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The
prophet Zechariah was a
contemporary of Haggai, and started his work about four months after
Haggai. These two prophets were working during the same period of
time, Haggai presenting the facts, and Zechariah presenting the
vision of hope and direction for the future of the Jewish people.
This book is very much like our book of Revelation, and
has
much information that compares with the book of Revelation. While
this book is full of symbols and visions of the events to come,
in this study we will not try to search all the meanings or times as
that would require a much more detailed study. We will simply try to
see the general picture and the vision of hope that is probably the
primary purpose for the work anyway.
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This book, like the book of
Haggai begins with a precise statement of time, so we know with
great accuracy the events surrounding this work. Perhaps the most
important lesson of the whole book is 'the word of the Lord came'.
The concept is the most repeated declaration of the book. The first
six chapters consist of a group of visions that are word pictures
showing God involved with his people. I will not try to make
a list of these, but we will seek to emphasis that in each the
power and authority of the Lord is always taught. The Lord
promises to again make the streets flow with milk and honey. Man
is also directed to be still and provide pure worship to Jehovah.
The 3rd chapter states that obedience is to be required of those
to whom the Lord will give the government. In the latter part of
the 5th chapter we see a great evil being sent to rest in
Babylon, and in the early part of the 6th chapter we see the
spirit of the Lord rest in the land of the north.
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Chapter 7 is one
of the most teachable lessons explaining the goals of
righteousness that God has for man. The emphasis is justice and
mercy instead of feasting and fasting. Chapter 8 continues with the emphasis of speaking the truth to one another,
and promises that the Lord will be present and bless his people.
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Chapter 9 thru the end
of the book is a selection of Messianic prophesy that speaks in
visions of the time when Jesus will come, and the power and wonder
of that time. The word pictures seem to me to be intended to show
us those times thru the eyes of the Lord. In this way we may learn
much about the wonder and purpose of the time, yet the visions may
not be readily interpreted through our eyes. This section of the book
can be a tremendous encouragement for us to be faithful to the
Lord, yet if we try to build doctrines from it we may only create
problems. The beginning words of chapter 10 and 12, are
the giant lessons of these chapters. Man must certainly know where
to go for authority if he is to have real success in his life.
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