Who was Zechariah?

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Zechariah’s prophecy began in the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, placing his ministry two months later than that of Haggai. Being in touch with the real needs of his day prompts him to waste no time. 

He immediately confronts the people with the sad facts of history. With a word from the Lord, ‘Turn unto me’, 1:3, he reminds them that a previous generation had been confronted with the same command and had been negligent in their response, 1:4. The word of the Lord would not fail, and proof of this is seen in the land becoming wasted and the fathers dying in disobedience. Zechariah, mindful of history and with a word from the Lord, begs the people not to make the same mistakes as a previous generation but learn history’s lesson so that this generation would be something for God.

God spoke to Zechariah in both visions and dreams, as he awoke and as he slept, by night and by day. 

Zechariah was a man in constant communion with God. His time perspective seems to be longer than Haggai’s; he looks not only at present conditions and present needs but comes to realise God’s absolute plan in dealing with his people. His ministry is similar to Isaiah’s in that he is brought to appreciate the supreme place Christ will have in the days of millennial glory.

He portrays Christ as One coming as the babe from very lowly circumstances on earth to the One who shall bear the glory. Zechariah was a priest whose ministry was changed to that of a prophet, but like Ezekiel, he never loses sight of these things that pertain to the earthly sanctuary. Probably the best known quote from his prophecy is ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts’, 4:6. 

Encourage not rebuke

This message is designed to encourage rather than rebuke the weary Zechariah; those who seek to build anything for God will, at times, become weary and frustrated, This assurance is followed by the command that the work begun will most certainly be finished, Those who are inclined to be pessimistic and despise the smaller restoration temple are warned about despising a day of small things. Zechariah, a man of vision, is brought to see the olive trees and olive branches symbolizing a movement of the Spirit and such a revelation inspired him with hope.



Author: Hutchison, C. (1999). August 29th: Zechariah (Zechariah 1:1–6; 14:1–21). In Ivan Steeds (Ed.), Day by Day with Bible Characters (p. 258). West Glamorgan, UK: Precious Seed.

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