Zechariah.
Zechariah.
§ 166. Zechariah (
) means “the memory of the Lord” or “mindful of the Lord.”
** His visions are not much different from those of Daniel. **
He was the son of Berechiah, grandson of Iddo. Because the names fit, some think that he was the man of whom Christ says that the Jews killed him between the temple and the altar (Matt. 23:[35]). The more correct claim, however, is that Christ is speaking about Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, whom Scripture says the Jews stoned in the court of the temple, that is, between the temple and the altar of the burnt offerings (2 Chron. 24:21). This Jehoiada was also called Berechiah.
This Zechariah of ours prophesied also after the Babylonian captivity and was given to Haggai as a colleague after Haggai had already been preaching for two months. The book consists of fourteen chapters in which are contained: (1) an exhortation to the people from the Babylonian captivity that they should repent genuinely (Zech. 1:1-7); (2) the mention of visions through which they are advised about the blessings they already have received and that are yet to come (through c. 7); (3) instruction about true fasting and the true worship of God (through c. 8); (4) a prophecy about the complete destruction of the enemies of the people of Israel, about the coming of Christ, and about His blessings to the Church (to the end of the book).