Zechariah
The book of Zechariah contains visions and prophecies from the Lord, calling the Israelites to turn back to Him and promising to rebuild His house in Jerusalem. The prophet Zechariah sees various visions, including a man on a red horse, four horns and workmen, a measuring line, a golden lampstand, a flying book, and four chariots, each representing God's message to the Israelites. The Lord promises to dwell in Jerusalem, to bring peace and prosperity, and to punish those who have despoiled the Israelites. The book also contains prophecies of the coming of a man named the Rising, who will build a temple to the Lord and rule on His throne as a priest. The Lord laments the destruction of the proud and powerful, and announces the rise of a foolish shepherd who will neglect and harm the flock. The book concludes with prophecies of the Lord's judgment on the Gentiles, the gathering of the remnant, and the establishment of the Lord as King over all the earth, with Jerusalem as a secure and sanctified city.
Chapter 1
The Lord is angry with the Israelites for their fathers' sins, but calls them to turn back to Him, promising to turn back to them. The prophet Zechariah has a vision of a man on a red horse among myrtle trees, with other horses behind him, and is told these are the ones the Lord has sent to walk through the earth. The angel of the Lord asks how long the Lord will be angry with Jerusalem, and the Lord responds with words of consolation, saying He is zealous for Jerusalem and will rebuild His house there. Zechariah also sees four horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem, and four workmen who have come to frighten them away.
Chapter 2
A man with a measuring line is sent to measure Jerusalem, but an angel intervenes, saying the city will be inhabited without walls due to its large population, and God will be a wall of fire around it. The people are warned to flee from the land of the North and Babylon, as God will punish those who have despoiled them. God promises to dwell in Jerusalem, and many nations will join him, with Judah being his portion in the sanctified land. The chapter concludes with a call for all flesh to be silent before the Lord, who has arisen from his holy dwelling place.
Chapter 3
The Lord appears to the prophet, showing Jesus the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, with Satan standing as his adversary. Jesus is clothed in filthy garments, symbolizing his iniquity, but the angel orders the garments to be removed and replaced with clean ones, signifying the removal of his iniquity. The Lord then makes a covenant with Jesus, promising to give him authority to judge the Lord's house and courts if he walks in the Lord's ways. The Lord also promises to remove the iniquity of the land in one day, and to bring a time of peace and prosperity.
Chapter 4
The prophet Zechariah is shown a vision of a golden lampstand with seven lamps and two olive trees, one on either side. An angel explains that the vision represents God's message to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, that the rebuilding of the temple will be accomplished not by human strength, but by God's spirit. The angel also says that Zerubbabel will complete the temple and that the two olive trees represent the two anointed leaders who serve before God.
Chapter 5
A flying book is seen, representing a curse that will judge and punish thieves and those who swear falsely by God's name, consuming their houses. An angel then shows a container, symbolizing impiety, with a woman inside, representing wickedness, and a talent of lead is cast over her mouth. Two women with kite-like wings lift the container and carry it away to be established in the land of Shinar.
Chapter 6
Four chariots with horses of different colors emerged from between two bronze mountains, representing the four winds of heaven that stand before the Lord of all the earth. The chariots dispersed in different directions, with the black horses going north, the white horses following, and the speckled horses going south. The Lord instructed Zechariah to take gold and silver from certain individuals and make crowns for Joshua, the high priest, symbolizing the coming of a man named the Rising, who would build a temple to the Lord and rule on his throne as a priest. This event would be a sign that the Lord had sent Zechariah, but only if the people heeded the voice of the Lord.
Chapter 7
The people of Israel sent a delegation to the priests and prophets to ask if they should continue to fast and mourn in the fifth month, as they had done for 70 years. The Lord responded through Zechariah, saying that their fasting had been for their own benefit, not for Him, and that they had not obeyed His commands to act with mercy and compassion towards one another. The people had refused to listen to the Lord's words through the prophets, and as a result, they were dispersed throughout the kingdoms and their land was left desolate.
Chapter 8
The Lord of hosts declares His zeal for Zion and Jerusalem, promising to dwell in the midst of the city, which will be called the "City of Truth" and the "Sanctified Mountain." The city will be filled with elderly men and women, as well as children, and the Lord will save His people from the East and West, leading them to dwell in Jerusalem. The Lord promises a seed of peace, with the vine, earth, and heavens giving their fruit, and the remnant of His people will possess these things. The Lord commands the people to speak truth, judge with peace, and not think evil against one another, and He promises that the fasts will be turned into joy and gladness, with many peoples and strong nations seeking the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem.
Chapter 9
The Lord will judge the nations, including Damascus, Tyre, and Sidon, for their pride and arrogance. Tyre will be destroyed by fire and the Philistines will be scattered, but a remnant will be left to serve the Lord. The Lord will bring peace and salvation to his people, and the King, the Just One, the Savior, will come to Jerusalem, riding on a donkey. The Lord will also protect and save his people, and they will be filled with joy and prosperity.
Chapter 10
The Lord will bring rain and fertility to the land, but the people have been misled by false prophets and have been punished for their lack of a true shepherd. The Lord will strengthen and save the houses of Judah and Joseph, and they will be restored to their former state. He will gather them from among the nations and lead them back to their own land, striking down their enemies and bringing low the arrogance of Assyria and Egypt. The people will be strengthened in the Lord and will walk in his name.
Chapter 11
The Lord laments the destruction of Lebanon and the devastation of its magnificent trees, symbolizing the downfall of the proud and powerful. The Lord instructs the prophet to care for the flock of the slaughter, but the prophet is met with resistance and decides to no longer care for them, allowing them to devour each other. The prophet is offered thirty silver coins as wages, which he rejects by casting them into the house of the Lord. The Lord then announces the rise of a foolish shepherd who will neglect and harm the flock, ultimately meeting his own downfall.
Chapter 12
The Lord will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all nations, and those who try to lift it will be torn apart. The Lord will protect Jerusalem and Judah, striking their enemies with madness and blindness. The governors of Judah will be strengthened, and they will devour the surrounding peoples. The Lord will also pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and they will mourn for the one they pierced.
Chapter 13
A fountain will be opened for the cleansing of sinners in Jerusalem, and the Lord will remove idols and false prophets from the earth. Those who falsely prophesy will be punished by their own families, and true prophets will be humbled and honest about their role. The Lord will strike the shepherd, causing the sheep to scatter, but a remnant will remain and be refined through trials, ultimately calling on the Lord's name and acknowledging Him as their God.
Chapter 14
The Lord will gather all the Gentiles against Jerusalem, and the city will be captured, but then the Lord will fight against those Gentiles and stand firm on the Mount of Olives. The Lord will bring a day of judgment, with a great earthquake and a unique day known to the Lord, and living waters will flow from Jerusalem. The Lord will be King over all the earth, and Jerusalem will be secure, with no further anathema. Those who do not go up to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of tabernacles will be punished, and everything in Jerusalem will be sanctified to the Lord.
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