‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6)
Biblical Truth
Based on what we've studied from the previous prophetic books, we understand that God is repeatedly chastising the children of Isreal for their disobedience. The name "Zechariah" means the Lord remembers, and this is the theme throughout this book, God remembering and keeping His promise to their forefathers, delivering them from their enemies, and always showing mercy towards them when they repent, by dealing with their enemies and restoring them in their land. This should be encouraging to all of us that believe the Word of God and ask for forgiveness, that God will do and has done the same for each of us: Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Return to Me,” says the Lord of hosts, “and I will return to you,” says the Lord of hosts. (Zechariah 1:3; Zechariah 1-13*)
We're going to focus on the most encouraging prophecy contained in this book, the coming of The Christ. Zechariah prophecied beginning in 520 B.C. (before Christ); yet the phophecies are so accurate, only God Himself could have given him the words to write (II Peter 1:21):
- “Listen to me, O Jeshua the high priest, and all you other priests. You are symbols of things to come. Soon I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. [main branch = vine]. (Zechariah 3:8*); “I [Jesus] am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)
- “Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, And He shall build the temple of the Lord; Yes, He shall build the temple of the Lord. He shall bear the glory, And shall sit and rule on His throne; So He shall be a priest on His throne, And the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”’ (Zechariah 6:12-13); “We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.’” (Mark 14:58); And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek,” (Hebrews 5:9-10, Hebrews 5); And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. (Revelations 22:3)
- “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zechariah 9:9); Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.” So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Hosanna in the highest!”(Matthew 21:1-3, 6-9; Matthew 21:1-11; Luke 19:28-40; John 12:12-19)
- “My anger burns against your shepherds, and I will punish these leaders. For the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has arrived to look after Judah, his flock. (Zechariah 10:3*); Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying [regarding the birth of Jesus]: “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people, And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David, As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, Who have been since the world began,... (Luke 1:68-70)
- “Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died. The sorrow and mourning in Jerusalem on that day will be like the great mourning for Hadad-rimmon in the valley of Megiddo. (Zechariah 12:10-11*); But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he [John] who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken." And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced." (John 19:33-37)
- “On that day a fountain will be opened for the dynasty of David and for the people of Jerusalem, a fountain to cleanse them from all their sins and impurity. (Zechariah 13:1*); ... Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, ... (Revelations 1:5)
- “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, the man who is my partner,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Strike down the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn against the lambs. (Zechariah 13:7*); Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.” (Matthew 26:31-31; Mark 14:27-28)
- And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day there will be one Lord—his name alone will be worshiped. (Zechariah 1:9*); Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!" (Revelation 11:15)
There is so much more we could study from the book of Zechariah, but just the prophecies of Christ over 500 years before He actually came in the flesh of the baby Jesus should be enough to cause us to believe the Word of God and be saved: Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.” (John 12:44-50*)
*New Living Translation
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