Zechariah 1

Introduction

Zechariah is a book about the restoration of Zion. It is a book rich in symbolism, pictures, types and shadows of the age to come. It is an excellent example of apocalyptic literature and for that reason is difficult for many to understand. In the coming apocalyptic age the Messiah Jesus will rule this earth from his Jerusalem throne. As the prophet Isaiah has said: “They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Isa. 11:9; cf. Hab. 2:14).

The prophet Zechariah was concerned about the rebuilding of God’s temple in Jerusalem. Some 18 years had elapsed since the Persian ruler Cyrus made his decree allowing the rebuilding but still the temple was not built. To deal with this delay God raised up Haggai and Zechariah to give his people encouragement for rebuilding. Zechariah was a young priest who began his prophecy two months after Haggai’s first message. The year would have been 520 BC.

Many of the people had probably felt that God had forgotten all about them. When God raised up Zechariah, even his name in Hebrew promised them that “God remembers.” God remembered his people and he also remembered his temple which remained unfinished after all those years.

Zechariah’s message offered great encouragement to a weary people that they should begin once more to build his house. Restoration really started there. His many visions were all meant to lift up the spirits of the people. Particularly in chapters 8 and then chapters 9-14, the last group which were written at a later date. The prophet gives a very clear revelation about the Millennial Period when God would raise up Israel in the eyes of the nations. Perhaps just prior to the Millennium he would cleanse Israel of their sins and pour out his Spirit upon them. The Messiah would then defend Israel from the armies of Antichrist and would at last reveal himself to Israel and the world as his feet touched down on the Mount of Olives.

In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo: Zechariah 1:1

Here again as in the Book of Haggai 1:1, we see how firmly the Bible is anchored in history, even in ancient history. Today so many beliefs and cults are fixed only in some person’s dream or vision and with no historical anchor whatsoever.

In this first verse, King Darius is mentioned. There is pretty general agreement among commentators that this reference is to Darius I, son of Hystaspes, and called “the great.” His rule was from 522-486 BC and he reigned over the vast Persian Empire. His second year would have been 520 BC, and the exact time would have been in the October/November season. It was 18 years after the exiles began returning from Babylon, and two months after Haggai began to prophesy. [1] Indeed, both of these prophets worked together for the building of the new temple.

Zechariah was a common name in Israel. The prophet is further identified as the son of Berekiah, who was the son of Iddo. In Hebrew, the name Zechariah means “YHWH remembers.” [2] We will say more about his name a little later. Certainly, the Lord was remembering his fallen temple as well as his dispersed covenant people.

“The LORD was very angry with your ancestors” (1:2). God was so angry over Israel’s continual stubbornness, disobedience and idolatry that he destroyed the country, killed many of his people and sent many more into captivity. There is really no way for us to know the story of the suffering, sorrow and shame they endured because of their sin.

“Therefore tell the people: This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the LORD Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the LORD Almighty” (1:3). This is one of the most blessed promises found anywhere in the Bible. It was true back then and it is true today, that if we return to God he will return to us. It is just that simple. This reminds us of Malachi 3:7, which also states: “‘…Return to me, and I will return to you,’ says the LORD Almighty…” We see a similar invitation in the New Testament: “Come near to God and he will come near to you…” (Jas. 4:8).

The Hebrew word for return is shub and it can mean to turn, return or bring back. It is used in the Old Testament for repentance. Trinity College dean, Joyce Baldwin adds, “This is the Old Testament message of conversion.” [3] For instance, we see it used in this sense in Jeremiah 15:19. Texas professor, Bob Utley reminds us that it is always God and not us who takes the initiative in human repentance (cf. Jer. 31:18; Lam. 5:21; Jn. 6:44, 65; Acts 5:31). [4]

We see in this passage that the Israelite fathers committed an awful sin, but we might ask what was the sin of those who had returned to the land? D. Guthrie of London Bible College tells us: “The flagging zeal of the returned exiles was a clear symptom of a deterioration in their spiritual condition…” [5] The group that returned was small and beleaguered. The temple was started years before but was not finished. It seemed that enemies were everywhere and there was much discouragement. Besides that, it was the beginning of the rainy season and that itself might have been depressing for some of the fair-weather folks.

In this passage we note that it is God’s people who are called upon to repent. In the church today we call upon the unsaved to repent and surely they should. However, we seldom accept this message concerning ourselves. Warren Wiersbe, one with much experience in Christian ministry, teaching and broadcasting says: “But we rarely hear preachers calling God’s people to repent, even though this was the message of the prophets, John the Baptist, and Jesus.” [6]

“Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the LORD” (1:4). Because of the fallen state of humanity, our ancestors are very seldom good examples for us to follow. James Burton Coffman, prolific author and teacher says, “Every kind of religious error ever known on earth is still being perpetuated by people who blindly follow the customs and religious prejudices of their ancestors.” [7] Their fathers diligently followed the statutes of Omri and the evil house of Ahab (cf. Mic. 6:16) rather than the Lord’s commands. [8] It is always amazing concerning the extent to which humans will go to uphold their own traditions while they shirk the traditions and direct commands of the Almighty God. The Jews, perhaps more than other people, are prone to revere the sayings and teachings of their rabbis and fathers.

We see here that the earlier prophets also called upon the people to return (Heb. shuv ) to the Lord or to repent but they would not (cf. Jer. 35:15). Early Puritan pastor and commentator, Matthew Henry, asks: “If they minded not their own souls, is that a reason why their posterity should ruin theirs also?” [9]

“Where are your ancestors now? And the prophets, do they live forever?” (1:5). The great reformer John Calvin rephrases this verse to read: “See now, have not your fathers miserably perished, and also the prophets by whom they were deceived?” [10] Many, if not most of their fathers, had perished under the cruel hands of the Babylonians. The multitudes of false prophets who deceived them also perished or else languished in captivity. They were all paid in full for their rebellion and unbelief (cf. Lam. 2:17). If the mortal life of the righteous can be compared to the grass that withers (Isa. 40:6-7), how much more can the life of the wicked?

“But did not my words and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, overtake your ancestors? Then they repented and said, ‘The LORD Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve, just as he determined to do’” (1:6). Centuries before, Moses had prophesied of this very thing. He said: “All these curses will come on you. They will pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed, because you did not obey the LORD your God and observe the commands and decrees he gave you” (Deut. 28:45). This is a hunting metaphor as we see also in Deuteronomy 28:15. [11] We might picture a very tired deer running before a relentless pack of hounds. It is clear in scripture that Israel did not truly repent before the Babylonian captivity. Apparently, the repentance spoken of here happened after their country was destroyed and they were taken as prisoners to Babylon. Baldwin says: “Once they were in exile it was impossible to delude themselves any longer into thinking that they were right.” [12]

The Man Among The Myrtle Trees

On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo. Zechariah 1:7

Commentators seem mostly agreed that the date spoken of here is February, 519 BC. It would have been five months after the building of the temple was resumed (Hag. 2:15), and two months after the last prophecy of Haggai (Hag. 2:20). [13]

We are told again that Zechariah is the son of Berekiah, who was the son of Iddo. Later in Ezra 5:1 and 6:14, he is simply identified as the son or descendant of Iddo. No doubt by Ezra’s time, some 37 years later, Iddo was better remembered than Berekiah. It was also customary in Bible genealogies to often consider a grandson as the son of the grandfather.

“During the night I had a vision, and there before me was a man mounted on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, brown and white horses” (1:8). We have here the beginning of eight night visions of the prophet. We realize that what the prophet saw were visions and not dreams. Apparently, the visions all came on the same night. We should be aware that this section is very rich in spiritual symbolism and we do not want to miss any of it.

The first vision is that of a man mounted on a red horse. Several commentators feel that this man is none other than the angel of the Lord (cf. v. 11, 12). We should be aware that the angel of the Lord in the Old Testament is a divine figure and likely represents the pre-incarnate Christ (Gen. 16:7-13; 22:11-18, Judg. 2:1-4). The horse’s red coloration often represents bloodshed or warfare. [14] The Jews had certainly experienced the great ravages brought on by this horse. At the end of this verse, we see other horses of various colors, no doubt with their angelic riders (cf. Zech. 6:1-8; Rev. 6:1-8). The colors are red, sorrel and white. The sorrel, a spotted-yellow, or brownish-orange [15] was probably representative of the confusion with which the people of God had struggled. A white horse was generally a picture of victory. The Jewish people would soon begin to experience some of this victory.

David Guzik, pastor, teacher and writer, sees this troop as emissaries sent by the Lord on a world mission. He thinks they are very similar to the Persian mounted messengers who rode throughout the vast kingdom to deliver messages and keep the king informed. [16] The difference here is that the King, the Almighty God, already knows everything going on in his kingdom. The display of horses and horsemen was for the benefit of the people’s understanding.

The ravine or low place mentioned here certainly is a picture of the returned Jewish people. They were greatly oppressed, depressed and confused with their situation. The myrtle (Heb. Ha-das ) was a symbol of the dawning messianic age (Isa. 55:13; cf. Isa. 41:19). [17] The myrtle was a tree of sweet fragrance and beauty like our crepe myrtles are today. It was surely a picture (and smell) of good things to come for the Jews.

An Explanation

I asked, “What are these, my lord?” The angel who was talking with me answered, “I will show you what they are.” Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They are the ones the LORD has sent to go throughout the earth.” Zechariah 1:9-10

We see here that Zechariah is speaking with an angel and that this angel is distinguished from the mounted angel of the Lord. It is the angel of the Lord who answers the prophet’s question. Once again, the angel of the Lord is generally considered to be the pre-incarnate Christ.

Clearly, there seem to be four horses in this group and it is likely that they represent the four corners of the world (cf. Zech. 6:5-6; Rev. 7:1). [18] They are returning from searching over the whole earth and are now relaying their account.

“And they reported to the angel of the LORD who was standing among the myrtle trees, ‘We have gone throughout the earth and found the whole world at rest and in peace’” (1:11). The angelic riders of the horses now report to their Commander on the red horse who then interprets this scene to the prophet.

The world empires, that have brought so much destruction, death and despair to the Jewish people, are now at rest. Their rest is clearly at the expense of the Jews. Calvin says of this situation: “…it seemed a very unbecoming and strange thing that the faithful alone should be oppressed with adversities, while others lived in peace and enjoyed their pleasures.” [19] Matthew Henry adds, “It is not uncommon for the enemies of God to be at rest in sin, while his people are enduring correction, harassed by temptation, disquieted by fears of wrath, or groaning under oppression and persecution.” [20]

“Then the angel of the LORD said, ‘LORD Almighty, how long will you withhold mercy from Jerusalem and from the towns of Judah, which you have been angry with these seventy years?’” (1:12). Here we have a discussion within the Trinity. The Lord, who would later weep over Jerusalem, is pleading with the Father concerning the welfare of the Jewish people. London scholar Peter Pett remarks, “… So there is unity yet distinction…This stresses a separate and inter-personal relationship.” [21]

In this verse, the period of seventy years is mentioned. Bible professors Charles Pfeiffer and Everett Harrison feel this is the period from when the temple was destroyed in 586 BC to the time it was rededicated in 516. [22]

“So the LORD spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who talked with me” (1:13). We might assume that this is the angel of the Lord speaking to the angel who is with the prophet. The words could well be taken from Isaiah 40:1-2, “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins” (cf. Isa. 57:18-19).

The Angelic Proclamation

Then the angel who was speaking to me said, “Proclaim this word: This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion, and I am very angry with the nations that feel secure. I was only a little angry, but they went too far with the punishment.’” Zechariah 1:14-15

When we come to this verse we come to something amazing. The God of the whole universe is jealous for the little mountain town of Jerusalem. In 8:2, he even says: “…I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her.” Since God does not change, we can know that the same thing is true today. We can thus understand how God feels about some of the Middle East politics in our time. Because of those politics, Zion has become one of the most politically incorrect and caustic words in all of language. Of course, Jerusalem and Zion are one and the same (e.g., Zech. 1:17; 2:7, 10; 8:2; 9:9). In Psalm 132:13-14, God’s passionate and eternal love for Zion is expressed: “For the LORD has chosen Zion, he has desired it for his dwelling, saying, ‘This is my resting place for ever and ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it.’”

In 1:14-15, we have two very intense words that describe God. First, he is intensely jealous. This is the Hebrew ke-nah meaning jealous. Utley says it, “…is from a term for dying a cloth an intense color. It came to be used for facial expressions showing deep emotions.” [23] In other words, God’s face might get red with his jealousy. The next Hebrew word used in these verses is kat-saf. It means to be wroth or wrathful. [24] God gets really worked up over his heritage. Interestingly, modern Hebrew not only uses this word for anger and fury but a derivative of its root means foam, froth, or even whipped cream ( ke-sef-et ). Could we say that God foams with anger?

God’s extreme jealousy, anger and wrath are directed against the Gentile nations that have come against his people, almost destroying them. God gave them permission to attack his land and people because of their sin. The nations went further than their mandate specified, so they too fell under the Lord’s anger and punishment. We see a similar thing in the story of Jehu. The Lord chose this Israelite commander to exercise his vengeance on the house of evil King Ahab (2 Ki. 9:7-10). However, Jehu went too far and conducted massacres of the Lord’s people. In Hosea 1:4, we learn that God then ordered punishment on Jehu’s house because he went too far in his mission.

“Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt. And the measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem,’ declares the LORD Almighty” (1:16). God declares that he will return to Jerusalem and he will come with tender mercy (Heb. ra-cha-mim ). Mercy is a popular Bible word and today a lot of men in Israel have the name of Rachamim. If there is one thing we need from God it is his mercy. The Psalmist cries out: “…may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need” (Psa. 79:8).

God will return to Jerusalem in order to build his house. Obviously, there was a lot more to the temple than just a house. God had always labored to help his people see the real meaning of the house. Jesus later told the Samaritan woman that the day was coming “…when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks” (Jn. 4:23). Also, Zechariah will speak of the BRANCH who would come and build the real house of God (3:8). [25] In the meantime, the literal temple had to be built, for it would stand as a symbol of the real and eternal temple to come.

Zechariah speaks of a line that would be stretched out over Jerusalem. Before, God had stretched out the line to destroy (2 Ki. 21:13; Isa. 34:11; Lam. 2:8) but now he would stretch out the line to rebuild. Zechariah was surely looking into the future some 76 years when the prophet Nehemiah would finally build walls around the city.

“Proclaim further: This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘My towns will again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem’” (1:17). It is always God’s will to bless his people. Often the thing that keeps them from blessing is their sin. Long ago God promised Father Abraham that he would be blessed and that he would also be a blessing. God said to him: “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing” (Gen. 12:2).

In Zechariah’s day, in a time of restoration, it was still God’s will to bless Israel. Today, Israel is experiencing another restoration and modern Israel is blessed and is blessing others. It is rather amazing that today Israel’s population is approaching nine million people and Jerusalem, the Holy City, is approaching the one million mark. According to the Jerusalem Post Israel News, Israel just ranked as the eighth most influential country in the world. [26] Science and technology today is one of the country’s most developed areas. In 2019, Israel was ranked the world’s fifth most innovative country by the Bloomberg Innovation Index. [27] It should not surprise us that many of the high-tech devices that we depend upon today were developed in Israel.

Thus, Israel is still God’s chosen and God will never change his mind about this fact (Rom. 11:29). God will keep on choosing Jerusalem. In fact, the city is still graven upon God’s hands (Isa. 49:16). God says in Ezekiel 43:7, “…Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet. This is where I will live among the Israelites forever.” How amazing, that our God desires to live among the Israelites forever!

Horns And Craftsmen

Then I looked up, and there before me were four horns. I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these?” He answered me, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem.” Zechariah 1:18-19

To put it simply, because of Israel’s sin, God had allowed four ancient empires to “horn in” on their nation and almost destroy it. “Thus, the horns indicate the nations who are seen as powerful wild beasts in violent activity.” [28] In scripture we will note that a horn is a symbol of power, especially the power that is displayed in nations (Psa. 75:4-5; Jer. 48:25; Dan. 7:7-12; 8:1ff.). [29]

Commentators have been quick to name these nations as those mentioned as Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Dan. 2:31-35). It is made clear later that Daniel’s kingdoms were Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece and Rome. Unfortunately, Greece and Rome had not fully become world powers by the time of Zechariah. The early Methodist scholar and commentator, Adam Clarke, seems to have a much more accurate idea. He names the kingdoms as Assyria, Babylon, Egypt and Persia. [30] All these kingdoms had dealt Israel a lot of misery by the time of the prophet. We might remember that Necho, king of Egypt, had put good king Josiah to death as he himself raced north to participate in the Battle of Carchemish. In that battle Assyria fell (2 Chron. 35:23-24) and Necho suffered some defeat along with Assyria.

“Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen” (1:20). The Hebrew word for craftsmen ( ha-ra-shim ) has caused a lot of variety in interpretation. Pfeiffer and Harrison say, “The word in the original is employed for any skilled workman, whether in wood, metal, or stone.” [31]

“I asked, ‘What are these coming to do?’ He answered, ‘These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no one could raise their head, but the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter its people’” (1:21). The words “horns” and “craftsmen” sound a little strange for us today. Simply, these great empires were cut down because of God’s wrath against them. To bring this picture up to date we might visualize four men coming to bring down some very old and tall oak trees with their chain saws. Kingdoms then and now should realize that, “…whoever touches you [Israel] touches the apple of his eye…” (2:8).

Footnotes

1. D. Guthrie, J.A. Motyer, A.M. Stibbs, D. J. Wiseman, The New Bible Commentary: Revised (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1970), p. 789.

2. Dr. Bob Utley, Free Bible Commentary, Old Testament Apocalypses:

3. Joyce G. Baldwin, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1972), p. 90.

4. Utley, Free Bible Commentary, v. 1:3.

5. Guthrie, et al., The New Bible Commentary, p. 789.

6. Warren W. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, OT (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2007), p. 1500.

7. James Burton Coffman, Coffman’s Commentaries on the Bible,

8. Albert Barnes, Notes On The Whole Bible, Zechariah, v. 1:4, https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/zechariah.html

9. Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry Concise Commentary, Zechariah, v. 1:4, https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mhn/zechariah-1.html

10. John Calvin, Calvin’s Commentary On The Bible, Zechariah, v. 1:5 (10 Calv5) https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cal/zechariah.html.

11. Baldwin, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, p. 91.

12. Ibid.

13. Barnes, Notes On The Whole Bible, Zechariah, v. 1:7.

14. Guthrie, et al., The New Bible Commentary, p. 789.

15. David Guzik, Enduring Word, Zechariah, vs. 1:7-10, https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/zechariah-1/

16. Ibid.

17. William R. Nicoll, Sermon Bible Commentary, Commentary on Zechariah, 1:7-17. v. 1:4. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/sbc/zechariah-1.html.

18. Utley, Free Bible Commentary, v. 1:8.

19. Calvin, Calvin’s Commentary On The Bible, v. 1:8.

20. Henry, Matthew Henry Concise Commentary vs. 1:7-17.

21. Peter Pett, Peter Pett’s Commentary on the Bible, Zechariah, vs. 1:7-17. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/pet.html.

22. Charles F. Pfeiffer & Everett F. Harrison, eds., The Wycliffe Bible Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1979), p. 899.

23. Utley, Free Bible Commentary, v. 1:13.

24. Francis Brown, S. R. Driver & Charles Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (Glasgow: Great Britain, 1953, 1957), p. 893.

25. Coffman, Coffman’s Commentaries on the Bible, v. 1:16.

26. Ilanit Chernick, “Israel ranked as 8th most influential country,” Jerusalem Post Israel News, April 22, 2019. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/israel-ranked-as-8th-most-influential-country-in-the-world-annual-report-587493.

27. Blomberg Innovation Index, 2019,

28. Pett, Peter Pett’s Commentary on the Bible, vs. 1:18-21.

29. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, OT, p. 1502.

30. Adam Clarke, Adam Clarke Commentary, 1762-1832, v. 1:18. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/zechariah-1.html.

31. Pfeiffer & Harrison, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, p. 900.