November
520 B.C. Zechariah 1.1ff.
Call to repentance.
Zechariah: Desultory Musings: Zechariah begins his ministry in Nov 520
B.C., the second year of the Medo-Persian Emperor Darius. Zechariah 1.1-6: “In the eighth month, in the
second year of Darius, came the word of the Lord unto
Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, 2 The
Lord hath been sore displeased with your fathers. 3 Therefore
say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts;
Turn ye unto me, saith the Lord of hosts,
and I will turn unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. 4 Be
ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus
saith the Lord of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your
evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the Lord. 5 Your fathers, where are they? and the
prophets, do they live for ever? 6 But my words and my
statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of
your fathers? and they returned and said, Like as the Lord of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and
according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us.”
Authorship: Zechariah, the presumptive and historical
view, a 6th century contemporary of Haggai, although some critical
scholars see two authors, chs. 1—8 and chs. 9—14.
Date
and Occasion:
The same background is
Haggai. Haggai focuses on rebuilding the
Temple while Zechariah’s emphasis is the covenantal welfare, status, blessing
and victory of Jerusalem. Encouragement
is the name of the game.
It is in the genre of
apocalyptic literature, akin to portions of Daniel and Ezekiel. Zechariah has
several visions.
Each vision is a particular
snapshot without necessary sequencing; each must be taken on their own merit
and presenting issues. They combine the
present and future in an indivisible fabric; this present challenges to
interpretation. What is present to
Zechariah’s time and what is predictive?
One sees the Omnipotent,
Protective, and Redeemer-God, the Covenant-God of Israel in the vision of the
four horseman (1.7-11), the four chariots (6.1-80) and the woman in the basket
(5.5-11)
The promises of 2.5, 11 apply
to Zechariah’s time, but also have a future indications.
With Jerusalem and Zion’s
welfare in view, chapter 8 presents Jerusalem with God in her midst, abiding
with tranquility, yet giving way to Israel as a Victor with God has her
Defender and Redeemer. Hence, an ideal
vision of Jerusalem obtains, e.g. Psalm 46, 48, and 132.
Predictive and promissory
pictures emerge to the Messiah, “the Branch.”
The King rides victoriously into Jerusalem, Zechariah 9.9.10; Mt.
21.1-11. The King is betrayed unto
death, Zechariah 13.7. The Messianic
“Branch” combines the offices and duties of the Priest and King.
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