A Call to Repentance from Zechariah

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective

A quick update on little Isaac…his parents (Dawn and Jeremy) told us that Isaac is now fully with the Lord. After a brain scan determined no activity, the machines that were essentially keeping him breathing and at the proper temperature were turned off. I’m sure he flew to be by our Lord’s side.

So now we can shift our prayers to both parents, the other three children and both sets of grandparents as they all cope with the loss of this very special little boy. While Isaac no longer suffers from any problem and actually sees our Lord, the very Lord we also long to see and worship in Person, those left behind will experience a plethora of negative emotions. 

Please pray that this does not drive a wedge between parents as this can certainly happen. May this situation with Isaac and his parting to eternity actually push parents and grandparents closer together. What happened was no one’s fault but it is likely easy to blame one another. That’s not happening now but pray that it does not start. Both parents are very loving and may the Lord increase that within them.

Thank you all for your prayers. We all know Isaac is in a far better place. We also know the loss is very profound for all concerned. It will take time to work through the variety of emotions. May the Lord guide them and may they all cling to Him for support.

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Watch the video lesson for this article here

Background of Zechariah:

The book of Zechariah covers 4 major periods of world history:

• The Persian period after the Persians destroyed the Babylonian Empire (539 BC) – Zechariah 1- 8
• The Grecian period under Alexander the Great (Zechariah 9-10)
• The Roman period (implied; Zechariah 11)
• The Eschatological period (Zechariah 12-14)
  • Zechariah & Haggai cover same periods
  • Events of Zechariah began in 520 BC after Judah returned from Babylonian captivity.
  • Persia defeated Babylon and controlled Judah

Themes of Zechariah:

• Zechariah means “the Lord remembers”
• Encouragement to complete rebuilding of Temple
• Overthrow of Gentile world dominion
• Future events that will accompany Messiah’s first and second advents
• Establishment of Messiah’s earthly Kingdom

Key Words: shepherd, Jerusalem, King, Lord of hosts (used 52 times) and Word of the Lord (14 times), are often used in Zechariah.

Four men in Ezra 5:1-2 are noted regarding rebuilding of Temple:

• Zerubbabel, Haggai, Joshua and Zechariah
• Zerubbabel – governor and ruler of Israel. He is example of Jesus as portrayed in Matthew’s account – God’s anointed King
• Haggai – a servant and prophet. Picture of our Lord in Mark’s Gospel – Jesus, the humble servant of God
• Joshua – the high priest, represents Jesus as we see Him in Luke’s Gospel – the sinless Son of man, high priest and mediator between God and man
• Zechariah – prophet; emphasized Jesus’ divinity – correlates to John’s Gospel account – Jesus, God the Son came to earth.

Miscellaneous Facts:

• Writers of NT frequently quoted Zechariah
• 71 quotations from or allusions to Zechariah in NT
• 1/3 appear in Gospels
• 31 are found in Revelation
• Of all OT books, Zechariah is second only to Ezekiel in its influence on book of Revelation
• Zechariah stresses importance of a Christ-centered life to point people to Him
• The first 6 chapters contain a series of VISIONS
• These visions occurred all in one night during 2nd year of Darius
  • The vision of Four Horses among the Myrtle Trees
  • The vision of the Four Horns and Four Carpenters
  • The vision of the Measuring Line related to Jerusalem
  • The vision of Joshua the High Priest standing in filthy garments
  • The vision of the Golden Candlestick/Lamp Stand
  • The vision of the Flying Roll and Woman in the Epha
  • Vision of the Four Chariots

Zechariah’s Theme: Messiah’s work of redemption and Israel’s future restoration

Outline of Zechariah:

• Introduction (1:1-6)
  • The Date and the Author’s Name (1:1)
  • A Call to Repentance (1:2-6)
• A Series of Eight Visions in One Night (1:7; 6:8)
  • The Horseman among the Myrtle Trees (1:7-17)
  • The Four Horns and the Four Craftsmen (1:18-21)
  • A Man with a Measuring Line (ch. 2)
  • Clean Garments for the High Priest (ch. 3)
  • The Gold Lampstand and the Two Olive Trees (ch. 4)
  • The Flying Scroll (5:1-4)
  • The Woman in a Basket (5:5-11)
  • The Four Chariots (6:1-8)
• The Symbolic Crowning of Joshua the High Priest (6:9-15)
• The Problem of Fasting and the Promise of the Future (chs. 7-8)
  • The Question by the Delegation from Bethel (7:1-3)
  • The Rebuke by the Lord (7:4-7)
  • The Command to Repent (7:8-14)
  • The Restoration of Israel to God’s Favor (8:1-17)
  • Kingdom Joy and Jewish Favor (8:18-23)

Two Prophetic Oracles: The Great Messianic Future and the Full Realization of God’s Kingdom (chs. 9-14)

• The First Oracle: The Coming and Rejection of the Messiah (chs. 9-11)
  • The coming of the Messianic King (chs. 9-10)
    • The destruction of surrounding nations but the preservation of Zion (9:1-8)
    • The coming of Zion’s King (9:9-10)
    • The deliverance and blessing of Zion’s people (9:11; 10:1)
    • The leaders warned and the people encouraged (10:2-4)
    • Israel’s victory and restoration (10:5-12)
  • The rejection of the Messianic Shepherd-King (ch. 11)
    • The prologue (11:1-3)
    • The rejection of the Good Shepherd (11:4-14)
    • The rise and fall of the worthless shepherd (11:15-17)
  • The Second Oracle: The Coming and Reception of the Messiah (chs. 12-14)
    • The deliverance and conversion of Israel (chs. 12-13)
      • The siege of Jerusalem (12:1-3)
      • The divine deliverance (12:4-9)
      • Israel completely delivered from sin (12:10; 13:9)
    • The Messiah’s coming and his kingdom (ch. 14)
      • The siege of Jerusalem (14:1-2)
      • The Messiah’s return and its effects (14:3-8)
      • The establishment of the Messianic kingdom (14:9-11)
      • The punishment of Israel’s enemies (14:12-15)
      • The universal worship of the holy King (14:16-21)

Zechariah Calls Israel/Judah to Repentance (vv 1-6)

Two Visions in Chapter 1

• Rider on the Red Horse among Myrtle Trees (vv 7-11)
• Four Horns and Four Craftsmen (vv 18-21)

The end of the 70 year Babylonian Captivity has come

During this time – called the Postexilic Period – Zechariah received his prophecy

• In the 8th month of the second year of Darius (October 27, 520 BC)
• Though there was a “near” fulfillment of some of these prophecies, Zechariah reaches into the future beyond our day.

“The Lord hath been sore displeased with your fathers.” (v 2)

• This literally means “furious” or “full of wrath”
• God was furious because…
  • That nation’s FOREFATHERS had rebelled against their covenant relationship with Him
    • They rejected the prophets’ messages to repent
    • They refused to stop their idolatrous practices
• However, God was ready to turn from His anger and offer comfort to this returning generation of Jewish people.
• First, this new generation would have to put away the sins that brought destruction onto the previous generation. (v 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.” (v 3) The Hebrew word “turn” here  carries the same meaning as the Greek word for “repent.”

God was insisting that the people return to Him from the heart, not merely outwardly. They couldn’t continue building the Temple while practicing the same idolatry as their forefathers. This is “lip service” and too many Christians are guilty of this same thing. We must guard ourselves against that!

Zechariah warned the people to quickly and fully repent (v 4)

Zechariah asked two rhetorical questions:

1. “Your fathers, where are they?”
2. “the prophets, do they live for ever?” (v 5)

Both are DEAD – the prophets’ words were FULFILLED with the previous generation. This implies that God could easily do that again with this new generation. God gives people time to repent. Once the opportunity is gone, destinies are sealed.

Failing to respond to Zechariah’s message would bring deadly consequences to the new generation as it did the previous generation. Like many prophets of the Old Testament, the message Zechariah gave to the people of Israel/Judah was one of hope but required something from them. Like most today, people often do not want to repent because it means relying on something or Someone outside themselves for deliverance. Ever since the fall, humanity has become more and more inward, conceited and arrogant, following in the footsteps of Satan himself.

Interestingly enough, God reminds the people that their forefathers did repent of their evil ways and practices (v6). Christians today need to honestly look at the heart to determine where we are withholding from God. Are we doing what the Israelites did by worshiping God on Sunday, but we do whatever we want the rest of the week? The ancient Israelites whom Zechariah was speaking to were guilty of paganism and spiritual adultery. Though they came to worship God with the proper sacrifices on the Sabbath, they indulged in worship of other false gods throughout the week, believing God did not see or care as long as they went through the motions of worshiping God on the Sabbath.

May we Christians rise above this and refuse to do the things that God detests. It’s not a matter of legalism. It is a matter of love for God and His Word.

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective

Source: https://studygrowknowblog.com/2024/09/09/a-call-to-repentance-from-zechariah/