35. Zechariah

   
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35. ZECHARIAH

I. OUTLINE

1. Call to Repent. 1:1-6.

2. Visions of Zechariah. 1:7-6:8.

A. Four Horsemen. 1:7-17.

B. Four Horns. 1:18-21.

C. Angel with Measuring Line. 2:1-5.

D. Call to the Exiles. 2:6-13.

E. About Joshua. 3:1-10.

F. Lampstand and Olive Trees. 4:1-14.

G. Flying Scroll. 5:1-4.

H. Woman in the Measure. 5:5-11.

I. The Four Chariots. 6:1-8.

3. Symbolic Crowning of Zerubbabel. 6:9-15.

4. Deputation from Bethel. 7:1-8:23.

A. The Inquiry. 7:1-3.

B. Zechariah's Reply. 7:4-8:23.

5. The Coming of the Greeks. 9:1-17.

6. Restoration of Scattered Israel. 10:1-12.

7. Parable of the Shepherds. 11:1-17.

8. Visions of Israel's Future. 12:1-14:20.

II. AUTHORSHIP

1. Zechariah was a contemporary of Haggai. Haggai was an old man; Zechariah a young man.

2. Zechariah taught from 520 to 518 B.C. He began to teach during the last month of Haggai's ministry.

3. He was a priest as well as a prophet.

4. Zechariah was author of the first eight chapters, though they were later subjected to some editing.

5. The Second Zechariah, of unknown identity, formulated Chapters 9 to 14.

6. The First Zechariah wrote during the Persian period; the Second Zechariah during the later Greek period (in the third century).

7. He continued the work of Haggai as regarded the urge to rebuild the temple and exclude the Samaritans.

III. THE BOOK

1. The three main sections of the first part:

A. The call to repentance.

B. The eight visions.

C. Coming of the Messianic age.

2. The eight visions:

A. The four horsemen.

B. Four horns and four smiths.

C. Angel with measuring line.

D. Acquittal of Joshua.

E. Seven-branched lamp stand and the two olive trees.

F. The flying scroll.

G. Woman and the measure.

H. The four chariots.

3. Zechariah fully believed that the Messianic age was about to dawn. He regarded Zerubbabel as being of the "seed of David" and as about to occupy the "throne of David."

4. But the secret police of Darius, getting wind of such things, soon hurried Zerubbabel off the stage of action.

5. The last half of the book seems to pertain to the times of Alexander the Great.

6. Yahweh is getting farther and farther away from the prophets. Formerly they talked directly to Yahweh. Now God only speaks in visions, which are interpreted by angels.

7. The book of Zechariah introduces two almost new concepts:

A. Angelology. Angels attain new heights of importance.

B. Satan. He first appears as a personality.

8. The interpretation of the eight visions had, in general, to do with the coming of the Messianic kingdom.

9. Zechariah is quoted often in the New Testament. The episodes associated with Zechariah are:

A. Triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Zech 9:9. Matt 21:5. John 12:15.

B. Betrayal for 30 pieces of silver. Zech 11:12,13. Matt 27:9,10.

(This is incorrectly ascribed to Jeremiah.)

C. The pierced hands. Zech 12:10. John 19:37.

D. The smitten shepherd. Zech 13:7. Matt 26:31. Mark 14:27.

IV. ZECHARIAH AND OLD TESTAMENT RELIGION

1. Along with Haggai, he was foremost in the rebuilding of the temple.

2. He was also a strong influence in keeping up enmity against the Samaritans.

3. He was the first prophet actually to proclaim the Messianic age, which takes definite form as a future hope of the Jews.

4. He proclaimed that he had had a direct revelation from Yahweh-a new experience for post-exilic prophets.

5. He established the technique of "visions" as a new and more common method for Yahweh to reveal himself to prophets.

6. Angelology, introduced by Ezekiel, is now an established feature in Hebrew theology.

7. Satan finds his place in all later-day Jewish religion.

8. The gentiles are to share in the glory of the rule of the Messiah over all the world.

9. But Israel must be cleansed from all sin and iniquity.

10. And it was in fulfillment of these conditions that John the Baptist came preaching repentance, baptism, and the kingdom of heaven.

V. SELECTED TEXTS

1. The apple of his eye. "He who touches you touches the apple of his eye." 2:8.

2. The brand plucked from the burning. "Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. And the Lord said to Satan, 'The Lord rebuke you, O Satan!...Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?'" 3:1,2.

3. Not by might or power. "Then he said to me...'Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the Lord of hosts." 4:6.

4. His people. "'And they shall be my people and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.'" 8:8.

5. Promoting peace. "'Speak truth to one another, render...judgments that are true and make for peace, do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, says the Lord.'" 8:16,17.

6. The king riding on a colt. "Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on an ass, on a colt.'" 9:9.

7. Man's spirit. "Thus says the Lord, who stretched out the heavens and founded the earth and formed the spirit of man within him." 12:1.

8. Him whom they pierced. "'So that, when they look on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him.'" 12:10.

9. Wounded in house of a friend. "'"What are these wounds on your back?" He will say, "The wounds I received in the house of my friends."'" 13:6.

10. God and his angels. "The Lord your God will come, and all the holy ones with him." 14:5.

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