Zechariah 8
1. Who or what is Zion? Answer
2. Why did God say what he did in verses 7 and 8? Answer
3. Who are "the prophets" referred to in verse 9? Answer
4. What is the time setting of Zechariah 8:20 - 23? Answer
Zechariah 9
5. Who were the Philistines of verses 5 to 7? Answer
6. What future event is referenced in Zechariah 9:9? Answer
7. What time period is referenced in verse 10? Answer
8. What does a trumpet symbolize in verse 14? Answer
Zechariah 10
9. Who are the shepherds in verse 3? Answer
10. What is the Lord promising in verses 5 to 7? Answer
Zechariah 11
11. What is foreshadowed in verses 12 and 13? Answer
Zechariah 12
12. What is the "spirit in man" mentioned in verse 1? Answer
13. What is the meaning of verses 2 to 9? Answer
14. What prophecy is referenced in verse 10? Answer
15. What is the relationship between King David and Nathan (verse 12)? Answer
Zechariah 13
16. Verses 3 to 5 are based on which of God's laws? Answer
17. What prophecy, related to Jesus, is mentioned in verse 7? Answer
Zechariah 14
18. When do the events in verses 1 and 2 begin to take place? Answer
19. When will the Lord fight against all nations and stand on the Mount of Olives (verses 3 - 4, 12 - 13)? Answer
20. When did the earthquake mentioned in verse 5 take place? Answer
21. What is special about the "living waters" of verse 8? Answer
22. What is the meaning of verse 9? Answer
23. What is significant about verses 16 to 19? Answer
24. What is the meaning of verses 20 and 21? Answer
Zechariah 8 Answers
1. Zion, in the case of Zechariah 8:2, is referencing the city of Jerusalem during the time of Jesus' righteous rule over the earth just after his return. Jesus is prophesied to come back to earth on the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:10 - 12).
Jesus, upon his return, will assert his role as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:16) to bring God's kingdom to the earth! The Millennial application of Zechariah 8:2 - 3 can be seen in the peace brought by the Lord's rule.
There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof (Zechariah 8:4 - 5).
Jerusalem will become completely safe both for the very young and those quite old!
[Design of Jerusalem's Temple]
2. The purpose of Zechariah 8:7 was to encourage those working on rebuilding Jerusalem's temple. After a lengthy delay (Ezra 3 - 4) the rebuilding of Jerusalem's temple restarted on the 24th day of the sixth month of Darius' second year (Haggai 1:15). This corresponds to Tuesday September 19 in 520 B.C.
Zechariah 7:1 refers to November 6 in 518 B.C., a little more than two years into the temple's rebuilding. God at this time felt the need to encourage his people in their efforts. The temple would not be completed until early in 516.
3. The prophets referenced in Zechariah 8:9 are Haggai and Zechariah.
[Are There Modern Day Prophets?]
4. Zechariah 8:20 - 23 is for a time yet future, the Millennium, when the Lord rules the earth. It will be a time when the whole world will seek the true God in order to worship him and learn obedience.
Zechariah 9 Answers
5. The Philistines occupied the fertile coastal area in the southwestern part of the land of Canaan. They were descendants of Noah's son Ham through Ham's son Mizraim and grandson Casluhim (Genesis 10:13 - 14, 1Chronicles 1:8, 11 - 12). They were a nation of warriors who were trained in the art of war from their youth (1Samuel 17:33).
[Why Were Philistines So Tough?]
It was not long after Israel entered the Promised Land that God's people came into conflict with the Philistines. The first recorded battle between the two nations took place around 1380 B.C. (Judges 1:18 - 19, 3:1 - 3) while the last one was shortly after 701 (2Kings 18:8). The Philistines were Israel's longest and fiercest enemy!
6. Zechariah 9:9 is a prophecy of Jesus' peaceful and triumphal entrance into Jerusalem less than a week before his death in 30 A.D. (Matthew 21:5, John 12:15). He entered the holy city riding a colt, an ancient Near East tradition whereby kings coming in peace would ride such an animal as opposed to a war horse.
[Timeline of Jesus' Last Days]
7. Zechariah 9:10 is referencing a time when God will destroy all the equipment used to wage war. The peace this will generate during the Lord's Millennial reign will extend to the entire earth.
8. The trumpet in Zechariah 9:14 symbolizes God going to war and being victorious for his people.
Zechariah 10 Answers
9. The shepherds in Zechariah 10:3 are the leaders of Israel and Judah who encouraged idolatry among the people.
10. Zechariah 10:5 - 7 promises that God will strengthen his people where they will fight like a single mighty man to victory. The house of Judah represents the Kingdom of Judah while the house of Joseph (and Ephraim, verse 7) symbolizes the Kingdom of Israel.
Zechariah 11 Answers
11. Zechariah 11:12 foreshadows Jesus' betrayal by Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples. Thirty pieces of silver was the price Judas was paid by Jewish religious leaders in order to lead them to Christ.
Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14 - 15).
Zechariah 11:13 is a prophecy of what Judas will ultimately do with the blood money he earned by betraying Jesus.
Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet (It was Zechariah, not Jeremiah, being quoted), saying,
And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me (Matthew 27:9 - 10).
Zechariah 12 Answers
12. The "spirit in man" in Zechariah 12:1 is the spirit God gives us, upon our conception, which enables us the ability to think, reason and make choices. It is the spirit that makes human consciousness possible. It is the added ingredient that makes us far superior to animals. This spirit also records all of our thoughts, choices, and experiences (our character) that make us who we are.
13. Zechariah 12:2 - 9 discusses the yet future attack of Judah and Jerusalem by the nations of the world (Zechariah 14:1 - 3, Revelation 16:16, 19:19). This event will take place in the end time when Satan deceives the earth into doing his will which includes fighting the Lord's return!
And I saw the beast (the end time Beast power), and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse (Jesus), and against his army (Revelation 19:19).
14. Zechariah 12:10 is a prophecy that Jesus' body would be pierced as part of his suffering for our sins.
[Why Did Jesus Say He Wasn't Good?]
But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water (John 19:34).
The other disciples therefore said unto him (Thomas), We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe (John 20:25).
15. One of King David's many sons was Nathan. He was born through Bathsheba as was Solomon (2Samuel 5:14). Jesus' bloodline which makes him a Jew and qualifies him to be the Messiah (Genesis 49:10, Isaiah 9:6 - 7) goes through his mother Mary all the way back to Nathan and David (Luke 3).
[Jesus' Genealogy Through Mary]
Jesus receives his legal right to sit on David's throne (Luke 1:30 - 32) through his stepfather Joseph all the way back to Solomon (Matthew 1) who was Nathan's brother.
Zechariah 13 Answers
16. Zechariah 13:3 - 5 is based on Deuteronomy 13:6 - 10 and 18:20. These passages reveal God's strict penalty on false prophets. The law specified that the death penalty should be carried out upon such prophets even if they were close family members or friends!
The reason for what seems to be an overly harsh judgment in Zechariah is that the goal of false prophets was to lead others away from worshipping and obeying the true God.
[The Bible and False Prophets!]
If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers . . .
But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people (Deuteronomy 13:6, 9).
The enforcement of such a severe penalty, during Jesus' Millennial reign, will lead to those attempting to mislead others to disavow all associations with their prophetic trade.
17. Zechariah 13:7 is a prophecy that Jesus himself quoted as he was the leading the disciples to Gethsemane after his last Passover.
Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad (Matthew 26:31, see also Mark 14:27).
Jesus, roughly three hours after quoting Zechariah, was arrested in Gethsemane in a show of force by Jewish religious leaders. This event, which no doubt surprised and frightened the disciples, led to them running away.
[Timeline of Jesus' Last Days]
[Picture of Garden of Gethsemane]
In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes (who were arresting him), Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? . . . But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled (Matthew 26:55 - 56).
Zechariah 14 Answers
18. Zechariah 14:1 - 2 states Jerusalem will be attacked, plundered, captives taken, women raped and the spoil of the city divided up. When does this take place? Luke 21, which contains what is known as Jesus' Mount Olivet prophecies, gives us a time sequence.
[Where Is Mount Olivet Located?]
And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh . . .
And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled (Luke 21:20, 24).
The "times of the Gentiles" where they dominate over Jerusalem is 42 months (Revelation 11:2) which is the exact length the Antichrist rules over the earth (Revelation 13:5). The attack of Jerusalem will be one of the triggers for the start of the prophetic period known as the Great Tribulation.
19. At the end of the Great Tribulation period the Lord will gather his spiritual army of resurrected saints for his trip back to the earth (Zechariah 14:5, Revelation 19:11 - 16). Waiting to fight him is Satan's massive army gathered in the valley of Jezreel (Armageddon) (Revelation 16:14, 16, 17:14).
[Why Is the Devil Still Alive?]
The battle of Armageddon will be perfectly one-sided. The Lord and his forces will not experience any loses of any kind. Satan's human army, however, will be decimated. The amount of dead flesh generated by man's defeat will be more than enough to feed every bird that feasts on them (Zechariah 14:12 - 13, Revelation 19:17 - 18, 21).
The Lord and his saints will then land on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4, Acts 1:11) to begin Jesus' reign on the earth. As they land the mount splits in two and creates a wide valley.
20. The earthquake of Zechariah 14:5 is mentioned in the book of Amos.
The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake (Amos 1:1).
The powerful earthquake Amos mentions shook a large portion of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah around 760 B.C.
21. The living waters of Zechariah 14:8 will be water that will promote unprecedented fertility in the land. It will also possess properties that will change the Dead Sea from being void of life to one that has an abundance of fish (see Ezekiel 47:8 - 10).
22. Zechariah 14:9 means only the true God of the Bible will be worshipped in the Millennium. All the religions and religious teachings in the world not based on a true understanding of God's word, regardless of their sincerity of belief, will not be promoted!
[What Is the Feast of Tabernacles?]
23. Zechariah 14:16 - 19 reveals that God's annual Feast period known as the Feast of Tabernacles will be kept in the Millennium! The entire world, not just the Jews or Israelites, will be commanded to keep God's Holy Days.
And it shall come to pass, that EVERY ONE THAT IS LEFT OF ALL THE NATIONS which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.
And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain (Zechariah 14:16 - 17).
[God's Sabbath and Holy Days!]
Note that the above verses state that Jesus, the King over God's Kingdom on earth, will personally PUNISH those who refuse to keep his Holy Days! Their punishment will be no rain or water (verses 17 to 19), which will cause droughts and food scarcity, until they decide to obey the Lord and stop rebelling.
24. Zechariah 14:20 - 21 means that holy living will permeate every part of life on planet earth during the Millennium.