Who was Zechariah?

-


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.

Popular posts from this blog

Speaking in tongues for today - Charles Stanley

-
Image
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. … But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all. … And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. … Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way - 1 Corinthians 12:4, 7, 28, 30—31 The Lord Jesus Christ had come and gone. The church—newly birthed—was in a transition time. The new covenant was seen as a threat to the Jewish leaders; therefore, there was persecution for those who had chosen to follow Christ. The new religion, in its infant stages, had no Bible, few leaders, and absolutely no support from the government. Astounding that it survived, isn’t it?  How in the world did it survive with so little going for it? Power. Not just a force, but mighty, visible power. Th...
Read more

What is the glory (kabod) of God?

-
Image
2 CORINTHIANS 4:17 "This light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison." Scripture places a high value on God 's glory, and it is not hard to figure out why. Since the inherent glory of the Lord is something that He will not share with others (Isa. 42:8), we know that His glory is something that He prizes highly; indeed, He prizes it more highly than anything else. We should, therefore, set the glory of God as the goal and overarching emphasis of our lives. Whatever we lose for the sake of making the Lord's glory known will be worth it when we see the dazzling light and beauty of; the divine glory (28:5; Rev. 21:23). Glory has to do with light and beauty, but those aspects do not sum up what the Bible means when it speaks of the glory of God. Interestingly, the Hebrew word kabod , which is translated into English as "glory," has the root meaning of "weight" or "heaviness....
Read more

The Holy Spirit causes us to cry out: Abba, Father

-
Image
Pentecostés. Óleo sobre lienzo, 275 × 127 cm. Madrid, Museo del Prado. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) To bring out the same truth in another way, Paul says God sent Jesus (as a Man) to live under the Law in order “to redeem those under law, that we [Jews and Gentiles ] might receive the full rights [adoption] of sons” ( Galatians 4:5).  By “full rights” or “adoption” he means entering into the privileges and responsibilities of sonship. He uses it also of the sonship of Israel (Romans 9:4). Galatians 4:1, 2 indicate that the son and heir of a wealthy family in Paul’s day would be treated as a slave until he became of age.  Then he would receive the adoption, that is, all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities that belonged to an adult member of that family. Adoption was also used in the modern sense, so that Gentiles who were not sons of Abraham became true heirs, true sons of God , by faith.  Jesus died, not just to save us from the fires of hell, bu...
Read more