Study Desk

"The LORD will take possession of Judah as His portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem.

"Be still before the LORD, all mankind; for He is roused (raised up) from His holy habitation [in response to His persecuted people]."

Then the guiding angel showed me Joshua the high priest [representing disobedient, sinful Israel] standing before the Angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at Joshua's right hand to be his adversary and to accuse him.

And I (Zechariah) said, "Let them put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with [rich] garments. And the Angel of the LORD stood by.

'In that day,' declares the LORD of hosts, 'every one of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and his fig tree [enjoying peace and prosperity in the kingdom].'"

And the angel who was speaking with me came back and awakened me, like a man who is awakened out of his sleep.

"The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundations of this house, and his hands will finish it. Then you will know (recognize, understand fully) that the LORD of hosts has sent me [as His messenger] to you.

Then he said, "These are the two sons of fresh oil [Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel the prince of Judah] who are standing by the Lord of the whole earth [as His anointed ones]."

"Then say to Joshua, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, "Behold (look, keep in sight, watch), a Man (Messiah) whose name is Branch, for He shall branch out from His place (Israel, the Davidic line); and He shall build the [ultimate] temple of the LORD.

"Yes, [you are to build a temple of the LORD, but] it is He who shall build the [ultimate] temple of the LORD, and He shall bear the honor and majesty [as the only begotten of the Father] and sit and rule on His throne. And He shall be a Priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between the two offices [Priest and King]."'

"They made their hearts [hard] like flint, so that they could not hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great wrath came from the LORD of hosts.

"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Old men and old women will again sit in the streets (public places) of Jerusalem, each man with his staff in his hand because of his advanced age.

'For before those days there were no wages for man or animal; nor was there any peace or success for him who went out or came in because of his enemies, for I set all men against one another.

'So many peoples and powerful nations will come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to ask the LORD for His favor.'

I will cut off the [war] chariot from Ephraim And the [war] horse from Jerusalem, And the bow of war will be cut off. And He will speak [words of] peace to the nations, And His dominion shall be from sea to sea [absolutely endless], And from the River [Euphrates] to the ends of the earth.

Then the LORD will be seen [hovering] over them [protecting His people], And His arrow will go forth like lightning; And the Lord GOD will blow the trumpet And will march in the windstorms of the south.

And the LORD their God shall save them on that day As the flock of His people; For they are like the [precious] jewels of a crown, Displayed and glittering in His land.

For how great is God's goodness and how great is His beauty! And how great [He will make Israel's] goodliness and [Israel's] beauty! Grain and new wine will make the young men and virgins flourish.

"My anger is kindled against the shepherds [who are not true shepherds], And I shall punish the male goats (leaders); For the LORD of hosts has visited His flock, the house of Judah (the Southern Kingdom), And will make them like His beautiful and majestic horse in the battle.

"And they will pass through the sea of distress and anxiety [with the LORD leading His people, as at the Red Sea] And He will strike the waves in the sea, So that all the depths of the Nile will dry up; And the pride of Assyria will be brought down And the scepter [of the taskmasters] of Egypt will pass away.