Zechariah  - End Time Prophecy

Zechariah and Haggai were contemporaries and they both wrote to encourage the rebuilding of the Temple after the return from the Babylonian captivity. However, both also looked into the prophetic future and their books are as relevant for us today as for Israel then. Zechariah was the son of Berechiah, the grandson of Iddo. These three names are interesting and meaningful for if we translate the names into English we find that Zechariah means “YHVH returns,” Berechia means “YHVH comforts” and Iddo means “the time appointed.” Reading them as a sentence, we have YHVH returns, YHVH comforts in the time appointed. YHVH Elohim in this hidden message tells the Jewish people that they remain His chosen people and He will be there for them in the time appointed, and I believe that time is now. Jews are back in their homeland; Israel is a vibrant and growing nation. Jewish people are praying and looking for the Messiah and work has begun on the Temple implements. The Priesthood is being trained even if the actual construction of the Temple has not; nevertheless, preparations are being made.

Zachariah’s book is fourteen chapters long. Seven is the number of spiritual perfection and fourteen is a multiple of seven, which implies a double measure. This number associated with 2, as in 2 x 7, adds its own significance. Two is the number associated with the incarnation, and in Zechariah, we have several Messianic prophecies. 

Zachariah was murdered by his own brethren in the Temple courtyard, between the Temple and the altar. Yahshua spoke of it while addressing the Scribes and Pharisees about their unbelief and likened them to the people who had murdered Zechariah. Read with me in Matthew 23:35:

Mat 23:35  That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

In chapter 1 verse 8, Zechariah began to describe a series of visions. The first was “The Rider on the Red Horse.” Zechariah saw a red horse ridden by a man among the myrtle trees and behind him were red horses, speckled and white. As we read further we learn that these are ministering spirits that have walked to an fro in the earth among the Gentile nations and found the nations at rest, not concerned about the plight of the Jewish people’s suffering, in fact they had added to it. Then we read of Zachariah’s second vision of “The four Horns.” These horns like Daniel’s vision represent the four great world empires of history: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome that have scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem (1:21). At the same time, “Four Carpenters” were revealed to him who were chosen of YHVH to whittle away, to cast out the Gentile powers that have raised their horns over the land of Judah to scatter it.  Then Zechariah sees a “vision of a man with a measuring line” in his hand. This vision brings us into the end times after the end of the fourth world power, a resurrected Rome in the guise of the European Union. The man he saw was preparing to survey the Temple site, and  Zechariah is told there will come a time when cities will be built without walls, meaning no necessity for defenses. As I read this, I see it as the time of the Millennium reign of Yahshua. In verse 2:6 Zechariah issues and invitation for Israel to flee from those nations where they have sought shelter. Read with me:

Zech 2:6  Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith YHVH: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith YHVH.

Zech 2:7  Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon.

Zech 2:8  For thus saith YHVH of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.

Zech 2:9  For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that YHVH of hosts hath sent me.

Zech 2:10  Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the YHVH.

Here we see the regathering of Israel from the earth into their homeland and the bringing of justice to those that have harmed His people. It is also instructive for us to ponder the phrase, “Deliver thyself. O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon.” Here we should know that YHVH is speaking of a system, not a particular city or nation but all nations that have attached themselves to Mystery Babylon an adulterated religious system. 

We next come to Zachariah’s vision of Joshua, the High Priest. Joshua the name of our Messiah, Yahshua. In this vision, Zechariah sees Joshua the Cohen Gadol standing in filthy clothes and HaSatan stood by to accuse Him, but was rebuked by the angel of YHVH. I believe in this context this angel is Yahshua. Then the angel orders Joshua’s filthy garments to be taken away and new garments be placed upon Joshua. Then the Angel of YHVH says to Joshua, “ I have caused thine inequity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.” In the vision, I believe that Joshua represents Israel who has come to know that Yahshua, here represented, as the angel of YHVH is the Messiah for in the next vision the Messiah, Yahshua HaMashiach, is identified as the Branch, YHVH’s Servant, Who comes to establish the millennial kingdom.   

In Zechariah’s next vision, he sees a Menorah and Two Olive Trees standing one on each side of it continually feeding the menorah with oil. The Seven-lamp menorah is the ancient symbol of Israel and today is the symbol on Israel’s shield. Olive leaves stand on each side in this shield. The two olive trees are identified in verse 14 as the two anointed ones that stand by the L-rd of the earth. In Revelation 11, we these two olive trees, anointed ones, identified as the Two Witnesses.   

These two witnesses a/ka as two olive trees, or anointed ones have variously been identified as Elijah and Moshe or others. Moshe representing the Torah and Elijah representing the Prophets, or as some have said grace. When we consider that man is appointed once to die we have another element to consider. The only two men who did not die a natural death but were translated into heaven were: Elijah and Enoch, which better seems to fulfill the requirements of the character of these two witnesses. To me that causes me to ponder and to exercise caution in declaring one of these two witnesses as Moshe who died a natural earthly death These two witnesses are killed during the Tribulation which would fulfill the command of HaShem that we are appointed once to die.

However, there is evidence to the contrary in Revelation 11:6, that would lead us to believe that these two witness are indeed Moshe and Elijah. Read with me:

These have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.

These are two characteristics of Elijah and Moshe.

I want to offer you another possibility and that is that of Judah/Israel and Ephraim/ Israel. If we consider that Judah, the Jewish people have throughout the years since their dispersion have been zealous for the Written Torah and a steadfast witness of the Written Torah. On the other had, Ephraim/Israel, Ephraim being the technical word for Gentile has in Christianity been a witness for G-d’s Grace. The result is that YHVH’s two witnesses on earth represented by these two groups have been a combined witness for His Torah and His Grace. Yahshua the Messiah gave to us the definition of a true believer in His commentaries in Revelation when he defined a true believer as one who puts their trust in Him and obeys the Torah of G-d. I see these two groups as witnesses, each represented by a man raised up for this purpose during the Tribulation, they being the Olive Trees standing on each side of the Menorah with Yahshua the Shamash Lamp that incorporates Grace and Law into one cohesive whole. I believe this is what the Scriptures teach.

We now come to the “Flying Roll” in chapter 5:1 of  Zechariah’s visions. From our perspective, it seems that Zechariah is trying to describe some type of aircraft or missiles. We are informed that it is to destroy the wicked. Today as you have seen, war is conducted with heavy reliance upon aircraft and missiles that deliver death and destruction. Troops are committed as a last resort. The dimensions given by Zechariah fit comfortably with a modern airplane that is commonly twice as long as they are wide. In the verses that follow, this flying roll is called and “ephah” and the spirit accompanying Zechariah’s visions showed that a woman set in the midst of it. This woman is most likely symbolic of “Mystery Babylon,” reprehensive of false religion. The spirit tells Zechariah that “this is wickedness,” and the spirit then closed an opening in the object with some kind of metal door. Then Zechariah noticed two other women and wings like the wings of a stork. These occupants flew the aircraft up between heaven and earth and Zachariah asked, where the flying machine was going as told in verse 11:

“And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base.”

This seems to be symbolic language employed prophesizing the re-establishment of Babylon. This could be a reference to the religion of “Mystery Babylon” becoming a world wide system of worship while other religions are eradicated.

We need to look at the Hebrew word “ephah.” This word has been translated as a measurement, but if we look at the root words that combine to produce this word, we may have a new understanding as well.

The first part of the “ephah” comes from the Hebrew word “iy” that means to make a “mournful sound, a howler,” and the second part comes from the Hebrew word “paah,” which means “to puff or blow away This could be a description of a jet engine as it pushes through the sky.

We now come to the “Four Chariots” in the sequence of Zechariah’s visions. In chapter six we see four chariots coming from between two mountains of brass. And again we see the symbology of four horses, one chariot is pulled by a red horses; one by  black horses; one by white horses and the fourth by grizzled horses. This is Revelation language and takes us to the end of Time and the Book of Revelation where we read of the “four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.” Zechariah tells us:

Zech 6:5  And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.

Zech 6:6  The black horses which are therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grizzled go forth toward the south country.

Zech 6:7  And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So, they walked to and fro through the earth.

Moreover, in verse 8 we are told:.

Zech 6:8  Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, these that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country.

This latter verse could be a reference to the downfall of the Atheistic Soviet Empire that now is somewhat open to the Word of G-d, and we see many of the Soviet Jews migrating to Israel.

At this point in Zechariah’s narrative we are told that Joshua the son of the Cohen Gadol be given a crown.  Read with me starting at 6:11-13:

Zech 6:11  Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest;

Zech 6:12  And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh YHVH of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the YHVH:

Zech 6:13  Even he shall build the temple of the YHVH; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.

This cannot be a reference to anyone else, but Yahshua HaMashiach. His second coming and His building of the Millennium Temple establishing His throne and ruling for a thousand years from Jerusalem. 

In chapter 8, we see further encouragement to rebuild the Temple and the promise that one day Israel will be established as the head of nations. In chapter 9,we see a prophecy of the upcoming judgment of the Palestinians. Perhaps partially fulfilled then but certainly has pertinence for today.

Then we see the last three chapters are devoted to the years of the Tribulation time and the last great battle, Armageddon.

In chapter 12:1-3, we need but to read it aloud to see the validity of YHVH’s statement to Zechariah for us today. Never before has this verse been so credible.

Zech 12:1  The burden of the word of YHVH for Israel, saith YHVH, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.

Zech 12:2  Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.

Zech 12:3  And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.

Today, the world almost totally stands against Israel. It is just a matter of time until this hatred will translated into a worldwide political move of aggression and armed conflict.  However, YHVH in His mercy promises that in that day He will come to their aid. 

A very interesting verse in verse 8 of this chapter is:

 Zech 12:8  In that day shall YHVH defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as YHVH, as the angel of YHVH before them.

This assures that the least able soldier of Israel will be a David as David was to Goliath. Already, Israel’s soldiers are known for their courage and fighting skills, but G-d promises them supernatural help even to making each soldier into a David.  

At this point in the narrative we have the Second Coming of the Messiah and in Zechariah we read:

 Zech 13:6  And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.

Judah will recognize their Messiah as none other than Yahshua HaMashiach

In chapter 14 we are thrilled by the description of His appearance:  Read with me:

Zech 14:3  Then shall YHVH go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.

Zech 14:4  And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

Yahshua appears to Judah when all nations are gathered around Jerusalem to destroy her. Can you imagine the excitement? The Messiah is here! He shall save us!

Then in verse 12, we see the outcome of this battle:

Zech 14:12  And this shall be the plague wherewith YHVH will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.

Then righteous judgment shall be established under the headship of the Messiah. The kingdom of heaven will be established on the earth and we read in verse 16:

Zech 14:16  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,  YHVH of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles (Shavuot).

At that time, G-d’s Torah will once again be the law of the land. The Temple will be rebuilt by the Messiah, Israel will be head of the nations, and true shalom will reign on earth for a thousand years. Yahshua HaMashiach, our Paschal Lamb, our Cohen Gadol, the King of Kings. L-rd of L-rd’s will rule from Jerusalem. 

Amein, Amein, Amein