2) Zechariah
- His name means “Yahweh remember”!
- According to Matthew 23:35, he was murdered by the rebellious and disobedient Jews of his day!
- Grandson of the priest Iddo, Zechariah prophesied to the people of Judah after they returned from their seventy years of exile in Babylon!
- Because of his family lineage, Zechariah was a priest in addition to a prophet!
- Zechariah emphasized a tone of encouragement to the struggling Israelites trying to rebuild their temple!
- The book of Zechariah contains the clearest and the largest number of messianic (about the Messiah) passages among the Minor Prophets!
- Zechariah pictures Christ in both His first coming (Zechariah 9:9) and His second coming (9:10–10:12)!
- Jesus will come, according to Zechariah, as Savior, Judge, and ultimately, as the righteous King ruling His people from Jerusalem (14:8–9)!
- For a people newly returned from exile, Zechariah provided specific prophecies about their immediate and distant future—no doubt a great encouragement!
- Their nation would still be judged for sin (5:1–11), but they would also be cleansed and restored (3:1–10), and God would rebuild His people (1:7–17)!
- Zechariah concluded his book by looking into the distant future, first at the rejection of the Messiah by Israel (9:1–11:17), and then at His eventual reign when Israel will finally be delivered (12:1–14:21)!