Lessons From Zechariah For These Times

The Days Ahead May Get Worse
David Bowen

God used Zechariah to minister to the returning remnant of Jews from Babylonian captivity. The minor prophet book of Zechariah covers four years, from 520-516 B.C. The Jews had been back in the Holy Land for almost twenty years and were commissioned to rebuild the Temple. There was a constant struggle with outside hindrances, such as opposition from the Samaritans, which caused the work of rebuilding the Temple to stop. The workers lost focus and became concerned with other matters. This is a scene very similar to today, as multiple surveys charting church attendance, church involvement, and individual spiritual growth reveal how people, like the returning remnant of twenty-five hundred years ago, have seemed to become distracted and disinterested.

Born in Babylon, Zechariah returned to Jerusalem with his grandfather (Nehemiah 12). The prophecies of Zechariah line up with Daniel, Ezekiel, and Revelation. Interestingly, both Daniel and Ezekiel were born in Israel but had to minister and write outside of the land, whereas Zechariah was born outside of the land and ministered and wrote in the land of Israel. All four of these biblical books present a future of days unlike a time the world has ever seen, yet it feels as if people choose to be resistant, almost numb, to the warning and direction these books so diligently reveal.

Today is when the Church needs to lead the charge to understand the darkness ahead. I believe anyone who has a basic understanding of biblical prophecy can see the warning signs Scripture has presented. I believe we can anticipate a day coming soon when the general population will be confused, shocked, and maybe even angry at the constraints forced upon them.

For hope, I keep returning to Zechariah. One can find hope even in Zechariah’s name when it comes to this minor prophet. Zechariah’s name means “Jehovah remembers.” We need to remember that God has foretold the events that could soon occur. We must remember God is still in control. He has not forgotten His children. It is refreshing to have this understanding while experiencing a world heading for chaos.

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