Zechariah
The Prophet of Hope
Prophet of visions who encouraged Temple rebuilding and foretold the Messiah. Zechariah's prophecies include detailed predictions about Christ, making him one of the most messianic prophets of the Old Testament. His ministry focused on encouraging the returned exiles to complete the Temple reconstruction.
Zechariah received eight remarkable visions in one night, each revealing God's plans for Israel's restoration:
- • The Horseman Among the Myrtle Trees
- • The Four Horns and Four Craftsmen
- • The Man with a Measuring Line
- • Joshua the High Priest
- • The Golden Lampstand and Two Olive Trees
- • The Flying Scroll
- • The Woman in a Basket
- • The Four Chariots
Zechariah's prophecies about the Messiah are remarkably detailed and specific:
"Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."
- Zechariah 9:9
This prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, demonstrating Zechariah's prophetic accuracy.
Era:
Post-Exilic Period (520-480 BC)
Location:
Jerusalem, after the return from Babylonian exile
Contemporary:
Worked alongside Haggai to encourage Temple rebuilding
Key Verse
"Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty."
- Zechariah 4:6