Daily reflections

There are two visions in chapter 5: the flying scroll and the woman in a basket. Both relate to the purging of wickedness from the land. The huge scroll flies like a bat or a bird of prey. Remorselessly, it seeks out the thieves...

These are the last of Zechariah's visions. He sees chariots representing the four winds, pulled by different coloured horses. Chariots in the ancient world were the epitome of military power – fast, mobile and capable of...

After Zechariah's strange visions, we turn to a powerful and thought-provoking sermon. During the 70 years of exile, the people of Bethel have religiously fasted in commemoration of the Temple's destruction. Should they carry...

This chapter is a lovely picture of blessing. The deserted city will be repopulated. Verse 4 speaks of old men sitting in the city squares, and children playing. This is more significant than we might think: these old men...

The context of this chapter is war – the destruction of Israel’s enemies as God judges in favour of his own people. It is written, of course, from the viewpoint of the Israelites, who feel themselves to be oppressed by...

If human beings yearn for peace and security, they also need trustworthy guidance to bring them through hard times. The future is a closed book to us all. Even if we make plans for our way forward, with a clear path to follow...

Zechariah continues to bring a message about leaders and their people, using the common biblical metaphor of shepherds and sheep – and his words are a devastating critique, without a ray of hope.

In this new oracle, starting at chapter 12.1, Zechariah brings a message of hope and restoration to Judah and its capital city, promising to ‘destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem’ (verse 9).

The first verse of Zechariah 13 spoke of a cleansing fountain that would remove impurity from the house of David. The last verse shows us another method of purification – not by water but by fire.