Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Behold, I am going to save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west; and I will bring them back and they will live in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God in truth and righteousness” – Zechariah 8:7-8
As a child, Zechariah lived in captivity in Babylon when the Jews from Judah were exiled. He later returned to Jerusalem with his elder mentor and prophet, Haggai. His name means “Yahweh remembers” and is fitting since he is the voice of God speaking to the remnant who returned to Jerusalem. He reminds the Jews that God is faithful, and, despite their captivity, He will be faithful in fulling His covenant promise of the coming reign of a King from the lineage of David who will rule His people forever.
The book of Zechariah has more Messianic prophecies than any of the other minor prophets. You’ll notice the phrase “in that day” repeated many times. It’s a comforting book to read because you can see Jesus throughout the book. His first and second advents are prophesied in rather striking detail. Look at 3:3, 7:8-10, 9:9, 11:12-13 and 12:10-14 and you will quickly get a picture of why Jesus came to earth, His entrance into Jerusalem on a donkey, and the mourning that took place in the city after His piercing. Jesus is portrayed as the Branch, a term referring to the shoot of Jesse, from which the Messiah will come forth. The remnant, those faithful who dedicate their lives to following Christ, is heavily emphasized.
Zechariah is laden with some pretty encouraging statements of faith. My personal favorite is in 4:6 where he reminds his audience that God will conquer “Not by might n
He also portrays His followers as sheep, which are dumb animals who rely on a Shepherd for protection and provision. In 10:2 he says, “the people wander like sheep, they are afflicted, because there is no shepherd.” It’s our nature to “wander,” not knowing where to go or what to devour. Jesus is our faithful shepherd who often has to use His staff for correction and guidance.
Read Zechariah for a good dose of encouragement in life. We aren’t the Jews in exile, but we are a people in need of a Shepherd who will protect us and lead us to greener pastures. Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Savior of mankind has come and faithfully fulfilled the prophecies of Zechariah. He is refining us like silver and testing us like gold so we may call on His name and know that He is the Lord our God! (13:9)
In Christ’s Love,
David
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