Zechariah 1
The Prophet’s Call for Israel to Repent And His First And Second Visions
In the face of opposition and obstacles, Haggai and Zechariah encouraged God’s people to repent and to rebuild.
Ezra 5:1-2 - But when the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak began to rebuild God’s house in Jerusalem. The prophets of God were with them, helping them.
Ezra 6:14 - So the Jewish elders continued successfully with the building under the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah son of Iddo.
At the time Zechariah delivered his first message, Haggai had already been preaching for about two months. Zechariah now joins Haggai in the preaching, recalling that disobedience to the prophets of former times had led to hardship and finally captivity. The people should therefore learn from their forefathers’ experiences and take notice of the words of the prophets. - Don Fleming
Return to Me And I Will Return to You
Vs. 1-3 - In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, son of Iddo: “The Lord was extremely angry with your ancestors. So tell the people, ‘This is what the Lord of Armies says: Return to me—this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies—and I will return to you
Adverse circumstances discouraged God’s people, and they wondered why God seemed so far away.
The land was still desolate after 70 years of neglect.
The work to rebuild and restore was difficult.
They didn’t have a lot of money (Haggai 1:6) or manpower.
They suffered crop failures and drought (Haggai 1:10-11).
Hostile enemies resisted the work (Ezra 4:1-5).
They remembered easier times in Babylon.
Each of these circumstances made them feel that God was far away; through Zechariah God assured them that He was not distant. They would return to Him, and He would return to them. - David Guzik
The initial six verses of the first chapter of Zechariah constitute a synopsis of a sermon of the prophet. Its theme strikes the keynote of the entire book and forms an indispensable introduction to it. The truth it enunciates is one which runs throughout the revealed ways of God with man; namely, the appropriation and enjoyment of God’s promises of blessing must be prefaced by genuine repentance. - Unger
Zechariah’s Visions
The section 1:7-6:8 consists of a series of eight visions. At the time that Zechariah received these visions, work on rebuilding the temple had been going on for five months, three months of which were taken up with preparing the foundations. The people would clearly benefit from some encouragement and direction.
The first three visions are largely messages of encouragement to the builders
The middle two are of special encouragement to the leaders Joshua and Zerubbabel
The final three give assurance of ultimate victory for God and his people. - Don Fleming
Zechariah received eight apocalyptic visions in one night (Zechariah 1:7). As the text shows, they concerned God’s purpose for the future of Israel, particularly Jerusalem, the seat of the Davidic dynasty and the site of the temple, and Judah. The broad theme of this section is the coming of the King. The purpose of these visions was to encourage the returnees to persevere in their work of rebuilding the temple. - Thomas Constable
First Vision: A Horseman
Vs. 8-9 - I looked out in the night and saw a man riding on a chestnut horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in the valley. Behind him were chestnut, brown, and white horses. I asked, “What are these, my lord?”
In the first vision some mounted patrol officers have just returned from a tour of duty. The patrol officers report that throughout the empire all is calm and peaceful. This report may be good news for the Persians, but it is not for the Jews, who have now been in bondage to foreign overlords for more than seventy years. They long for freedom and pray for God’s mercy. - Don Fleming
Vs. 15 - I am fiercely angry with the nations that are at ease, for I was a little angry, but they made the destruction worse.
God tells them that although he used foreign nations to punish them, those nations went beyond the limits he had set. He loves his people and he knows what their enemies have done to them. Therefore, he will now turn and help Israel again. - Don Fleming
Vs. 17 - “Proclaim further: This is what the Lord of Armies says: My cities will again overflow with prosperity; the Lord will once more comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.”
God had used the nations, specifically the Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian empires, to discipline His chosen people. But the pronouncement of punishment was always paired with a promise of preservation. A remnant had returned. God had chastised, but He would choose them again.
God solemnly promised to restore Jerusalem and the cities of Judah. This was an especially comforting promise considering the lowly condition of the cities of the Promised Land in Zechariah’s day. About four years from the time of this prophecy, Zion was comforted, and Jerusalem was specially chosen. The temple was rebuilt four years after Zechariah gave this prophecy. - David Guzik
Second Vision: Four Horns And Four Craftsmen
Vs. 20 - He replied, “These are the horns that scattered Judah so no one could raise his head. These craftsmen have come to terrify them, to cut off the horns of the nations that raised a horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.”
The second vision elaborates the concept of comfort promised in the first vision. Here we learn how God will execute His anger against the nations that excessively oppressed His people. The nations will meet with retribution, and Israel will triumph over her foes. - Thomas Constable
Several features are noteworthy in this vision: (1) God takes account of every one that lifts his hand against Israel; (2) He has complete knowledge of the dejected condition of His people and the extent of their injury; and (3) He has already provided the punishment for every foe of His chosen ones. - Feinberg
