Sermons on Zechariah

The full title of this teaching series is, Zechariah, Haggai & The Coming Kingdom, because it also includes a study of Haggai’s prophecy. It is a 34-part teaching series delivered by Pastor Gene in 2000 and early 2001, and it provides a comprehensive, verse-by-verse historical and prophetic study of the post-exilic period, focusing on Israel’s return from exile, the reconstruction of the temple, and the eschatological link to the future Kingdom Age.

The series begins by establishing the historical background of the decree of Cyrus which allowed the return of the Israelites to the land. It details the physical and spiritual trials of the journey, including human lapses in faith and underlying spiritual warfare. It covers the rebuilding process, highlighting the emotional weight of laying the foundation, as well as the external political and cultural friction the rebuilders faced.

The teaching explores the core messages of the Prophet Haggai, stressing the duties believers owe to God and connecting the restoration of the physical Temple to its prophetic culmination.

The series details the grueling physical reality of the Israelites’ trek back to Jerusalem, highlighting human faith lapses and exposing the underlying Angelic Conflict. Pastor Gene bridges the ancient geopolitical landscape with modern applications, framing the reconstruction as ‘God’s Unusual Task.’

A major portion of the study delves into Zechariah’s prophetic warnings against Israel repeating her historical mistakes and unpacks the highly symbolic prophetic elements of the book, especially those contained in the prophet’s Eight Night Visions.

The content unfolds chronologically, setting a macroscopic foundation by establishing the divine framework of world history. It describes the Babylonian Captivity, explaining why Israel was displaced and how God governs human empires. This includes a four-part sub-series, anchored in Daniel 2 and Daniel 7, which outlines the ‘Times of the Gentiles’ culminating with the Ascension Ceremony of our Lord Jesus Christ in Heaven after having finished the work the Father sent Him to accomplish.

The final, and largest, block of the series encompasses a detailed, verse-by-verse study of the highly symbolic apocalyptic imagery of Zechariah. It covers Zechariah’s initial warnings (‘Do Not Be Like Your Fathers’), using Old Testament typologies like the Bronze Serpent to illustrate the upward look of faith. Several lessons are dedicated to Zechariah’s Night Visions, exploring components like, ‘the Man among the myrtle trees,’ ‘the Divine Captain,’ and a deep-dive into angelic job descriptions – not to mention the concept of the purging of evil from the land, cataloged in the ‘Flying Scroll and the Woman in the Ephah’ messages (Zechariah 5).

The series also considers other complex prophetic oracles, evoking, for instance, Alexander the Great and Antiochus IV Epiphanes, contrasting them against Israel’s ultimate, future, supernatural regathering under Jesus, their True Shepherd.