 | |||||||||
| Ethiopia | 2:12–15 | |||||||||
| Gaza | 1:6–8 | 9:5 | ||||||||
| Kedar and Hazor | 49:28–33 | |||||||||
| Lebanon | 11:1–3? | |||||||||
| Moab | 15:1–16:14 | 48:1–47 | 25:8–11 | 2:1–3 | 2:8–11 | |||||
| Philistia | 14:28–32 | 47:1–7 | 25:15–17 | 3:4–8 | 2:5–7 | 9:6 | ||||
| Tyre Sidon | 23:1–18 | 26:1–28:19; 28:20–23 | 3:4–8 | 1:9–10 | 9:2–3 |
*Additional cities /states are denounced in 9:1–8: Hadrach, Aram (v. 1); Ashkelon, Ekron (v. 5); Ashdod (v. 6)
Zechariah Texts Quoted in the New Testament Regarding Jesus’ Ministry
| Zechariah Text | Content Summary | NT Passages |
|---|---|---|
| 9:9 | the king comes to Zion humble and riding a donkey | Matt. 21:5; John 12:15 |
| 11:13 | 30 pieces of silver thrown into the house of the Lord | Matt. 27:9 |
| 12:10 | looking on him whom they have pierced | John 19:37; Rev. 1:7 |
| 13:7 | the shepherd is struck and the sheep scattered | Matt. 26:31; Mark 14:27 |
Zechariah’s Visions
| Vision | Passage | Content Summary | Zechariah’s Question(s) to the Messenger | Promise/Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1:7–17 | Vision of horsemen who “patrol the earth” and report the condition of the earth; the Lord promises to build his house in Jerusalem | What are these, my lord? (v. 9) | The Lord is jealous for Jerusalem and promises that his house will be built there and that the Lord’s cities will overflow with prosperity |
| 2 | 1:18–21 | Vision of four horns and four craftsmen: the horns have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem, and the craftsmen come to terrify and cast down the horns | What are these? (v. 19) What are these coming to do? (v. 21) | The craftsmen will cast down those who have oppressed Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem |
| 3 | 2:1–13 | Vision of a man with a measuring line in his hand who comes to measure Jerusalem | Where are you going? (v. 2) | Jerusalem will be inhabited, and the Lord will be in the midst of his people |
| 4 | 3:1–10 | Vision of Joshua the high priest and the removal of his iniquity as the representative of the people | Joshua the priest will rule the Lord’s house and courts, and the coming of “my servant the Branch” is promised | |
| 5 | 4:1–14 | Vision of a lampstand and two olive trees | What are these, my lord? (v. 4) What are these two olive trees . . . ? (v. 11) | The rebuilding of the temple is charged to Zerubbabel and Joshua and will occur by the power of the Lord |
| 6 | 5:1–4 | Vision of a flying scroll | Covenant curses will come upon the covenant breaker, e.g., the one who steals and the one who swears falsely | |
| 7 | 5:5–11 | Vision of a woman in the basket (ephah), later carried away by two women | What is it? (v. 6) Where are they taking the basket? (v. 10) | “Wickedness”—symbolized by the presence of the woman—will be removed to Babylon (Shinar) |
| 8 | 6:1–8 | Vision of four chariots pulled by strong horses: red, black, white, dappled | What are these, my lord? (v. 4) | The chariots and horses go north (black and white) and south (dappled) to “patrol the earth” |
Zechariah
Zechariah was both a priest and a prophet. He was a member of a prominent family who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel. Like Haggai, who ministered during the same time, Zechariah spoke about the need to rebuild the temple. He reassured Judah that if they would heed the words of the prophets and turn to the Lord, God would bless his people for their faithfulness. God would trouble the nations who were enjoying rest and grant rest to his troubled people, making Jerusalem once again the center of the world. Zechariah also prophesied about the coming of the Messiah. Matthew, Mark, John, Ephesians, and Revelation are among the NT books that quote Zechariah, recognizing Jesus as the fulfillment of his prophecies. (Zechariah 8:1–8)
Zechariah’s Visions
| Vision | Passage | Content Summary | Zechariah’s Question(s) to the Messenger | Promise/Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1:7–17 | Vision of horsemen who “patrol the earth” and report the condition of the earth; the Lord promises to build his house in Jerusalem | What are these, my lord? (v. 9) | The Lord is jealous for Jerusalem and promises that his house will be built there and that the Lord’s cities will overflow with prosperity |
| 2 | 1:18–21 | Vision of four horns and four craftsmen: the horns have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem, and the craftsmen come to terrify and cast down the horns | What are these? (v. 19) What are these coming to do? (v. 21) | The craftsmen will cast down those who have oppressed Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem |
| 3 | 2:1–13 | Vision of a man with a measuring line in his hand who comes to measure Jerusalem | Where are you going? (v. 2) | Jerusalem will be inhabited, and the Lord will be in the midst of his people |
| 4 | 3:1–10 | Vision of Joshua the high priest and the removal of his iniquity as the representative of the people | Joshua the priest will rule the Lord’s house and courts, and the coming of “my servant the Branch” is promised | |
| 5 | 4:1–14 | Vision of a lampstand and two olive trees | What are these, my lord? (v. 4) What are these two olive trees . . . ? (v. 11) | The rebuilding of the temple is charged to Zerubbabel and Joshua and will occur by the power of the Lord |
| 6 | 5:1–4 | Vision of a flying scroll | Covenant curses will come upon the covenant breaker, e.g., the one who steals and the one who swears falsely | |
| 7 | 5:5–11 | Vision of a woman in the basket (ephah), later carried away by two women | What is it? (v. 6) Where are they taking the basket? (v. 10) | “Wickedness”—symbolized by the presence of the woman—will be removed to Babylon (Shinar) |
| 8 | 6:1–8 | Vision of four chariots pulled by strong horses: red, black, white, dappled | What are these, my lord? (v. 4) | The chariots and horses go north (black and white) and south (dappled) to “patrol the earth” |
Zech. 6:6 The “chariots” go in different directions: to Babylon, Assyria, and Persia in the north country and to Egypt in the south country.
Zech. 6:7 The strong horses with their chariots move at God’s command to patrol the earth. They exercise God’s sovereign rule over the whole world.
Zech. 6:1–8 Zechariah’s eighth vision begins with four chariots with horses of different colors (vv. 1–3). The chariots go out from between two mountains . . . of bronze. These four chariots, whose number represents completeness, are pulled by strong horses. God’s army is on the move.
Zech. 6:8 Victory is easily accomplished. God’s Spirit is set . . . at rest in the north country, the former home of his enemies. This indicates the full and final defeat of those who oppose God (compare Deut. 12:10–12).
Zech. 6:11 Joshua, the high priest, is to be crowned with a crown of silver and gold. The precious metals are provided by those “who have arrived from Babylon” (v. 10), which emphasizes the exiles’ place in the community’s future.
Zech. 6:12 Joshua is to be crowned as a symbol of the reality to come. the Branch. See Jer. 33:15. Zechariah repeats Jeremiah’s promise of a king who will build the temple of the LORD.
Zech. 6:13 This king will sit on his throne, with a priest beside him on another throne. Between them both there will be a counsel of peace. They will work together in harmony.
Zech. 6:14 The oracle ends with named exiles. The crown will be stored in the temple of the LORD as a reminder and as an assurance of God’s determination to act in gracious sovereignty, as described.
1:7–6:15 Eight Night Visions and a Sign-act. The eight visions that follow were all received in a single night shortly before the new year, a date often associated in the ancient Near East with temple building.
Zech. 6:9–15 This oracle describes a sign-act that looks forward to the successful rebuilding of the temple.
Zech. 7:1 The ninth month of the fourth year of King Darius is December 518 B.C., two years after Zechariah’s earlier prophecies. The temple work has not yet been completed.
Zech. 7:2–3 The weeping and fasting described here were rituals intended to show repentance in the hope of gaining help from the Lord (see 2 Sam. 12:21–22). Now that the temple was being rebuilt, it was natural to question whether this ritual was still needed. The fifth month was the month in which Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed the Jerusalem temple nearly 70 years earlier.
The Hebrew Calendar
The Hebrew calendar was composed of 12 lunar months, each of which began when the thin crescent moon was first visible at sunset. They were composed of approximately 29/30 days and were built around the agricultural seasons. Apparently some of the names of the months were changed after the time of Israel’s exile in Babylon (e.g., the first month of Abib changed to Nisan; for dates of the exile, see p. 31). The months of the Hebrew calendar (left column) are compared to the corresponding months of the modern (Gregorian) calendar shown in the center column. Biblical references (in the third column) indicate references to the Hebrew calendar cited in the Bible.
*Periodically, a 13th month was added so that the lunar calendar would account for the entire solar year.
Zech. 7:7 The South is the area to the south of Jerusalem, around Beersheba. The lowland is to the west of Jerusalem. Though the original question reflected a ritual concern, the Lord’s response asks a deeper question: “When you fasted and mourned, was it really out of a concern over the loss of my favor?” If they have simply been fasting for selfish reasons, then they have not learned the lesson that the temple’s destruction was intended to teach. Such fasting was a waste of time.
Zech. 7:9–10 The test of true repentance is a life of obedience to God. Obedience includes giving true judgments that show kindness and mercy to the widow and fatherless, the sojourner and the poor.
Fact: Widows, fatherless children, sojourners, and the poor
Widows, fatherless children, sojourners, and the poor were vulnerable members of society (7:10). Treating them justly and kindly matters very much to the Lord, and he will punish those who mistreat them (see Ex. 22:21–24; Deut. 10:18–19).
Zech. 7:12 The law and the words of the former prophets were the two means God used to communicate his will to his people. Yet earlier generations “refused to pay attention” (v. 11), thus causing his anger (1:2).
Zech. 7:1–14 Like the prophets before him, Zechariah emphasizes that religious observance without obedience and justice is empty.
Zech. 7:14 The Lord’s judgment came upon his people like a whirlwind. It scattered them among nations that they had not known and made them as vulnerable as the people they had oppressed.
Zech. 8:4 Old and young, male and female are portrayed as enjoying their new home. This ideal picture implies peace and plenty for everyone. It also contrasts dramatically with the slave labor and poverty that had marked Jerusalem in the recent past.
Zech. 8:6 Such a transformation may seem a marvelous miracle to Zechariah’s hearers, but it is the sort of miracle that the Creator God does routinely (should it also be marvelous in my sight?).
Zech. 8:7 The Lord uses opposite extremes to emphasize the completeness of his salvation. He will save his people from the east country and the west country and thus from everywhere in between.
Zech. 8:8 When the Lord returns to Jerusalem, he will cause his covenant people to live together in faithfulness and in righteousness. The covenant promise and they shall be my people, and I will be their God also occurs in Jer. 31:33 and Ezek. 37:27.
Zech. 8:12–13 With the temple reestablished, the Lord’s attitude toward his people changes. The temple’s reconstruction results in a sowing of peace, which is the blessings of agricultural prosperity and national security promised in Lev. 26:4. The remnant of this people from both the house of Judah and house of Israel will receive the peace that unfaithful Israel never had. They will be a blessing to the nations, fulfilling the Lord’s purpose for them (Gen. 12:2).
Zech. 8:15 good. The Lord’s commitment to bless this new generation should free them from fear. It should motivate them to a new obedience characterized by truth, justice, and grace.
Zech. 8:19 Formerly, the people fasted in the fourth month, when their enemies had entered Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:3–4; Jer. 39:2; 52:6–7); in the fifth, when the city fell (Jer. 52:12–15); in the seventh, when Gedaliah was assassinated (2 Kings 25:25); and in the tenth, when the attack on the city had first begun (2 Kings 25:1). In the future, these fast days will become feast days. They will be seasons of joy and gladness celebrating the salvation and transformation that the Lord accomplished for them.
The Hebrew Calendar
The Hebrew calendar was composed of 12 lunar months, each of which began when the thin crescent moon was first visible at sunset. They were composed of approximately 29/30 days and were built around the agricultural seasons. Apparently some of the names of the months were changed after the time of Israel’s exile in Babylon (e.g., the first month of Abib changed to Nisan; for dates of the exile, see p. 31). The months of the Hebrew calendar (left column) are compared to the corresponding months of the modern (Gregorian) calendar shown in the center column. Biblical references (in the third column) indicate references to the Hebrew calendar cited in the Bible.
*Periodically, a 13th month was added so that the lunar calendar would account for the entire solar year.
Zech. 8:20–22 This blessing extends beyond Israel to include the Gentiles: Many peoples and strong nations shall come.
Zech. 1:1–8:23 Oracles and Visions. Zechariah’s sequence of visions in 1:7–6:15 is interrupted by an oracle of restoration (2:6–13) and an oracle identifying the high priest Joshua as the key agent of renewal (6:9–15). The visions demonstrate that God affects all creation, including humanity. The trauma and triumph of Zion’s restoration begin and end the section (1:1–6; 8:1–23).
7:1–8:23 From Fasts to Feasts. This section mentions fasts that commemorate the destruction of Jerusalem, which will be transformed into feasts celebrating its renewal. The renewal gives the people another chance to exhibit a society of justice and love, and to be the means by which light comes to all the world.
Zech. 8:1–23 God is renewing his presence with his people. He is reaffirming his purpose to bless the nations through them.
Zech. 8:23 Ten men represents a complete group from the nations of every tongue who come to Jerusalem because they recognize that God is with his people. This prophecy was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2).
Oracles against the Nations in the Prophets
| Isaiah | Jeremiah | Ezekiel | Joel | Amos | Obadiah | Jonah | Nahum | Zephaniah | Zechariah* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammon | 49:1–6 | 25:1–7 | 1:13–15 | |||||||
| Arabia | 21:13–17 | |||||||||
| Assyria (Nineveh) | 10:5–19; 14:24–27 | (Nineveh) | (Nineveh) | |||||||
| Babylon | 13:1–14:23; 21:1–10; 46:1–47:15 | 50:1–51:64 | 2:9–12? | |||||||
| Damascus | 17:1–6? | 49:23–27 | 1:3–5 | 9:1 | ||||||
| Edom | 21:11–12 | 49:7–22 | 25:12–14 | 1:11–12 | 1–14? | |||||
| Egypt | 18:1–20:6 | 46:2–26 | 29:1–32:32 | |||||||
| Elam | 49:34–39 | |||||||||
| Ethiopia | 2:12–15 | |||||||||
| Gaza | 1:6–8 | 9:5 | ||||||||
| Kedar and Hazor | 49:28–33 | |||||||||
| Lebanon | 11:1–3? | |||||||||
| Moab | 15:1–16:14 | 48:1–47 | 25:8–11 | 2:1–3 | 2:8–11 | |||||
| Philistia | 14:28–32 | 47:1–7 | 25:15–17 | 3:4–8 | 2:5–7 | 9:6 | ||||
| Tyre Sidon | 23:1–18 | 26:1–28:19; 28:20–23 | 3:4–8 | 1:9–10 | 9:2–3 |
*Additional cities /states are denounced in 9:1–8: Hadrach, Aram (v. 1); Ashkelon, Ekron (v. 5); Ashdod (v. 6)
Zech. 9:1–8 As in 1:12, the issue is the nations that are wrongfully at rest, and that will now be subject to the Lord’s judgment. Despite all its natural resources, this whole region will experience the fiery judgment of God that will leave it desolate. Yet even from the destruction of those nations, a remnant (9:7) will emerge who will attach themselves to the Lord and become part of his people (see 8:22–23). Thus the Lord will eliminate any future threats to the peace and safety of his house (9:8) and his people.
Zech. 9:9 This campaign against Israel’s enemies ends in the triumphal entry of Israel’s king into Jerusalem. He is described as “righteous,” like the ideal ruler of Psalm 72. He will secure their “salvation” by guaranteeing God’s blessing. He is also humble (compare Deut. 17:18–20), and he comes riding on a donkey. A warrior would ride a horse, so this is the mount of one who brings peace. Jesus fulfills this prophecy during his triumphal entry into Jerusalem (see Matt. 21:5; John 12:5). righteous and having salvation is he. As Jesus enters Jerusalem, this saving work is still to be accomplished.
Zechariah Texts Quoted in the New Testament Regarding Jesus’ Ministry
| Zechariah Text | Content Summary | NT Passages |
|---|---|---|
| 9:9 | the king comes to Zion humble and riding a donkey | Matt. 21:5; John 12:15 |
| 11:13 | 30 pieces of silver thrown into the house of the Lord | Matt. 27:9 |
| 12:10 | looking on him whom they have pierced | John 19:37; Rev. 1:7 |
| 13:7 | the shepherd is struck and the sheep scattered | Matt. 26:31; Mark 14:27 |
Fact: “Your king is coming.”
“Your king is coming.” In 9:9, Zechariah prophesies about the coming of a future king of Israel. The NT quotes this verse when describing Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey (Matt. 21:5; John 12:15).
Zech. 9:10 The Lord will eliminate Israel’s need for traditional instruments of war: chariot, war horse, and battle bow. He will provide universal peace (see Ps. 72:8).
Zech. 9:11 The prisoners, those remaining in exile, will be freed from the waterless pit, a dry well used as a temporary prison (see Gen. 37:24; Jer. 38:6). This salvation comes because of the blood of my covenant, that is, the blood of the sacrifices offered to confirm the covenant (see Ex. 24:8). Because of this covenant bond between God and his people, they should return to Jerusalem, their “stronghold” (Zech. 9:12; see 2:6–7).
Zech. 9:13 The oppressors of the sons of Zion (Israel) are identified as the sons of Greece. God promises to make Zion like a warrior’s sword, defeating the Greeks. This is a predictive prophecy of future events (compare Dan. 8:21). Zechariah was writing between 520 and perhaps 480 B.C., but the Greek ruler Alexander the Great did not conquer Palestine until 333. Then the Jewish people did not successfully rebel against Alexander’s successors until the Maccabean period (roughly 166–142 B.C.). However, the name “Greece” was known at the time of Zechariah, for the Greeks had defeated Persia at the battle of Marathon in 490 B.C. Greece was never an enemy of Israel or a conquering world power, however, until the time of Alexander the Great.
Fact: When did Israel defeat Greece?
When did Israel defeat Greece? Zechariah predicted that the sons of Zion would someday defeat the sons of Greece (9:13). This is probably a prophecy of the Maccabean revolt in the second century B.C., when the Jews defeated the successors of Alexander the Great who had become their rulers.
Zech. 9:15–16 tread down the sling stones. These stones were hurled by slings in battle, but these stones also represent the enemies themselves. Israel’s army will trample them as they move forward to conquer. By contrast, God’s people will be saved like the jewels of a crown.
Zech. 9:1–17 Zechariah tells Judah that its current circumstances are temporary. God will judge their oppressors. He will also send the promised king, who will rule Israel and the nations.
Zech. 9:12–17 The prisoners of war are not the only ones who need to hear the news of the coming king. The day is coming when God will make his people themselves into a weapon against their captors (v. 13). As the Divine Warrior, the Lord will conquer his people’s oppressors in dramatic fashion (vv. 13–14). By destroying their enemies, he will rescue his people and shepherd his flock (v. 16). As his treasured possession, they will never again go hungry and thirsty. They will receive the covenantal blessings of grain and new wine (v. 17).
Zech. 10:2 In the past, the leaders sought help from household gods, like those Rachel stole in Gen. 31:34, or from pagan diviners. Yet these sources offered only empty consolation. They left the people like sheep without a shepherd.
Zech. 10:4 The flock will be transformed from wandering sheep into a majestic warhorse. Their new leadership is described as a cornerstone (a building’s foundation stone; see Isa. 28:16), a tent peg (which provided stability; see Isa. 22:20–23), and a battle bow (representing military power; see Zech. 9:10). The Lord’s presence with these leaders guarantees their victory against all enemies.
Zech. 10:6 The Lord’s people were once like sheep without a shepherd (v. 2). He rejected them because they refused to seek forgiveness for their sin. Now he will have compassion on them. He will complete the restoration begun when he brought Judah back from exile. This restoration will extend beyond Judah to include the house of Joseph, the northern kingdom, which was scattered by the Assyrians in 732, 722, 701, and 671 B.C.
Zech. 10:7 Ephraim was one of the most prominent and centrally located tribes. It represents the entire northern kingdom.
Zech. 10:1–12 In these verses Zechariah describes Judah’s leaders as “shepherds.” The current shepherds are unfaithful and greedy (vv. 1–5), and God must rescue his people from them (vv. 6–12).
Zech. 10:8–12 As a shepherd whistles for his flock, the Lord will whistle to bring his people back from the nations where he scattered them. He will signal Israel’s restoration with the same signal he once used to call Egypt and Assyria to judge Israel (see Isa. 5:26; 7:18). The Lord will pass through the sea of troubles (Zech. 10:11) and strike down the waves of the sea, which represent all the enemy forces.
S4:224 Zechariah 6-10
Listen NowDive Deeper | Zechariah 6-10
Zechariah's name means "Yahweh remembers," but the Hebrew connotes action; effectively, God remembers and is acting. Zechariah was speaking to Israelites who had suffered exile in Babylon and returned to Israel, only to find life was still incredibly hard. Zechariah's message—while filled with strange visions—is meant to provide the Israelites with a future hope in God's plan and to encourage them to participate in God's kingdom on earth, even during those difficult times.
First, we see God's sovereignty and justice over the pains of the past. Chapter 6 begins with a vision of four chariots, going out to the four winds at God's command: "Go." Here, Zechariah reminds the Israelites that God controls every direction the wind blows (i.e., the whole world). The vision also previews God's ultimate justice as two chariots are sent north to deal judgment on Israel's enemies who previously oppressed them.
Second, we see God's promise of hope despite Israel's own disobedience and hardheartedness. The message here can be paraphrased from Zechariah 8:13–15: Fear not, for I purpose to do you good, says the Lord. The Lord provides a vision of a new Jerusalem where men, women, boys, and girls will live in harmony in the city and be a light to the world, seeking truth and peace. Compare with Isaiah 58:1-14 (discussing what true fasting means).
Finally, we see how God will accomplish this promise. A King is coming—the Branch, a descendant of David. In chapter 9, Zechariah tells the Israelites to rejoice for a King will come, humbly on a donkey, to bring salvation and peace to the nations. Unlike those Israelites, we now know how Zechariah's prophecy is fulfilled: Jesus is the promised King. (See Matthew 21:4–9.) Through Jesus, we can take part in God's vision for a new Jerusalem that Zechariah laid out for the Jews. (See Galatians 3:29, "And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.") Be encouraged by what God has promised the Israelites in Zechariah 10:12, "I will make them strong in the LORD, and they shall walk in his name . . . ." It is a promise that ultimately extends to all who belong to Christ.
This month's memory verse
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (NIV)
– Matthew 11:28-30
Discussion Questions
1. In Zechariah's time, it was "a day of small things" when the sins and scars of Israel's exile had some Israelites doubting God's promises and focusing on just trying to seek the best life possible in their difficult circumstances. Do you have any hurts in the past or present that are hindering you from trusting God's sovereignty and justice in your life, whether with the big or the small things? If so, will you lay those hurts at the cross of Jesus who—to satisfy God's demand for justice—died for your sins?
2. In Zechariah, the Lord repeatedly tells the Israelites to "fear not," promising to purpose to do them good so that they can be fearless and strong as they do God's work rebuilding the temple. Are there any fears inhibiting you from doing the work that God has set before you? If so, can you bring those fears to your community so they can pray for your encouragement?
3. Zechariah's message of a future hope was meant to motivate the Jews to participate in God's kingdom on earth, building a new temple, "show[ing] kindness and mercy to one another . . . . lov[ing] truth and peace" (Zechariah 7:9, 8:19). Again, that future hope has come in Christ. Does looking forward to eternal salvation in Christ motivate you to faithful participation in God's kingdom on earth in the here and now?