Zechariah - TheologyCommons/Bible.Outline GitHub Wiki
ZECHARIAH 1-6
Zechariah encourages Judah's repentance, receives eight visions from God in one night, and is told how to reward Joshua (Judah's high priest).
JUDAH'S REPENTANCE (1:1-6)
In the past God's people have been chastened for their corruption (1:1-2).
Now God's people will be cleansed by their confession (1:3-6).
JEHOVAH'S REVELATIONS (1:7-6:8):
The eight visions
First vision-the man among the myrtle trees (1:7-17):
He is seated upon a red horse, accompanied by other horses and riders. Two questions are now asked and answered.
By the prophet (1:7-11)
The question (1:7-9a):
"What are all those horses for?"
The answer (1:9b-11):
They have been sent by the Lord to patrol the earth.
By the angel (1:12-17)
The question (1:12):
"How long will it be until you again show mercy to them?"
The answer (1:13-17):
God will indeed someday bless his people abundantly.
Second vision-the four horns and the four blacksmiths (1:18-21)
The four horns (1:18-19):
Israel and Judah are scattered by these four world powers.
The four blacksmiths (1:20-21):
God will use them to destroy the four horns.
Third vision-the man with the measuring line (2:1-13)
The plan to measure Jerusalem (2:1-3):
How wide and long is it?
The promise to magnify Jerusalem (2:4-13)
Great crowds will live both within and outside its walls-in safety (2:4-7, 10-13).
Judah's enemies will be totally defeated (2:8-9).
Fourth vision-the cleansing and clothing of Jeshua (Joshua), Judah's high priest (3:1 -10)
The prejudice (3:1):
Satan is seen in heaven, accusing Jeshua of many things.
The person (3:2):
God himself now rebukes the Devil.
The purifying (3:3-5):
Jeshua is cleansed from his sins and clothed in divine righteousness.
The promises (3:6-10)
To be a steward in God's building (3:6-7):
Jeshua will be put in charge of God's Temple.
To be a symbol for the Branch of God (3:8-10):
He will become a type of the Messiah himself, God's Branch and the Foundation Stone.
Fifth vision-the gold lampstand and the two olive trees (4:1-14)
The gold lampstand (4:1-2, 10)
The information (4:1-2):
Zechariah sees a gold lampstand holding seven lamps, each supplied with olive oil from a reservoir at the top.
The interpretation (4:10):
The seven lamps represent God's eyes that search all around the earth.
The two olive trees (4:3-9, 11-14)
The information (4:3):
Zechariah sees two olive trees carved upon the lampstand, one on each side.
The interpretation (4:4-9, 11-14):
The two olive trees represent God's two anointed servants who will, through divine power, complete the Temple building.
Sixth vision-the flying scroll (5:1-4)
The size (5:1-2):
Zechariah sees a flying scroll, 30 feet long and 15 feet wide.
The symbol (5:3-4):
This scroll represents God's curse upon every home in the land whose occupants use God's name in a false or blasphemous way.
Seventh vision-the woman in the basket (5:5-11)
The transgressions (5:5-8)
The scope (5:5-6):
The basket contains the sins of all those living in Judah.
The symbol (5:7-8):
A woman who represents the wickedness of the people sits inside the basket.
The transporters (5:9):
He sees two women with wings like those of a stork.
The terminal point (5:10-11):
The destination is Babylon, where a temple will be built to house the basket.
Eighth vision-the four chariots (6:1-8)
What he sees (6:1-3):
Zechariah sees four chariots coming from between two bronze mountains, each pulled by a different team of colored horses.
What it symbolizes (6:4-8):
The four heavenly spirits sent from God to do his work on earth.
JESHUA'S REWARD (6:9-15)
What Zechariah is to do (6:9-11):
Collect the gifts of gold brought to Jerusalem by four Jewish exiles who arrive from Babylon and make a crown of gold for Jeshua the high priest, setting it upon his head.
Why Zechariah is to do it (6:12-15)
By this action the high priest represents the future reign of the Messiah over Israel (6:12-13).
By this action the four exiles represent the future return of the Jews to Israel (6:14-15).
ZECHARIAH 7-14
Zechariah asks for clarification about God's law, predicts conquests in battle, and addresses the first and second comings of Christ.
THE CLARIFICATION (7:1-14; 8:9-19)
Judah's request (7:1-3):
The people want to know if they should continue their traditional custom of fasting and mourning during the fifth month as they have done in the past.
Jehovah's reply (7:4-14; 8:9-19)
He chastens them for what they have done (7:4-7, 11-14).
Their hearts are insincere when they do observe the fifth-month fast (7:4-7).
They are proud and rebellious (7:11-12).
Their sin has led to their dispersion among the nations (7:13-14).
He challenges them to do what they must do now (7:8-10; 8:9-19).
Be honest, merciful, and kind (7:8-9).
Don't oppress the helpless (7:10).
Complete the Temple building, and you will be blessed (8:9-15).
Always tell the truth (8:16-18).
Turn the fifth-month fast into a godly celebration (8:19).
THE CONQUESTS (9:1-8, 11-13):
These verses seem to predict the successful warfare of some Gentile pagans and Jewish patriots.
The Gentile pagans (9:1-8):
Here is the record of the conquests of Alexander the Great in 333 B.C.
The destruction of Phoenicia, Syria, and Philistia (9:1-7)
The deliverance of Judah (9:8):
Alexander does not destroy Jerusalem.
The Jewish patriots (9:11-13):
This passage probably refers to the victory of the Maccabean Jews over the Syrians in 165 B.C.
THE COMINGS (8:1-8, 20-23; 9:9-10, 14-17; 10:1-14:21):
Zechariah gives graphic details about the first and second comings of Christ.