Zechariah the prophet was the son of Berechiah and the grandson of Iddo (Zech. 1:1). Born in the land of captivity, he came back with Zerubbabel to the homeland. As Iddo was one among the first group of priests who returned to Israel (Neh. 12:1, 4, 16), Zechariah was both a prophet and a priest. A contemporary of Haggai, Zechariah began to prophesy approximately two months later than Haggai (compare Zech. 1:1 with Hag. 1:1), and his writings are much longer and their contents more mysterious than Haggai’s.
In order that Zechariah might strengthen the rebuilding work of the holy temple by foretelling its success, God gave him a series of eight visions in the beginning of the prophecies in his book.
The first vision was of a man riding upon a red horse and standing among the myrtle trees (the people of Israel) that were in the bottom (the land of captivity) (1:7-17). The one riding on a red horse denotes the angel of Jehovah, that is, Christ. The angel stood in the bottom, where God’s people were kept in captivity, staying with them and interceding for their return. God answered that He was jealous for Jerusalem with a great jealousy, and He was very displeased with the nations which helped forward the affliction; He would grant mercies that His house might be rebuilt and a line stretched upon Jerusalem.
The second vision was of the four horns and four carpenters (1:18-21). The four horns denote the enemies who oppressed and scattered Israel, and the four carpenters signify the tools used by God to smite the enemies of Israel.
Zechariah’s third vision was of a man with a measuring line in his hand to measure Jerusalem (2:1-13). After dealing with the enemies of Israel, God again visited the holy land. A measuring line is for measuring the land, signifying that God would measure and choose Jerusalem and dwell in its midst. Jehovah who visited Israel is Christ. Christ is the One sent by Jehovah, and He is also Jehovah who sent Him. He is both the sent One and the Sender.
Fourth, Zechariah saw a vision of Joshua being stripped of his filthy garments and clothed with festival-robes (3:1-10). Joshua the high priest typifies the people of Israel as a kingdom of priests. In order to make the people of Israel a kingdom of priests unto Him, God first had to remove their filthiness. Therefore, God raised up Christ as the Sprout of life and the stone with God’s seven Spirits (seven eyes—4:10; Rev. 5:6), and judged (engraved on) Him on the cross that He might remove the iniquity of Israel. The Sprout of life, Christ, who is filled with God’s Spirit, also became the festival-robes to clothe them as their righteousness that they might live in God’s presence.
Fifth, Zechariah saw a golden lampstand and the two olive trees (4:1-14). The golden lampstand signifies the purged Israel as a shining vessel among the nations. The shining oil in the vessel is the Spirit of Jehovah. The two olive trees, on the one hand, signify Joshua and Zerubbabel building the holy temple and recovering God’s testimony by the Spirit of Jehovah; on the other hand, they denote the two witnesses in Revelation 11 preaching the word by being filled with the Spirit. For the building of God’s holy temple, there is the need of a topstone. In the previous vision Christ was the stone for removing the iniquity of God’s people; in this vision Christ is the stone for the building of God’s holy temple.
Zechariah’s sixth vision was of the flying roll (5:1-4). This denotes God’s law and righteousness. Zechariah 5:3 says, “Every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it.” Stealing and perjury are two representative sins. The former is an offense against man; the latter, against God. This indicates that God wants to cleanse His people.
The seventh vision was of the ephah (5:5-11), An ephah is a commercial instrument, indicating that there were still Babylonian things among the returned people. When the people of Israel returned from Babylon, they also brought Babylonian things back with them. All these things must be sent back to Babylon (the land of Shinar is Babylon).
The eighth vision was of the four chariots (6:1-15). These four chariots that came out from between the mountains of brass refer to the four winds of heaven, which are also the four winds in Revelation 7:1-3. They are specifically for the judgment (signified by the mountains of brass) of the evils of the nations. This judgment will cause the nations to come and build God’s temple (v. 15). Christ as the Sprout was raised up also for the building of God’s temple (vv. 12-13).
All eight visions are prophecies concerning the children of Israel as God’s people. The initial fulfillment of these prophecies took place during the time of Zechariah, but their complete fulfillment is yet to come. The visions as a whole speak of the importance of Christ in the recovery of God’s building.