The Study of Zechariah 1

Zec 1:1 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,

When King Darius of the Medes and Persians ruled over the known world at that time, Zechariah was the prophet.

The Lord was displeased. He was displeased with the previous generations of Israel and Judah. They once had fellowship with God and trusted Him in the wilderness. Once they arrived into their own land, they began to desire to be like the heathen nations around them. They began to copy heathen ways and even worship heathen gods. As a result God allowed the heathen that they desired to be like to rule over them. When they followed after Babylon, Babylon was allowed to take over them and scatter them.  We must be careful what we desire and seek after, for we just might get what we want and it will not be what we expected.  Israel found out that the other nations that they once wanted to copy were nations that oppressed and brought bondage instead of freedom to do as one pleased.

Zec 1:3 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.

In his displeasure though there was a way out. There was a way of salvation. Repenting of sin and turning back to God.  Except for a few prophets they did not fully understand the need for repentance and salvation. They did not recognize the need for a permanent sacrifice and a savior to save them from their sins.  They knew of a coming Messiah but not as a savior from sin but as a deliverer from oppressive nations.  Before Christ came they still could be saved by faith. They still had to repent and turn to God. The sacrificial death, burial and resurrection of Christ in the future would cover their sin if they repented of sins and turned to God. They could look forward to the cross while we today look backward to that point in history.  The same savior died for all past and present. That is why Christ's death meant so much in that it saved all who believed from sin and granted eternal life. 

Zec 1:4 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?

They still were saved by faith. Those who believed these words of warning and turned to God were saved. Most of them refused to repent of their evil ways and refused to hear the word of God. The majority were in rebellion. That same picture exists today not only among Israel but also the whole world. The majority do not heed the word of God or live by faith. Most do not see any need to repent of sins and do not see any need of a savior from sins. That is why many are in a lost condition now.

Zec 1:6 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.

The state of mankind has not changed much. They preferred their own ways instead of God's ways. Everybody did his or her own thing. They did what was right in their own eyes. In doing so, they reaped what they sowed and came under bondage of Babylon.  If we desire sin over the savior, we too will be in bondage.  Sin causes destruction both in this life and in eternity.

Zec 1:7) Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, 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,

We see here an answer to the questions in the mind of Zechariah when he saw the vision of the horses and the riders upon the horses. He wanted to know what they represented. He sought wisdom and the Lord did not leave him in confusion. He answered.

Zec 1:11 And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.

The angels or representatives walked back and forth throughout the earth and reported that all was at rest and still.

Zec 1:12 Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?

Here an angel of the Lord is requesting mercy for Jerusalem and the cities of Judah. For 70 years they were in bondage and had no control over their own land. This started with the Babylonian captivity until the day of Zechariah.

God is a jealous God. He does not share worship with anything or anyone else. The worship of anything and anyone else is harmful to His creation. God wants what is good for us. He knows best. Anything that harms us is displeasing to Him.  He knows that Satan desires to steal, kill and destroy.  Sin harms and also the worship of anything other than God is harmful. To walk in obedience to God is beneficial.  It brings eternal salvation and is for our good.  Satan has always hated Israel because Israel was the apple of God's eye.  Through Israel the promised Messiah, the seed of the woman that was to bruise the head of Satan, was to come.  Satan has always wanted to destroy Israel from off the map.  The more Israel got away from God, the less protection they had against their enemies. 

Zec 1:15 And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.

In spite of God's displeasure with Judah for their sins, he was even more displeased with the heathen who were cruel to His people while they were in captivity. They went beyond what they were allowed to do in bringing Judah and Israel in captivity.

Zec 1:16 Therefore thus saith the LORD; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the LORD of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.

Here we get to the prophecy of the future restoration of Jerusalem. Although Jerusalem was restored and the temple rebuilt; that lasted through the time of the first coming of Christ until 70 AD when it was destroyed again. I think this prophecy refers to the latter day restoration and the 2nd coming of Christ, which will usher in true peace and Jerusalem will be restored forever. The restoration done during the rule of the Medes and Persians were only temporary to fulfill the events concerning the first coming of the Messiah. The Second Coming will be the final fulfillment. Some bible scholars believe the temple has to be rebuilt again before the coming of Jesus Christ. Israel has to be a nation again and the Jewish people in their own homeland before bible prophecy will take place. This has been the case since 1948. I'm not sure that the temple has to be rebuilt before his coming but most assuredly they do have to be in their own homeland in latter days. 

Zec 1:18 Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns.

The horns could very well be nations that have scattered Judah and Israel throughout the earth and removed them from their homeland. 

The four carpenters come to cast out the power of the Gentiles and defeated their power of Judah and Israel. This would seem to indicate a latter day fulfillment since up until 1948 Israel had no nation of their own and other nations controlled them. Even now they are surrounded with enemies who hate them and continually fight them. It would seem according to bible prophecy that the day of Israel's troubles will not be ended until another leader tries to overcome them and is defeated at the coming of Christ with the armies of heaven.

Zechariah Chapter 2

Zechariah Chapter 3

Zechariah Chapter 4

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