The Prophet Zechariah and the Vision of the Restoration

Zechariah is the most frequently quoted prophet in the New Testament, and his prophecies are widely read, discussed, commented on, including today, because they have many Messianic prophecies in mind. The name of this prophet means God remembers. The activity of the prophet Zechariah overlapped with the activity of the prophet Haggai. Both the prophets, Zechariah and Haggai, began their work in 520 BC. Haggai is active for only one year, while Zechariah will continue until 515 BC, when concrete dates are given, but he may have been active even later. Zacharias lived during the first period of the restoration, when the first stones of reconstruction were laid, and he came with a great, beautiful vision, with great plans for restoration, and in such a situation he had no idea of any subsequent disappointments. It is true that his people managed to return from Babylon, they managed to rebuild the Temple, they managed to rebuild a small country called Judah, which was always a province in the great empires, but they failed to become a a mighty nation, to be the head of all nations, as the prophets of restoration saw and presented it. The explanation why they failed will be given by the prophet Malachi, which we will address in another study.