#1176 Zechariah 1 Part 3 Horns and Craftsmen

 

18  And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four horns! 19 And I said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these?” And he said to me, “These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.” 20 Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. 21 And I said, “What are these coming to do?” He said, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no one raised his head. And these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it.” Zechariah 1: 18-21 ESV

Zechariah 1: 18-21 Vision of the Horns and Craftsmen

And behold, four horns - A horn represents power in the Bible, and can be a nation or the head of that nation, like Nebuchadnezzar was the ruler of Babylon. If you ever watch Animal planet or Discovery Channel, and they have horned or antlered animals on, you will see the males size each other up by the horns and when they battle the horns collide. This is the weapon at the end of the strike, moved and supported by the muscles and skeletal frame of the animal, hence, "mess with the bull, you get the horns." One commentator mentioned that this is also what the hunter hangs in his lodge, the symbol of taking the power of that animal, a trophy from the hunt. The horn comes to be the pride of nations, and the unrealistic view of their power, their standing, God often strips away, for they wield this power with bad intent, abusing authority. 

…24upon Kerioth, Bozrah, and all the towns of Moab, those far and near. 25The horn of Moab has been cut off, and his arm is broken,” declares the LORD. 26“Make him drunk, because he has magnified himself against the LORD; so Moab will wallow in his own vomit, and he will also become a laughingstock.… Jeremiah 48: 24-26

…9But I will proclaim Him forever; I will sing praise to the God of Jacob. 10“All the horns of the wicked I will cut off, but the horns of the righteous will be exalted.” Psalm 75: 9-11

1For the choirmaster. Of David the servant of the LORD, who sang this song to the LORD on the day the LORD had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love You, O LORD, my strength. 2The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer. My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.… Psalm 18: 1-3

What are these - Zechariah is curious as to the representation of the horns, and the angel answers simply and clearly, "these are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem." And remember, there are four of them. Now some will say because Israel is mentioned, that this starts with the nation of Assyria, but remember, a lot of people from the northern kingdom had representation in Judah and Jerusalem, they fled the apostasy of the north. Also, Zechariah is very close to the time of Daniel, probably a contemporary towards the second part of Daniel's ministry, and Babylon took over Assyria as well. I think this corresponds very neatly to the time of the gentiles, the layout of human history that starts around 600 B. C. with Babylon taking Jerusalem. So then we would have the head, which looked like Nebuchadnezzar, made of gold, finishing the removal of Israel's national sovereignty by destroying the capital city, the holy city, the place of true worship, and this would start the time of the gentiles. See link below.

Daniel 2 the image of the world empires

36 “This was the dream. Now we will tell the king its interpretation. 37 You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, 38 and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all—you are the head of gold. 39 Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. 40 And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these. 41 And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. Daniel 2: 36-41

When Jesus came at His first advent He spoke of the "time of the gentiles" even in His day, and spoke to a future time of completion. 

…23How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers! For there will be great distress upon the land and wrath against this people. 24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations. And Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. 25There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among the nations, bewildered by the roaring of the sea and the surging of the waves.… Luke 21: 23-25

Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen - Each of the horns, the countries that came to power and wielded power in the Promised land, had it's own punisher, someone holding the hammer. Babylon was taken over by Medo-Persia, then Greece took Medo-Persia, then Rome took Greece's place, and when we look in Daniel we see Rome in a divided sense which revives and then has an end time appearance of 10 horns. 

i. “And then he finds the right men; not four gentlemen with pens to write; not four architects to draw plans, but four mechanics to do rough work. He who wants to open an oyster, must not use a razor: there needs less of daintiness, and more of force, for some works: providence does not find gentlemen to cut off the horns, but carpenters. The work needs a man who, when he has his work to do, puts his whole strength into it, and beats away with his hammer, or cuts through the wood that lays before him with might and main. Rest assured, you who tremble for the ark of God, that when the horns grow troublesome, the carpenters will be found.” (Spurgeon)

To cast down the horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah - So who takes Rome? I'm glad you asked, go back to Daniel 2.

41 And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. 43 As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay. 44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, 45 just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.” Daniel 2: 41-45

Who takes the revived Roman empire? The stone that was cut from a mountain by no human hand. This is also the chief Corner Stone, that was rejected. "By no human hand" refers to Christ's virgin birth, the eternal Son of God was placed in the womb of Mary, a body was prepared for Him there, to His deity was added humanity, so that He was fully God (eternal, immortal) and yet fully man (know our griefs and our sorrows), but then live the life we did not live, and die on our behalves. He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities and the chastisement of our peace was upon Him.

…13Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God as well? 14Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel. 15By the time He knows enough to reject evil and choose good, He will be eating curds and honey.… Isaiah 7: 13-15

…41“He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and will rent out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his share of the fruit at harvest time.” 42 Jesus said to them, “ Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? 43Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.… Matthew 21: 41-43

…16He will come and kill those tenants, and will give the vineyard to others.” And when the people heard this, they said, “May such a thing never happen!” 17But Jesus looked directly at them and said, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’? 18Everyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”… Luke 20: 16-18

…32Why not? Because their pursuit was not by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33as it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” Romans 9: 32-33

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#1175 Zechariah 1 Part 2 El Caballo Rojo

 

7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying, 8 “I saw in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen, and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses. 9 Then I said, ‘What are these, my lord?’ The angel who talked with me said to me, ‘I will show you what they are.’ 10 So the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered, ‘These are they whom the Lord has sent to patrol the earth.’ 11 And they answered the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees, and said, ‘We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth remains at rest.’ 12 Then the angel of the Lord said, ‘O Lord of hosts, how long will you have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which you have been angry these seventy years?’ 13 And the Lord answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me. 14 So the angel who talked with me said to me, ‘Cry out, Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion. 15 And I am exceedingly angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was angry but a little, they furthered the disaster. 16 Therefore, thus says the Lord, I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; my house shall be built in it, declares the Lord of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem. 17 Cry out again, Thus says the Lord of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.’” Zechariah 1: 7-17 ESV

Zechariah 1: 7-17 A Man Riding on A Red Horse

The prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo - Zechariah receives another message from the Lord. 

Now, let’s – having gotten all of that out of the way – hit the message in verse 2. Zechariah means “Jehovah remembers.” Here’s a little note for you; Berechiah means “Jehovah blesses,” and Iddo means “in His time.” And the message of the book is “Jehovah remembers and blesses in His time.” And it’s coming to those who repent. - J Mac

I saw in the night - This is different than a dream, it is a vision, and let's get some of the setting down, the prophet is Zechariah, he is speaking to the people that came back from Babylon after the captivity, after the 70 years that was determined for them. Sin always requires punishment, an answer, and so the people of Israel would not repent some years before, and the northern kingdom first reached the brim of their cup of God's just wrath, so they were taken away by Assyria. Then Judah, who had seen his sister taken away, and had even seen God's intervention in chasing Assyria away from Jerusalem, yet reached this same measure and were taken into captivity in Babylon. They would not change their minds, were obstinate towards God, and took advantage of each other, leading each other into more sin, and sin has a price. God is also a God of compassion and here is coming a beautiful message of comfort to a people that are struggling and depressed in the land. They were able to return to Judah, but it is still during the time of the Gentiles, and their neighbors are hostile, but God is wanting them to rebuild His house.

…9For they are falsely prophesying to you in My name; I have not sent them, declares the LORD.” 10For this is what the LORD says: “When Babylon’s seventy years are complete, I will attend to you and confirm My promise to restore you to this place. 11For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope.… Jeremiah 29: 9-11

1In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes, a Mede by descent, who was made ruler over the kingdom of the Chaldeans— 2in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the sacred books, according to the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and petition, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.… Daniel 9: 1-3

A man riding on a red horse - So first off, Who is this man on the red horse? He is the one standing among the myrtle trees in the glen, and there are other horses behind His, subordinate. Now some will say this is Michael the archangel, but I disagree, and we will shortly see why, even within this text. Jesus does what He sees the Father doing and Michael does what the Angel of the Lord directs, he follows Christ's lead. In verse 9, Zechariah ask the angel that is walking with him what these horses are, and the Man on the red horse, standing among the myrtle trees, answered, "these are they whom the Lord (capital L) has sent to patrol the earth." They are a patrol, a reconnaissance team, just like when Satan was asked by God in Job, "where have you come from?" Satan and his demonic forces roam the earth, but be encouraged, O Judah, for the Angel of the Lord has His army, His scouts going throughout the earth as well. 

6One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. 7“Where have you come from?” said the LORD to Satan. “From roaming through the earth,” he replied, “and walking back and forth in it.” 8Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one on earth like him, a man who is blameless and upright, who fears God and shuns evil.”… Job 1: 6-8

And they answered the angel of the Lord - Angel means messenger, but the title of this particular messenger, the angel of the Lord, comes up often throughout the Old Testament. One notable time is when He makes Himself known to Moses in preincarnate form, that of a burning bush, and just read it for yourself, He identifies Himself:

Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”

And Moses said, “Here I am.”

5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. Exodus 3: 1-6

Look at verse 11. Zechariah 1:11: “And they answered the Angel of the Lord that stood among the myrtle trees.” Who’s the Angel of the Lord? Christ. Now do you know who the rider on the red horse is? It’s the Lord Jesus Christ, the Angel of the Lord. He is the commander in chief of the God squad, about to embark upon the battle.

You say, “But what are the myrtles?” Well listen. Because of the lowliness, because of the commonness, because of the simplicity, because of the beauty, and because of the fragrance when bruised, the only possibility for the myrtle is that the myrtle represents Israel. The commonness. They’re everywhere in the land, the people of God. And what is the hollow? What is the deep place, the glen that speaks of the suffering and the lowliness and the degradation and the baseness of their present condition? All the little lovely myrtles. They’re looking up at their city and wondering if they’ll ever rebuild it, and all of a sudden standing in the midst is the angelic army, led by the commander in chief, ready for battle. It’s going to be bloody but it’s going to be victorious. Now that’s an exciting scene, isn’t it? And you can hear all of the Jews who are listening to Zechariah’s sermon going, “Oh, did you hear that? See, it’s coming.” J Mac

There are many examples in the Old Testament of an encounter with a heavenly man known as the Angel of the LORD who is revealed to be God Himself (Genesis 16:7-13, Genesis 22:11-18, Exodus 2:3-9, Judges 2:1-4, and many other places). Because of Zechariah 1:11, we know this man is the Angel of the LORD, and that He is God.

ii. We can assume that this was God, in the Person of Jesus Christ, appearing to Abraham before His incarnation and birth at Bethlehem, because of God the Father it is said, No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him (John 1:18), and no man has ever seen God in the Person of the Father (1 Timothy 6:16). Therefore, if God appears to someone in human appearance in the Old Testament, and no one has seen God the Father, it makes sense the appearing is of the eternal Son, the Second Person of the Trinity, before His incarnation in Bethlehem. - Enduring Word

Genesis chapter 16, verse 13. Well we got to back up. Verse 7. “And the Angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness.” Angel of the Lord. Verse 9: “And the Angel of the Lord said to her.” Verse 10: “And the Angel of the Lord said to her.” Verse 11: ”And the Angel of the Lord said to her.” Now we know here an Angel of the Lord is identified, but who is he? Finally, she says something, verse 13: “And she called the name of the Lord who spoke unto her though,” what? God. “Thou God.” Who was the Angel of the Lord? God. God manifest. And who is God manifest? God the Son, second person of the Trinity. - J Mac

Red, sorrel and white horses - So I went past these, but I think it is important to establish Who the angel of the Lord is, and I wanted to have a more complete thought and reference, but back to verse 8. The angel of the Lord is on a red horse, and Macarthur points out that this is the same word for red as was used to describe Esau, so ginger like. Now horses in the Bible were associated often with war, and God had warned Israel not to go back to Egypt and acquire many horses, and the Psalmist David said, "some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God." Ultimately, the battle belongs to the Lord, and you can have all the technology and weaponry that your little heart desires and can imagine, but if God is against you then it won't stand. You want God with you above all else. Zechariah is seeing the army of the invisible God, led by the preincarnate Christ. Red is also associated with blood and war. Now here is where it becomes very confusing, and even more so because of horse people, some of them say sorrel is the same as the red, a chestnut, some say its like a roan, some say it's a chestnut with a yellow mane, English riders say one thing and Western riders follow another set of rules. There is nothing more confusing than horse people, they could have just called the red one a Marlboro Red , and the Sorrel a Red Panda Pigeon Blood, but that would be too easy. Some commentators think the word they translated to the English word Sorrel is actually describing a combination of the two colors, red and white, or a speckled horse. White is often used to denote purity and victory. We can see a vision in Isaiah of God the Son covered in red from battle, and in Revelation we can see Him coming triumphantly for His bride on a white horse, and a little bonus footage for those who still think it could be Michael, look at verse 10 of Revelation 19, John makes the mistake of worshiping an angel, a spiritual being, a created one, and the angel stops him, and tells him to worship God. 

1Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah with crimson-stained garments? Who is this robed in splendor, marching in the greatness of His strength? “It is I, proclaiming vindication, mighty to save.” 2Why are Your clothes red, and Your garments like one who treads the winepress? 3“I have trodden the winepress alone, and no one from the nations was with Me. I trampled them in My anger and trod them down in My fury; their blood spattered My garments, and all My clothes were stained.… Isaiah 63: 1-3

…7Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him the glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. 8 She was given clothing of fine linen, bright and pure.” For the fine linen she wears is the righteous acts of the saints. 9Then the angel told me to write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”…

10So I fell at his feet to worship him. But he told me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who rely on the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” 11Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war. 12He has eyes like blazing fire, and many royal crowns on His head. He has a name written on Him that only He Himself knows.… Revelation 19: 7-12

And the Lord answered gracious and comforting words - He is giving Israel hope, his armies are waiting, asking the Father when the time will come, they are at the ready. God has a future in store for Israel and He doesn't want them to forget this. About 4 years after this prophecy the temple was finished being rebuilt. Haggai was sent to get them motivated, and Zechariah keeps them there.

I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem - The church is the bride of Christ, but God always addressed Israel as His wife, as seen in much of the covenant language and in books like Hosea.

They furthered the disaster - God allowed them to come against Israel in judgment, for Israel's sins had to be answered if God is truly Holy and just like He says, but the nations did not come seeking justice, just pillage, and they were anti-Semites, not against sin, but against the Jewish people. They came under the sovereign God, but thought their victories against Israel made their gods greater than the true God, or that they themselves were gods because of their technology, their might, their numbers and strength. 

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#1174 Zechariah 1 Part 1 The Lord Was Very Angry

 

In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying, 2 “The Lord was very angry with your fathers. 3 Therefore say to them, Thus declares the Lord of hosts: Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. 4 Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the Lord. 5 Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? 6 But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? So they repented and said, ‘As the Lord of hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and deeds, so has he dealt with us.’”

A Vision of a Horseman

7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying, 8 “I saw in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen, and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses. 9 Then I said, ‘What are these, my lord?’ The angel who talked with me said to me, ‘I will show you what they are.’ 10 So the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered, ‘These are they whom the Lord has sent to patrol the earth.’ 11 And they answered the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees, and said, ‘We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth remains at rest.’ 12 Then the angel of the Lord said, ‘O Lord of hosts, how long will you have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which you have been angry these seventy years?’ 13 And the Lord answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me. 14 So the angel who talked with me said to me, ‘Cry out, Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion. 15 And I am exceedingly angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was angry but a little, they furthered the disaster. 16 Therefore, thus says the Lord, I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; my house shall be built in it, declares the Lord of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem. 17 Cry out again, Thus says the Lord of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.’”

A Vision of Horns and Craftsmen

18  And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four horns! 19 And I said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these?” And he said to me, “These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.” 20 Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. 21 And I said, “What are these coming to do?” He said, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no one raised his head. And these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it.” Zechariah 1 ESV

Zechariah 1 

Zechariah is named for the prophet author, his name means "the Lord remembers".

Like Jeremiah and Ezekiel, Zechariah was also a priest (Neh. 12:12–16) According to tradition, he was a member of the Great Synagogue, a council of 120 originated by Nehemiah and presided over by Ezra. This council later developed into the ruling elders of the nation, called the Sanhedrin. He was born in Babylon and joined his grandfather, Iddo, in the group of exiles who first returned to Jerusalem under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua the High-Priest (cf. Neh. 12:4). Because he is occasionally mentioned as the son of his grandfather (cf. Ezra 5:1; 6:14; Neh. 12:16), it is thought that his father, Berechiah, died at an early age before he could succeed his father into the priesthood. ..

Chapters 9–14 are generally thought to come from a later period of his ministry. Differences in style and references to Greece indicate a date of ca. 480–470 B.C., after Darius I (ca. 521–486 B.C.) and during Xerxes’ reign (ca. 486–464 B.C.), the king who made Esther queen of Persia. According to Matt. 23:35, he was murdered between the temple and the altar, a fate similar to an earlier Zechariah (cf. 2 Chr. 24:20,21), who had been stoned to death.

- GTY

1Later, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. 2Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak rose up and began to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, helping them. 3At that time Tattenai the governor of the region west of the Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates went to the Jews and asked, “Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and restore this structure?”… Ezra 5: 1-3

13In response, Tattenai the governor of the region west of the Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates diligently carried out what King Darius had decreed. 14So the Jewish elders built and prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah son of Iddo. They finished building according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia. 15And this temple was completed on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.… Ezra 6: 13-15

Background for the time

More background from Daniel

1-6 The Lord was very angry with your fathers - Israel and Judah had been warned prior to the captivity, not once, but many times, and their response was to ignore the prophets, choose their own prophets, torture and kill the prophets. God is patient beyond mortal capacity, for well before Babylon crushed them and took them away, king Manasseh had Isaiah sawn in half. Jeremiah was placed in a sewer, and here we have Zechariah, during the time of Haggai, calling the people to remember and repent. Do not follow in the steps of your fathers. It bothers me to say, and it is sad to to know, that after all they had been through that this revival will be only for a time, they will kill Zechariah too.

…34Because of this, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and others you will flog in your synagogues and persecute in town after town. 35And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36Truly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation.… Matthew 23: 34-36

…36Still others endured mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were put to death by the sword. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, oppressed, and mistreated. 38The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and hid in caves and holes in the ground.… Hebrews 11: 36-38

Return to Me says the Lord of hosts - This is a call to repent, to change one's mind, to be confronted with the truth, the reality that you are lost, headed in the wrong direction, worried more about decaying things and ignorant to that which is unchanging, infinite, Holy and just. We may wonder why He is having Zechariah say this to these people, the ones who did return after the 70 year captivity, the ones who are building the temple, who listened to the words of Haggai, is he not preaching to the choir? I have slept through many a sermon in church, you can find deaf ears anywhere, and many people make the same mistake that Israel made, we have Abraham as our father, I go to a Bible believing church, we have the temple, I sing in the choir, I am a priest, I am a preacher, my dad is a Levite, my dad is a deacon and I showed up here today, so I must be counted among the faithful. It's not just a building, not just rituals and tithing, but God is calling them to more than that, to a sincere relationship with the Creator of the universe. Come, understand what the building and the sacrifices mean, push everything else down and in it's place, far below the God Who is saying, "return to Me".

…3Without growing weary, you have persevered and endured many things for the sake of My name. 4But I have this against you: You have abandoned your first love. 5Therefore, keep in mind how far you have fallen. Repent and perform the deeds you did at first. But if you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.… Revelation 2: 3-5

And I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts - When you read Hosea and then look at this invitation, considering all that Israel has done against God, that the nations have mocked the true God because His chosen people have taken so lightly all that He has done for them and said, what an invitation. Oh, can you hear that? 

7Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom.… James 4: 7-9

1Now the Spirit of God came upon Azariah son of Oded. 2So he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. 3For many years Israel has been without the true God, without a priest to instruct them, and without the law.… 2 Chronicles 15: 1-3

Do not be like your fathers - They rebelled, from the time of Moses leading them out in the wilderness, they murmured and asked for Egypt, they made a covenant with God and broke it straight away. Their fathers came against Moses and Aaron and many died. During the time of the Judges everyone did what was right in their own eyes. God sent them Samuel, He gave them kings, but even the kings rebelled. They followed teachers who would tickle their ears, they wanted prophets who feared the kings and loved their gold more than God. 

7Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear His voice, 8do not harden your hearts, as you did in the rebellion, in the day of testing in the wilderness, 9where your fathers tested and tried Me, and for forty years saw My works.… Hebrews 3: 7-9

…55He drove out nations before them and apportioned their inheritance; He settled the tribes of Israel in their tents. 56But they tested and disobeyed God Most High, for they did not keep His decrees. 57They turned back and were faithless like their fathers, twisted like a faulty bow.… Psalm 78: 55-57

Return from your evil ways and evil deeds - This is the message that the former prophets of God gave their fathers, and it is still the message today, repent. We care too much for our opinions and likes, thinking that any of us is a moral high bar, that if we find something acceptable or that if something doesn't bother me or my circle of influences then it must be okay, that is both stupid and dangerous. What does God call what I am doing? That is the measure that will stand.

…18But in this way God has fulfilled what He foretold through all the prophets, saying that His Christ would suffer. 19Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away, 20that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus, the Christ, who has been appointed for you.… Acts 3: 18-20

Your fathers, where are they - God was the only constant, their forefathers had long past and faith was not heritage, most of them rejected God's word for whatever was shiny and new in their day. 

And the prophets, do they live forever - They were only for a time, for a purpose, and they were mortal, passing. Zechariah is a prophet, standing before them, and it will do them no good to say, "I knew Zechariah", did you know God? 

But My words and My statutes...did they not overtake your fathers - Though they killed the prophets, the word of God given through the prophets remained. When God labels something as sin, as from a fallen nature, gone away from His design, an abomination, rebellion, it doesn't matter how I feel or who I can get to agree with me. The words outlived the messengers and the rebels.

…34Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away. 36No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.… Matthew 24: 34-36

So He dealt with us - God did what He said, they weren't just idol threats. He doesn't, like men, say things just to hear how they sound, He speaks worlds into existence. The complexity of the existence of life itself should say enough to our wayward minds, that He does not speak lightly, that He speaks with wisdom beyond ours and intent, and I can't even exaggerate that fact if I tried, my explanations will always fall short.

“Now, Israel, listen to the laws and to the commands that I teach you. Obey them and you will live. Then you can go in and take the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. 2 You must not add to what I command you. And you must not take anything away. You must obey the commands of the Lord your God that I have given you.

3 “You have seen what the Lord did at Baal Peor. The Lord your God destroyed all your people who followed the false god Baal at that place. 4 But all of you who stayed with the Lord your God are alive today.

5 “I taught you the laws and rules that the Lord my God commanded me. I did this so you could obey them in the land you are ready to enter and take for your own. 6 Obey these laws carefully. This will show the people of the other nations that you are wise and sensible. They will hear about these laws and say, ‘Truly, the people of this great nation are wise and sensible.’

7 “The Lord our God is near when we ask him to help us. No other nation has a god like that! 8 And no other nation is great enough to have laws and rules as good as the teachings I give you today. 9 But you must be careful! Be sure that as long as you live you never forget what you have seen. You must teach these things to your children and grandchildren. 10 Remember the day you stood before the Lord your God at Mount Horeb. The Lord said to me, ‘Gather the people together to listen to what I have to say. Then they will learn to respect me as long as they live on earth. And they will teach these things to their children.’ Deuteronomy 4: 1-10

25 “You will live in the country a long time. You will have children and grandchildren there. After all that time, be sure that you do not then ruin your lives by making any kind of idol! That is something the Lord your God considers evil, and it would make him very angry! 26 So I am warning you now. Heaven and earth are my witnesses! If you do such an evil thing, you will quickly be destroyed! You are crossing the Jordan River now to take that land. But if you make any idols, you will not live there very long. No, you will be destroyed completely! 27 The Lord will scatter you among the nations. And only a few of you will be left alive to go to the countries where the Lord will send you. 28 There you will serve gods made by men—things made of wood and stone that cannot see or hear or eat or smell! 29 But there in these other lands you will look for the Lord your God. And if you look for him with all your heart and soul, you will find him. 30 When you are in trouble—when all these things happen to you—then you will come back to the Lord your God and obey him. 31 The Lord your God is a merciful God! He will not leave you there or destroy you completely. He will not forget the agreement that he made with your ancestors. Deuteronomy 4: 25-31

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