Introducing Zechariah

Zechariah 1-2

            Zechariah locates himself as a contemporary of Haggai, beginning his prophetic work in 520 BC. As Haggai, Zechariah is also concerned about finishing the temple, but he has a more pronounced interest in general spiritual renewal, too.

            One of the things that makes Zechariah challenging to read is that he often works in visions, as in chapter one when he has a vision of a man among the myrtle trees. My study Bible points out that these are names visions, not dreams. This marks Zechariah as very much in the apocalyptic tradition of Ezekiel, in which the Lord grants visions which are to be understood in symbolic ways. Another clue is the prominence of angels in the visions. It seems as if all eight visions in chapters 1-6 in a single night.

            The visions themselves can be difficult. First, we have a rider on a red horse among the myrtle. I’ve read that the imagery portrays an armed warrior emerging from the portal between heaven and earth, the idea being that the Lord Himself is investigating the condition of Israel in regard to her enemies. This is corroborated by the second vision of horns: the nations have gone too far. They were to be the agents of the Lord’s discipline on Israel, but they have done more than they ought and their power (the horns) is now judged.

            The third vision (2:1-13) uses the image of a measuring line, but flips it from the way that Ezekiel used it. Here it is not a warning of impending judgment; rather it is transformed into a vision of abundance. The gist of the angel’s message is, “Forget the walls! The city will be too big and too glorious!” Compare Zechariah 2 against Revelation 21-22.