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Zechariah, Prophet to JudahDear Parents,
Thank you for continuing this journey of The Gospel Project® for Kids. At last! God’s people returned to Jerusalem, the home of their ancestors. Many of God’s people had been born in Babylon, and life in exile was the only reality they knew. Life in Judah wasn’t exactly what they had imagined. It was difficult. Their national wealth was gone. The work of rebuilding the temple and the city of Jerusalem was hard. The land was desolate, and crops failed. Their neighbors opposed their efforts. (See Ezra 4:6,11-16.) God’s people were disappointed and discouraged. Their enemies forced them to stop building and, rather than fight them, God’s people gave up. The temple of the Lord sat unfinished for 16 years. If that was what God wanted, wouldn’t He make it easier for them? (See Hag. 1:2.) The prophet Haggai stepped onto the scene and brought words from the Lord, commanding them to finish the work they started. God promised to fill the temple with His glory, and comforted His weary people with this promise: “I will provide peace in this place” (Hag. 2:7,9). God’s people struggled to do what God wanted them to do. God chose Zerubbabel to help the people finish the temple. Zerubbabel was the descendant of King David, and an earthly ancestor of Jesus. Many years later, God sent His Son, Jesus, to do God’s will. Jesus died and rose again to free us from sin so that we can do His will. |
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Zechariah, Prophet to Judah
Zechariah 1–14
The exile in Babylon was over. A group of God’s people had returned to Jerusalem to rebuild God’s temple. Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the high priest led the people. When they stopped rebuilding God’s temple, God sent prophets to give His people a message. One of those prophets was named Zechariah (zek uh RIGH uh). God told Zechariah what would happen in the future, and then Zechariah told the people what God said.
This was God’s message for His people: “Return to Me, and I will return to you.” God reminded the people about their parents and grandparents and great-grandparents. “The prophets told them to stop sinning,” God said, “but they did not listen.” So God had punished the people for their sin. “Don’t be like them,” God said.
One night, God gave Zechariah some messages through visions. Zechariah saw eight visions; each vision was a different message from God about something that was going to happen. In the rst vision, Zechariah saw a man riding on a red horse. Behind him were other horses. They had been patrolling the earth. Everything was calm and quiet. But soon the Lord would punish His enemies. The Lord’s house would be rebuilt, and His cities would be blessed again.
In the second vision, Zechariah saw four horns—these stood for Israel’s enemies. Zechariah also saw four craftsmen, who would defeat those enemies. Next, Zechariah saw a man going out to measure Jerusalem, but the city could not be measured because it was too big for walls. Instead, the Lord would be a wall of re around it.
God then showed Zechariah how He would forgive His people if
they would follow Him. In the fiffth vision, Zechariah saw a solid gold lampstand, which showed how all the Lord’s plans would happen because of His Spirit.
Then, Zechariah saw a ying scroll, which was a curse on everyone who
disobeyed God. In the seventh vision, a woman sat inside a basket. She represented the wickedness of those who worshiped false gods. She was lifted up and taken back to Babylon. In the eighth vision, Zechariah saw four chariots. Like the horses of the rst vision, they would patrol the earth.
God then told Zechariah to collect silver and gold from the people. “Use the gold and silver to make crowns,” He said, “and place them on the head of Joshua, the high priest.”
The crowns on the head of Joshua were a sign to the people that a special king was coming to bring peace for everyone. “Look, your King is coming to you; He is righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey,” Zechariah said.
God promised to bless His people and punish the rest of the nations for their sin. One day everyone will worship the Lord.
Christ Connection: God was going to help His people and give them a different kind of king. Jesus is the King who came and rode humbly on a donkey, just as Zechariah said. Because Zechariah’s prophecy came true in Jesus, we can have hope and forgiveness of sins when we trust in Jesus.
Zechariah 1–14
The exile in Babylon was over. A group of God’s people had returned to Jerusalem to rebuild God’s temple. Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the high priest led the people. When they stopped rebuilding God’s temple, God sent prophets to give His people a message. One of those prophets was named Zechariah (zek uh RIGH uh). God told Zechariah what would happen in the future, and then Zechariah told the people what God said.
This was God’s message for His people: “Return to Me, and I will return to you.” God reminded the people about their parents and grandparents and great-grandparents. “The prophets told them to stop sinning,” God said, “but they did not listen.” So God had punished the people for their sin. “Don’t be like them,” God said.
One night, God gave Zechariah some messages through visions. Zechariah saw eight visions; each vision was a different message from God about something that was going to happen. In the rst vision, Zechariah saw a man riding on a red horse. Behind him were other horses. They had been patrolling the earth. Everything was calm and quiet. But soon the Lord would punish His enemies. The Lord’s house would be rebuilt, and His cities would be blessed again.
In the second vision, Zechariah saw four horns—these stood for Israel’s enemies. Zechariah also saw four craftsmen, who would defeat those enemies. Next, Zechariah saw a man going out to measure Jerusalem, but the city could not be measured because it was too big for walls. Instead, the Lord would be a wall of re around it.
God then showed Zechariah how He would forgive His people if
they would follow Him. In the fiffth vision, Zechariah saw a solid gold lampstand, which showed how all the Lord’s plans would happen because of His Spirit.
Then, Zechariah saw a ying scroll, which was a curse on everyone who
disobeyed God. In the seventh vision, a woman sat inside a basket. She represented the wickedness of those who worshiped false gods. She was lifted up and taken back to Babylon. In the eighth vision, Zechariah saw four chariots. Like the horses of the rst vision, they would patrol the earth.
God then told Zechariah to collect silver and gold from the people. “Use the gold and silver to make crowns,” He said, “and place them on the head of Joshua, the high priest.”
The crowns on the head of Joshua were a sign to the people that a special king was coming to bring peace for everyone. “Look, your King is coming to you; He is righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey,” Zechariah said.
God promised to bless His people and punish the rest of the nations for their sin. One day everyone will worship the Lord.
Christ Connection: God was going to help His people and give them a different kind of king. Jesus is the King who came and rode humbly on a donkey, just as Zechariah said. Because Zechariah’s prophecy came true in Jesus, we can have hope and forgiveness of sins when we trust in Jesus.
