Zechariah 1:1-6 Introduction to Zechariah

Daniel and Zechariah are two prophetic books essential to understanding Revelation.  Daniel is well-known; Zechariah is often not so high on the reading list of the saints, much to their loss.  Zechariah is filled with profound references to the Lord Jesus Christ and that is always good reading!

Zechariah the son of Berechiah was a post-exilic prophet along with Haggai used by God to stimulate the people to complete the building of the temple.  Their ministries were side-by-side in 520BC, although Zechariah’s prophecies continued after the temple was completed.  Note the historical context.

Timeline for Zechariah

Year	Event
721	Assyria Captures Israel
606	1st siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar
597	2nd siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar
586	3rd siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar
539	Medes-Persians defeat Babylonians
536	Cyrus decrees return of the Jews
535	Temple foundation laid, work stops
520	Haggai, Zechariah prophesy
516	Temple completed

Dates for the Rebuilding Temple

Year	Scrip.	Event
535	Ez3:7-10	Foundation laid
	Ez4:5	Work stops
520	Ez4:24; 5:1-2	Ministry of Haggai, Zechariah.
	Ez5:3-17	Neighboring nations object to rebuilding.
	Ez6:1-5	Search for Cyrus' decree
	Ez6:7-12	Neighboring nations defeated legally.
518	Zech 7-8	Zechariah deals with question of fasting.
516	Ez6:15	Temple completed

Relation of Haggai, Zechariah

Year	Mo	Day	Event
520	6	1	Haggai call to build, 1:1
		24	Building begins, Hg. 1:14f
	7	21	Haggai encourages, 2:1
	8		Zech's opening words, 1:1-6
	9	24	Haggai 3rd, 4th messages, 2:10,20
	11	24	Zech's visions, 1:7-6:15

Haggai’s written record is very directly associated with encouraging the people to build but also includes the Messianic prophecy of the glory of the Second Temple.  Zechariah’s is more far-reaching as God uses him to stimulate Messianic hope with prophecies that are fulfilled in both the first and second comings of Christ.  Here is an outline.

·        Ch. 1-6: Visions (8 visions to comfort Jerusalem; for the present work)

·        Ch. 7-8: Answers (answers concerning fasting; for past traditions)

·        Ch. 9-14: Burdens (prophecies concerning the end times; for future hope)

The name Zechariah means God remembers.  This is the message of this book.  In the post-exilic time, when the nation is small and seemingly insignificant, rules by the Medes and Persians, the word of hope is that God has not forgotten His people.  God remembers!