Zechariah 9-14
Today we return to Zechariah, who prophesied alongside Haggai in the days of Zerubbabel, encouraging the rebuilding of the Temple. (See September 11 and 12.) Here, Zechariah’s prophecies are far ranging, reaching well beyond Zechariah’s own lifetime to both the first and second comings of Christ.
Some of what Zechariah has to say is quite mysterious and difficult to interpret, especially insofar as he speaks of things still to come. But I think we can nevertheless see some general themes:
- God’s judgment upon the proud and arrogant, against all who stand against Him
- God’s faithfulness to all Israel, not only to Judah (the Southern Kingdom) but to Ephraim/Joseph (the Northern Kingdom) as well
- God’s provision of a Savior and King
- God’s establishment of an exalted and secure Jerusalem (just as in Isaiah)
No matter what hardships God’s people may go through, no matter how bleak things may look, no matter how dark the night, there will yet come a Day when the LORD will set all things right.
One more thing…
We may well have a difficult time interpreting much of what Zechariah says, but the New Testament writers make some things quite clear, as with the verses below.
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Zechariah 9:9
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is He,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Both Matthew and John cite this verse when describing Jesus’ Triumphal Entry, riding a donkey’s colt into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. (Matthew 21:1-9; John 12:12-16)
Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver. Then the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD, to the potter.
Zechariah 11:12-13
Matthew cites this passage in describing the payment for Judas’ betrayal of Jesus. (Matthew 26:14-15; 27:3-10)
Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.
Zechariah 13:7b
Jesus Himself quotes this verse in telling the disciples that they would fall away before His crucifixion. (Matthew 26:31; Mark 14:27)
And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on Me, on Him Whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over Him, as one weeps over a firstborn.
Zechariah 12:10
John cites this verse when a Roman soldier pierces Jesus’ side with a spear. (John 19:31-37)