Zechariah -- an Introduction

Zechariah was a contemporary of Haggai. Zechariah was a visionary whose writing was more in the apocalyptic style akin to portions of Daniel and Ezekiel. These highly vivid images portray a future and anticipate the Messiah who is yet to come. Zechariah has two clear sections. The first section is chapter 1 through 8 and is attributed to the prophet who wrote in the late 6^th Century BC. Chapters 9 through 14 clearly come from a different and later hand and era.

Zechariah can be outlined as follows:

·         Zechariah 1:1-6           Zechariah’s commission

·         Zechariah 1:7-6:15      Eight visions and their interpretations

·         Zechariah 7:1-8:23      Joy and gladness in the coming age

·         Zechariah 9:1-8           The Lord’s attack upon nations

·         Zechariah 9:9-16         Judah goes to war

·         Zechariah 9:17-10:12  Restoration of Israel

·         Zechariah 11:1-3         Short poem threatening destruction

·         Zechariah 11:4-14       An allegorical narrative

·         Zechariah 12:1-14:21  Jerusalem repents and is delivered by the LORD

Key learning: “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem, See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). Christians believe this prophecy was fulfilled on Palm Sunday.