The book of Zechariah comprises of 14 chapters. Throughout this book God through eight visions shows Zechariah what He is about to do with His people the Israelites, as well as His plans for the peoples of the world. God pleads with the Israelite through the prophet Zachariah to turn back to him. As many of the minor prophesies tell us, the result of NOT fearing God falling into idolatry leads to impoverishment (Zechariah 7:14 -8: 10) of life on every front, including food and lifestyle. Because He is a just God, He will bring judgement because of disobedience, yet He is a longsuffering God and declares great promises for His beloved people Israel, He promises at the end of this age He will find a secure place for them back in their beloved country where God himself will rule and all the nations will have the opportunity to worship Him in Jerusalem.
In each of the first eight chapters God gives Zechariah a vision to illustrate what is yet to be. These visions and their interpretations need to be the subject of a separate study. In these first chapters God declares judgement on the nations but as we read throughout theses minor prophecies God will finally reinstate the nation of Israel in their own land.
God reminds the people of what He said to Zerubbabel as governor over Judah when the people nervously commenced to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem after their return from exile. God impresses on His people that they do not need to strive, He will do as He has promised, they need only to lean on the Lord, in His power He will accomplish all He has promised, for He says in - Zechariah 4:6 - 6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.
As well as reminding them to lean on Him to defend them God tells them what He expects of them, how to serve one another, for we read in Zechariah 7:9 - 9:"This is what the LORD Almighty says: `Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. 10: Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.'
In Zechariah 8 God brings great encouragement to Israel, He reassures them of all the good things He has planned for them, for when the people of Israel return from exile in Babylon, peace and security at the end of this age, which reads - Zechariah 8:1 Again the word of the LORD Almighty came to me. 2:This is what the LORD Almighty says: "I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her." 3:This is what the LORD says: "I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain."
4:This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with cane in hand because of his age. 5:The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there." 6:This is what the LORD Almighty says: "It may seem marvellous to the remnant of this people at that time, but will it seem marvellous to me?" declares the LORD Almighty.
7: This is what the LORD Almighty says: "I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west. 8:I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God."
In the second half of the book chapters 9 to 14 certain verses need to be highlighted for they prophesy concerning Jesus’s first visit to earth. In Zechariah 9:9 He talks about Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem on a colt - 9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Then in Zechariah11:12 we read of Him being betrayed for 30 pieces of silver - 12 I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. Also in Zechariah 12:10 which speaks of Jesus and Him being pierced on the Cross - . 10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced,
Following on from what God describes in Zechariah 8, how He is going to restore Israel, He gives insight as to how it will take place. In the last chapter of Zechariah God tells us what is going to happen when Jesus for His third and final time returns to earth, Jesus is going to set up His Kingdom and reign on earth for a thousand years (Revelations 20:1 to 6) we read in - Zechariah 14:1- A day of the LORD is coming when your plunder will be divided among you. 2:I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. 3:Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. 4:On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. 5:You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. 6:On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost. 7:It will be a unique day, without daytime or night-time - a day known to the LORD. When evening comes, there will be light. 8:On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea and half to the western sea, in summer and in winter. 9:The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.
10:The whole land, from Geba to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem, will become like the Arabah. But Jerusalem will be raised up and remain in its place, from the Benjamin Gate to the site of the First Gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepresses.
11:It will be inhabited; never again will it be destroyed. Jerusalem will be secure.
