August 5, 2025 • 22 mins
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Zechariah brings a message of hope and encouragement to God's people who have returned from exile but fallen into discouragement and apathy while rebuilding the temple. Through eight vivid night visions and powerful prophecies about the coming Messiah, Zechariah shows that God remembers His promises and has a future planned that's bigger than they can imagine.
• Setting the historical stage: 520 BC, after the Jews returned from Babylonian exile
• Understanding who Zechariah was: both prophet and priest, whose name means "the Lord remembers"
• Exploring the book's structure, from night visions to future promises
• Examining key images: the high priest in filthy clothes, the woman in the basket, the humble king
• Connecting Zechariah's prophecies to Jesus, including over 30 direct references
• Finding hope in God's words: "Do not despise these small beginnings"
• Remembering God's method: "Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit"
What small beginning are you experiencing right now? Share your story in the comments, through our website, or by email—your experience might encourage someone else who's wondering if their small steps of obedience matter to God.
RELATED EPISODES:
RESOURCES:
- Barry, J. D., et al. (Eds.). (2016). Zechariah, Book of. In The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Lexham Press.
- Busenitz, I. (n.d.). Preaching the Minor Prophets.
- Fee, G. D., & Stuart, D. (2002). How to read the Bible Book by Book: A guided tour (1st ed.). Zondervan.
- Hwang, J. (2016). Zechariah, Book of. In J. D. Barry et al. (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Lexham Press.
- Lasor, W. S., Hubbard, D. A., & Bush, F. W. (1996). Old Testament survey: The message, form, and background of the Old Testament (2nd ed.). Eerdmans.
- Nelson, T. (n.d.). The NIV, Open Bible: Complete reference system (Kindle ed.). Function.
- Rhodes, R. (2022). Bite-size Bible library: 4-in-1 eBook bundle, Harvest House Publishers.
- The Minor Prophets – Zechariah: Hope in the Messiah. (2003, February). Truth & Tidings. https://truthandtidings.com/2003/02/the-minor-prophets-zechariah-hope-in-the-messiah
- The MacArthur Study Bible (NIV ed.). (2013). Thomas Nelson.
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Note: All scripture references are from the NIV translation unless otherwise indicated.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jacqui (00:12):
Greetings listeners.
Have you ever looked around atyour life or the world and
wondered God, is this really howit ends?
When you're rebuilding afterheartbreak, disappointment or
just a long season of waiting?
Hope can feel fragile.
You might wonder if anythingyou do actually matters or if
(00:36):
God's even paying attention.
That's exactly where the peopleof Israel were when Zachariah
showed up, and what he givesthem and us is a picture of what
happens when God steps in withpromises bigger than we can
imagine.
Well, welcome everyone.
(00:56):
I'm your host, jackie Adewole,and this is the Bible Basics
Podcast, where, weekly, we breakdown the basics of the Bible
into understandable, bite-sizedchunks.
Let's start by setting the stage.
It's about 520 BC.
The Jewish people have justreturned from exile in Babylon,
(01:20):
just like the prophets had said.
A few years earlier, in 538 BC,king Cyrus of Persia had issued
a decree allowing God's peopleto return to Jerusalem and
rebuild.
Around 50,000 people made thejourney back.
We find that in Ezra 2, 64 to65.
(01:44):
At first they were hopeful.
They laid the foundation of thetemple, but then opposition
came both from neighbors andfrom within, and the work
stopped.
Sixteen years passed, thetemple remained unfinished and
the people drifted intodiscouragement and spiritual
(02:07):
apathy.
That's when God raised up twoprophets, haggai and Zechariah,
to stir the people's hearts andreignite the work.
Haggai spoke directly.
Get back to building Zechariah.
Well, he opened a window intoheaven.
(02:28):
He gave them visions,reassurance and a glimpse of the
bigger story.
Well, who was Zachariah?
Let's start with a quickclarification.
There are many Zacharias in theBible.
It was a common name, sort oflike James or Michael.
(02:50):
Today, you might remember onefrom the New Testament Zachariah
, the father of John the Baptist, the elderly priest who lost
his voice in the temple when hequestioned the angel's message
his voice in the temple when hequestioned the angel's message.
There's also a Zechariah whowas king of Israel, though his
(03:10):
reign didn't last long.
And then there was a priest whowas killed in the temple
courtyard during the time ofKing Joash.
But the Zechariah we're talkingabout here is the prophet
Zechariah, whose book appearsnear the end of the Old
Testament.
Zachariah was both a prophetand priest.
(03:31):
That meant he not only spokeGod's words but also served in
the temple system.
He likely returned from Babylonas a young man, which means by
the time he started speaking.
He's part of a new generation,one that didn't grow up in
Jerusalem but now has the job ofrebuilding it.
(03:54):
He worked alongside Haggai, buttheir approaches were different
.
Haggai's message was sharp andurgent.
He confronted the people'sindifference.
Zechariah's tone was moretender.
He called the people torepentance but also encouraged
them with hope and visions ofGod's future promises.
(04:18):
His name means the Lordremembers, and that's the
heartbeat of this whole book.
God hasn't forgotten his people.
Not then, not now.
The book of Zechariah containsthe prophet Zechariah's
prophetic activity from 520 BCuntil sometime in the early 400s
(04:41):
, 20 BC until sometime in theearly 400s.
It's the 11th and the longestbook among the minor prophets.
Its 14 chapters carry richprophetic imagery.
The book is packed withpowerful visions and future
promises.
More than most of the otherminor prophets, it's a
(05:04):
significant Old Testament sourcewhen it comes to understanding
Jesus in the New Testament,especially as a humble and
suffering Messiah.
It's quoted more than 40 timesin the New Testament, more than
any other Old Testament prophet.
This book has been called theApocalypse of the Old Testament,
(05:28):
not just because of its vividimagery, but because of how it
stretches from Zechariah's dayfar into the future.
In every major section Godspeaks into the people's present
situation and then looks aheadto the return of the Messiah and
(05:49):
the coming of his kingdom.
That's part of what made God'swords through Zechariah so
powerful.
He seeks to encourage them toaction by reminding them of the
future importance of the temple.
They weren't just aboutfinishing a building.
They were about building withhope, building for the day when
(06:12):
the Messiah will come and fillthe temple with glory.
But future blessing iscontingent on present obedience.
The people are not merelybuilding a building, they're
building the future.
With that as their motivation,they can enter into the building
(06:33):
project with wholehearted zeal,for their Messiah is coming.
The structure of the book fallsinto two main parts.
The first part is chapters 1through 8, and it's titled
Visions and Spiritual Renewal.
After a strong opening call torepentance that's in chapter 1,
(06:59):
verse 2 through 6, Zechariahshares a series of eight night
visions.
These visions often follow thesame rhythm.
Zechariah describes somethingunusual he sees, he asks what it
means and an angel steps in toexplain.
(07:20):
One of the most striking visionscomes in chapter 2, verses 4
and 5, where a man with ameasuring line is sent to mark
out Jerusalem's boundaries.
But then God interrupts andsays wait, my plan is bigger
than that.
Jerusalem will be a citywithout walls because of the
(07:40):
great number of people andanimals in it, and I myself will
be a wall of fire around it,declares the Lord, and I will be
its glory within, end quote.
That's a picture of hope.
God is saying don't limit whatI can do.
(08:01):
I'm going to protect you, andyour future is larger than you
imagine.
That hopeful thread keepsrunning through the visions,
especially the fourth and fifth,which focus on Joshua, the high
priest, and Zerubbabel, thegovernor.
These visions remind the peoplethat rebuilding the temple
(08:23):
isn't just a physical project.
It's also a spiritual one, ledby men God has chosen and
empowered.
Chapters 7 and 8 shift the focusto spiritual renewal.
When the people ask whetherthey should keep observing
certain fasts, god uses thatquestion to challenge their
(08:45):
hearts.
He points them back to whatfasting is really about not just
going through motions, butliving with justice, mercy and
truth.
And then God gives a powerfulpromise.
And then God gives a powerfulpromise Jerusalem will be
(09:08):
blessed again.
All throughout these chapters,zechariah's visions are meant to
encourage and refocus thepeople.
They're not just about judgment.
They're also full of comfortand hope.
God is watching over Jerusalem.
(09:28):
He hasn't forgotten his peopleand he's working out a bigger
plan to restore them.
The second half of Zechariah'sbook chapters 9 through 14,
contains two powerful oracles.
Oracles are prophetic messagesfrom God.
These look ahead to the future.
These chapters are full ofdramatic imagery.
(09:51):
A coming king battles betweengood and evil, judgment of the
nations and the finalrestoration of God's people.
The first oracle is found inchapters 9 through 11, and it
begins with God's judgment onsurrounding nations.
But the spotlight quicklyshifts to a coming king, one who
(10:15):
will enter not on a war horsebut humbly riding on the donkey.
That's chapter 9, verse 9.
Riding on the donkey that'schapter 9, verse 9.
This king brings peace.
But Zechariah also foresees howhe'll be rejected by his own
people.
That's chapter 11, verses 4through 17.
(10:35):
In between we catch a glimpseof God gathering his scattered
people and bringing them backtogether.
That's chapter 10.
The second oracle chapters 12through 14, picks up many of the
same themes God's rescue, therejection of the Messiah and a
(10:57):
future kingdom but places themin an even more cosmic setting.
Repeatedly, zechariah points toa future day quote on that day
end quote when God will defeathis enemies, purify his people
and establish his rule over allnations.
(11:19):
The book ends with a stunningvision All nations gathered in
Jerusalem to worship the Lord.
Even as this book speaks ofdramatic future events, god's
message to the people ofZechariah's day was clear Now is
(11:40):
the time for spiritual renewal.
He called them to turn back tohim with humble hearts and real
obedience.
Here are a few key truths thatrise to the surface in these
chapters.
God is still with you, evenwhen progress feels painfully
slow.
God will confront evil andbless those who stay faithful to
(12:05):
him.
And a savior is coming, not asa warrior on a battlefield, but
as a gentle, victorious king.
And right in the middle of allthe visions, promises and future
hope, we find this gentle,powerful reminder in Zechariah
(12:25):
4.10.
Do not despise these smallbeginnings, for the Lord
rejoices to see the work begin.
That one verse really capturesthe essence of the whole book.
God sees what you're building,especially when no one else does
.
But just a few verses earlier,in chapter 4, verse 6, we get
(12:50):
another anchor, one that tellsus how the rebuilding will
happen.
Quote not by might nor by power, but by my spirit, says the
Lord of hosts.
End quote.
In other words, it won't betheir strength that gets the job
done.
It'll be God's spirit at workin and through them.
(13:14):
This was true for Zerubbabel ashe led the rebuilding of the
temple, and it's still true forus today.
When the task feels too big,when we feel too small, God
reminds us you don't have to dothis alone.
(13:34):
Now let's take a look at some ofthe imagery in this book.
Throughout Zechariah, we findvivid and deeply symbolic scenes
.
Some come in the form of nightvisions, others as prophetic
declarations, but they all worklike a picture book for the soul
, helping us see what God isdoing behind the scenes.
(13:57):
Though these moments wererooted in Zechariah's time,
their meaning stretches farbeyond.
They show us how God deals withsin, brings justice and extends
hope to his people.
Here are three that really standout.
First, there's the high priestin filthy clothes.
(14:19):
That's in Zechariah 3.
In one of Zechariah's nightvisions, joshua the high priest
stands before the Lord dressedin filthy clothes, representing
guilt and sin.
Satan is right there accusinghim, but God steps in.
He silences the accuser, heremoves Joshua's filthy garments
(14:45):
and gives him clean ones.
It's a powerful picture ofGod's grace.
Joshua didn't clean himself,god did, and this scene points
us forward to Jesus, the Messiah, who takes our sin and gives us
his righteousness.
It's a glimpse of the gospelwe're made clean, not because we
(15:10):
deserve it, but because ofGod's mercy Not because we
deserve it, but because of God'smercy.
Then there's the woman in thebasket.
That's in Zechariah, chapter 5,verses 5 through 11.
In another night's vision weencounter a striking scene A
woman inside a basketrepresenting wickedness.
(15:33):
The angel seals that basketshut and carries it away to
Babylon.
It's a bold visual showing howGod intends to remove evil from
the land.
He's not just calling hispeople to rebuild, he's
preparing a space for hisholiness to dwell.
(15:53):
And then there's the humbleking.
That's in Zechariah, chapter 9,verses 9 and 10.
Quote see your king comes toyou righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey.
End quote.
This isn't a vision, it's aprophecy, and it was fulfilled
(16:18):
centuries later, when Jesus rodeinto Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.
We see that in Matthew 21 andJohn 12.
It wasn't with fanfare or force, not on a war horse, but on a
(16:47):
donkey.
This image flips the Now.
Each of these images I justdescribed is a reminder that God
is not distant or indifferent.
He sees, he acts, he restores.
Even when the picture iscomplex, the message is clear
(17:07):
God is building a future full ofhope, and he's inviting his
people to be a part of it.
Full of hope, and he's invitinghis people to be a part of it.
Now let's look further at howthis book connects to Jesus.
Zechariah may have lived 500years before Jesus, but his
words point to the Messiah againand again.
(17:30):
Some scholars count over 30direct references that are
fulfilled in the life, death andresurrection of Christ.
We've already mentioned acouple.
Here are just a few morereferences to Jesus that stand
out In chapter 3, verse 8, andchapter 6, verse 12 through 13,.
We see the term righteousbranch.
(17:53):
We see the term righteousbranch.
This is a descendant of Davidwho will rebuild God's house and
rule as both priest and king arare and powerful combination
only Jesus fulfills.
We also see the same label usedin Isaiah 4, 11, and 53, and in
(18:14):
Jeremiah 23.
The next term we see is therejected shepherd in chapter 11,
verse 4 through 13.
Sold for 30 pieces of silver,the price of a slave, jesus was
betrayed for that same amount inMatthew 26 and 27.
(18:37):
And then there's the piercedone Quote they will look on me,
the one they have piercedchapter 12, verse 10.
John quotes this at the cross.
It's one of the most hauntingand hopeful moments in all of
Scripture.
We see that in John 19, 37 andRevelation 1, 7.
(19:02):
John 19.37 and Revelation 1.7.
Then there's the cleansingfountain, found in chapter 13,
verse 1.
This is a promise of cleansingfrom sin and impurity, fulfilled
as Jesus offers forgivenessthrough his sacrifice.
And finally, there's the comingking and judge.
(19:23):
We see that in chapter 14.
Zechariah ends with a vision ofthe day of the Lord, when God
will stand victorious, fightingfor his people, and reign over
all the earth.
So you can see, just from thesefew examples, zechariah gives
us a picture of Jesus as boththe suffering servant and the
(19:47):
reigning king.
He's not distant.
He's deeply involved in hispeople's pain and their future.
And what does that mean for ustoday?
Even when life feels stuck orsmall, even when progress feels
painfully slow, god is still atwork.
(20:07):
So keep going, keep building,because the King is coming.
Now here's our listener questionof the week when in your life
do you feel like you're in asmall beginning and how might
God be at work in it?
While you're thinking aboutyour answer, let me tell you
(20:30):
something personal.
When I first started thispodcast, it felt like I was
planting a tiny seed.
I didn't have any fancyequipment, I didn't have a big
team Well, I still don't havethose things but I had just a
quiet nudge from God toencourage people to read the
Bible and to help peopleunderstand the Bible in a simple
(20:53):
, clear way.
And, honestly, there weremoments I thought is anybody
even going to listen?
But every message, everyepisode, every quiet, yes, it
felt like one small act ofobedience.
And that verse from Zechariahthat goes do not despise these
(21:16):
small beginnings.
That's become an anchor for me.
So what about you?
Where is God meeting you?
In something small right now.
Make a comment on YouTube orthrough the website and of
course, you can always email me.
Your story might just encouragesomeone else.
(21:37):
So if you've ever wondered ifGod forgot about you or if the
small steps you're taking evenmatter, zechariah has good news.
God sees it, god rejoices in itand God finishes what he starts
.
Next time we'll look at thefinal prophet of the Old
(21:59):
Testament, malachi, and how hismessage sets the stage for
Jesus's arrival.
Until then, keep reading, keepseeking and keep growing in your
faith.
Greetings listeners.
Have you ever looked around atyour life or the world and
wondered God, is this really howit ends?
When you're rebuilding afterheartbreak, disappointment or
just a long season of waiting?
Hope can feel fragile.
You might wonder if anythingyou do actually matters or if
(00:36):
God's even paying attention.
That's exactly where the peopleof Israel were when Zachariah
showed up, and what he givesthem and us is a picture of what
happens when God steps in withpromises bigger than we can
imagine.
Well, welcome everyone.
(00:56):
I'm your host, jackie Adewole,and this is the Bible Basics
Podcast, where, weekly, we breakdown the basics of the Bible
into understandable, bite-sizedchunks.
Let's start by setting the stage.
It's about 520 BC.
The Jewish people have justreturned from exile in Babylon,
(01:20):
just like the prophets had said.
A few years earlier, in 538 BC,king Cyrus of Persia had issued
a decree allowing God's peopleto return to Jerusalem and
rebuild.
Around 50,000 people made thejourney back.
We find that in Ezra 2, 64 to65.
(01:44):
At first they were hopeful.
They laid the foundation of thetemple, but then opposition
came both from neighbors andfrom within, and the work
stopped.
Sixteen years passed, thetemple remained unfinished and
the people drifted intodiscouragement and spiritual
(02:07):
apathy.
That's when God raised up twoprophets, haggai and Zechariah,
to stir the people's hearts andreignite the work.
Haggai spoke directly.
Get back to building Zechariah.
Well, he opened a window intoheaven.
(02:28):
He gave them visions,reassurance and a glimpse of the
bigger story.
Well, who was Zachariah?
Let's start with a quickclarification.
There are many Zacharias in theBible.
It was a common name, sort oflike James or Michael.
(02:50):
Today, you might remember onefrom the New Testament Zachariah
, the father of John the Baptist, the elderly priest who lost
his voice in the temple when hequestioned the angel's message
his voice in the temple when hequestioned the angel's message.
There's also a Zechariah whowas king of Israel, though his
(03:10):
reign didn't last long.
And then there was a priest whowas killed in the temple
courtyard during the time ofKing Joash.
But the Zechariah we're talkingabout here is the prophet
Zechariah, whose book appearsnear the end of the Old
Testament.
Zachariah was both a prophetand priest.
(03:31):
That meant he not only spokeGod's words but also served in
the temple system.
He likely returned from Babylonas a young man, which means by
the time he started speaking.
He's part of a new generation,one that didn't grow up in
Jerusalem but now has the job ofrebuilding it.
(03:54):
He worked alongside Haggai, buttheir approaches were different
.
Haggai's message was sharp andurgent.
He confronted the people'sindifference.
Zechariah's tone was moretender.
He called the people torepentance but also encouraged
them with hope and visions ofGod's future promises.
(04:18):
His name means the Lordremembers, and that's the
heartbeat of this whole book.
God hasn't forgotten his people.
Not then, not now.
The book of Zechariah containsthe prophet Zechariah's
prophetic activity from 520 BCuntil sometime in the early 400s
(04:41):
, 20 BC until sometime in theearly 400s.
It's the 11th and the longestbook among the minor prophets.
Its 14 chapters carry richprophetic imagery.
The book is packed withpowerful visions and future
promises.
More than most of the otherminor prophets, it's a
(05:04):
significant Old Testament sourcewhen it comes to understanding
Jesus in the New Testament,especially as a humble and
suffering Messiah.
It's quoted more than 40 timesin the New Testament, more than
any other Old Testament prophet.
This book has been called theApocalypse of the Old Testament,
(05:28):
not just because of its vividimagery, but because of how it
stretches from Zechariah's dayfar into the future.
In every major section Godspeaks into the people's present
situation and then looks aheadto the return of the Messiah and
(05:49):
the coming of his kingdom.
That's part of what made God'swords through Zechariah so
powerful.
He seeks to encourage them toaction by reminding them of the
future importance of the temple.
They weren't just aboutfinishing a building.
They were about building withhope, building for the day when
(06:12):
the Messiah will come and fillthe temple with glory.
But future blessing iscontingent on present obedience.
The people are not merelybuilding a building, they're
building the future.
With that as their motivation,they can enter into the building
(06:33):
project with wholehearted zeal,for their Messiah is coming.
The structure of the book fallsinto two main parts.
The first part is chapters 1through 8, and it's titled
Visions and Spiritual Renewal.
After a strong opening call torepentance that's in chapter 1,
(06:59):
verse 2 through 6, Zechariahshares a series of eight night
visions.
These visions often follow thesame rhythm.
Zechariah describes somethingunusual he sees, he asks what it
means and an angel steps in toexplain.
(07:20):
One of the most striking visionscomes in chapter 2, verses 4
and 5, where a man with ameasuring line is sent to mark
out Jerusalem's boundaries.
But then God interrupts andsays wait, my plan is bigger
than that.
Jerusalem will be a citywithout walls because of the
(07:40):
great number of people andanimals in it, and I myself will
be a wall of fire around it,declares the Lord, and I will be
its glory within, end quote.
That's a picture of hope.
God is saying don't limit whatI can do.
(08:01):
I'm going to protect you, andyour future is larger than you
imagine.
That hopeful thread keepsrunning through the visions,
especially the fourth and fifth,which focus on Joshua, the high
priest, and Zerubbabel, thegovernor.
These visions remind the peoplethat rebuilding the temple
(08:23):
isn't just a physical project.
It's also a spiritual one, ledby men God has chosen and
empowered.
Chapters 7 and 8 shift the focusto spiritual renewal.
When the people ask whetherthey should keep observing
certain fasts, god uses thatquestion to challenge their
(08:45):
hearts.
He points them back to whatfasting is really about not just
going through motions, butliving with justice, mercy and
truth.
And then God gives a powerfulpromise.
And then God gives a powerfulpromise Jerusalem will be
(09:08):
blessed again.
All throughout these chapters,zechariah's visions are meant to
encourage and refocus thepeople.
They're not just about judgment.
They're also full of comfortand hope.
God is watching over Jerusalem.
(09:28):
He hasn't forgotten his peopleand he's working out a bigger
plan to restore them.
The second half of Zechariah'sbook chapters 9 through 14,
contains two powerful oracles.
Oracles are prophetic messagesfrom God.
These look ahead to the future.
These chapters are full ofdramatic imagery.
(09:51):
A coming king battles betweengood and evil, judgment of the
nations and the finalrestoration of God's people.
The first oracle is found inchapters 9 through 11, and it
begins with God's judgment onsurrounding nations.
But the spotlight quicklyshifts to a coming king, one who
(10:15):
will enter not on a war horsebut humbly riding on the donkey.
That's chapter 9, verse 9.
Riding on the donkey that'schapter 9, verse 9.
This king brings peace.
But Zechariah also foresees howhe'll be rejected by his own
people.
That's chapter 11, verses 4through 17.
(10:35):
In between we catch a glimpseof God gathering his scattered
people and bringing them backtogether.
That's chapter 10.
The second oracle chapters 12through 14, picks up many of the
same themes God's rescue, therejection of the Messiah and a
(10:57):
future kingdom but places themin an even more cosmic setting.
Repeatedly, zechariah points toa future day quote on that day
end quote when God will defeathis enemies, purify his people
and establish his rule over allnations.
(11:19):
The book ends with a stunningvision All nations gathered in
Jerusalem to worship the Lord.
Even as this book speaks ofdramatic future events, god's
message to the people ofZechariah's day was clear Now is
(11:40):
the time for spiritual renewal.
He called them to turn back tohim with humble hearts and real
obedience.
Here are a few key truths thatrise to the surface in these
chapters.
God is still with you, evenwhen progress feels painfully
slow.
God will confront evil andbless those who stay faithful to
(12:05):
him.
And a savior is coming, not asa warrior on a battlefield, but
as a gentle, victorious king.
And right in the middle of allthe visions, promises and future
hope, we find this gentle,powerful reminder in Zechariah
(12:25):
4.10.
Do not despise these smallbeginnings, for the Lord
rejoices to see the work begin.
That one verse really capturesthe essence of the whole book.
God sees what you're building,especially when no one else does
.
But just a few verses earlier,in chapter 4, verse 6, we get
(12:50):
another anchor, one that tellsus how the rebuilding will
happen.
Quote not by might nor by power, but by my spirit, says the
Lord of hosts.
End quote.
In other words, it won't betheir strength that gets the job
done.
It'll be God's spirit at workin and through them.
(13:14):
This was true for Zerubbabel ashe led the rebuilding of the
temple, and it's still true forus today.
When the task feels too big,when we feel too small, God
reminds us you don't have to dothis alone.
(13:34):
Now let's take a look at some ofthe imagery in this book.
Throughout Zechariah, we findvivid and deeply symbolic scenes
.
Some come in the form of nightvisions, others as prophetic
declarations, but they all worklike a picture book for the soul
, helping us see what God isdoing behind the scenes.
(13:57):
Though these moments wererooted in Zechariah's time,
their meaning stretches farbeyond.
They show us how God deals withsin, brings justice and extends
hope to his people.
Here are three that really standout.
First, there's the high priestin filthy clothes.
(14:19):
That's in Zechariah 3.
In one of Zechariah's nightvisions, joshua the high priest
stands before the Lord dressedin filthy clothes, representing
guilt and sin.
Satan is right there accusinghim, but God steps in.
He silences the accuser, heremoves Joshua's filthy garments
(14:45):
and gives him clean ones.
It's a powerful picture ofGod's grace.
Joshua didn't clean himself,god did, and this scene points
us forward to Jesus, the Messiah, who takes our sin and gives us
his righteousness.
It's a glimpse of the gospelwe're made clean, not because we
(15:10):
deserve it, but because ofGod's mercy Not because we
deserve it, but because of God'smercy.
Then there's the woman in thebasket.
That's in Zechariah, chapter 5,verses 5 through 11.
In another night's vision weencounter a striking scene A
woman inside a basketrepresenting wickedness.
(15:33):
The angel seals that basketshut and carries it away to
Babylon.
It's a bold visual showing howGod intends to remove evil from
the land.
He's not just calling hispeople to rebuild, he's
preparing a space for hisholiness to dwell.
(15:53):
And then there's the humbleking.
That's in Zechariah, chapter 9,verses 9 and 10.
Quote see your king comes toyou righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey.
End quote.
This isn't a vision, it's aprophecy, and it was fulfilled
(16:18):
centuries later, when Jesus rodeinto Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.
We see that in Matthew 21 andJohn 12.
It wasn't with fanfare or force, not on a war horse, but on a
(16:47):
donkey.
This image flips the Now.
Each of these images I justdescribed is a reminder that God
is not distant or indifferent.
He sees, he acts, he restores.
Even when the picture iscomplex, the message is clear
(17:07):
God is building a future full ofhope, and he's inviting his
people to be a part of it.
Full of hope, and he's invitinghis people to be a part of it.
Now let's look further at howthis book connects to Jesus.
Zechariah may have lived 500years before Jesus, but his
words point to the Messiah againand again.
(17:30):
Some scholars count over 30direct references that are
fulfilled in the life, death andresurrection of Christ.
We've already mentioned acouple.
Here are just a few morereferences to Jesus that stand
out In chapter 3, verse 8, andchapter 6, verse 12 through 13,.
We see the term righteousbranch.
(17:53):
We see the term righteousbranch.
This is a descendant of Davidwho will rebuild God's house and
rule as both priest and king arare and powerful combination
only Jesus fulfills.
We also see the same label usedin Isaiah 4, 11, and 53, and in
(18:14):
Jeremiah 23.
The next term we see is therejected shepherd in chapter 11,
verse 4 through 13.
Sold for 30 pieces of silver,the price of a slave, jesus was
betrayed for that same amount inMatthew 26 and 27.
(18:37):
And then there's the piercedone Quote they will look on me,
the one they have piercedchapter 12, verse 10.
John quotes this at the cross.
It's one of the most hauntingand hopeful moments in all of
Scripture.
We see that in John 19, 37 andRevelation 1, 7.
(19:02):
John 19.37 and Revelation 1.7.
Then there's the cleansingfountain, found in chapter 13,
verse 1.
This is a promise of cleansingfrom sin and impurity, fulfilled
as Jesus offers forgivenessthrough his sacrifice.
And finally, there's the comingking and judge.
(19:23):
We see that in chapter 14.
Zechariah ends with a vision ofthe day of the Lord, when God
will stand victorious, fightingfor his people, and reign over
all the earth.
So you can see, just from thesefew examples, zechariah gives
us a picture of Jesus as boththe suffering servant and the
(19:47):
reigning king.
He's not distant.
He's deeply involved in hispeople's pain and their future.
And what does that mean for ustoday?
Even when life feels stuck orsmall, even when progress feels
painfully slow, god is still atwork.
(20:07):
So keep going, keep building,because the King is coming.
Now here's our listener questionof the week when in your life
do you feel like you're in asmall beginning and how might
God be at work in it?
While you're thinking aboutyour answer, let me tell you
(20:30):
something personal.
When I first started thispodcast, it felt like I was
planting a tiny seed.
I didn't have any fancyequipment, I didn't have a big
team Well, I still don't havethose things but I had just a
quiet nudge from God toencourage people to read the
Bible and to help peopleunderstand the Bible in a simple
(20:53):
, clear way.
And, honestly, there weremoments I thought is anybody
even going to listen?
But every message, everyepisode, every quiet, yes, it
felt like one small act ofobedience.
And that verse from Zechariahthat goes do not despise these
(21:16):
small beginnings.
That's become an anchor for me.
So what about you?
Where is God meeting you?
In something small right now.
Make a comment on YouTube orthrough the website and of
course, you can always email me.
Your story might just encouragesomeone else.
(21:37):
So if you've ever wondered ifGod forgot about you or if the
small steps you're taking evenmatter, zechariah has good news.
God sees it, god rejoices in itand God finishes what he starts
.
Next time we'll look at thefinal prophet of the Old
(21:59):
Testament, malachi, and how hismessage sets the stage for
Jesus's arrival.
Until then, keep reading, keepseeking and keep growing in your
faith.
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