A sceptical Bible
reading of the book of Zechariah 6 to 10
Chapter Six
Zechariah’s
increasingly surreal visions continue.
He sees four horses drawing four chariots gathering up the righteous like
celestial taxi drivers, helping transport the scattered people of Jerusalem home to their native land. Biblical
literalists seem to forget this one, as it isn’t referred to anywhere else in
the scriptures, Old Testament or
New.
Once safely returned
home the former exiles are expected to bend their knees and pray to ‘The
Branch’, a Messianic figure who will now build up the temple Of Jerusalem even
better than it was in Solomon’s day for them. The King, Zerubabbel, and the
Priest-Rabbi, Joshua, will receive a splendid coronation. (New Testament
scholars see Jesus taking on these two distinctive roles,
clearly given here to two independent men. This is a major inconsistency).
Chapter Seven
The visions abate and
God waxes lyrical through the Prophet about having found it necessary to send
the Chosen People scattering and keep them from their
sacred heartlands for so long.
Chapter Eight
God has softened his
heart a little, (for now), and allows the children of Jerusalem a period of
rejoicing and happiness. Their
happiness will become the talk of the world, and everyone else on earth who is
truly a God fearing individual will make a journey to Jerusalem to share in the
utopian dream. God will finally extend his love to the Gentiles (non-Hebrew
peoples).
Chapter Nine
The change of writing
style is so radically different in this chapter to the rest of Zechariah, that
it seems likely to be a different author entirely. God promises to neutralize
Israel’s various oppressors,
including Palestine, Gaza, Egypt, etc. A new King will come to Jerusalem, and
they will know him in Jerusalem because he will ride in triumphally on a donkey (ass). Christian will know hat Jesus
did as described in the Gospels, but it should seem obvious that given a record
exists of the Messiah being identified by a donkey ride, that anyone wanting to
claim to be a messiah is going to
make himself be seen in Jerusalem on a donkey. Jesus just had to follow the
instructions in the job description here. Many others may have tried it too.
Chapter Ten
God’s former anger
with his Chosen favorites was due to their tendency to worship idols and other
gods, giving them credit for work he wanted all praise for him. He brings rain,
not some lesser deity, as some of his children tended to assume.
Now, (in a vision of
an undated future0, all is seen to be sweetness and light once again. The
people and God will make a new peace and covenant
together, and all good things in life will be restored. Again, the former
oppressors will be removed and no longer present a threat to Israel. Assyria
will have no power over God.
The full text of
Zechariah online – http://www.gospelhall.org/bible/bible.php?passage=Zechariah+1
Arthur
Chappell
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