Zechariah is frustrating reading because it isn’t easy. Its immediate purpose was to encourage Zerubbabel and Joshua in leading the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, but there are also references to the end times. Some of the images are similar to those in Revelation. And as I’ve said before, I don’t pay much attention to prophecies of the end times because I don’t believe we’re able to understand much.
Thus, focusing on the purpose to encourage Zerubbabel and Joshua, I wonder why God has preserved for us His encouraging words to them. Further, it’s difficult to understand how some of these words were an encouragement. No doubt they spoke to those two men as God intended them to, whether we understand the significance of Zechariah’s visions or not. The fact that they needed encouragement tells us that the work God expected them to do was not progressing, and we know from Ezra that it wasn’t for some time. And then when it did the result was as much a source of discouragement as it was encouragement. Can you imagine what it felt like for Zerubbabel and Joshua to hear of God’s regard for them? Based on what you’ve read about what went on behind the scenes, of which these two leaders had no knowledge, do you think it’s possible that God regards your situations? Does that give you something to talk to Him about today?