Through the Book Zechariah

Introduction: Why Zechariah?

Why did we choose the prophet Zechariah for this sermon series? The answer is simple at first: Zechariah follows Haggai in the biblical canon. But there’s more. Haggai and Zechariah were contemporaries. Only two months after Haggai began preaching to the people, God called Zechariah to deliver a complementary message (cf. Haggai 1:1; Zechariah 1:1). This clearly shows that, in God’s eyes, Haggai’s message alone was not enough. Haggai awakened the people—they resumed rebuilding the temple. But God had more to say through Zechariah.

Haggai awakens—Zechariah leads further

Haggai’s message was short, direct, and impactful. It succeeded: the people resumed work on the temple. But that was not the end. The book of Zechariah is longer (14 chapters) and more difficult to understand. It contains mysterious visions and symbolic images—like a flying scroll (Zech 5:1–4), a woman sealed in a basket and carried away (Zech 5:5–11), and many prophetic declarations about the Messiah. These visions allow us to look into the spiritual realm and reveal God’s plan—for Israel, for us, and for the future.

A Central Theme: The Return of God

A key verse that encapsulates the heart of Zechariah’s message is found in Zechariah 4:6:

“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts.” (Zech 4:6 NKJV)

This was God’s way of working then, and it still is today. But more important than the physical rebuilding of Jerusalem was something else: the return of God’s presence among His people.

What was the problem in Zechariah’s time?

Though the people had returned from Babylonian exile and resumed the temple construction, God’s presence was absent. There were no visible signs of His glory as in earlier times—in the desert (Exod 13:21–22), at Mount Sinai (Exod 19), or when Solomon dedicated the first temple (1 Kings 8:10–11).

One image that helped the preacher understand this was a distant flame seen while driving early in the morning. But in Zechariah’s time, there was no such “pillar of fire.”

A Tragic Background: God’s Glory Departs

In Ezekiel 9–11, we read how the glory of God gradually departed from the temple:

• “Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the temple.” (Ezek 9:3 NKJV)
• “Then the glory of the Lord departed from the threshold of the temple and stood over the cherubim.” (Ezek 10:18 NKJV)
• “And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and stood on the mountain, which is on the east side of the city.” (Ezek 11:23 NKJV)

Later, in Ezekiel 33:21, we read of Jerusalem’s fall:

“And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, on the fifth day of the month, that one who had escaped from Jerusalem came to me and said, ‘The city has been captured!’” (Ezek 33:21 NKJV)

The sequence is crucial: God first withdrew His presence, then Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed—not because Babylon was strong, but because the mighty God of Israel was no longer there.

Rebuilding – is that enough?

Seventy years later, a remnant of about 50,000 people returned (cf. Ezra 2:64–65). They began rebuilding the temple. Yet in the book of Ezra, we find no mention that God’s glory returned to fill the temple as it had once before. Outwardly, the temple was restored, but inwardly, something vital was missing—God’s presence.

God’s Promise: An Everlasting Covenant

In Ezekiel 37:26–27, God promises:

“Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them, and it shall be an everlasting covenant with them… I will set My sanctuary in their midst forevermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (Ezek 37:26–27 NKJV)

But mere physical return and temple reconstruction were not enough to bring back the presence of God. What was needed was a return of the heart—a spiritual restoration. That is Zechariah’s message: God desires to dwell again among His people, but not without their inner transformation.

The Messiah: Center of Hope

Zechariah is full of Messianic prophecies:

• The humble king riding on a donkey (Zech 9:9)
• The betrayal for thirty pieces of silver (Zech 11:12–13)
• The pierced one (Zech 12:10)
• The shepherd struck by God (Zech 13:7)
• The one who is both priest and king (Zech 6:12–13)

These prophecies are fulfilled in Jesus Christ. He is the glory of God, who entered the second temple as a child (Luke 2:27–32) and through whom God once again dwelt among His people (John 1:14 NKJV: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory…”).

Practical Application: The Need for Repentance

Zechariah’s timeless message is this: It’s not about outward religion—it’s about real relationship. Not just in Israel’s day, but also today, we must ask ourselves: Is God truly in our midst? Do we see His presence in our lives?

If you don’t yet have a relationship with God, this message invites you to come to Him today. And if you are a believer but feel distant from God, Zechariah reminds us that true transformation begins in the heart. Only then will His presence return to dwell with us.

God’s Invitation

Zechariah proclaims: God wants to dwell again among His people. He wants to be in our churches, our homes, and our hearts. The question is: Are we willing to return to Him?