Zechariah - Introduction
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Introduction
Author
ZECHARIAH, SON OF BERECHIAH and grandson of Iddo (1:1), was a prophet to the Jewish people who returned home from the Babylonian captivity. Apparently, he was also a priest (see Neh 12:12, 16). He and the prophet Haggai prophesied to Zerubbabel and the other leaders, encouraging them as they rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 5:1-2; 6:14), which was completed in 515/516 BC (Ezra 6:14-15). Zechariah dates the start of his prophetic ministry to “the eighth month, in the second year of Darius” (1:1), which was 520 BC.
Historical Background
In 538/539 BC, Cyrus the Persian king issued a decree for the Jewish people to rebuild their temple (Ezra 1:1-4). Though their homeland and capital city had been devastated, they began reconstructing the temple in earnest. But, opposition from surrounding enemies caused the project to come to a halt (Ezra 4:1-5). In 520 BC, during the reign of Cyrus’s successor King Darius, Zechariah began his prophetic ministry and called God’s discouraged people to continue the task of rebuilding the temple (Zech 1:1; Ezra 4:24–5:1-2).
Message and Purpose
Zechariah’s prophetic book is filled with eschatological visions and symbols designed to show that God has a plan to bring about his kingdom through his coming Messiah. Zechariah called God’s people to be faithful while God demonstrated his faithfulness to them. The Messiah’s rule would come, but until then God’s people had to prepare themselves for it. Zechariah teaches that, while God’s promises are sure, the implementation of his kingdom program requires our involvement through repentance and obedience.
Zechariah, whose name means “the Lord remembers,” called the people to remember God’s promises. He also reassured them that God would establish his rule on earth through the union of the roles of king and priest in the Messiah. And he would exercise these roles not only for Israel, but also for the whole world. Thus, although the people had been sent into captivity because of their rebellion, God had not forgotten them and would restore them if they would repent.
Zechariah is also important for its prophetic accuracy, foretelling Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem hundreds of years before it occurred.