Take
yourself to 500 years before Christ Jesus' sojourn on earth.
King Cyrus
of Persia has granted the captive Israelites permission to return to Judah
(538BC).
A
commentator writes: "The chosen people had just come
through one of the worst experiences possible in the ancient world. Their
homeland was devastated by invading armies, their capital city and temple were
plundered and flattened, many of their people and leaders were killed, and most
of the rest were carried off into pagan lands. The returnees who made the long
trek back to Judah were faced with the challenge of re-establishing Jerusalem
and the temple."
(The book of Ezra gives some background.)
The
commentator continues: "The remnant that came out of the
captivity was the only hope for the future of Israel. Based on the track record
of previous generations, strong language would be necessary to penetrate the
stubborn shoulders, closed ears, and rock-hard hearts of God's people... Poetry
served this purpose well because it allowed for language with the volume turned
up."
"Zechariah used a mix of genres. His sermons,
poetry, and oracles of judgment and salvation were typical of the prophetic
genre. But his visions had similarities with apocalyptic literature, like
Daniel." Holman KJV Study Bible
I'm looking
forward to finding out more about this prophet, his message, and his method
of communication.
Julie Swannell
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