Finding Jesus in Zechariah
Finding Jesus in Zechariah
Memory, if you’re over 40 then I hear a heavy sigh. I often can’t find something I just had in my hand and get very frustrated. Research tells us our memories are slowly deteriorating with age, that’s not encouraging. Take a look at the stats on what we remember:
10% of what we read
20% of what we hear
30% of what we see and hear
70% of what we say and write
90% of what we do
God told the prophets before, during, and now after the captivity that His covenant was everlasting and they needed to remember His promises for the future and far-future. Zechariah’s name means ‘God remembers‘ which means He won’t forget and neither should we.
but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets. (Revelation 10:7 ESV)
He was given the assignment of declaring the most detailed account of the time of tribulation and Return of the Lord on that day in the entire Old Testament. God reminded His people of His love and future with Him through a series of visions in this book; it’s apocalyptic (end times) prophecy and that’s where we find Jesus. Zechariah has many images that are repeated in the book of Revelation, the revealing of Christ, but also in the gospels. You’ll recognize many of them.
* There is a symbolic crowning of the High Priest Joshua who represented Messiah. Priests were never crowned in the Bible which indicates he was a type of Messiah and king (3:1-10).
* His entry into Jerusalem (9:9) was pictured in humility, seated on a donkey, and yet He is their King (fulfilled in Matt. 21:4-5, 9; Mark 11:9; Luke 19:38).
* He is the rejected Shepherd valued at 30 pieces of silver (11:12-13). That’s incredible accuracy pointing to the betrayal of Judas (fulfilled in Matt. 26:15 and 27:1-10).
* Israel’s mourning over Messiah is heart-wrenching as they receive the revelation of His death (12:10), the One whose body they pierced (the cross).
* The Shepherd is struck in 13:7-9 and his sheep scattered (fulfilled in Matt. 26:31).
* Messiah’s reign will not be limited to Israel when He returns on that day but will be over all the earth.
This book as a whole reminds us of the future overthrow of world powers, final restoration of the Jewish people and promised land, return of relationship with God, and His continual Presence among them. God promised believers, Jew and Gentile alike (that’s us), that His return will be as Warrior and King: remember that. We eagerly watch and wait for that day, that unique day, when Christ will appear and prove once and for all that He is Who He said He would be. No question about it, our memory will serve us well.
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