Zechariah Week 2
INTRODUCTION -
Let’s review again. Because you haven’t learned the material until your review it so many times you’re sick of it!
review of our entire timeline here.
6 Major world powers
Abraham, Moses, Kingdom, Split, Fall of Israel, Fall of Judah, Exile, Return
Zechariah takes place at the same time as Haggai. Babylon has been defeated by Persia. And the Persians have allowed Israel to return from exile. There are two important people that we met in Haggai that we’ll meet again in Zechariah.
Zerubbabel - the governor of Jerusalem and the heir to the throne
Joshua - the High Priest
OUTLINE -
There is a brief introduction (vs. 1-6)
There are 8 visions followed by a sign-act (chs. 1-6)
Story of Fasting and Feasting (7-8)
Images of Messiah’s Kingdom (9-14)
2 of them (9-11, 12-14)
4:1-14
This is our fifth vision so you can write vision 5 on the side
Let’s draw a picture of what he’s looking at because it will help us visualize what is happening. This isn’t a bad idea to do any time there’s a vision. Drawing stuff sounds silly, but it might actually help you think through what’s happening a bit more clearly. (Don’t cheat and look up a picture or have AI draw it for you, do the work yourself)
DRAW IT (Menorah with 2 olive trees. Olive trees have 2 golden pipes feeding the oil)
Could be 7 lamps each have a lip making it 7 total lips or it could be 7 lamps with 7 lips each making a total of 49. It’s unclear. This could be a “super menorah”
What’s a menorah and what’s its purpose? The Menorah was first made for the tabernacle back in Moses’ day. It was specifically made to look like branches of an almond tree (sorry not a pecan tree). There was lots of tree and plant imagery in the tabernacle because it was designed to remind them of the Garden of Eden. Despite what you typically imagine as a small menorah at Hanukkah. The tabernacle menorah was between 5 and 6 feet tall. There was a single menorah in the tabernacle. Interestingly, when Solomon builds his temple later on, he keeps the same imagery, but instead of 1 menorah he builds 10 of them.
The menorah is designed to be the light source for the tabernacle and temple. It’s the only way they can see in this building.
Of course lamps need oil to keep them burning. The priests were responsible to keep adding oil every evening and every morning so that they never stopped burning.
SIDE STORY:
Fun side story that’s not entirely related to Zechariah.
You’re familiar with Menorah’s probably because of what holiday? Hanukkah! What does that have to do with Hanukkah?
Jump ahead on our timeline. Remember there was a period of time when the Jews regained independence and they had their own kings? This is the period that Hanukkah comes from.
The Greeks had a placed a king in charge of this region and his name was Antiochus IV or Antiochus Epiphanes and he was persecuting the Jews greatly. He was blaspheming God and desecrating their altars and their worship. He burned Torah scrolls. He set up a statue of Zeus in the temple. He offered pigs on the altars. His goal was to eradicate Jewish worship altogether.
It had the opposite effect. The Jews revolted. It was something called the Maccabean Revolt. Because the family of the Maccabees played a large part in it. After about 3 years of fighting they took back their land and their temple. The Greeks were busy elsewhere and couldn’t keep fighting Israel.
In order to reuse the temple they had to rededicate it and this involved lots of cleansing and purifying. Removing all of the horrible stuff that Antiochus IV had put in there even tearing down altars he desecrated.
Here’s the part that’s not really verified, but is the basis for Hanukkah. They only found 1 jar of consecrated holy oil to be used for the Menorah. This was enough for 1 day. They lit the Menorah, and while they were preparing new oil the one jar miraculously lasted for 8 entire days. Thus, Hanukkah, the festival of lights, is celebrated for 8 days.
So actually Hanukkah menorahs look a little different than temple ones. Hanukkah ones have 9 candles instead of 7.
Thus concludes our fun side story
BACK TO ZECHARIAH
Zechariah asks the angel what the vision means, but before explaining its parts the angel explains the big picture. But let me do the reverse. I’ll explain the parts then come back to the big picture.
VS 10 - the seven lampstands are the 7 eyes of the Lord. If you remember last week in 3:9 we had a stone with seven eyes and I simply said, “I don’t know what that means”. Well here we have 7 eyes again, but I have a small idea of what it could mean. The number 7 often represents completeness or perfection in the Bible. It was a common Hebrew way of speaking. And God’s eyes are how he watches over or cares for the earth. So it could be that this refers to his perfect or complete watching and care for the earth. I’m not entirely sure.
VS 11-14 - The two olive trees are connected to the lamp by golden pipes which supply an endless amount of oil. He mentions that these are two anointed ones. For those of you familiar with “Messiah” as anointed one. This is not Messiah. It’s literally “sons of new oil” or you could say anointed ones
Ok let’s break this down for a minute. The two anointed ones are giving fuel to a lamp so that it never stops perfectly watching over or illuminating the whole earth. Don’t forget the context that this vision is occurring in. The lampstand is closely related to the temple and what is it that the Jews are currently rebuilding under Zerubbabel? The temple!
So the temple/Menorah is God’s presence in the earth and there are these two trees feeding it to make sure it does what it’s supposed to do.
Now let’s back up to what the angel says to Zechariah in VS 6 God speaks to Zerubbabel - remember he is our governor of Jerusalem. He tells him that he will prosper by God’s spirit not his own might. Underline that line.
Why is the menorah in the vision able to shine light and do what it’s supposed to do? Because the trees are feeding it. Why will Zerubbabel be able to complete this temple? Because the Spirit is being fed to him.
Vs 7 - There are no mountains too big, no obstacles that will stop him. He will put the top stone on this temple. Meaning that he will complete it.
Vs 9 - makes this explicit. underline the phrase “His hands shall also complete it”
Vs10 is where our application comes in. Circle the phrase “whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice”. Here’s the point - this looked pathetic and impossible when you first began this job. It was a day of small things - little itty bitty starts. Just moving some old rocks out of the way. Everyone thought it was nothing. But that’s how a task starts. And if God is in the task he sees it through to completion.
If God calls you to something, it will always start small. There’s not really any other way to start. But if his spirit is feeding the task, he’ll make sure it is completed. If you never run out of his spirit, you will put the top stone on the task. He’s teaching Zerubbabel that God is fueling his efforts and he will bring them to completion as long as he relies on him.
That was a long vision. Let’s get to the next one.
5:1-4
Write Vision 6 next to this one
So we have a giant flying scroll. It’s about 30 feet by 15 feet. This suggests it’s so big it’s meant for everyone to read - like a giant flying billboard. Also significantly we have more temple imagery. The holy place of the temple was this same size. 30 feet by 15 feet.
Specifically on one side there’s a curse against those who steal and the other side has a curse on those who swear falsely. I think it’s wise to understand these two specific laws being representative of all of God’s laws. So this scroll is going to curse everyone who breaks the laws of God.
And don’t forget, it’s the exact size of the holy place in the temple. So when they build God’s holy place and they reinstitute following God’s holy laws, it means that God will reinstitute cursing those who disobey his laws and don’t follow him. That’s what it means to have God’s blessing.
So this is almost a be careful what you wish for situation. They really want God’s presence to return so they’re rebuilding the temple. But if God’s presence returns it means his curses against lawbreakers will also return. God is good and he loves giving good things, but God also hates evil and punishes it. You can’t have the one half of God without the other.
So in our context, if we want God to bless our church and our lives and we call out to him, we should expect that he will. But we should also expect that he will come with the intention of eradicating sin in us and we won’t be able to hold onto it and receive his blessings at the same time.
5:5-11
Write Vision 7 next to this one
So here we have a basket that is going to be taken away. The basket has a heavy lid on it that should keep it from being opened.
What’s in the basket? VS 6 tells us “their iniquity in all the land” underline that phrase.
VS 8 tells us “This is wickedness” underline that phase.
And what symbol is representative of the wickedness and iniquity? It’s a woman in the basket. In Vs 7, underline “a woman sitting in the basket”. Why is it portrayed as a woman? It’s unclear. Suggestions are that there are some idols that are women which led the Jews astray. Another is that often marrying foreign women is what led them astray. A third maybe most likely option is that the Hebrew word for wickedness is a feminine word and so it’s portrayed by a feminine being. But honestly I don’t know why.
But then we see two other women who carry the wickedness far away. If these two women are angels, this is the only time in the whole Bible we see female angels which is pretty cool.
But they take the basket away and they go to Shinar. Circle “To the land of Shinar” Shinar is an archaic name for Babylon. If you remember the tower of Babel from Genesis 11, it was built in the plains of Shinar.
But the reason that wickedness is sent to Babylon is so that God can prepare a house for it there. Notice the women are not only taking it to Shinar, but they are going to build a house for it. Circle that phrase as well.
God is take evil away to its own place. Back to Babylon where it belongs. And it is going to stay there in the place God prepares for it. It might be fair to compare this to Hell. God is preparing a place for sin and Satan and it will dwell there forever.
So in the previous vision God’s presence meant sinners would be punished. But now we see further that when God’s presence arrives, sin will be completely eradicated and removed from his people.
6:1-8
Write Vision 8 next to this one. This is our last vision, but we still have a sign-act left.
Here we have 4 chariots with horses of different colors. Clearly this ties to the first vision from last week where we saw 4 horses that each had different colors.
Also similarly in the first vision the horses had just come from patrolling the earth and now these ones are sent out to patrol the earth.
In this vision some go north and some go south. The north and south are the directions that their enemies would come from. Egypt in the south. Babylon and Assyria in the north. Perhaps that’s why two go north and one goes south.
Why is the connection to the first vision important? Well let’s go back and read some of it to be reminded:
If you remember the 4 horses in vision 1 patrolled the whole earth and they came back to give their report here’s what they said
“And they answered the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees, and said, ‘We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth remains at rest.’ 12 Then the angel of the Lord said, ‘O Lord of hosts, how long will you have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which you have been angry these seventy years?’”
The angel is upset that the whole earth is at rest, but God’s people are not at rest.
VS 7-8. This time the horses are sent out and it specifically says that God has set his spirit at rest. Circle that phrase. And put a little arrow pointing backwards that says 1:11 That’s where we read that the earth was at rest.
God is saying that he is going to go out and find his exiled people and set his people at rest. He’s going to resolve the problem that was introduced in vision 1.
So here we have the combined message of these last 4 visions. God’s spirit will accomplish his work (in the lampstand and olive tree vision). God will punish evil (the giant flying scroll vision). God will remove wickedness (woman in a basket vision) and God will bring his scattered people rest (4 chariots vision). These are all very hopeful messages given to people who are supposed to be rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple. Zechariah is not getting them to work by threatening them. He’s motivating them of the good thing they’re working towards.
This is a little like this past Sunday’s sermon. Keep your eye on the goal you’re working towards. Those who go out sowing in tears will reap with shouts of joy. You’re building a hard thing now. It’s a small beginning. But God’s presence will not be stopped and your small work will end with God eradicating all evil and saving all of his people.
Last section the sign-act.
6:9-15
Write Sign-act next to this section. Remember a sign-act is different from a vision. A vision is a dream that the prophet sees. Each part has meanings and he tells it to other people. A sign-act also demonstrates and teaches something, but this one is literally carried out and takes place so that all the people (not just the prophet) can see the symbols.
Here’s what happens. They gather up gold and make a crown. Crowns belong to kings. We have Zerubbabel the governor and heir to the throne here in Jerusalem and we have Joshua the high priest. Which one should wear the crown? Zerubbabel for sure! But instead it is placed on the head of Joshua the high priest. Why?
It’s teaching them something. God is going to combine these two positions: king and high priest into one person. He tells us about who this person will be
VS 12 There’s a man coming named THE BRANCH! We’ve seen this guy before. Circle the branch and put an arrow pointing backwards to 3:8. We saw him in an earlier vision. The Branch is a term referring to the coming Messiah. Both Isaiah and Jeremiah have talked about this coming branch guy. Now we learn more about him.
Vs 13 - He shall sit and rule on his throne. Underline that. The branch is going to be the king! But then the very next line. There shall be a priest on his throne. Underline that. This branch will also be a priest! Between both of these offices or roles there will be peace. They will be joined harmoniously together into one guy.
Vs 14 - Just to make sure they’re not confused - Joshua the High Priest is not the branch. They take the crown off of him and keep it in the temple.
Who will be both priest and king? We’ll see in the New Testament that Jesus is both priest and king at the same time.
Why does that matter? It matters because the person who would come save them, could save them in every way imaginable. He would save them from enemies and pains and sufferings and he would give them prosperity - that’s what a king’s job was. But he would also represent them before God like a priest. The priest is able to turn away God’s wrath and acquire God’s blessing for them.
This is why today we talk about Jesus as being the solution to everything. There aren’t multiple places you need to go to when you’re in trouble. If you’re having a land dispute or if someone stole your money then you go to the king, but if you sinned against someone or you’ve been made unclean then go to the priest.
We go to Jesus for everything. He’s the king and he’s the priest. He’s the one-stop shop so to speak for every trouble you could have. And he’s going to rule and represent us forever. You could see why the Jews were so excited for this guy to show up.