I am immediately struck by the combination of fulfilled prophecy and that which is yet to come. I wonder how Zechariah received a word of prophecy like this. Is it all a straight prophetic word or does it come from a flowing combination of his feelings, God’s general heart for his people and some prophecy? How much of what is written is prophetic and how much of it is his emotions?

I love the way Zechariah’s words change. Zechariah starts with what feels like condemnation upon Israel’s enemies, in a very conventional way, verse 4

“But the Lord will take away her possessions and destroy her power on the sea, and she will be consumed by fire.”

This is a typically Old Testament way of viewing Gods power and Lordship. He will come with destruction and physical power. Then all of a sudden in verse 9 we hear “gentle and riding on a donkey”. What a very different image, one that would be seen as weak.

I think that we can understand something of people’s disappointment and expectation when Jesus did not defeat and conquer the Romans. Not quite the victory they had in mind. This is a prophecy of victory, but with hindsight we know that the victory of Jesus upon the cross is in no way a human perception of victory. Only this exceptional plan would be worthy of God’s hand.

Verses 9 to 12 amaze me; I love it that Zechariah had these words 500 years before Christ. This really shouldn’t amaze me, if God can create the heavens a few prophetic words is nothing to him. After all he is the Lord of time. I wonder how we respond to prophecy that doesn’t seem to come true in our life time. Were people really waiting upon Zechariahs prophecies with expectation before the birth of Christ? Do we have prophets from the last thousand years whose words we are expecting to be fulfilled? How do we deal with prophetic words from our congregations?

I wonder if prophetic words are mixed up because of our humanity getting in the way of God’s communication with us or if God intends it that way. Part of me thinks it has to be God’s plan as it’s in the Bible, but I wonder if that’s a bit close minded. Is it possible that some of what Zechariah has to say is from him and not God? Verse 8 says “Never again will any oppressor overrun my people”, this has clearly not been fulfilled. The question is, will it ever be fulfilled or is it the passionate desire of a good intentioned prophet?