Zechariah: The Man, the Prophet, and the Priest
The postexilic Prophet Zechariah was a Levite born in Babylon (Neh 12:1, 16).
He was the son of Berekiah and the grandson of Iddo the priest (Zech. 1:1) and “a descendant of Iddo” (Ezra 5:1; 6:14; cf. Neh. 12:4, 16).
Zechariah was both a prophet and a priest.
Zechariah’s name, means “Yahweh (the Lord) remembers”Zechariah was a contemporary of Haggai the prophet, Zerubbabel the governor,
and Joshua the high priest (Ezra 5:1–2, Zech. 3:1, 4:6, 6:11).
The Historical Background
The fall of Northern Kingdom of Israel (10 tribes) to Assyrians was in (722 BC)
The fall of Southern Kingdom of Judah (2 tribes) to Babylonians in (605 BC + 597 BC + 586 BC)
In 586 BC the 1st Temple, Solomon’s Temple, was Looted and Destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar.
Most Jews were deported to Babylon for 70 years, as prophesied by Jeremiah (Jer 25:11, 29:10).
During the Exile the Prophet Daniel was told that Gentile kingdoms would be dominant over the Kingdom of S. Judah and N. Israel, until God would set up His kingdom on the earth under the rule of the Messiah (Dan 2, Dan 7). This period was referred to by Jesus as “the times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24).
Then Babylonian Empire fell to the Persian Empire in (539 BC),
Cyrus the Great was stirred by God to decree that the Jews could return to Jerusalem to rebuild their Temple in (538 BC), (Ezra 1:1-2, 6, 6:3-5, 2 Chr 36:22, Isa 44:28).
However, only 50,000 Jews (including Haggai and Zechariah) returned under Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the high priest (Ezra 2).
Levitical sacrifices were soon reinstituted, on a rebuilt altar of burnt offering (Ezra 3:1–6).
In, 536 BC, the foundation of the Temple was laid (Ezra 3:8–13; 5:16).
However, external oppression and internal depression halted the rebuilding of the Temple for about 16 more years of spiritual apathy, until the rule of the Persian King Darius I (522–486 BC).
In the second year of Darius I (520 BC) God raised up Haggai the prophet to encourage the Jews in rebuilding (Ezra 5:1–2, Hag 1:1).
Zechariah began his prophetic ministry (520 BC) (Zech 1:1), encouraging the Jews to spiritual renewal and motivating them to rebuild the Temple by revealing to them God’s plans for Israel’s future. The people completed the Temple in 515 BC (Ezra 6:15).
The prophecies of Zechariah 9–14 were written later, about 480BC to 470BC .
Book of Zechariah – Bible Study
Study Content
1. Includes an INTRODUCTION to the Book of Zechariah
2. Includes the HISTORICAL BACKGROUND with DATES and EVENTS
3. Includes many CHARTS > to see Broad Concepts in a Single Image
4. Includes a WORKING OUTLINING of every Paragraph in the Book
5. Includes BIBLE STUDY LESSONS for the entire Book
a. HANDOUTS for Students, with Questions
b. Teachers Version, with Questions and Answers
See Book of Hosea for many Charts explaining the interpretation of Prophecy
Working Outline of Book of Zechariah
Outline of Visions in Book of Zechariah
Bible Study Lessons > DownLoad as PDF
Lesson 1- Introduction – God’s Plan and Purpose and Will in Old Testament
Lesson 2 – Prophets and Prophecy in the Bible
Lesson 3 – Background of Book_Zech 1:1-6
Lesson 4 – The Angel of the Lord and Vision of Horses and Riders_Zech 1:7-17
Lesson 5 – Vision of 4 Horns and 4 Craftsman, Ezekiel’s City, and Interpretation of Vision of Horses and Riders_Zech 1:18-21
Lesson 6 – Vision of Surveyor of Jerusalem_Zech 2:1-13
Lesson 7 – Joshua the High Priest Before the Angel of the Lord_Zech 3:1-10
Lesson 8 – Vision of a Lampstand, a Bowl, 7 Sprouts, and Two Olive Trees _Zech 4:1-14
Lesson 9 – Vision of a Flying Scroll and Vision of the Ephah with a Woman_Zech 5:1-11
Lesson 10 – Vision of the Four Chariots_Zech 6:1-8
Lesson 11 – Vision of the Crowning of Joshua the High Priest & a Man Named Branch_Zech 6:9-15
Lesson 12 – Question of Fasts & Israel’s Hardness & Scattering_Zech 7:1-14
Lesson 13 – Lord will Return to Jerusalem & Dwell with His People_Zech 8:1-23
Lesson 14 – First Oracle, Part 1 of 4 – Alexander the Great’s Victories & Messiah’s 2 Comings_Zech 9:1-10
Lesson 15 – First Oracle, Part 2 of 4 – Future Victory of Maccabees Over Greece_Zech 9:11-17
Lesson 16 – First Oracle, Part 3 of 4 – The Lord will Bless, Strengthen, and Regather Israel_Zech 10:1-12
Lesson 17 – First Oracle, Part 4 of 4 – Shepherd the Flock of Israel Doomed to Slaughter_Zech 11:1-17
Lesson 18 – Second Oracle, Part 1 of 3 – The Lord’s Concern for Jerusalem, In that Day_Zech 12:1-14
Lesson 19 – Second Oracle, Part 2 of 3 – The Lord’s Cleansing for Jerusalem, In that Day_Zech 13:1-9
Lesson 20 – Second Oracle, Part 3a of 3 – The Lord Coming to Jerusalem as King over the Earth, In that Day_Zech 14:1-9
Lesson 21 – Second Oracle, Part 3b of 3 – The Lord Coming to Jerusalem as King over the Earth, In that Day_Zech 14:10-21
Lesson 22 – The Conclusion and Summary of Book of Zechariah
Bible Chart – JPG File
Bible Chart – JPG File