Zechariah's name is significant. It means Jehovah remembers, and in this book we read that the Lord remembers His covenant, remembers His promises of grace, remembers His chosen people and remembers His promises concerning the coming of Messiah. Zechariah came out of the Babylonian captivity with Zerubbabel (Nehemiah 12:16), and he was a contemporary of Haggai (Ezra 5:1). He delivered his prophecy to the Jews who returned to Judah. The design of this book was to stir the Jews up to rebuild the temple so as to restore the true worship of God and to encourage them to look for and expect Messiah.
Zechariah uses the expression "in that day" twenty times. The words refer to the gospel age which began with our Savior's first advent, which is in effect even now and will continue until His second coming. In this gospel day the Lord is pouring out His Spirit of grace upon chosen sinners (12:10) and showing them the necessity of the sacrifice of Christ. Praise the Name of the Lord there was "a fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness" (13:1) when the Son of God shed His blood to cleanse His people from their iniquities. Zechariah assures us that the eternal purpose of God shall be accomplished. The Lord's people shall be saved with an everlasting salvation and all His enemies shall be defeated (14:16-21).
There are numerous references to Christ in this prophecy.1. Christ measures His church (2:1-5). The Savior knows the number of God's elect for He chose them, and their names are recorded in His book, "the Lamb 's book of life."
2. He is the Angel of the Lord who commands the salvation of His people (3:1-5).
3. Christ is the perfect Servant whom Jehovah promised He would bring forth into this world (3:8).
4. Christ is called "the BRANCH" (3:8; 6:12). This is a name given to our Savior Who is "the LORD our Righteousness" (see Jeremiah 23:5-6).
5. He is the all-seeing Foundation Stone upon which God's church and kingdom is built (3:9). "Other foundation can no man lay than is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:11).
6. He is the One who would remove the iniquity of His people "in one day" (3:9).
7. Christ our Savior is typified in Zerubbabel (4:6-9). He purposed the salvation of sinners in eternity past and He is the One who will finish it. "I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18).
8. Christ is that King who made His triumphant entry into Jerusalem riding upon an ass's colt (9:9-12; see Matthew 21:1-7).
9. His is the blood of the covenant that redeemed the prisoners out of the pit of sin (9:11).
10. Christ saved His people and receives all the glory for it (9:16).
11. It is Christ who was betrayed for thirty pieces of silver which price was then used to buy the potter's field (11:12-13, see Matthew 27:7).
12. Christ is the Fountain opened for the cleansing of sin (13:1; see 1 John 1:7).
13. Christ is the God-Man. In 13:7 He is called Jehovah's fellow (equal or associate) and in 6:12 He is called the Man.
14. Christ is the Good Shepherd whose life was given for the sheep He came to save (13:7).
15. Christ shall come again to this world in great power and glory (14:4). 16. Someday every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is the sovereign Lord and King (14:9).