Zechariah

This book is a weird one. The imagery of the end of the world is every bit as strange as what you'll find in Daniel or Revelation. This sort of writing is called Apocalyptic - not because it refers to the end of the world, but because it was a method of communicating in a religious code that was understood by the writers and the readers it was meant to be read by. That code is not fully understood, from what I've read on this subject, so it's always a guess as to what this book really means to say. However, there are some items that are clear enough that I felt I could comment on them.

Zech 1:4-6 - Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, "Thus says the Lord of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds." But they did not hear or heed me, says the Lord. Your ancestors, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your ancestors? So they repented and said, "The Lord of hosts has dealt with us according to our ways and deeds, just as he planned to do."
It seems strange that this passage appears to be saying that since the ancestors who ignored the prophets are no longer around, that's evidence that the prophetic threats were carried out. It just makes me wonder how well thought out such statements really are. Or if they were thought through at all.

Zech 2:8,9 - For thus said the Lord of hosts (after his glory sent me) regarding the nations that plundered you: Truly, one who touches you touches the apple of my eye. See now, I am going to raise my hand against them, and they shall become plunder for their own slaves. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me.
It looks like God is fixing to punish those nations for plundering Israel - the apple of his eye. I think it's odd, though, that other prophets portray those very nations as only being the tools God used to slice and dice that very apple. So why should God punish a people who were only doing what God wanted in the first place?

Zech 3:1-7 - Then he showed me the high priest Joshua standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. And the Lord said to Satan, "The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this man a brand plucked from the fire?" Now Joshua was dressed with filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, "Take off his filthy clothes." And to him he said, "See, I have taken your guilt away from you, and I will clothe you with festal apparel." And I said, "Let them put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with the apparel; and the angel of the Lord was standing by. Then the angel of the Lord assured Joshua, saying "Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my requirements, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here."
Satan make another rare Old Testament appearance! And what evil was he up to? Accusing some priest of doing something wrong. The wonder is that no person (according to the Bible) is without sin, so exactly why is Satan being rebuked? We also see some imagery that the Christian church found quite useful in their theology - being cleaned up for a festival by God's actions. Not to mention a promise that this Joshua will rule over God's things - but more on this a little later!

Zech 4:11-13 - Then I said to him, "What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?" And a second time I said to him, "What are these two branches of the olive trees, which pour out the oil through the two golden pipes?" He said to me, "Do you not know what these are?" I said, "No, my lord." Then he said, "These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth."
There are TWO anointed ones in the Bible? I know Jesus was supposed to be anointed by God - so who might be this other person, who is apparently equal in position?

Zech 5:5-8 - Then the angel who talked with me came forward and said to me, "Look up and see what this is that is coming out." I said, "What is it?" He said, "This is a basket coming out." And he said, "This is their iniquity in all the land." Then a leaden cover was lifted, and there was a woman sitting in the basket! And he said, "This is Wickedness." So he thrust her back into the basket, and pressed the leaden weight down on its mouth.
Ah, the good old days! That and the usefulness of using women to represent evil! This is just one of the verses that portray women as a source of evil. There are quite a number of other ones, and they've been used for centuries to make women feel inferior. It makes me wonder why so many women are such fans of these religion!

Zech 6:9-13 - The word of the Lord came to me: Collect silver and gold from the exiles-from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah-who have arrived from Babylon; and go the same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah. Take the silver and gold and make a crown, and set it on the head of the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak; say to him: Thus says the Lord of hosts: Here is a man whose name is Branch: for he shall branch out in his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord. It is he that shall build the temple of the Lord; he shall bear royal honor, and shall sit upon his throne and rule. There shall be a priest by his throne, with peaceful understanding between the two of them.
Here's Joshua, again, and for some reason, he's getting some pretty special treatment! This passage made me wonder. Considering that the name "Jesus" is a latinized form of the Hebrew name Joshua, I think it's entirely possible that Jesus may have been a nut case who picked up on these verses and tried, like David Koresh, to make it come true, even taking on this biblical name. Why this should be promised to this priest is far from clear, though I expect no priest would turn down such an offer.

Zech 8:23 - Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men from nations of every language shall take hold of a Jew, grasping his garment and saying, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."
More wishful thinking on the part of a downtrodden Jew. And has this happened? I don't think there are even many Christians who would think it possible in the scheme of their religious foretellings.

Zech 9:13-15 - For I have bent Judah as my bow; I have made Ephraim its arrow. I will arouse your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and wield you like a warrior's sword. Then the Lord will appear over them, and his arrow go forth like lightning; the Lord God will sound the trumpet and march forth in the whirlwinds of the south. The Lord of hosts will protect them, and they shall devour and tread down the slingers; they shall drink their blood like wine, and be full like a bowl, drenched like the corners of the altar.
First of all, I think it's interesting to think of God as a bloodthirsty god of war - this certainly fits in with that image. Just for the violent content of this book alone, the Bible needs a warning label. But getting beyond that, I also think it's interesting that this passage has predicted that God's people will conquer the Greeks with the help of Yahweh in his old role as war god!

Zech 10:1 - Ask rain from the Lord in the season of the spring rain, from the Lord who makes the storm clouds, who gives showers of rain to you, the vegetation in the field to everyone.
Does anyone else think this is just a little bit odd, encouraging people to ask God to send rain during the rainy season? I mean, I could see the logic of asking for rain when nature isn't coming through (perhaps), but why ask for rain when it's going to rain anyway? Maybe it's so you can say "God answered my prayer"?

Zech 10:2 - For the teraphim utter nonsense, and the diviners see lies; the dreamers tell false dreams, and give empty consolation. Therefore the people wander like sheep; they suffer for lack of a shepherd.
This compares people with sheep, in need of a shepherd. It assumes that people are stupid and must be led, in the case of religion by a priest, acting in the place of God (who conveniently for the priest never contradicts what he says!). In my opinion, a better solution would be for people to become better educated and learn how to make good decisions in life without waiting to get help from "someone wiser." They may not make "perfect" decisions, but they can learn to live with life's hard knocks!

Zech 13:1-3 - On that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity. On that day, says the Lord of hosts, I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, so that they shall be remembered no more; and also I will remove from the land the prophets and the unclean spirit. And if any prophets appear again, their fathers and mothers who bore them will say to them, "You shall not live, for you speak lies in the name of the Lord"; and their fathers and their mothers who bore them shall pierce them through when they prophesy.
Well, this certainly hasn't happened - people still remember (and often worship) gods other than Yahweh! And this can't be a prophecy concerning heaven, after Judgment Day, because it speaks of the possibility of false prophets appearing and being slaughtered by their parents! My, what a wonderful, loving religion this is!

Zech 14:16 - Then all who survive of the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the festival of booths.
Here's another weird one that I think has little chance! How many Christians feel it necessary to celebrate the Jewish Festival of Booths?! How many Jews would be interested in sharing their festival with former enemies - say the Palestinians?