To all and perspective students of Aha Bible Moments Studies

The following is a sneak preview of our Zechariah study. Fascinating and futuristic; i.e. End Time prophecies. We blog this to students so each, if desired and willing, can begin looking into the book seeing just how well it compares to New Testament references. Please feel free to share it with others who want a better understanding of the bible outside of the “stories” so easily recalled but lacking spiritual application, historical depth, insight and depth perception.

The book of Zechariah is considered complex. It has three major sections. He is contemporary with Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zerubbabel, and probably Ezekiel. Even though he was born in Babylon he joined the original group of Judean Jews that returned to Jerusalem; a place Zechariah had never seen before the release of the Judeans by King Cyrus. Zechariah was born in Babylon.

There is suggestions that his latter day prophecies, chapters 9-14, were simultaneous with the Book of Esther; she in Babylon and Zechariah in Jerusalem. These two books make the Book of Esther more significant once we compare the prophetic application of Zechariah and the historical facts of Esther as queen of Persia. Esther is resultant of the hundreds of thousands of Judean Jews who DID NOT return from Babylon after King Cyrus released them to go home.

The below is a handout and reference as we discuss commentary per Zechariah.

Old Testament Zechariah quoted or found in the New Testament

•         Zechariah 1:8 with Revelation 6:1-8
•         Zechariah 3:2 with Jude 9
•         Zechariah 3:9 with Revelation 5:6
•         Zechariah 8:16 with Ephesians 4:25
•         Zechariah 9:9 with Matthew 21:5; John. 12:14
•         Zechariah 11:12 with Matthew 27:9
•         Zechariah 12:10 with John 19:37; Revelation. 1:7
•         Zechariah 13:7 with Matthew 26:31; Mark. 14:27
•         Zechariah 14:11 with Revelation 22:3

Zechariah’s name means “The Lord Remembers.” The meaning of this name is even more significant in that the promises and insights given to Zechariah require that the Lord Remembers his covenants with Israel via Abraham, Isaac and Jacob with HIS son’s and eventually new covenants with the New Testament church of believers.

Zechariah, the 11^th of the 12 Minor Prophets was a servant of God at a young age. He initially returned to a flattened Jerusalem and basically barren Judah with his grandfather Iddo the priest. This suggests his father Barachiah was no around or alive.

The book of Zechariah is fairly straight forward. He is contemporary with Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zerubbabel, probably Ezekiel and perhaps for a short time a very old Daniel. Even though he was born in Babylon he joined the small group of Judean Jews that returned to Jerusalem; a place Zechariah had never seen before the release of the Judeans by King Cyrus.

The possible latter half of Zechariah makes the Book of Esther more significant once we compare the prophetic application of Zechariah and the historical facts of Esther as Queen of Persia. Important to keep in mind that millions of Judeans we call Jews did NOT RETURN to Jerusalem when released by King Cyrus in 539 B.C. They remained in the Babylonian, Persian, Median, and Iraqi lands of old.

Although we have not independently verified the preciseness of the following dates (graph by alacin.blogspot.com) they broadly represent the sequence of events discussed in Ezra. Keep in mind that Ezra and Nehemiah were initially considered on book

Ahamoment: Queen Esther is also suggested by ancient regards to be entombed alongside or near where Daniel was buried. This is debatable but a true curiosity. They existed within a generation or two of each other in Persia. Daniel is one of a multitude of Judeans who did not return to Jerusalem even though it was he who petitioned King Cyrus I for the release of the Jews in Babylon. PS: There are over 26 Zechariah’s mentioned in the Bible. This is one major reason why sequencing and dates are important. PSS: Zechariah is also revered in Islam as a prophet.

JIV CAUTION: There have been and always will be biblical history revisionists. Wikipedia is often guilty of such even when it appears to only be a suggestion to question the accuracy or inerrancy of the Bible. Revisionists attempt to confuse the ignorant by suggesting the Zechariah slain between the Temple and the Alter was the father Zechariah of John the Baptist. Matthew 23:25 is clear. It is the Zechariah the son of Barachiah.

Caution #2: Wikipedia says:
“Although there is an indication in Targum Lamentations that “Zechariah son of Iddo” was killed in the Temple, [3] scholars generally understand this as a reference to the death of a much earlier figure, Zechariah ben Jehoiada. [4]” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zechariah_(Hebrew_prophet))

Again…Read Matthew 23:25! Deception comes with their above statement: “scholars generally understand”. We ask, WHAT SCHOLARS? [Matthew 23:25]

Rev. Dr. Jstark
2020