2014, Mike Parker http://bit.ly/ldsarc For personal use only. Not a Church publication.

Outline of Zechariah
1:16. Introduction: a call to repentance
(October/November 520 B.C.).
Zechariahs eight visions, in which he sees
symbols that are interpreted for him by angels
(January/February 519 B.C.):
1:717. The 1st vision: four divine horsemen
patrol the earth. There is peace on the earth for
now, but the Lord is angry with the nations that
have oppressed his people. He commands the
Temple to be rebuilt. (Cf. Revelation 6:18.)
1:1821. The 2nd vision: four horns and four
blacksmiths. The horns symbolize powerful
nations that the Lord will smash. (Cf. Daniel
2:3640; 7:1927; Isaiah 54:16; Ezekiel 21:31.)
2:15. The 3rd vision: a surveyor measures
Jerusalem. It will be inhabited without a wall
(until 445 B.C.) because the Lord will be a wall of
fire around it. (Cf. Ezekiel 40:34; Amos 7:79.)
2:613. Interlude: the Lord summons the
exiles in Babylon to gather to Jerusalem.
3:110. The 4th vision: Joshua the high priest
is tried before Lords heavenly council, with Satan
(the Accuser) as the prosecutor. Joshua is found
innocent and dressed in clean clothes. The Lord
promises to send his messianic servant, the
Branch. (Cf. Isaiah 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5.)
4:114. The 5th vision: a lampstand and two
olive trees. A normal lampstand has 7 lights; this
one has 49 lights (77), showing that God is
pouring out a blessing on his people. The two olive
trees represent the two anointed ones (lit.
Hebrew: sons of oil), and probably refer to
Zerubbabel (governor of Judah) and Joshua.
5:14. The 6th vision: a flying scroll. The
scroll is the same dimensions as the porch of
Solomons temple (20 cubits10 cubits; 1 Kings
6:3). It contains curses for those who lie or steal
(prohibited by the Ten Commandments).
5:511. The 7th vision: a woman in a basket.
The woman is named Wickedness. A heavy
leaden lid is placed over the basket, and it is taken
to the land of Shinar (Babylon). (Cf. Revelation
17:36.)
6:18. The 8th vision: four chariots. Like the
four horses in the first vision, the chariots patrol
the earth in its four quarters. The chariot pulled
by the black horse goes toward the north
country, a euphemism for Babylon. Chariots are
vehicles of war; this vision portends the coming
destruction of the Lord upon Babylon and the
nations of the earth. (Cf. Revelation 6:18.)
6:915. Conclusion: Joshua the high priest is
crowned as the Branch (3:8) and commissioned to
build the temple.
Zechariahs oracles (November/December
518 B.C.):
7:114. Zechariah responds to an inquiry:
Should the people continue to fast in memorial of
the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians
(2 Kings 25:89, 25)? The Lord responds by
repeating the commandments his people broke
that led to the Babylonian exile. (The question is
ultimately answered in 8:1819.)
8:123. Ten thus saith the Lord statements
about Jerusalem. If the people are obedient, the
Lord will bring eternal peace and prosperity to
Jerusalem.
Zechariahs two burdens, in which he
prophesies of events leading up to the end of the
world (date unknown):
9:111:17. Zechariah prophesies about the
gathering of Israel. The Lord will subdue Israels
neighbors and ride triumphantly into Jerusalem
in peace (9:110; cf. Matthew 21:19). He will
liberate the dispersed Israelites and lead them
home (9:1117). The people of Israel have been
scattered like lost sheep, but the Lord will gather
them and be their shepherd (10:112). The
prophet (Zechariah?) is commissioned as
shepherd of the people, but the mission fails, so
the Lord then raises a shepherd who will be as
worthless as the peoplei.e., they will get what
they deserve (11:117).
12:114:21. Zechariah prophesies of the great
and terrible day or the Lord. The Lord will make
the nation of Judah invincible against her enemies
(12:19). The inhabitants of Jerusalem will look
upon the Lord whom they have pierced, and they
shall mourn for him (12:1014). The Lord will
cleanse the people of their idols and false prophets
(13:19). The nations will gather together to fight
against Jerusalem, but, just at the moment when
all hope is lost, the Lord will stand on the Mount
of Olives and split it in two, and the people will
flee through the opening to safety (14:15; cf. D&C
45:4753). The Lord will reign in peace and
prosperity and destroy the nations that oppressed
Judah. All nations will worship the Lord (14:6
21).