Introduction to Zechariah: God Desires Us To Return To Him

Introduction to Zechariah: God Desires Us To Return To Him

Collin Leong. September 9, 2025


A. Historical Summary

1. Author and Background

  • Zechariah, whose name means “Yahweh remembers,” was both a prophet and a priest.

  • He was the son of Berechiah and grandson of Iddo, a priest who returned from Babylonian exile with Zerubbabel (cf. Nehemiah 12:4,16).

  • Zechariah likely began his ministry as a young man (see Zechariah 2:4), around 520 BC, just 2 months after God first spoke to Haggai.  

  • He was born in Babylon and returned to Jerusalem during the first wave of exiles under Cyrus the Great.

2. Audience

  • Zechariah spoke to the post-exilic Jewish community in Judah, who had returned from Babylon but were discouraged and spiritually apathetic.

  • The temple reconstruction had stalled due to opposition and internal indifference. The city was still in ruins, and many felt abandoned by God.

  • His audience needed hope, encouragement, and a renewed vision of God’s covenant faithfulness.

3. Contemporary Kings and Prophets

  • Kings:

    • Darius I of Persia (reigned 522–486 BC) was the ruling monarch during Zechariah’s ministry.

    • His reign brought relative stability and support for the temple’s reconstruction (cf. Ezra 6:1–12).

  • Prophets:

    • Haggai was Zechariah’s prophetic contemporary, also urging the people to rebuild the temple and renew their commitment to God.

    • Together, they catalyzed a spiritual and architectural revival in Jerusalem.

4. Themes

Zechariah’s message is a tapestry of repentance, restoration, and messianic hope. Key themes include:

  • Return to God: A call to repentance and covenant renewal (Zechariah 1:1–6; 7:1–14).

  • God’s Presence and Protection: Visions of divine surveillance and intervention (ch. 1–6).

  • Temple and Worship: The temple as the center of blessing and spiritual renewal (ch. 4).

  • Messianic Prophecy: The coming of the Branch, a priest-king who brings peace and salvation (Zechariah 3:8; 6:12; 9:9–10).

  • Judgment and Justice: God’s wrath against nations that oppressed Judah (ch. 1, 9, 14).

  • Hope and Restoration: Jerusalem’s future glory and global significance (ch. 8, 14).

  • Spiritual Cleansing: A fountain opened for sin and impurity (Zechariah 13:1).


B. Key Messages

1. Return to Me and I Will Return to You (Zechariah 1:3)

Message: God calls His people to repentance, reminding them not to repeat the mistakes of their ancestors. Application: True spiritual renewal begins with a heart that turns back to God. In our lives, this means prioritizing relationship over ritual—seeking God’s presence, not just His blessings.

2. God Sees, God Acts (Visions in Chapters 1–6)

Message: Through eight vivid visions, Zechariah reveals that God is actively watching over His people and orchestrating events for their good. Application: Even when life feels chaotic or stagnant, God is at work behind the scenes. Trusting His timing and sovereignty brings peace in uncertainty.

3. Not by Might, Nor by Power, But by My Spirit (Zechariah 4:6)

Message: Zerubbabel is told that rebuilding the temple will not be accomplished through human strength, but through God’s Spirit. Application: Our greatest breakthroughs—whether in ministry, relationships, or personal growth—come through dependence on the Holy Spirit, not self-effort.

4. Justice, Mercy, and Compassion Over Empty Rituals (Zechariah 7:9–10)

Message: God rebukes hollow religious practices and calls for ethical living. Application: Faith must be lived out in how we treat others. Practicing kindness, fairness, and humility is more pleasing to God than outward religiosity.

5. Your King Comes to You… Humble and Riding on a Donkey (Zechariah 9:9)

Message: A prophecy of the Messiah’s arrival—Jesus enters Jerusalem not as a warrior, but as a humble savior. Application: God’s ways often defy worldly expectations. We’re called to embrace humility, serve others, and recognize that true power is found in surrender.

6. They Will Look on Me Whom They Pierced (Zechariah 12:10)

Message: A prophetic glimpse of deep national repentance and recognition of the Messiah. Application: Healing and transformation begin when we confront our brokenness and look to Jesus. Personal revival starts with honest reflection and grace-filled surrender.

7. On That Day… The Lord Will Be King Over All the Earth (Zechariah 14:9)

Message: The book ends with a vision of global restoration and divine reign. Application: No matter how fractured the world seems, God’s kingdom will prevail. This gives us hope, courage, and a reason to live with eternal perspective.


C. Framework

1. The Wake-Up Call: Return, Rebuild, Remember (Zechariah 1:1–6)

Zechariah opens with a plea from the heart of God: return to Me, and I will return to you. The prophet stands in the rubble of post-exilic Jerusalem, urging the people not to repeat the sins of their ancestors. This is not just a call to rebuild the temple—it’s a call to rebuild trust, obedience, and hope.

Ch 1: The Echoes of Exile The past looms large. Zechariah reminds the people that their fathers ignored the prophets—and paid the price. Now, the invitation is fresh: repentance is the doorway to restoration.

2. The Night Visions: Heaven’s Surveillance and Earth’s Renewal (Zechariah 1:7–6:15)

Eight surreal visions unfold like divine dreams, each packed with symbolism. Horses patrol the earth, horns rise and fall, scrolls fly, and lamps burn. God is not distant—He is watching, intervening, and preparing a future of justice and peace.

Ch 1–2: Riders and Rebuilders Four horsemen scout the earth; Jerusalem is comforted. A man with a measuring line signals expansion. God declares: “I will be a wall of fire around her.”

Ch 3–4: Priests and Power Joshua the high priest is cleansed—Satan silenced. Zerubbabel is told: “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit.” The golden lampstand glows with divine presence.

Ch 5–6: Scrolls, Sin, and Sovereignty A flying scroll condemns thieves and liars. A woman in a basket—wickedness—is exiled. Four chariots thunder forth, God’s agents of global justice. The crowning of Joshua hints at a priest-king to come.

3. The Heart Check: Ritual vs. Righteousness (Zechariah 7–8)

The people ask about fasting. God responds with a deeper question: are your hearts aligned with justice, mercy, and truth? Rituals mean nothing without righteousness. But restoration is coming—Jerusalem will be called “Faithful City.”

Ch 7: Hollow Habits Past fasts were empty gestures. God desires compassion, not performance. The exile was a consequence of hardened hearts.

Ch 8: Hope Rekindled God promises peace, prosperity, and presence. Old men and children will fill the streets again. Nations will seek the Lord in Jerusalem.

4. The Coming King and the Clash of Kingdoms (Zechariah 9–11)

The tone shifts—poetic, prophetic, and messianic. A humble king rides a donkey. Enemies fall. Yet betrayal brews. The shepherd is rejected, sold for thirty pieces of silver.

Ch 9: The King on a Colt Judgment sweeps through enemy lands. Then, a sudden shift: “Your king comes to you… humble and riding on a donkey.” Peace is His weapon.

Ch 10–11: Shepherds and Silver God restores His flock. But false shepherds exploit them. Zechariah enacts a drama—he’s the rejected shepherd, paid thirty pieces of silver, the price of betrayal.

5. The Final Reckoning: Mourning, Majesty, and Messiah (Zechariah 12–14)

The climax is cosmic. Jerusalem becomes a cup of trembling. Nations gather for war. But God fights for His people. They mourn the pierced one. Living waters flow. The Lord reigns.

Ch 12–13: Pierced and Purified The house of David mourns deeply—“they will look on Me whom they pierced.” A fountain is opened to cleanse sin. Idols fall. Prophets are silenced.

Ch 14: The Day of the Lord Jerusalem is shaken, split, and saved. Living waters flow east and west. The Lord becomes King over all the earth. Holiness saturates everything—even the bells on horses.





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