Zechariah – Study Notes and Commentary
By Doug Schofield
There are about 20 individuals
named Zechariah in the Bible. There was
Zechariah the 2nd king of
Another view: In Matthew 23:35, preaching
to the Scribes and Pharisees about their hypocrisy, Jesus pronounces them
guilty of all of the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of
Able to the blood of Zachariah who was slain in the court of the temple. Of course, the account of Abel’s murder is in
Genesis 4:8. There is an account in 2
Chronicles 24:20-21 of the murder of a prophet named Zechariah which occurred
in the court of the temple. In making
this reference, our Lord may have been using hyperbole, as we often do when making
a sweeping generalization. Because the Chronicles were placed at the end of the
collection in the Tanakh, (or Hebrew Bible), Christ’s statement was
all-encompassing; as we might say from Genesis to Revelation.
The prophet who wrote the
next-to-last book in the Old Testament cannon is called the son of Bechariah,
the grandson of Iddo. Family names were
frequently reused for several generations, so similarity in the name of two
different individuals would not be unusual.
It was common to refer to someone as the son of their grandfather,
particularly if that grandfather were a notable individual, as was Iddo. Iddo was head of a priestly family among
those recruited by Ezra for the second group who returned to
Zechariah began to prophesy
exactly 2 months after Haggai, but was probably much younger, perhaps having
born in
The book is principally divided
into two distinct parts, chapters 1- 9 and 10 -14. It is filled with allusions, shadows, images
and prophesies about the coming Messiah.
There exists some dispute among scholars as to whether the book might
contain some of the work of Jeremiah because of a quote attributed to him in
Matthew 27:9-10 that comes from Zechariah 11:12-13. Bible critics have seized on this and cried
‘contradiction’, but there is no basis for that claim. Matthew says that the reference to the blood
money paid to Judas was “spoken” by Jeremiah.
God through the Holy Spirit may well have inspired Jeremiah to “speak”
the prophecy, and may also have inspired Zechariah to write it. There is no contradiction at all, nor is
there any valid evidence to support misplaced text. The Hebrew Bible, or
Tanakh, consists of 24 books, but contains all of the text of the 39 books in
the body of work known to Christians as the Old Testament. (For example, all of
the 12 Minor Prophets are included in a single division, as are 1 & 2 Kings
and 1 & 2 Chronicles). There are three major divisions, the Torah (the
Law); the Nevi’im (the Prophets); and the Ketuvin (the Writings – which begins
with Psalms, commonly referred to by that book). Thus the New Testament references to the Law,
the Prophets and the Psalms. A group of
books was usually referred to by the first book in its division, i.e. Psalms,
and Jeremiah (the first book in the division of the Prophets). Thus, in quoting from Zechariah
Chapter 1
In the opening verses we first see
that this is a message from God delivered by angels in visions. Against a background of the history of their
fathers’ transgression and punishment God warns the people to be faithful. “Return
to me and I will return to you”, verse 3.
In verses 5 & 6 is a rhetorical question, reminding us of the consequences
of being disobedient to God. God has
brought them back from captivity to allow them a chance to obey Him, but if
they fail to do so there awaits even greater punishment.
Keep in mind the time frame,
coincidental with the preaching and prophecy of Haggai, urging them on to
complete the rebuilding of the temple so that proper worship may be
restored. Recall that authorized worship
under the Law of Moses required a Levitical Priest, the blood of animal sacrifices
sprinkled on the altar, and once yearly on the mercy seat in the Holy of
Holies. Until they rebuilt the temple,
it was impossible for them to observe divinely authorized worship. However, restoration of Mosaic worship would
not be the final purpose to be served by the rebuilt temple, but the fact that
it is here that the Savior will come to pay the ultimate cost for the sins of
man. (Romans 6:23). As such,
In verse 8 he begins a series of 8
visions in one night, representing a symbolic history of
1:8 In the first vision, God is depicted as
receiving a report on the conditions in the world at that time. The red horse is indicative of blood – the
blood of evil doers perhaps. The red
horse in Revelation 6:4 is clearly representative of carnage and warfare. Here depicted as in defense of God’s people. The rider on the red horse may be symbolic of
Christ. The myrtle trees may represent
the Jewish people, and might be contrasted with tall stately cedars. They are
lowly but fragrant, representative of the current condition of the Jewish
state. God’s presence among them is to
give them courage. In this vision, God
is assuring the returned exiles that He has kept his promise to them and will
bless them as they serve Him.
Verse 12 makes reference to the 70
years of captivity, still fresh in the minds of the people; then 13-17 assures
them of God’s intentions. He is also
acknowledging the conduct of the gentile nations as well. They were reveling in peace and prosperity;
although God has used them to accomplish His divine retribution against
The horns in verse 18 symbolize
strength and power, and may refer to the four corners of the earth, the four
points of the compass. Wherever the Jews
turned there were hostile nations confronting them; to the North were the
Assyrians and Samaritans; to the South,
Thus far, we’ve seen the
reassurance that God is watching over His people in the first vision; and that
He will punish those nations who have abused the power He had granted them in
order to carry out His divine punishment because His people had disobeyed Him,
illustrated in the second vision.
Chapter 2
In chapter 2, the third vision is
of a man with the measuring line, (a surveyor), symbolizing God’s intentions
that
The metaphor of a measuring device
appears numerous times in the scriptures.
(Revelation 11:1; 21:15, 17) The
key underlying point is that God’s word is the standard by which all will be
measured at the judgment. (Job 31:6;
Daniel 5:27).
2:6 & 7 Here the call goes out
to those who had been scattered by the Babylonians. Some feel that the term “
<8,9>
The chapter concludes with reason
to sing and rejoice because God is coming to dwell in their midst. In verse 11 the Lord says, “Many nations
shall be joined to the Lord and shall be my people”. This is clearly, a picture of the
church. See Ephesians 2:11-13.
Chapter 3
In the first 3 visions God is
giving the Jews comfort and assuring them that the enemies of
3:8 is a pivotal prophecy
concerning the promised coming of Christ!
The branch reference is found in many places: Job 14:7; Zechariah 6:12;
Jeremiah 23:5; 33:15; Isaiah 4:2; 11:1; 53:2, and others. Think on this beautiful symbolism; like a
plant, the church can sprout and grow anew from the root, no matter what men
(Satan) may do to destroy it. Realize
that the royal blood line through whom the Savior was to enter the earth had
become almost extinct. We sometimes fail
to realize how many times the continuity of God’s Great Eternal Plan for the
salvation of mankind has come very close to being destroyed by Satan. His
attacks down through the ages have been numerous and powerful, aimed at
preventing man from being reconciled with God.
Satan tried to snuff out the royal blood line many times; (Noah and 7
others survived the flood, Genesis 6; Exodus 1:22, Pharaoh’s edict at the time
of the birth of Moses; Matthew 2:16, Herod’s killing of babies; and numerous
other instances in between).
3:9, reference to the “stone” –
Psalms 118:22; Isaiah 28:16; Matthew 21:42; Acts 4:11. The eye is a symbol of God’s providence. 7 eyes indicate His complete watchfulness
over His people. Engraving on precious
stones was a specialized art in this era, especially in the manufacture of
signet rings for royalty. The image was
engraved in reverse so that it made a legible impression when pressed onto wax,
clay or some other malleable surface.
Indeed God did remove the iniquity of those who will obey Him in one day
– the day that Jesus died on the cross.
Chapter 4
Chapter 4 is filled with some very
beautiful illustrations of God’s marvelous grace. Without delving into a study of the
sleep-like state of those who received visions from God, we will simply observe
some similar events: Daniel, 8:18; Jeremiah 31:26; and the disciples on the
Mount of Transfiguration, Luke 9:32; 2 Corinthians 12:2; and Revelation 1:10.
The lampstand represents the
presence of God, both in the temple furnishings and in the church, bearing the
light of God’s word; Revelation
The significance of the lampstand
is monumental. In John 1:4-5 we learn
that Christ is the light of men. Jesus
said, “I am the light of the world…”, John
Naturally, the bowl is indicative
of God as the source of supply for all our needs. The pipes may represent His abundant grace
toward us – those things that sustain life itself, the Bible and the provisions
for our redemption through faith and obedience.
4:7, The task of rebuilding the
temple was much more than just a simple construction project; it also involved
re-establishing the worship rituals, and bringing the people into compliance
with God’s law. It was a monumental task
– a mountain. Yet, God promises
Zechariah that once the job is done it will appear to have been a walk in the
park. The headstone here is the
keystone, the final lynch block in a completed stone structure.
The golden lampstand symbolizes
the restoration of God’s favor to the people through restored worship. The seven candlesticks, each connected by a
pipe from a bowl above represent the flow of God’s grace to those who will
dwell in His light, (John 8:12). It is also a symbol of Christ as the light of
the world (and of the church); the bowl as the reservoir of fuel signifies God,
the entire vision demonstrates how grace flows from God through Christ to the
church and thus to individual mankind.
The two olive trees on either side
may represent Zerubbabel and Joshua, King and Priest, the civil and religious
leadership of the city in restoration.
It could be an image of Christ and the church; Christ is both King and
Priest, (Matthew 27:11 and Hebrews 5:6;
Olive oil has always been
considered a precious commodity; used as a food, in the preparation of food, as
a medicine, as fuel, and used for anointing.
We are reminded of the anointing of God’s emissaries to carry out His
work. The message is that the success of the rebuilding effort depends not on
men but on God. The work they are doing
now is by the authority of God. Recall
from our study in Haggai that the people suffered a lack of prosperity because
they were doing their own will and not the will of God; their purpose in
returning to Jerusalem was to rebuild the temple, but instead they had been
building their own houses – something they were not yet authorized to do. Now that their priorities have been properly
focused, they receive the anointing of authority from God. Anointing with oil was a sign of consecration
to God’s service. God told Moses to
anoint Aaron and his sons as priests; the tabernacle and the Ark of the
Covenant were anointed; Saul was anointed King over
Chapter 5
In chapter 5, the flying scroll
represents God’s judgment upon sinners. Its size is the same as the
specifications for the temple porch, (1 Kings 6:3), perhaps emphasizing its
divine authority. Verses 3 and 4 condemn lying and stealing together. To be guilty of one is to be guilty of the
other. My Dad used to say ‘when you steal
you lie and when you lie you steal’; he meant that a thief lies in claiming
ownership of that which he has stolen; and he steals the confidence of those to
who whom he lies. The lesson is that God
will deal with sin – whether by judgment or by grace depends upon mankind, and
whether or not we choose to humble ourselves, repent and accept his grace
through obedience.
The woman in the basket represents
the sins of the nation. Why a
basket? The ephah was the largest
container of measurement in this culture, holding about a half-bushel, or about
5 gallons. It’s use might symbolize the
magnitude of the sins of God’s people.
Individual sins might be seen as addressed by the previous vision of the
flying scroll; sins that one at a time might go almost unnoticed, but
collectively they would fill up a large basket.
The last part of verse 6 indicates that it represents a universal
condition.
The woman is representative of the
sins of the nation of
It was typical to place a flat
stone over the opening of a basket full of grain, both to prevent foreign
debris from contaminating the grain and to keep the grain inside from
spilling. A heavy cover is not unusual, but
a cover of lead emphasizes the point of the importance of keeping the contents
inside the basket. In Isaiah
Those who carry away the basket
are also feminine, symbols of the evil nations God had used to punish
The sins of stealing and false testimony have been dealt
with, now the sin of idolatry is symbolically being carried away. It is notable that after the Babylonian
captivity never again is idolatry a major issue among the Jewish nation. Idolatry is so abhorrent to God because it is
an indicator that man’s heart is set on earthly things, sensual pleasures and
worldly possessions and not on spiritual things. “But the natural man receiveth not the
things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he
know them, because they are spiritually discerned”, 1 Corinthians 2:14.
Chapter 6
In chapter 6, the 1st 8
verses, the prophet sees the four chariots – coming from between two mountains
of brass. Possibly the
The chariots represent power and
judgment on the surrounding gentile nations, the four powers of Daniel
2:39-40. In the first vision there were
horses and riders only; chariots indicate a military action. As war machines, chariots were the jet
fighters of that day. The red horses may
represent the Chaldeans who overthrew the Assyrians; the is the
The two mountains represent the
undisputed authority of God and that they are of brass signify the unchanging
character of God. Brass is also used to
represent strength and power. Work in
brass is mentioned as early as Genesis chapter 4; Tubalcain, ‘bul-can’,
(perhaps Vulcan), Cain’s great-grandson, is mentioned as an instructor in the
art of working with brass. Thus it would
appear that from the very earliest times this was a known skill. In his Antiquities of the Jews, Josephus
enlarges on the KJV rendering of Genesis 4:22, asserting that Tubal-cain was
one who instructed others in the art and craftsmanship of working with
brass. Secular history refers to this
time frame as the “Bronze Age”. Brass
and bronze are essentially the same amalgamation of copper and tin, brass
usually having a little more copper than bronze. Recall that there were two pillars of brass
set up on the porch of Solomon’s temple, (1 Kings
In prophetic symbolism, the number
four, particularly relating to directions, usually indicates the whole of the
world. North and South are significant
because these are the only directions from which enemies could approach
The four winds are ascribed
various roles in scripture; in Ezekiel 37:9, in the valley of dry bones they
give life; in Jeremiah 49:36 the four winds bring destruction to Elam; and in a
number of other places the four winds of heaven are mentioned in various
roles. Predominantly however, I believe
that the four winds symbolize the omnipresence of God and His role in all the
affairs of mankind.
The color of the horses may or may
not necessarily convey a specific message, depending upon context, and the
description of their rider and what the rider may be carrying. Usually, red represents war and violence, but
not always. White usually represents purity
or holiness; black is mourning or suffering.
Bays and grizzled or mottled may be a mixture of good and evil –
representing the need for cleansing. In
this context, however, the various colored horses appear to represent the
nations which God had or would use to accomplish his purposes;
6:8 - God’s spirit having been quieted or set at rest in
the
The Visions of Zechariah
|
1 |
1:7-17 |
Horseman among the myrtle trees |
God’s watchfulness over His people |
|
2 |
1:18-21 |
Four horns and four craftsmen |
The putting down of |
|
3 |
2:1-13 |
The surveyor |
Plans for a |
|
4 |
3:1-10 |
Cleansing and re-clothing of Joshua |
Restoration of authorized temple worship |
|
5 |
4:1-14 |
The golden lampstand and two olive trees |
The grace and providence of God; the Godhead |
|
6 |
5:1-4 |
The flying scroll |
Judgment on individual sins |
|
7 |
5:5-11 |
The woman in the basket |
Sins of the nation removed |
|
8 |
6:1-8 |
The four chariots |
Judgment on |
The crowning of a priest as king is directly symbolic of
Jesus, prophet, priest and king, (Psalms 110:4).
In verse 8 of chapter 3, following
the vision of Joshua the high priest, Joshua is told “…behold, I will bring
forth my servant the Branch.” The BRANCH
– referring to Jesus. John
The temple spoken of in 13 is the
church. Ephesians 2:20-22; 1 Peter
24-5. This is a pivotal event in
scripture in that it brings to focus all of the previous prophesies of the
coming Messiah. The specific parallels
which are reflected in the New Testament serve to fortify our faith.
The crown (or crowns) was to be
placed in the rebuilt temple as a memorial of God’s promise concerning the
Branch. We have a memorial that reminds
us of the Branch – a memorial that we observe on the first day of every week, a
living memorial that cannot be taken away; it is the Lord’s Supper. Zechariah’s prophecy extends far beyond the
work immediately at hand, but at least a part of the purpose seems to be to
place emphasis on the vital importance of that work to God’s eternal purpose.
Verse 15 speaks of those Jews who have yet to return and
take part in the work of rebuilding the physical temple. But more than that, it is also a reference to
Gentile nations coming into the church, Ephesians 2:13; 17; Acts 2:39.
We have been studying the events surrounding the return to
This is relevant to us today because we have work to do in
building the spiritual temple; Paul wrote, “For we are laborers together
with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. According to the grace of God which is given
unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another
buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that
is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:9-11). Isaiah 28:16 is a key passage concerning the
church, “therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I lay in Zion for a
foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner –stone of sure
foundation: he that believeth shall not be in haste” (quoted by Christ in
Matthew, Mark and Luke). Ephesians
2:19-22, “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow
citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief
corner stone; In whom all the building
fitly framed together rowth unto a holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for a
habitation of God through the Spirit.”
We noted how that immediately upon returning from
Summary of the 1st section of Zechariah
(Chapters 1-6)
In the opening chapters of
Zechariah we noted a series of 8 visions that came to him in which God
delivered some very important messages to the people. Those messages included God’s assurance that
He was watching over them, (#1 the man in the myrtle trees and the riders); and
the He would give them peace on all sides as they set about their work,; and
that He would execute Divine judgment upon those enemies who had oppressed
them, (#2 the four horns and four craftsmen.)
God assured them that it was His plan that Jerusalem would be restored,
but more than that, He hints at a far greater plan – spiritual Jerusalem, the
church of our Lord, (#3 the surveyor).
In the 4th vision is God’s message that authorized temple
worship is to be restored. The 5th
vision of the golden lamp stand and two olive trees is a beautiful depiction of
the Godhead, the Father Himself, with the Son and Holy Spirit on either
side. The pipes flowing with olive oil
represent God’s grace flowing freely to all who will obey His Great Eternal
Plan for the salvation of mankind; one olive tree, the Son, who would carry out
that plan; and the other tree, the Holy Spirit, who would reveal that plan
through the word. He reveals that
individual sins must be abandoned, (#6 the flying scroll); and illustrates the
purpose of the captivity had been to remove the sins of the nation, carrying
them away into Babylon and leaving them there, (#7). Finally, in the eighth vision, the four
chariots give assurance of peace all around and reveal that God is ready to
resume a covenant relationship with them, if they will submit to Him and do His
will.
Following the conclusion of the visions the Holy Spirit
instructs Zechariah to make a crown of gold and silver and place it on Joshua,
the high priest; saying to him, “behold the man who is the Branch; and he
shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord”;
a clear reference to Jesus and the building of His church. The crowning of Joshua, as representing the
Branch, illustrates the combining of divine authority and the priesthood. “And Jesus came to them and spake unto
them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth”,
(Matthew 28:18 ASV).
Joshua could not have actually been king over
“If therefore
perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received
the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the
order of Melchizedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the
priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the
law. For he of whom these things are
spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the
altar. For it is evident that our Lord
sprang out of
Some of my dear friends sincerely believe that Christ is
going to return to earth and reign here for a thousand years – but they have
been misled and are so sadly mistaken.
The scriptures never speak of Christ setting foot on the earth again,
(not even in chapter 14); further, were He to do so, He could not be our High
Priest, “For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that
there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:”
(Hebrews 8:4). That Christ is our Great
High Priest is one of the foundational blessings we have as Christians. “Seeing then that we have a great high
priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast
our profession. For we have not a high
priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all
points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may
obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need”, (Hebrews
Now, following the visions, time
passes – about two years. Before
proceeding, it might aid our understanding to stop here and consider the
spiritual implications of the temple.
After the exodus from Egyptian captivity, God instructed Moses in the
building of a tabernacle – a portable tent in which worship activities were to
be carried out as directed by God. In
Exodus 25:9 God instructs Moses that everything is to be done according to the
pattern that he will reveal. Later, the
temple was constructed by Solomon to replace the tabernacle, and there was a
very specific pattern given by the Holy Spirit for that as well, (1 Chronicles
28:11-12).
Consider Paul’s admonition to Timothy, “Hold the pattern
of sound words which thou hast heard from me, in faith and love which is in
Christ Jesus”, (2 Timothy
We are not left to wonder how we
should worship or what we should do, we have been given a pattern from God by
the Holy Spirit; and we are not at liberty to do whatever tickles our fancy
when it comes to the worship of God. Worship
is about pleasing God, not man.
The temple served as more than
just a place of worship – it was also seen as a monument to God’s covenant with
His people through Moses. As such, the
structure itself was indeed precious and sacred to the Jews. We have an even greater memorial to remind us
of God’s new covenant with us through Jesus Christ, the Lord’s Supper. Unlike the stone temple of old, ours is a
memorial that cannot be destroyed.
Solomon constructed the first
temple in about 965 BC. The wood and
stone cutting was done away from the temple site “…so that there was neither
hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in
building”, (1 Kings 6:7). That
temple was sacked by the Egyptians in about 912 BC, (1Kings
In 732 Hezekiah became king in
At the end of the period of
Babylonian captivity, a remnant of Jews returned to
In about 20 BC Herod the Great
started a rebuilding project that went on for 46 years, greatly enlarging the
temple grounds, and constructing additional buildings including a garrison for
Roman soldiers. Of the 10,000 workmen
1,000 of them were priests, trained as carpenters since the Law of Moses
prohibited any but priests from entering the temple itself. They shaped the
stones some distance away to prevent noise around the
To the north, a deep valley was
filled in for enlargement of the temple mount. On the West side, parts of the
enclosure wall still stand, forming the lowest level of the Western retaining
wall (known today as the Wailing Wall). The construction of the temple continued
for 46 years (John
“But will God indeed dwell on
the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how
much less this house that I have built?” (1 Kings
“Howbeit the most High dwelleth
not in temples made with hands;…”(Acts
In the first 6 chapters we examined the 8 night visions
through which the Holy Spirit delivered certain specific messages to Zechariah,
Joshua the High Priest, Zerubbabel and to the people. A notable passage from Job may help us to
understand this visionary means of communicating God’s will to man; “Behold,
in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than
man. Why dost thou strive against him?
for he giveth not account of any of his matters. For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man
perceiveth it not. In a dream, in a
vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the
bed; Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, That he may withdraw man from his purpose,
and hide pride from man,” (Job
33:12-17).
Chapters 1-6 go together; next
7&8; followed by 9-14 (although there are some subdivisions in 9-14). 7&8 deal with a basic understanding of
what God expects of us as His followers.
Chapter 7
(1-7) Time has passed – 2
years. The specificity of time given
firmly establishes the historical authenticity of the prophecy. Bear in mind now that at this point they are
about halfway finished with the reconstruction of the temple, (this would have
been 518 BC).
The captives had for the past 70
years observed special memorial days to commemorate their overthrow, capture
and removal from their homeland.
Inasmuch as the temple appears to be nearing completion, they ask the
question as to whether they should continue to observe the memorial days of
mourning and fasting which they had practiced while in
There were in fact at least 5
fasts that the Jews had taken upon themselves to observe during their
captivity, that were not authorized by God.
On the 5th day of the 10th month they fasted in
observance of the burning of the temple by Nebuchadnezzar. On the 7th day of the 3rd
month they fasted to observe the murder of Gedliah and those who were with him,
(Jeremiah 41:1-10, also 2 Kings 25:25).
On the 7th day of the 5th month they mourned the 2nd
burning of the temple and the breaking down of the walls of the city, (2 Kings
25:8-21).
The only fast authorized by God
was the Day of Atonement, Leviticus 16:29;
“Wherefore have we fasted, say
they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest
no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all
your labours”, (Isaiah 58:3). It was
common practice among the Jews to give attention to the ceremonial fasting, but
the observance was entirely superficial.
They are to be reminded that all things are to be done to the glory of
God, 1 Corinthians 10:31.
Fasting or feasting is meaningless
to God –the heart is what matters. Matthew 6:2; 5, 16; 23:5. Romans 14:6-9, 17; 1 Corinthians 10:31;
Colossians 3:17, 23.
The message is that if they had
been sincere about submitting to the will of God, (they and their ancestors),
they would not have had to suffer the 70 years of Babylonian captivity. James 4:8-10.
Instead of being concerned with
maintaining meaningless self-designed rituals, they should have been more
concerned with examining their hearts in humility before God and seeking to do
His will. We too should take care that
our attitude toward the Lord is not superficial, and that we are not negligent
of those things which He expects of us.
Geographically,
7:9 The word of the Lord directs their attention
(and ours) to those things which God expects of His people: fairness,
consideration, honesty and compassion. (1
John 3:17; Matthew 23:23). The sins of
lying and false testimony are specifically condemned in the vision of the
flying scroll, (5:1-4).
12 Note the language, it is clear
that it was the people who would not hear the words of the prophets of God;
only after they stopped listening to God did He close His ears to them. Isaiah 59:2. Matthew 13:15; Luke 8:12;
Chapter 8
In the previous passages, the people are admonished to
repent and live righteously because of the punishment they had experienced; now
they are given the same admonition but for a different reason…the promises of
future restoration. There are two
reasons we obey God, love for Him and fear of Hell; there are two reasons
children obey their parents, respect for authority and fear of
consequences.
Here we see God’s love and mercy – He is ready to receive
His people if they will return to faithfulness; His conditional promises are
renewed and the future glory of spiritual
See also Revelation 21:3 for future fulfillment.
Divine jealousy may be seen as a component of the
relationship between God and those who would be His people. Exodus 20:5; 34:14; Deuteronomy 4:24; 5:9;
8:3
The prophecy is now that there will be peace, of such a
duration that men will grow old peacefully and there will be children who will
feel safe to pass the days in the streets of the city. Contrast verses 4 & 5 with the scene in
Lamentations 2:11,19.
8:6. That the people
should marvel at the things God has promised shows their need for greater
faith. That ‘remnant’ of Jews, (that
last few who would at least give an impression of faithfulness), seeing the
destruction and desolate condition of the temple and of the city marveled at
the things God promised. By using the
word ‘remnant’ God may be reminding them from whence they had just come. Man is all too prone to limit God’s power by
his own unbelief. Remember in 4:10, ‘who
hath despised the day of small things?’
It should be noted that there is always a shaking out of the insincere,
leaving a “remnant”. The term appears
repeatedly in the text of the Old Testament, and Jesus in Matthew 7:14 stated
that only a few will enter the kingdom of Heaven.
8:7 speaks of the universality of the church, indicating
that people all over the world will have the opportunity to come into spiritual
Jerusalem and receive the freely offered grace of God by obedience to His
divine will. 1 Peter 2:10 speaks of
Gentiles as those who “were not a people but are now the people of God” having
obtained His mercy. How? Through hearing the gospel, believing it, repenting of
their sins, confessing faith in Christ and being baptized.
8:8 “They will be my
people and I will be their God” is a theme often repeated down through the
ages. What a glorious promise! What great and magnificent love the Father
has for His children! (Gen 17:8) God said to Abraham, “And I will give
unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger,
all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their
God.”
(Exo 29:45) To Moses
God said, “And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their
God.”
We find the expression 3 times in Jeremiah, ( 24:7) “And I will give them a heart to know me,
that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for
they shall return unto me with their whole heart.” And (31:33) “…I will put my law in their inward parts,
and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my
people.” And (32:38) “And they shall be
my people, and I will be their God:”
It appears 4 times in Ezekiel, (11:20) “That they may walk in my statutes, and keep
mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their
God.” (14:11) “That the house of Israel
may go no more astray from me, neither be polluted any more with all their
transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, saith
the Lord GOD.” (34:24) “And I the LORD will be their God, and my
servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it.” (37:23)
“Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor
with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will
save them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will
cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.” And
(37:27) “My tabernacle also shall be
with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
(2Corinthians 6:16)
“And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the
temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in
them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
(Revelation 21:3)
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle
of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people,
and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
The righteousness of God is revealed in faith, Romans
1:17. Many people miss the mark because
they do not submit to the righteousness of God, Romans 10:3. (For reference to bringing in the Gentiles
see Romans 11:15-16).
8:9–11 is encouragement for them to go forward with their
work; a reminder that when they arrived in Jerusalem there was nothing but
devastation. No formal employment, no
organized work – they had to start from scratch, so to speak. Haggai and Zechariah urged them on, and now,
several years later, there are signs of progress. At the outset they faced many challenges and
obstacles, but now, besides a good start on the project, they had the promise
of God that He would be with them and protect them and grant them prosperity…a
reversal of their earlier experiences revealed in Haggai. As the work has progressed and they have
moved closer to the restoration of temple worship as commanded by God, the
people appear to be moving closer to God – therefore He is moving closer to
them. The future is bright and full of
promise, but to realize those promises righteousness and hard work are going to
be necessary.
8:12-13 The future is full of hope for the Jews so long as they seek to do God’s will. God is promising to reward their efforts both with immediate results and, more importantly, future blessings of far greater value. The remnant of this people – clearly a specific reference to those who will be faithful. The scriptures speak often of the “elect”. It does not mean individuals who have been arbitrarily selected by God to be saved, but it means those who themselves have elected, or chosen or their own free will and volition, to obey God. All such people are the elect, the remnant, God’s chosen people – those who will choose to serve Him