Zechariah

Overview

The book of Zechariah anticipates the coming kingdom of God. It opens in 520 BC, twenty years after the first Jews had returned from exile in Babylon to the region of Judah. Earlier prophets had promised a glorious restoration for the nation (e.g., Zeph. 3:20), but the reality for the returnees fell far short of those prophetic expectations. Their initial efforts to rebuild the city of Jerusalem, the temple, and their community life met with great frustration, and they fell into complacency. Into this situation, the prophet Zechariah (a contemporary of Haggai) calls the people to return to the Lord (Zech. 1:1–6). The Lord gives the prophet eight night visions promising the restoration of Jerusalem and the temple, the overthrow of hostile nations, the eradication of wickedness, and the Lord’s return to his people—along with a future Davidic king, the Messiah (1:7–6:8). Zechariah is then given a prophetic sign-action to perform to give assurance that these things will take place (6:9–15). Two years after these visions, when the temple is near completion, a delegation is sent from Bethel to ask the leadership in Jerusalem whether fasting is still appropriate (fasting seems to have been instituted after the destruction of Jerusalem a generation earlier). Zechariah calls on the people to pursue obedience to the national covenant and set their sights on the consummation of God’s kingdom, when fasting will become feasting and the nations will come to Jerusalem to share in this blessing (7:1–8:23).

Zechariah 9–14 shifts in literary style and reflects a time after the completion of the temple. It contains two “oracles” (chs. 9–11 and chs. 12–14) portraying dramatically the Lord’s returning to his people and establishing his kingdom. These oracles depict a future battle against the nations and explore from different perspectives what the return of the Lord means for the nations, God’s people, his leaders, his future king (the Messiah), Jerusalem, Judah, and the heavens and the earth.

Title

The book of Zechariah is named after the prophet whose prophecies it records. “Zechariah” means “Yah[weh] has remembered.” This is a fitting name for a prophet whose message is concerned with the Lord’s returning to his people and “remembering” (i.e., acting on) his covenant promises (cf. Ex. 2:24). Yet the book does not make anything of Zechariah’s name, and its meaning would be appropriate for other prophets as well.

Author

The prophet Zechariah is known outside his book for the key role he played, along with Haggai, in rebuilding the temple (cf. Ezra 5:1; 6:14). His genealogy places him in a priestly family (Zech. 1:1, 7; Neh. 12:4, 16). If he is the “Zechariah son of Barachiah” mentioned in Matt. 23:35 (also Luke 11:51), then he was later “murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.”¹

Date and Occasion

The book contains three dates (1:1, 7; 7:1), corresponding to the years 520, 519, and 518 BC. About twenty years earlier (in 539 BC), the Persian king Cyrus had incorporated Babylon into his empire with limited resistance. Cyrus then issued an edict allowing the Jewish exiles to return from Babylon to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple.² The book of Ezra reports how a first group of exiles, led by the Jewish governor Sheshbazzar, returned to Jerusalem in 538 BC. Although they returned and began the rebuilding with enthusiasm, they soon faced many difficulties, including famine (e.g., Hag. 1:9–11; 2:15–19), internal disagreements (Zech. 8:10), and hostile opposition from neighboring Samaritans (Ezra 4). Work on rebuilding the temple came to a standstill (Ezra 4:24) and did not progress until Haggai and Zechariah began to prophesy some twenty years later.

Cyrus ruled until dying in battle in 530 BC. He was succeeded by his son Cambyses, who ruled until his death in 522. One of Cambyses’s military commanders, Darius, then took control, put down several revolts, and settled into a long and stable reign over the Persian Empire until 486 BC. Zechariah prophesied during the reign of Darius (Zech. 1:1, 7; 7:1), who proved to be supportive of the temple rebuilding project.

Ezra 6:15 indicates the temple was completed on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of Darius (usually considered March 12, 515 BC). Since the completion of the temple is one of the concerns of Zechariah 1–8, these chapters are considered to have been written around that time. Chapters 9–14 presuppose a completed temple, seen in the sign-action in 11:13 of Zechariah throwing thirty pieces of silver to the potter in the temple, and so these chapters seem to come later in Zechariah’s ministry. However, while parts of the book come from different periods in Zechariah’s prophetic work, the book as a whole was compiled and shaped to address an audience after the completion of the temple and should be read from this perspective, especially when it comes to identifying figures like “the Branch” (3:8; 6:12).

Genre and Literary Features

Zechariah exhibits a variety of literary genres. Chapters 1–6 contain eight visions given to Zechariah at night. In each vision the prophet is shown a scene, and an angel usually explains its key features. It is important to interpret these visions against the background of earlier OT writings, which help clarify the elements of the visions and provide keys to interpretation.

Zechariah also contains three prophetic sign-actions. The first is in 6:9–15 and the other two are in 11:4–17. Sign-actions are visible representations of the prophet’s message, acted out like a drama. However, there are elements of the sign-action in chapter 11 that would have been difficult for Zechariah to act out.

Chapters 7–8 contain a narrative of a delegation from Bethel seeking instruction about continued fasting as the temple nears completion. This provides an occasion for Zechariah to reapply relevant covenant requirements to the people and restate the hope for restoration. These chapters function as a transition between the two main parts of the book.

Finally, chapters 9–14 comprise two prophetic oracles (chs. 9–11; 12–14), portraying in many graphic images the Lord’s establishing his kingdom. The Lord will return to his people, defeat enemy nations, raise up a new leadership, bring forgiveness and cleansing through the death of the future Davidic king (the Messiah), eradicate wickedness, and open up worship in Jerusalem to all nations.

Theology of Zechariah; Its Relationship to the Rest of the Bible and to Christ

The following key themes of Zechariah are set in the wider context of the OT and traced through to their fulfillment in Jesus Christ. (The next section, “Preaching from Zechariah,” will offer rationale and guidance for reading Zechariah in relationship to Christ and the NT.)

The Sovereignty of the Lord

The sovereign rule of God is a theme found throughout the Bible and portrayed clearly in Zechariah. The book consistently calls God the “LORD of hosts” (cf. comment on 1:2–6a). He is the one king over all the earth (14:9). He will judge nations opposed to him and his people (1:21; 2:9; 9:1–14:21) and will save his people (Jerusalem/Zion) and those from the nations who seek him (2:11; 8:20; 9:7; 14:16). This concern for blessing and cursing the nations is in keeping with his promise to Abraham (Gen. 12:3; 17:4–7) and is grounded in his sovereign purpose in creation to bless all the world (Gen. 1:28). It is fulfilled in the Lord Jesus, who brings salvation to the nations (Gal. 3:14) and will judge those who reject his rule.

God’s people have an important role to play in this restoration by returning to him, rebuilding the temple, and responding in covenant obedience, yet the restoration is ultimately God’s work, by his Spirit (e.g., Zech. 4:6; 9:16; 12:7–10). While Zechariah’s time is described as a “day of small things,” with much hardship and disappointment (4:10), the sovereignty of the Lord assures readers and hearers of Zechariah that God’s promises for a glorious future will come to pass.

The Return of the Lord

God’s return to his people after judgment in exile is a key theme across the book, and the prophet Ezekiel provides a helpful backdrop. Ezekiel depicts the glory of the Lord departing from the temple and Jerusalem on account of sin, particularly idolatry (Ezekiel 8–11). The departure of the presence of the Lord was a death sentence for Jerusalem, and it was not long before the city was destroyed by the Babylonians. However, Ezekiel also anticipates God’s return to the temple after the judgment of exile (Ezek. 43:1–5), accompanied by covenant restoration and blessing.

Nearly seventy years after the destruction of Jerusalem and some twenty years after the first group of exiles had returned, Zechariah declares that God has now turned from judging his people to showing mercy (Zech. 1:16; 8:3). The punishment the nation deserved for their sin has been served, and God promises to return to dwell among them once again (1:3; 2:5, 10–11; 4:9–10; 8:3). In view of God’s return, Zechariah calls the people to return to God by rebuilding the temple and obeying his covenant requirements. The two oracles in chapters 9–14 dramatically portray the Lord’s return to establish his kingdom (e.g., 9:8; 14:5). The Lord will overcome all opposition to his reign and bring salvation and blessing to all creation.

While Zechariah anticipates the return of the Lord to Jerusalem, there is no indication in this book or in other postexilic writings that the glory ever returned to the temple in this period. Yet the book continues to foster hope for the return of God’s glory to the temple. The NT writers see the realization of this hope in the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ—Immanuel (God with us). For instance, in the prologue to his Gospel, John says that “we have seen his glory” (John 1:14). Similarly, Paul says that in Christ we see the “glory of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:18). God returned to his people in the Word-become-flesh, the one who dwelt (or “tabernacled”) among his people. He fulfilled all that the temple stood for—the presence and rule of God to bring blessing (John 2:19–21). Hence Zechariah’s hope for the return of the Lord to his people, bringing salvation and blessing, is realized in Jesus.

The Hope for a Future Davidic King (Messiah)

Closely associated with the return of the Lord to his people is the hope for a future Davidic king (Messiah). In Zechariah 1–6, this king is called “the Branch” (or “Shoot”), a name derived from the prophecy of Jeremiah (cf. Jer. 23:5; 33:15) and the imagery of Isaiah and Ezekiel (Isa. 11:1; Ezekiel 17). Zechariah envisions a future king serving as priest (Zech. 6:13) and associated with God’s removing the iniquity of the land and reversing its consequences (3:8–9; cf. 13:1).

Chapter 9 pictures the Lord’s return to Jerusalem to establish his kingdom, and at the center of this presentation is the future Davidic king—righteous and saved, afflicted and riding on a donkey (9:9; cf. comment on 9:9–10). Whereas many of Israel’s kings of the past were proud and failed to exercise justice and righteousness, this king will be different and will preach peace (cf. 6:13).

While the identities of the one pierced in 12:10 and the shepherd struck in 13:7 prove elusive to many, if these figures are understood in relation to the expectation for a future king that the book earlier establishes, they are readily understood as further portraits of the Messiah. Like the suffering servant of Isaiah, Zechariah prophesies the death of a future ideal king as part of God’s purpose to bring forgiveness and restoration of covenant relationship between God and his people (cf. 13:1, 9).

The NT identifies the future Davidic king as Jesus. Significantly, after the Psalms, Zechariah is the most-quoted portion of the OT in the passion narratives of the Gospels. Zechariah anticipates the coming of Jesus, who won the victory over the enemies of God’s people through his death on the cross and will fully realize this victory when he returns.

The National Covenant, Ethics, and Temple Rebuilding

Like the other postexilic books of Haggai and Malachi, Zechariah must be read against the background of God’s national covenant with Israel at Sinai. The book of Exodus records how God saved his people by grace, then gave them the law to teach them how to live as his saved people. The law was never a means of salvation; rather, it was the means by which God’s people were to live out their salvation to reflect the character of God in the world. This relationship is formalized in a covenant, as the people commit themselves to obedience in view of all God had done to initiate the relationship and save them. At the end of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, Moses lists the blessings the people will experience should they obey, but also the curses to come upon them should they disobey, culminating in the curse of being exiled from the Promised Land (e.g., Deut. 28:63–68). While Moses anticipates that this disaster will surely happen, this is not the last word. God promises restoration and blessing when the people repent (“return”) and obey (Deut. 30:1–3). The people’s repentance is ultimately brought about by God (Deut. 30:6), underscoring again his grace.

This is the background for the Lord’s call through Zechariah to “return to me . . . and I will return to you” (Zech. 1:3). He is calling the people back to covenant obedience and promising the blessings of covenant relationship. In this way, Zechariah grounds the ethical transformation of the people in the compassion (or grace) of God. Relationship with God is not earned through obedience; rather, obedience is the sign of being in right relationship with God. Indeed, the story of Israel records God’s compassion and justice to his people, which the people were called to reflect in their own lives and in their national life. For instance, God’s people were to treat the alien living among them just as the native-born, and the one who had less power and resources with compassion, love, truth, and peace (e.g., Lev. 19:33–37). This concern for right living in accordance with the national covenant is seen throughout Zechariah (e.g., 3:7; 5:1–11; 6:15; 7:10; 8:16–17; 13:2–6). The same theology underlies Christian ethics. It is the gospel of God’s mercy and grace that is to shape Christian behavior (e.g., Rom. 12:1–2), including our response to the vulnerable and poor (Rom. 12:8, 13, 20).

Both ethics and the concern to rebuild the temple are an outworking of the restored relationship between God and his people now that the seventy years of exile are complete (cf. Zech. 1:12). While Christians are not called to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, we are to be actively engaged in Jesus’ commission to build his temple, the church (cf. Matt. 28:19–20; Eph. 4:11–13). Zechariah challenges the church not to be despondent or despise the day of small things; rather, “Let your hands be strong” (Zech. 8:9, 13). Furthermore, Christians should seek to reflect God’s character in our lives, for his glorious kingdom is coming.

Preaching from Zechariah

The variety of literary genres in Zechariah makes it a stimulating book to preach. Some passages readily stand on their own, such as chapter 3. Other passages can be linked together by theme; e.g., the first three night-visions feature the return of the Lord to Jerusalem. The book can be broken down differently, depending on the time available for a series. The following are some suggestions:

Twelve-Week Sermon Series

1. 1:1–6 Return to Me, and I Will Return to You
2. 1:7–2:13 The Return of the Lord
3. 3:1–10 Cleansed, Clothed, and Commissioned
4. 4:1–14 “By My Spirit”
5. 5:1–6:8 Judging Iniquity, Removing Wickedness, and Setting the World Right
6. 6:9–15 Building the Temple of the Messiah
7. 7:1–8:23 What Matters More Than Fasting
8. 9:1–11:3 God and His King Will Triumph for His People
9. 11:4–17 When the Sheep Reject the Good Shepherd
10. 12:1–14 The Day God Was Pierced
11. 13:1–9 The Fruit of the Messiah’s Death
12. 14:1–21 The Day of God’s Reign

Six-Week Sermon Series

1. 1:1–2:13 The Return of the Lord
2. 3:1–4:14 Cleansed for Service
3. 5:1–6:15 Two Ways to Build (Houses of Iniquity or a House for the Lord)
4. 7:1–8:23 What Matters More Than Fasting
5. 9:1–11:17 God and His King Will Triumph for His People
6. 12:1–14:21 The Day God Was Pierced

Preaching the Night Visions

While Zechariah is not strictly apocalyptic literature, an understanding of how this literary genre works will aid preaching. Apocalyptic literature paints striking pictures with words. It draws in the audience by arousing curiosity and creating something of a puzzle that calls for an explanation, similar to Jesus’ parables. When things fall into place, there is an “Aha! moment,” by which time the audience is drawn into the visionary world. In preaching Zechariah’s night visions, it is good to ask questions about what Zechariah is reported as seeing so as to arouse curiosity and build tension before seeking to explain the important elements and the overall meaning of the vision.

One mistake in interpreting apocalyptic literature is to seek to identify the significance of every element of the picture. Some elements simply contribute to the picture’s background and have no other purpose. The important elements of the vision are the ones that are explained, and these are the ones that should be focused on in preaching. For instance, in the first vision there is no meaning given to the different colors of the horses (1:8). All the colors seem to do is distinguish between the groups of horses. What is important is what the horses do: patrol the earth as agents of the Lord and expressions of his sovereignty (1:11). Since this is explained in the vision, it is the significant element that must be focused on in preaching.

There is also a movement through the visions that is important to recognize. Visions 1–5 portray God’s returning to his people, bringing forgiveness, cleansing, and prosperity. This sequence finishes with a house (temple) built for the Lord in Jerusalem (ch. 4). In visions 6–8 there is the opposite movement. Iniquity, wickedness, and all that is opposed to God are driven from the land. In this sequence, the houses of the covenant breakers come crashing in on their heads (5:4), a house is built for wickedness in Babylon (5:11), and Babylon experiences the Lord’s wrath (6:8). Recognizing this movement and the themes connecting the visions may help when preaching on more than one vision at a time.

Preaching the Sign-Actions

Sign-actions are visible representations of the prophetic message designed not only to convey the message but also to affect the emotions. Just as seeing a play or drama on stage can have a greater impact than reading it on the page, so the preacher should try to bring the drama alive as much as possible. Like the night visions, the key elements of the prophetic drama need to be explained and their impact felt.

Preaching the Oracles

Like the night visions, an understanding of how apocalyptic literature works is useful also for preaching the oracles. Just as the book of Revelation pictures the same reality in a cycle of seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls, so chapters 9–14 of Zechariah look at the reality of God’s coming kingdom from different perspectives. While there are a number of battles mentioned in these chapters, it is not a sequence of different battles. Rather, it is one end-time battle ushering in God’s kingdom, explored from different perspectives; each perspective contributes something more to the overall picture. Chapters 9 and 12 give the “big picture” of what will happen “on that day” as God saves and delivers his people from their enemies. The focus of chapters 10–11 is what this day will mean for the leadership of God’s people, while the focus in chapters 13–14 is the cleansing coming on that day as Jerusalem is cleansed of sin and made holy.

Preaching Christ from Zechariah

Followers of Jesus Christ must follow his lead in looking for ways in which the OT testifies to him (cf. Luke 24:27, 44). The NT demonstrates how the earliest Christians explored a wide range of OT passages to show their fulfillment in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Christians are likewise encouraged to follow the example of Jesus, the apostles, and other NT authors in interpreting the OT in a way that proclaims Jesus as Savior and Lord (e.g., Acts 10:43; Rom. 1:1–4; 3:21–22).³ This does not mean that every OT sermon will have Jesus “tacked on” in the same predictable way, but it does mean that every OT sermon will be approached through a framework of understanding Jesus as the fulfillment of the hopes for Israel and the world. This gospel framework is like a prism refracting the light of the OT into a spectacular spectrum of color—there is no excuse for being monochromatic and predictable in each sermon. It is not that Christ is to be read back into the OT in ways that seem forced; instead, the preacher is to show how the people, laws, institutions, and events in the OT anticipate and illuminate the significance of Jesus Christ (who he is and what he has accomplished) and what it means to live as God’s people now in light of the new covenant he has established (identifying elements of continuity and discontinuity). Preaching the OT in light of the gospel of Jesus Christ is essential to avoid the twin dangers of allegorizing the OT or moralizing its message by teaching “rules” and “morals” without grace.⁴

The gospel of Jesus is often neglected in the preaching of Zechariah by approaching the book (esp. chs. 9–14) as if it were all about Jesus’ second coming and events at the end of the world. This fails to see how the NT cites and alludes to Zechariah with reference to Jesus’ first coming. For instance, all the Gospel writers report that Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem (Zech. 9:9). Jesus quotes 13:7 (“I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered”) just before being arrested (Matt. 26:31). Judas’s betrayal of Jesus for thirty pieces of silver has Zechariah 11:12–13 in the background. The piercing of Jesus’ side by the soldier fulfills 12:10 (cf. Rev. 1:7). His driving out the merchants from the temple fulfills Zechariah 14:21. These references show how the kingdom prophesied in Zechariah came initially in the first coming of Jesus.

At the same time, the book of Revelation connects the imagery of Zechariah with the new Jerusalem to be realized at Jesus’ return. Consider, e.g., “living waters” (Zech. 14:8; cf. Rev. 21:6; 22:1, 17); Jerusalem as a place of feasting (Zech. 14:16, 19, 21; cf. Rev. 19:9); absence of night (Zech. 14:6; cf. Rev. 21:25; 22:5); the city’s holiness (Zech. 14:20–21; cf. Rev. 22:11, 14); worship and tribute of the nations (Zech. 2:11; 8:22–23; 14:16; cf. Rev. 21:24, 26; 22:2); exclusion of all wickedness (Zech. 13:2–6; 14:21; cf. Rev. 21:8; 22:15); and the kingship of God (Zech. 14:9; cf. Rev. 22:1, which includes the kingship of the Lamb).

These examples illustrate the NT’s “already and not yet” time frame for the fulfillment of Zechariah’s hopes for God’s coming kingdom, and in both instances (the “already” and the “not yet”) Christ is central. At the same time, the themes of Zechariah are directly relevant for the church today, and the application of Zechariah’s message will be considered in the “Response” sections of the commentary that follows. These sections may be a stimulus for application in preaching. Some of these themes for application include the continuing call to repent from sin (Zech. 1:3; cf. Matt. 3:8; 2 Pet. 3:9); the need for cleansing, forgiveness, and holiness (Zech. 3:4, 9; 13:1; 14:20–21; cf. Eph. 5:26; Col. 1:14; 1 Pet. 1:15–16); the way in which building the temple connects with building the church (Zechariah 4; cf. Eph. 2:21–22); the expectation that God’s people will be refined by suffering (Zech. 13:8; cf. 1 Pet. 1:7); and the Christian life as a battle (Zech. 9:13; 10:5, 7; 12:6–9; 14:2–3; cf. 2 Cor. 10:4–5; Col. 3:5).

Interpretive Challenges

The Unity of the Book

Since the seventeenth century, some scholars have challenged the traditional view that Zechariah is the author of the book. While most scholars see much of chapters 1–8 as coming from Zechariah, the different literary style of chapters 9–14 and some of their historical references, such as “Greece” (9:13), are taken by some to indicate someone other than Zechariah is responsible for those chapters. Earlier scholars in this period argued that 9–14 are preexilic, but in the eighteenth century a number of scholars came to believe these chapters were composed hundreds of years after Zechariah, in the Greek period (4th to 2nd centuries BC).

Recent scholarship on Zechariah supports reading the book as a unity and taking the book as it presents itself—essentially as the product of the prophet Zechariah. The development and coherence of many themes across the book provide evidence for this, along with several literary features consistent throughout the book. The often unstated assumption that Zechariah was able to write in only one literary style cannot be sustained. The different styles may simply reflect different stages in Zechariah’s prophetic ministry, with chapters 1–8 reflecting the period before the temple’s completion and 9–14 the period shortly after. We will see in the commentary how references in chapters 9–14 can be understood as consistent with Zechariah’s time. In addition, there is no external evidence that the book of Zechariah ever circulated in parts. While fragmentary, Qumran manuscripts support seeing Zechariah as a single work.

Outline

1. I. Introduction: Return to Me and I Will Return to You (1:1–6)
   1. A. Setting (1:1)
   2. B. Do Not Be Like Your Fathers (1:2–6a)
   3. C. The People Repent (1:6b)
2. II. Eight Night Visions (1:7–6:8)
   1. A. Zechariah’s First Vision: Riders on Horses (1:7–17)
      1. 1. Setting (1:7)
      2. 2. The Vision (1:8)
      3. 3. The Riders and Their Report (1:9–11)
      4. 4. The Angel of the Lord Appeals to the Lord (1:12)
      5. 5. The Lord’s Gracious and Comforting Reply (1:13–17)
   2. B. Zechariah’s Second Vision: Four Horns and Four Craftsmen (1:18–21)
      1. 1. Vision of Four Horns (1:18)
      2. 2. Explanation of the Horns (1:19)
      3. 3. Vision of Four Craftsmen (1:20)
      4. 4. Explanation of the Craftsmen (1:21)
   3. C. Zechariah’s Third Vision: Measuring Jerusalem (2:1–13)
      1. 1. Vision of a Man with a Measuring Line (2:1–5)
         1. a. Surveying the City (2:1–2)
         2. b. Jerusalem as a City without Walls (2:3–5)
      2. 2. Charge to the Exiles to Return to Jerusalem in View of God’s Return (2:6–13)
         1. a. “Flee” and “Escape” from the Land of the North (2:6–9)
         2. b. “Sing and Rejoice” Since the Lord Will Dwell in Your Midst (2:10–12)
         3. c. “Be Silent” for the Lord Is Coming (2:13)
   4. D. Zechariah’s Fourth Vision: Joshua Cleansed, Clothed, and Commissioned (3:1–10)
      1. 1. Joshua Accused, Then Defended (3:1–3)
      2. 2. Joshua Cleansed, Clothed, and Commissioned (3:4–7)
      3. 3. Signs Given of the Coming Branch (3:8–10)
   5. E. Zechariah’s Fifth Vision: A Gold Lampstand and Two Olive Trees (4:1–14)
      1. 1. The Vision Report (4:1–5)
      2. 2. Two Words from the Lord Explaining the Vision (4:6–10)
         1. a. A Word for Zerubbabel (4:6–7)
         2. b. A Word for the Community (4:8–10)
      3. 3. Further Details of the Vision Identified (4:11–14)
   6. F. Zechariah’s Sixth Vision: A Flying Scroll (5:1–4)
      1. 1. The Vision Report (5:1–2)
      2. 2. Explanation of the Vision (5:3–4)
   7. G. Zechariah’s Seventh Vision: A Woman in a Basket (5:5–11)
      1. 1. The Woman-Idol Representing Wickedness (5:5–8)
      2. 2. The Basket Transported to Shinar in a House Built for That Purpose (5:9–11)
   8. H. Zechariah’s Eighth Vision: Four Chariots (6:1–8)
      1. 1. The Vision Reported (6:1–3)
      2. 2. The Vision Explained (6:4–8)
3. III. A Symbolic Crown for Joshua the High Priest (6:9–15)
   1. A. Make a Crown and Set It on Joshua (6:9–11)
   2. B. A Word to Joshua concerning the Branch (6:12–13)
   3. C. The Crown as a Memorial in the Temple (6:14)
   4. D. A Promise and a Call to Obedience (6:15)
4. IV. From Fasting to Feasting (7:1–8:23)
   1. A. Justice and Mercy, Not Fasting (7:1–14)
      1. 1. Setting (7:1)
      2. 2. Bethel’s Question about Fasting (7:2–3)
      3. 3. Zechariah’s Questions about Motives (7:4–7)
      4. 4. The Message of the Former Prophets (7:8–10)
      5. 5. Learn the Lesson the Fathers Did Not Learn (7:11–14)
   2. B. Jerusalem Will Be a City of Blessing (8:1–23)
      1. 1. The Lord Is Coming to Bless (8:1–8)
      2. 2. Curses Will Turn to Blessing (8:9–15)
      3. 3. A Renewed Call to Covenant Faithfulness (8:16–17)
      4. 4. Fasts Will Become Feasts (8:18–19)
      5. 5. The Nations Will Come (8:20–23)
5. V. First Oracle (9:1–11:17)
   1. A. The Lord’s Return to Jerusalem (9:1–17)
      1. 1. The Restored Land (9:1–8)
      2. 2. The Restored King (9:9–10)
      3. 3. The Restored People (9:11–17)
   2. B. The Lord Will Care for Judah (10:1–11:3)
      1. 1. Afflicted for Lack of a Shepherd (10:1–2)
      2. 2. God Will Raise Up a New Leadership to Save His People (10:3–12)
      3. 3. Foreign Shepherds Will Be Judged (11:1–3)
   3. C. Two Shepherd Sign-Actions (11:4–17)
      1. 1. First Sign-Action: Division and Exile (11:4–14)
      2. 2. Second Sign-Action: The Worthless Shepherd (11:15–17)
6. VI. Second Oracle (12:1–14:21)
   1. A. A Day of Attack against Jerusalem (12:1–13:1)
      1. 1. Jerusalem under Siege, but the Lord Will Save (12:1–9)
      2. 2. Mourning for the Pierced One, and a Fountain for Cleansing (12:10–13:1)
   2. B. Cleansing the Land (13:2–6)
   3. C. The Shepherd Struck, the Sheep Scattered (13:7–9)
   4. D. The Lord Will Come and Reign as King (14:1–21)
      1. 1. The Nations Will Come against Jerusalem but the Lord Will Deliver It (14:1–5)
      2. 2. The Transformation of the Heavens and the Earth (14:6–11)
      3. 3. The Lord Will Strike the Nations (14:12–15)
      4. 4. Survivors Will Worship the Lord or Suffer Punishment (14:16–19)
      5. 5. Jerusalem and Judah Will Be Holy (14:20–21)