Sixteen years after the Jews returned from their exile in Babylon and had begun rebuilding the temple, their task remained only half completed. God commissioned Zechariah to encourage the people in Jerusalem to take responsibility for their unfinished work. Both a prophet and a priest, Zechariah sought to motivate his countrymen to resume construction on the house of the Lord by reminding them of its future importance. He explained that the temple must be rebuilt, for one day the Messiah’s glory would inhabit it. With that as their motivation, they could enter into the project with wholehearted zeal.
While Zechariah and his colleague Haggai prophesied regarding the same issue—the unfinished temple—they employed different methods to communicate the message. Haggai reprimanded the people for their lethargy, self-interest, and disobedience (Hag. 1:3–11), while Zechariah sought to challenge and encourage them. God inspired both approaches and, as is seen often in Scripture, used the dual themes of the negative consequences of disobedience and the positive blessings of submission to His will to motivate His people to willing obedience.
Zechariah contains a number of important messianic prophecies, including the Messiah’s coming into Jerusalem on what we know as Palm Sunday (9:9); the amount of money paid to the betrayer of the Messiah (11:12, 13); the death of Christ and the scattering of His disciples (13:7); and the rule of Christ at His return (14:3–9).
The Hebrew name of the prophet, Zekar-yah, means “Yahweh remembers” or “Yahweh has remembered.” This theme of divine remembrance dominates the whole Book of Zechariah: Israel will be blessed because Yahweh remembers the covenant He made with their fathers. The Greek and Latin version of the prophet’s name is Zacharias.
Theme: God equips and strengthens us to do the work He calls us to do.
Author: Zechariah.
Time: Zechariah began his prophetic ministry shortly after Haggai (c. 520 B.C.).
Structure: The first eight chapters of Zechariah focus on the importance of finishing the temple. The final six chapters focus on promises regarding the messianic kingdom to come.
As you read Zechariah, watch for the life principles that play an important role in this book:
1. Our intimacy with God—His highest priority for our lives—determines the impact of our lives. See Zechariah 7:5.
21. Obedience always brings blessing. See Zechariah 8:9.
25. God blesses us so that we might bless others. See Zechariah 8:13.
24. To live the Christian life is to allow Jesus to live His life in and through us. See Zechariah 10:12.