Zechariah 7

Question regarding prayer and fasting (vs. 1-14)—We are two years later now (v. 1, cf. Zechariah 1:1), and men were sent (by somebody, the Hebrew is unclear and thus the best versions are, too) “to the house of God to pray before the Lord” (vs. 2-3). They asked the priests and the prophets, “Should I weep in the fifth month and fast as I have done for so many years?” (v. 3). This “weeping” and “fasting” was inaugurated as a result of the destruction and burning of the temple by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. Since the people had now returned home, should they continue this memorial? The Lord’s response through Zechariah was a rebuke.  They had not really mourned over their sins against Jehovah; they were only sad because of the loss of their temple (v. 5). What the Lord really wanted was obedience (v. 7). In verses 9 and 10, He lays out before them, in general, what He expects: “'Execute true justice, show mercy and compassion everyone to his brother. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. Let none of you plan evil in his heart against his brother.'” As the prophets had told the people time and time again, ceremonial rituals were vain unless accompanied by a righteous, holy lifestyle. Their fathers had refused to heed that message (v. 11). “Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts” (v. 12). Thus, when calamity came upon them, and they cried out to Jehovah, but “I would not hear” (v. 13). He scattered them among the nations, and their land lay desolate (v. 14). The chapter ends there, but the warning is plain: Hear and obey the Lord or disaster will come. A simple chapter which is very illustrative of man vs. God. Man wants to get by with as little as possible. God has given us His word and thus our responsibilities towards Him. We refuse to obey, ruin results, we cry out to Him, but it’s too late. Happens over and over and humanity never learns.

Zechariah 6

The four chariots (vs. 1-8)—These visions do not get any easier. The prophet sees four chariots coming from between two bronze mountains. Bronze represented in the ancient world solidity and strength, but in this vision, solidity and strength of what? Well, the angel told Zechariah in verse 5 that the chariots “are four spirits of heaven, who go out from their station before the Lord of all the earth.” Clarke’s idea that the four chariots represent four kingdoms (Assyria, Babylonians, Persians, and Greeks) doesn’t seem to fit the text. I’m a little skeptical about being that specific here, especially given the angel’s words in verse 5. So, since the chariots are from heaven, the brass mountains must represent some kind of celestial strength. The purpose of the chariots was to “walk to and fro throughout the earth” (v. 7). To keep an eye on what is going on? We aren’t specifically told and the references are obscure. The horses are of various colors; red can represent blood, or courage, black is death, white is purity or victory, dappled is anybody’s guess; perhaps a mixture of prosperity and adversity, as one commentator suggests. The “north country” is probably Babylon, or at least that’s what Zechariah’s readers would probably have believed. My best guess for this vision is that God is sending our His emissaries into all the world (“four” is the world number) to keep an eye out in behalf of His people. Especially in the north, where trouble nearly always comes from. Again, it is a very vague prophesy (to us), and perhaps made more sense to the people of Zechariah’s day. And perhaps not.

The Branch (vs. 9-15)—This vision is a little easier to comprehend. Three men, Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, came from Babylon, bearing gifts. We know nothing of these men other than what is stated here. Their gift of silver and gold was to be immediately taken to the home of a man named Josiah, the son of Zephaniah. Again, we know nothing of this man. Elaborate, dual, crowns were to be made and placed on the head of the high priest, Joshua. This is totally symbolic of the Messiah, of Whom the rest of this section is devoted. The dual crowns represent kingship and priesthood; Joshua was only priest, so he cannot literally be meant here. But verse 12 introduces for us “the BRANCH,” the Messiah, as is evident from other Old Testament passages that refer to the Messiah under that figure (cf. Isa. 11:1; Jer. 5:23). Now we move into the Christian age. The Messiah, “shall build the temple of the Lord” (the church, v. 12), and “He shall bear the glory” (v. 13). He “shall sit and rule on His throne,” and—very important—“He shall be a priest on His throne” (v. 13). Notice, He will be a priest and king at the same time. This can only refer to the Messiah. It is also very much worth noting that His priesthood and kingship are simultaneous. But as a result, they cannot be earthly, as premillennialists teach. Jesus cannot be a priest on earth (Hebrews 8:4) because He is from the wrong tribe; only Levites could be priests. So Jesus can’t be a priest on earth. But since He is going to be priest and king at the same time, and He can’t be a priest on earth, He can’t be a king on earth, either! This wipes out the 1,000 year reign of Christ on earth. Because of His work as priest and king, He is better able to keep peace (“the counsel of peace shall be between them both,” v. 13). The crown given to Joshua will be a “memorial in the [literal] temple”—a constant reminder of this prophesy—to the ones who brought the gift from Babylon (v. 14), but also to “those from afar” (v. 15). They will have a part in building “the temple of the Lord” (the church). “Those from afar” are the Gentiles, who obviously also make up part of the church. When all this happens, we will know this is the work and voice of the Lord (v. 15). A marvelous prophesy of the church.

Zechariah 5

The flying scroll (vs. 1-4)—Zechariah’s next vision was of a flying scroll (v. 1). It’s length and width, 30 feet x 15 feet (v. 2), was the same dimensions as the temple porch (I Kgs. 6:3), where the law was usually read, thus seemingly implying that the scroll was divinely authorized. The scroll was flying (its curses were swiftly to visit the transgressors?), and it was open, thus none could be excused for not knowing its contents, viz., no one can be excused for not knowing God’s laws. The angel told Zechariah that the scroll contained “the curse that goes out over the face of the whole earth” (v. 3). This seems to indicate universal judgment, though the ASV’s “land” very possibly limits it to the Jews or the Babylonians. Regardless, there will be punishment for malefactors (v. 3). Verse 4 is largely a repetition of verse 3, only that the Lord speaks openly, rather than through the angel. Whether this is intended as universal or local (Babylon or Judea), the message of full judgment against sin is clear—“it [the curse] shall remain in the midst of his house and consume it, with its timber and stones”—totality (v. 4).

The woman in the basket (vs. 5-11)—Zechariah is then commanded to “lift your eyes now, and see what this is that goes forth" (v. 5). Zechariah sees a basket with a woman in it. The KJV and ASV use the word “ephah” instead of “basket,” and this is a little more accurate; the ephah represented an ordinary measure of grain. A lead disc (NKJV; “talent of lead,” KJV, ASV) is placed over the basket to secure the woman inside (vs. 7-8). The angel tells Zechariah that the woman (or the whole thing) represents wickedness (v. 8). The “wickedness” almost assuredly was the impiety and iniquity of the Jews (v. 6); the “earth” (NKJV, KJV) or “land” (ASV) means Judea, and again, the ASV may have the better sense here. Zechariah then spots two women, “coming with the wind in their wings, for they had wings like the wings of a stork” (v. 9), and they pick up the basket and haul it off. “Where are they carrying the basket?” Zechariah asks the angel in verse 10. “And he said to me, "To build a house for it in the land of Shinar; when it is ready, the basket will be set there on its base" (v, 11). This is a little obscure, but I think the following may be the fundamental thought. “Shinar” is “Babylon,” which symbolizes here all the foes of the people of God. Sin will be taken away from His people and dwell among those who oppose Him and His cause. The intended purity of God’s followers is being illustrated. Get sin out from among us and into the world where it belongs.