Zechariah

ZECHARI'AH (Jehovah remembers). The Book of Zechariah consists of two divisions: I. Chs. 1-8; II. Chs. 9-14. The first division contains visions and prophecies from the second year of the reign of Darius Hystaspes, while the temple was rebuilding, exhortations to turn to Jehovah, and warnings against

the enemies of the people of God. About the authorship of this part of the book there is no doubt. The second division gives a prophetic description of the future fortunes of the theocracy in conflict with the secular powers, the sufferings and death of the Messiah under the figure of the shepherd, the conversion of Israel to him, and the final glorification of the kingdom of God. About the authorship of this part of the book doubts have been raised, some ascribing it to Jeremiah because in Matt 27:9-10 a passage is quoted under the name of Jeremiah, while others have put it at a much earlier or much later period on account of the peculiarities of the style. Of all the prophets, Zechariah is the most obscure, owing to the brevity and conciseness of the diction, the predominance of symbolical and figurative language, and the peculiar character of the subject - the suffering Messiah. But he has a profound insight both into the spiritual meaning and object of the Mosaic dispensation as a schoolmaster leading to Christ, and into the character of the Messiah and the universality of his kingdom. The book contains six specific references to Christ: Zech 3:8; Zech 6:12; Zech 9:9; Zech 11:12; Neh 12:10; 2 Kgs 13:7, representing him as a lowly servant, a priest and king building Jehovah's temple, the meek and peaceful but universal monarch, the shepherd betrayed for the price of a slave (thirty pieces of silver), the leader to repentance, and the Fellow of Jehovah smitten by Jehovah himself, at once the Redeemer and the Pattern of his flock. Besides the prophet, twenty-seven other persons of the name Zechariah are mentioned in Scripture, among whom are - Seven Levites. 1 Chr 9:21; 1 Chr 15:18; 1 Chr 24:25; 1 Chr 26:11; 2 Chr 20:14; 2 Chr 29:13; 2 Chr 34:12. Four priests. 2 Chr 35:8; Neh 11:12; Neh 12:16, John 12:35, Ex 12:41. The son of the high priest Jehoiada, stoned in the court of the house of the Lord on the command of Joash, king of Judah. 2 Chr 24:20. Two chiefs who returned with Ezra from Babylon. Ezr 8:3, Rev 1:11. The father of Iddo, ruler of Manasseh in Gilead. 1 Chr 27:21. The son of Jeberechiah, whom the prophet Isaiah took as one of the faithful witnesses when he wrote about Maher-shalal-hash-baz. Isa 8:2.