Most people are deeply shaped by their upbringing. They embody patterns of behavior they saw in their parents and pass that down to their children. It is difficult to break patterns of generational sin and dysfunction. Yet, this is exactly what the Lord called Israel to do in the first prophetic message of Zechariah.

The idolatry, oppression, and unfaithfulness of Israel’s ancestors led to their exile and destruction. In Zechariah 1, the Lord warned Israel, “Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed” (v. 4). Instead, He called them to change their ways. The Lord had miraculously allowed Israel to return from exile. He now gave them a chance to start over. The people of Israel resolved to get it right this time (v. 6).

Shortly after the first message, the Lord came again to Zechariah. The message is carefully dated by the reign of a Persian king (v. 7). This reminded Israel that they were still under the thumb of a foreign empire. Yet, the message is hopeful. Zechariah saw angels mounted on horses roaming the earth (v. 10). These angelic beings reported back what they discovered—a world at peace (v. 11). This peace was a contrast to the ruin of Jerusalem. The angel of the Lord pleaded on behalf of Judah and Jerusalem (v. 12). The Lord responded by promising a future for Jerusalem in which, “My towns will again overflow with prosperity” (v. 17). This promise looks forward to the time when the Messiah Jesus will return and rule from Jerusalem (Jer. 31:38–40; Isa. 60:4–9). The call to believers today is the same as it was to Israel, “Come near to God and he will come near to you” (James 4:8).

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