Zechariah 1–8

Introduction

Zechariah preached among the Jews after they returned to Jerusalem from captivity in Babylon. He had a vision of Joshua, the high priest of Jerusalem, wearing filthy clothes. In this vision, an angel of the Lord had clean garments placed on Joshua and charged him to walk in righteousness. The purification of Joshua symbolized what the Jews needed to do to prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ. Through Zechariah, the Lord taught the Jews about the proper focus of worship.

Suggestions for Teaching

Zechariah 1–6

Zechariah receives several visions about Judah, Jerusalem, and the last days

Ask students to imagine they have been working hard all day on a project that has caused their clothes to become dirty. A friend stops by and invites them to go to his or her house for dinner, where an important guest will be in attendance.

What might you want to do before going to dinner at your friend’s house?
How would you feel if you arrived at the dinner without having washed yourself or changed your clothes?

Invite students to ponder if they have ever felt this way spiritually. Explain that if we are spiritually unclean we will feel uncomfortable in the Lord’s presence. Invite students to look for principles as they study Zechariah 1–6 that illustrate how we can become clean and be worthy to live again with Heavenly Father.

Invite students to locate Zechariah on the diagram “The Kingdoms of Israel and Judah at a Glance” (see lesson 106). Explain that Zechariah prophesied among the Jews who returned to Jerusalem from Babylon after King Cyrus of Persia decreed that the Jews be allowed to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem (see Ezra 1:1–2). Along with Zechariah’s prophecies to the Jews during this period, the book of Zechariah records visions he received from the Lord. Zechariah is also mentioned in the book of Ezra (see Ezra 5–6).

Summarize Zechariah 1–2 by explaining that through Zechariah the Lord told the Jews who had returned from Babylon that if they would “turn … unto [Him],” He would “turn unto [them]” (Zechariah 1:3). Zechariah prophesied that there would be peace in the land so that the temple could be rebuilt. This prophecy will be fulfilled again, in the last days when the temple in Jerusalem is rebuilt prior to the Lord’s Second Coming. He also prophesied that in the last days Judah would be gathered to Jerusalem and that the Lord would “dwell in the midst of [His people]” (Zechariah 2:10–11).

Invite a student to read Zechariah 3:1–3 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for who stood “before the angel of the Lord” (verse 1) in Zechariah’s vision and what this person was wearing. Explain that the “brand plucked out of the fire” mentioned in verse 2 refers to a burning stick that had been pulled from the fire. This stick represents the people of Judah who were delivered by Jehovah from the figurative fire of captivity through the decree of King Cyrus.

Who stood “before the angel of the Lord”? (Joshua, the high priest in Jerusalem after the Jews’ return from Babylon.)
What was he wearing?
What do you think the “filthy garments” (verse 3) could symbolize? (Joshua wore “filthy garments” to represent the people of Judah in their sinful state.)
Who stood next to Joshua “before the angel of the Lord”?

Refer students to verse 1, footnote b, and explain that one meaning of the name Satan is “the Adversary or Accuser.” In the vision, Satan was present to accuse Joshua about his filthy condition.

Invite a student to read Zechariah 3:4–5 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what happened to Joshua.

What did the angel command others nearby to remove from Joshua?
What phrase in verse 4 helps explain that this vision was about more than dirty clothing?
What could the changing of Joshua’s garments symbolize? (It symbolizes being cleansed from sin. Because a high priest represented the people before the Lord, the changing of Joshua’s garments could also symbolize the Jews who had returned from captivity removing the worldliness of Babylon and again becoming God’s holy people.)

Explain that the clothing referred to in verse 5 was the attire priests wore to officiate in the temple. This included a “fair mitre,” which was “a clean (pure) cap” (footnote a).

Invite a student to read Zechariah 3:6–7 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what Joshua was commanded to do after he had been cleansed from sin and was prepared to officiate in the temple.

What was Joshua commanded to do? (To “walk in [the Lord’s] ways” and “keep [His] charge” (verse 7). You may want to explain that the phrase “keep my charge” means to keep God’s commandments and fulfill the duties He requires, including priesthood duties.)

Explain that the phrase “these that stand by” (verse 7) refers to the heavenly messengers who had clothed Joshua in clean garments (see footnote c). To be given “places to walk among these that stand by” means that Joshua would be worthy to enter the Lord’s presence and dwell with those who live in the celestial kingdom.

What principle can we learn from verses 1–7 about how we can be worthy to enter the Lord’s presence? (Students may use different words, but they should identify the following principle: If we are cleansed from sin and walk in the Lord’s ways, then we will be worthy to enter His presence.)
Why do you think it is important to continue to walk in the Lord’s ways after we have been cleansed from sin?

Invite students to list in their study journals things they could do to walk in the Lord’s ways.

When have you seen someone walk in the Lord’s ways? What stood out to you about that person’s example?

Invite students to complete the following statement in their study journals: “I will prepare to worthily enter the Lord’s presence by …”

Summarize Zechariah 3:8–6:15 by explaining that in a series of subsequent visions, Zechariah saw the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and was shown that wickedness would be removed from the earth at that time (see Zechariah 3:8–9). Tell students that the Lord commanded Zechariah to “make crowns” of “silver and gold” and to “set them upon the head of Joshua” (Zechariah 6:11). This act would be a symbol used to teach the people that Jesus Christ is the King of Israel and will “rule upon his throne” forever (Zechariah 6:13).

Zechariah 7–8

Through Zechariah, the Lord teaches the Jews about the proper focus of worship

Ask students the following:

How do our motives influence our actions?

Provide students with a copy of the following chart. Invite them to make a check mark in the column that best represents their motivation for each form of worship. (You may want to explain that this is a private activity and that they will not share their responses with others.)

“What Are My Motives?”

	Meet others’ expectations	Feel good about myself	Draw closer to Heavenly Father
I go to church in order to …
I pray in order to …
I fast in order to …
I go to the temple in order to …
I serve others in order to …

After students have had sufficient time to fill out the chart, ask:

What can a person learn about himself or herself through this kind of self-evaluation?

Explain that for 70 years the Jews had mourned the loss of their land and the destruction of the temple. As part of their mourning, they participated in ritual fasts. As recorded in Zechariah 7:1–3, the people asked Zechariah if they needed to continue fasting even though they had returned to Jerusalem and were rebuilding the temple.

Invite several students to take turns reading aloud from Zechariah 7:4–7. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what the Lord asked them about their reasons for fasting.

What did the Lord ask those who participated in these ritual fasts?
What do the Lord’s questions recorded in verses 5–6 indicate about the thoughts and desires of the people?

Explain that the way the Jews had been fasting illustrated their misunderstanding of the proper focus of worship.

What can we learn from these verses about the proper focus of worship? (Students may use different words, but they should identify the following truth: When we worship, we should focus on the Lord and not on ourselves.)
Besides fasting, what are other ways we can worship the Lord? (Other forms of worship include praying, worshipping at church and in the temple, and serving and ministering to others.)
Why is it important that our worship be focused on the Lord and on our relationship with Him?

Invite a student to read aloud the following statement by Bishop Dean M. Davies of the Presiding Bishopric. Ask students to listen for one way we are blessed as we focus our worship on the Lord.

“True worship transforms us into sincere and earnest disciples of our beloved Master and Savior, Jesus Christ. We change and become more like Him” (Dean M. Davies, “The Blessings of Worship,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2016, 94).

What have you done to make your worship of the Lord more focused on Him?

Refer students to the self-evaluation chart they completed, and invite them to consider how they will focus their worship more on the Lord. Invite them to set a goal in the area in which they feel they need the most improvement and to record their goal in their personal journals when they get home.

Summarize Zechariah 7:8–8:23 by explaining that the Lord reminded the Jews of commandments He had given them through past prophets to treat others kindly and to care for the poor. The Lord also told the Jews that because they had refused to follow the prophets and had hardened their hearts, they had lost His help and protection and had been scattered. Zechariah prophesied that in the last days the Lord would restore Jerusalem and gather His people.

Testify of the principles identified in this lesson, and encourage students to apply these principles in their lives.

Commentary and Background Information

Zechariah 3:8; 6:12. Who is “the BRANCH”?

Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained who “the BRANCH” refers to:

“Christ is the Son of David, the Seed of David, the inheritor, through Mary his mother, of the blood of the great king. He is also called the Stem of Jesse and the Branch, meaning Branch of David. Messianic prophecies under these headings deal with the power and dominion he shall wield as he sits on David’s throne, and have reference almost exclusively to his second sojourn on planet earth.

“Jesse was the father of David. Isaiah speaks of the Stem of Jesse, whom he also designates as a branch growing out of the root of that ancient worthy. He recites how the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him; how he shall be mighty in judgment; how he shall smite the earth and slay the wicked; and how the lamb and the lion shall lie down together in that day—all of which has reference to the Second Coming and the millennial era thereby ushered in. (Isa. 11.) As to the identity of the Stem of Jesse, the revealed word says: ‘Verily thus saith the Lord: It is Christ.’ (D&C 113:1–2.) This also means that the Branch is Christ. …

“Through Zechariah the Lord spoke similarly: ‘Thus saith the Lord of hosts: … I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH. … I will remove the iniquity of the land in one day [meaning that the wicked shall be destroyed and the millennial era of peace and righteousness commence]. In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.’ (Zech. 3:7–10.) Of that glorious millennial day the Lord says also: ‘Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord: Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne.’ (Zech. 6:12–13.)

“That the Branch of David is Christ is perfectly clear” (Bruce R. McConkie, The Promised Messiah: The First Coming of Christ [1978], 192, 193).