March 10, 2024 | Dr. Gary Hylander
Passage: Zechariah 14:16-21
In Zechariah 14:16-21, the author describes a future time when the LORD is worshipped as King, with Jerusalem designated by God as the site for worship (14:16). Three times throughout this passage, reference is made to the Feast of Booths (also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or Indwelling). This feast is described in Leviticus 23:33-43 and Deuteronomy 16:13-16. Similar to the American “Thanksgiving Day,” it is a time when the year’s harvest is brought in, and the people rejoice in the goodness of the LORD. What Zechariah describes is a future day when all peoples come to feast upon all that God has provided. Let’s examine these verses together as we bring to a conclusion our series on the second coming of our LORD.
Series Information
Zechariah, whose name means Yahweh remembers, served as both prophet and priest during the post-exilic times. His ministry began around 520 B.C., coinciding with the work of Haggai. The book of Zechariah can be easily divided into two parts. Chapters 1-8 were most likely written at the start of Zechariah’s ministry, at about the age of 30. Chapters 9-14 were composed during the latter years of Zechariah’s life.
Chapters 9-14 are organized around the phrase the oracle of the word of the Lord, found in both 9:1 and 12:1. The word oracle needs to be understood as a burden that was placed upon Zechariah’s heart by God and now is being communicated to God’s people. Over the coming weeks, we will focus our attention upon the second burden, which pertains to the return of our Lord during Israel’s final conflict. Look for phrases and terms such as On that day and Jerusalem as we explore chapters 12 through 14 together.
