Lectionary Calendar

Thursday, November 21st, 2024
the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33

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Bible Commentaries
Zechariah 1

HaggaiHag 2 ZechariahZec ZechariahZec 2

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Verses 1-21

Intro:
1. Book Intro:
  1. Ministered w/Haggai. (remember last 3 post-exile)
  2. 8 Visions in 1^st 6 chapters. (concerning Jerusalem & the Jews)
    1. Jerusalem mentioned over 40 times in this book.
  3. Question about fasting ch.7,8.
  4. 2 Burdens (oracle/prophecy) ch.9-14.
  5. Zechariah = Yahweh remembers. {There are 30 Zechariah’s in the OT}
    1. He was the younger of the 2 prophets.
    2. He is the most apocalyptic(i.e. revelation)of the minor prophets.
      1. Zech. ch.9-14 is quoted 22 times in the gospels.
      2. 31 out of the 71 quotations from Zech. are found in Revelation.
    3. He came with 2 major themes:
      1. God was calling them to Repent(1:1-6)
      2. God was assuring them of His Personal Concern(shown in the 8 night visions).
YAHWEH REMEMBERS! (Ch.1)
1. THE CALL TO REPENT! (1-6)
  1. (2,4) Look back & learn from history…what your forefathers had done to provoke the Lord to anger & judgment.
    1. Lest you be doomed to repeat it!
    2. Every father(& mother)are an example to their kids…but the question is, What kind of example?
    3. On the other hand here is a biblical mandate to “not follow after your parents if they followed after evil”…meaning they could do this command!
      1. (Thus shattering the victim mentality, “I am just a product of my parents, or of my environment!”)
  2. (3) They knew well…"if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chron.7:14
  3. (5) 2 questions: Towards their fathers & prophets.
    1. If they answered honestly regarding their fathers…“many are dead because of the Babylonians, & the rest are still living in Babylon for they hadn’t returned.” And in regards to the prophets “some of the prophets are dead because, well because our ancestors killed them”. L
    2. “Today if you will hear his voice, do not harden your heart!”
  4. Today we often here of the evangelist calling unbelievers to repent…but how about in the church today…don’t we need this same message?
    1. Yet this was John the Baptist’s message & Jesus’.
    2. Matter of fact “the last word of our Lord to the church is not the Great Commission,” said Vance Havner. “The Great Commission is indeed our program to the end of the age, but our Lord/s last word to the church is repent!”
      1. In Rev.2,3 - 5 of the 7 churches were told to repent!
    3. “It is one thing to ask God to bless us but quite another to be the kind of people he can bless!” (Warren Wiersbe; pg.88)
2. VISION #1 THE HORSES! (7-17)
  1. (11) Some see as the angel of the Lord being 2^nd person of the trinity. (many don’t)
    1. We also have an interpreting angel(9).
    2. 10 times Zechariah asks this angel questions, & he answers.
  2. Q: Who are the horseman?
    1. They are God’s angelic army that patrols the earth & carries out the decrees of the Lord.
    2. They conduct a reconnaissance patrol mission, & report back,…“all the earth is resting quietly”.
    3. Q: So that’s a good thing right…NO! (see 15)
      1. This is the world’s Pseudopeace & it won’t last!
  3. (13,17) God gave Zechariah good & comforting words…to assure the people that, in spite of the hard times, God was w/them & would see them through!
    1. Q: Maybe you find relief in knowing that tonight regarding your life!
    2. When life seems hopeless….remind yourself that God identifies w/our sufferings, & is in charge of the future.
    3. if you ever wonder saint if God has forsaken you, or if he will indeed be there waiting for you when this life is over. Just remember “Zechariah”…the “Lord Remembers”!
  4. In visions & imagery, don’t get bogged down in searching out the significance of the symbolism.
    1. For example: the myrtle tress contributes little to the overall understanding of the situation.
    2. One key is to focus on the interpretation rather then letting the imagery dictate some view foreign to the explanation furnished by the text.
3. VISION #2 THE HORNS! (18-21)
  1. “I will bless those who bless you & curse those who curse you.”
  2. The 4 horns are powers or kingdoms.
  3. The 4 craftsmen represent nations that God uses to defeat the enemies of the Jews.
    1. These craftsmen would use their tools to cut off their horns & render them powerless!
    2. Here’s the picture he wants us to see:
    3. Picture Farmer John showing up to a pig ranch!
    4. Or The Colonel showing up at a chicken ranch!
    5. Or Sylvester being left home alone w/Tweety bird!
  4. This is similar to the 4 beasts in Daniel which spoke of 4 powers/kingdoms/empires.
    1. And Antichrist is known as “the dreadful & terrible beast”.

return to 'Top of Page'

Verses 1-21

Intro:
1. Book Intro:
  1. Ministered w/Haggai. (remember last 3 post-exile)
  2. 8 Visions in 1^st 6 chapters. (concerning Jerusalem & the Jews)
    1. Jerusalem mentioned over 40 times in this book.
  3. Question about fasting ch.7,8.
  4. 2 Burdens (oracle/prophecy) ch.9-14.
  5. Zechariah = Yahweh remembers. {There are 30 Zechariah’s in the OT}
    1. He was the younger of the 2 prophets.
    2. He is the most apocalyptic(i.e. revelation)of the minor prophets.
      1. Zech. ch.9-14 is quoted 22 times in the gospels.
      2. 31 out of the 71 quotations from Zech. are found in Revelation.
    3. He came with 2 major themes:
      1. God was calling them to Repent(1:1-6)
      2. God was assuring them of His Personal Concern(shown in the 8 night visions).
YAHWEH REMEMBERS! (Ch.1)
1. THE CALL TO REPENT! (1-6)
  1. (2,4) Look back & learn from history…what your forefathers had done to provoke the Lord to anger & judgment.
    1. Lest you be doomed to repeat it!
    2. Every father(& mother)are an example to their kids…but the question is, What kind of example?
    3. On the other hand here is a biblical mandate to “not follow after your parents if they followed after evil”…meaning they could do this command!
      1. (Thus shattering the victim mentality, “I am just a product of my parents, or of my environment!”)
  2. (3) They knew well…"if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chron.7:14
  3. (5) 2 questions: Towards their fathers & prophets.
    1. If they answered honestly regarding their fathers…“many are dead because of the Babylonians, & the rest are still living in Babylon for they hadn’t returned.” And in regards to the prophets “some of the prophets are dead because, well because our ancestors killed them”. L
    2. “Today if you will hear his voice, do not harden your heart!”
  4. Today we often here of the evangelist calling unbelievers to repent…but how about in the church today…don’t we need this same message?
    1. Yet this was John the Baptist’s message & Jesus’.
    2. Matter of fact “the last word of our Lord to the church is not the Great Commission,” said Vance Havner. “The Great Commission is indeed our program to the end of the age, but our Lord/s last word to the church is repent!”
      1. In Rev.2,3 - 5 of the 7 churches were told to repent!
    3. “It is one thing to ask God to bless us but quite another to be the kind of people he can bless!” (Warren Wiersbe; pg.88)
2. VISION #1 THE HORSES! (7-17)
  1. (11) Some see as the angel of the Lord being 2^nd person of the trinity. (many don’t)
    1. We also have an interpreting angel(9).
    2. 10 times Zechariah asks this angel questions, & he answers.
  2. Q: Who are the horseman?
    1. They are God’s angelic army that patrols the earth & carries out the decrees of the Lord.
    2. They conduct a reconnaissance patrol mission, & report back,…“all the earth is resting quietly”.
    3. Q: So that’s a good thing right…NO! (see 15)
      1. This is the world’s Pseudopeace & it won’t last!
  3. (13,17) God gave Zechariah good & comforting words…to assure the people that, in spite of the hard times, God was w/them & would see them through!
    1. Q: Maybe you find relief in knowing that tonight regarding your life!
    2. When life seems hopeless….remind yourself that God identifies w/our sufferings, & is in charge of the future.
    3. if you ever wonder saint if God has forsaken you, or if he will indeed be there waiting for you when this life is over. Just remember “Zechariah”…the “Lord Remembers”!
  4. In visions & imagery, don’t get bogged down in searching out the significance of the symbolism.
    1. For example: the myrtle tress contributes little to the overall understanding of the situation.
    2. One key is to focus on the interpretation rather then letting the imagery dictate some view foreign to the explanation furnished by the text.
3. VISION #2 THE HORNS! (18-21)
  1. “I will bless those who bless you & curse those who curse you.”
  2. The 4 horns are powers or kingdoms.
  3. The 4 craftsmen represent nations that God uses to defeat the enemies of the Jews.
    1. These craftsmen would use their tools to cut off their horns & render them powerless!
    2. Here’s the picture he wants us to see:
    3. Picture Farmer John showing up to a pig ranch!
    4. Or The Colonel showing up at a chicken ranch!
    5. Or Sylvester being left home alone w/Tweety bird!
  4. This is similar to the 4 beasts in Daniel which spoke of 4 powers/kingdoms/empires.
    1. And Antichrist is known as “the dreadful & terrible beast”.

return to 'Top of Page'

HaggaiHag 2 ZechariahZec ZechariahZec 2

Copyright Statement
These files are the property of Brian Bell.
Text Courtesy of Calvary Chapel of Murrieta. Used by Permission.

Bibliographical Information
Bell, Brian. "Commentary on Zechariah 1". "Bell's Commentary". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/cbb/zechariah-1.html. 2017.

Bible CommentariesZechariah 1

Bell's Commentary on the BibleBell's Commentary

Verses 1-21

Verses 1-21

Bible Commentaries
Zechariah 1