Godchaser Podcast
Join Evan Evans on The God Chaser Podcast, a weekly exploration of faith, spirituality, and personal growth centered on Jesus Christ. Evan, a devoted believer and captivating host guides listeners through engaging conversations and thought-provoking discussions that deepen their understanding of Christ and His teachings.
We delve into topics such as Christ's teachings, the power of prayer, the role of the Holy Spirit, and the importance of community in spiritual growth. The God Chaser Podcast aims to inspire and challenge listeners, equipping them with the tools and insights needed to live a more fulfilling, Christ-centered life.
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Godchaser Podcast
The Prophet Who Painted Christ in Vivid Detail: Exploring Zechariah's Messianic Visions
Have you ever wondered how Jesus appeared to prophets centuries before His birth? Zechariah's extraordinary visions offer one of the most vivid and detailed portraits of the coming Messiah found anywhere in Scripture.
Zechariah, a priest-prophet ministering to discouraged Jewish exiles returning from Babylon around 520 BC, received eight remarkable night visions in a single evening. These visions did far more than address the immediate challenges of temple reconstruction—they pulled back the curtain on God's cosmic redemptive plan centered on a coming Shepherd-King.
Unlike vague, symbolic predictions, Zechariah provides stunning specificity: a humble king riding on a donkey, a shepherd valued at thirty pieces of silver, a mysterious figure whose hands would be pierced, and a good shepherd who would be struck down for his scattered sheep. The Gospels reveal how Jesus fulfilled these prophecies with remarkable precision.
The fourth vision stands as a powerful picture of salvation by grace. When Joshua the high priest stands before God in filthy garments with Satan accusing him, God doesn't demand self-cleansing. Instead, He commands, "Take off his filthy clothes... See, I have taken away your sin and I will put fine garments on you." This beautiful image perfectly illustrates how Jesus removes our sin and clothes us in His righteousness.
Perhaps most remarkable is Zechariah 12:10—"They will look on me, the one they have pierced"—where God mysteriously speaks of being pierced while shifting between first and third person. This hints at the profound mystery of the incarnation, where God Himself would become the pierced one.
What makes Zechariah's message timeless is his balance between addressing present realities and eternal promises. His famous declaration—"Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit"—continues to remind us that spiritual effectiveness comes through dependence on God rather than human strength.
Whether you're facing discouragement, struggling with religious formalism, or simply longing to see Jesus more clearly in the Old Testament, Zechariah's prophetic visions offer profound insight and encouragement. Join us as we explore how this ancient prophet painted Christ in vivid detail centuries before Bethlehem.
Keep chasing after God
Welcome to the God Chaser podcast, where we pursue the heart of God and explore the depths of His wisdom. I'm your host, evan Evans. Welcome to the God Chaser podcast, where we find Jesus in every story of the Bible. I'm your host, evan Evans. Have you ever wondered what Jesus looked like to the prophets who saw him coming centuries before his birth? If so, today's episode is for you. We're exploring Zechariah, a prophet whose visions provide some of the most detailed and specific prophecies about Jesus Christ in the entire Old Testament.
Speaker 1:Picture this A young priest prophet receives eight extraordinary visions in a single night. He sees flying scrolls, golden lampstands and crowned high priests. He witnesses symbolic acts that point to a coming king who will be both humble and victorious. He prophesies about a shepherd who will be rejected, pierced and struck down, yet whose death will bring salvation. These aren't vague, symbolic predictions. Zechariah gives us specific details A king riding on a donkey, 30 pieces of silver, pierced hands, scattered sheep. When you read the Gospels, you'll discover that Jesus fulfilled these prophecies with stunning precision. In today's episode, you'll discover eight remarkable night visions and what they reveal about God's plan how a cleansing ceremony for a high priest pictures our salvation. Why? Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit. Still matters today the prophecy that perfectly describes Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, how Zechariah saw both Jesus' first coming in humility and his second coming in glory.
Speaker 2:Welcome to the God Chaser podcast, the ultimate destination for those yearning to cultivate a passionate, intimate relationship with God. Join your host, Evan Evans, as he explores the depths of scripture, shares inspiring testimonies and provides practical guidance to help you become a true God Chaser, Discover the transformative power of pursuing God's presence and be inspired to reignite your spiritual journey. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts and get ready to embark on an adventure that will change your life forever. Welcome to the God Chaser Podcast. Let the chase begin.
Speaker 1:Last week we explored Haggai's powerful message about rebuilding what matters most and putting God's priorities first in our lives. Today we're diving into one of the most visually rich and messianically detailed books in the Old Testament Zechariah. If you've ever wondered what Jesus looked like to the prophets who saw him coming centuries before his birth, zechariah provides some of the clearest pictures, from a humble king riding on a donkey to a shepherd struck down for his sheep. This prophet's visions paint Jesus in vivid detail. So let's explore these remarkable prophecies together. Chapter 1, verse 1 introduces us to this prophet.
Speaker 1:In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah. Son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, zechariah was both a prophet and a priest, which gave him unique insight into both God's word and worship. He was probably born during the Babylonian exile and returned to Jerusalem as a young man. Like his contemporary Haggai, he ministered to the returned exiles around 520 to 518 BC. But where Haggai focused on practical rebuilding, zechariah received extraordinary visions about God's future plans. His book contains eight detailed night visions, several prophetic messages and some of the most specific prophecies about Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. What makes Zechariah unique is how he combines immediate concerns with eternal promises. He addresses the discouragement of his day while revealing God's ultimate plan for his people and the world. This balance of present reality and future hope is exactly what we need in our own challenging times. Zechariah's ministry began with a simple but profound call Return to me and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. Zechariah, chapter 1, verse 3. This invitation echoes throughout scripture and finds its ultimate expression in Jesus' call to come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew, chapter 11, verse 28. The name Zechariah means the Lord remembers, which perfectly captures his message. Despite years of exile and current struggles, god hadn't forgotten his people or his promises. He was working out a plan that would ultimately bring salvation not just to Israel but to all nations.
Speaker 1:Zechariah, chapters 1 through 6, record eight remarkable visions the prophet received in a single night. Each vision reveals different aspects of God's plan for restoration and the coming Messiah. The first vision, zechariah 1, verses 7-17, shows horsemen patrolling the earth. They report that the whole world is at rest and in peace. But this peace is deceptive. It's the peace of oppression, where God's people suffer while their enemies prosper. The angel of the Lord intercedes, asking Lord Almighty, how long will you withhold mercy from Jerusalem and from the towns of Judah, which you have been angry with these seventy years? This vision addresses a question many believers face why does evil seem to prosper while God's people struggle? The answer comes in God's promise. I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion and I am very angry with the nations that feel secure. Verses 14 to 15. God sees injustice and will act to correct it. Jesus demonstrated this same divine jealousy when he cleansed the temple, declaring my house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers. Matthew, chapter 21, verse 13. He couldn't tolerate the exploitation of worshipers in his father's house. The second vision, chapter 1, verses 18 to 21, shows four horns representing nations that scattered Judah and four craftsmen who will destroy those horns. This teaches that God raises up instruments to judge those who oppress his people.
Speaker 1:The third vision chapter 2, depicts a man with a measuring line symbolizing God's plan to rebuild and expand Jerusalem. The city will be so large and secure that it won't need walls. God himself will be a wall of fire around it and its glory within, verse 5. This points to the new Jerusalem described in Revelation, chapter 21, where God dwells with his people in perfect security and glory. Jesus made this possible by breaking down the barriers between God and humanity through his death and resurrection.
Speaker 1:The fourth vision Zechariah chapter 3, is particularly powerful in its portrayal of salvation. Zechariah sees Joshua, the high priest, standing before the angel of the Lord, with Satan at his right side to accuse him. Joshua is wearing filthy clothes, representing sin and unworthiness. But watch what happens in verses 4-5. The angel said to those who were standing before him take off his filthy clothes. The angel said to those who were standing before him take off his filthy clothes. Then he said to Joshua see, I have taken away your sin and I will put fine garments on you. Then I said put a clean turban on his head. So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him while the angel of the Lord stood by.
Speaker 1:This vision perfectly illustrates salvation by grace. Joshua didn't clean himself up. God removed his filthy clothes and provided clean garments. The high priest, who was supposed to represent the people before God, was himself unworthy, yet God cleansed and restored him. This foreshadows what Jesus would do for all humanity, as Isaiah 61, verse 10 prophesies. I delight greatly in the Lord. My soul rejoices in my God, for he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness.
Speaker 1:Paul captures this truth in 2 Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 21. God made him, who had no sin, to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. Jesus took our filthy rags of sin and gave us His perfect righteousness. The vision continues with a remarkable prophecy in verse 8. Listen, high Priest Joshua, you and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic of things to come. I am going to bring my servant the branch. The branch becomes one of Zechariah's key titles for the Messiah, this branch will be both priest and king, perfectly combining the offices that were separate in Old Testament times. Jesus fulfills this as our great high priest, who is also the king of kings.
Speaker 1:The fifth vision Zechariah, chapter 4, shows a golden lampstand with seven lamps fed by oil from two olive trees. When Zechariah asks what this means, he receives one of scripture's most famous verses Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord Almighty, verse 6. This vision addressed the discouragement of Zerubbabel, who was leading the temple reconstruction. The work seemed impossible given their limited resources and opposition, but God promised that his spirit would accomplish what human strength could not. The lampstand represents God's people shining His light in the world. The continuous flow of oil from the olive trees shows that this light comes from God's Spirit, not human effort. The two olive trees likely represent the priestly and kingly lines that would be united in the Messiah. Jesus picked up this imagery when he declared in John, chapter 8, verse 12, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life. In Revelation, chapter 1, verse 20, jesus explains that lampstands represent churches, showing that God's people continue to shine his light through his spirit's power. Showing that God's people continue to shine His light through His Spirit's power. The principle not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit governs all effective ministry and Christian living. We can't produce spiritual fruit through human effort alone. We need the Holy Spirit's power, as Jesus told His disciples in John, chapter 15, verse 5, apart from me, you can do nothing.
Speaker 1:The sixth and seventh visions Zechariah, chapter 5, deal with removing sin from the land. The flying scroll represents God's curse against theft and false oaths, sins that destroy community trust. The woman in a basket represents wickedness being removed from the land and taken to Babylon. These visions show that God's restoration includes both positive building and negative cleansing. He doesn't just establish good things, he removes evil influences. This balance appears throughout Jesus's ministry. He both healed the sick and cast out demons. Both taught truth and confronted error In our personal lives. God's work often follows this same pattern. He builds character while removing sin. Establishes healthy relationships while ending destructive ones. Creates good habits while breaking bad ones. Spiritual growth involves both putting on and putting off. Ephesians, chapter 4, verses 22 to 24.
Speaker 1:The eighth vision, zechariah, chapter 6, verses 1 to 8, shows four chariots with different colored horses going out to patrol the earth. These represent God's spirits executing his judgment and establishing his kingdom throughout the world. This vision looks ahead to the universal reign of the Messiah. What began with local restoration in Jerusalem would eventually encompass the entire earth. As the angel explains, these chariots are going throughout the earth to carry out God's purposes. Jesus spoke of this same worldwide expansion in Matthew, chapter 28, verses 18 to 19. His kingdom starts locally but expands globally.
Speaker 1:Immediately after the visions, zechariah receives instructions for a symbolic act that points directly to Jesus. In chapter 6, verses 9 to 15, he's told to make crowns from silver and gold brought by exiles from Babylon and place them on Joshua, the high priest's, head. But then comes a surprising twist in verse 12. Tell him this is what the Lord Almighty says. Here is the man whose name is the branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the Lord. The branch, the Messiah, will build the true temple. But notice verse 13. This prophecy describes someone who is both priest and king, roles that were strictly separated in Old Testament times. Only the Messiah could combine these offices. Jesus perfectly fulfills this as our high priest Hebrews, chapter 4, verse 14, who is also king of kings. Revelation, chapter 19, verse 16. The temple he builds isn't made of stone but of living people, as Paul writes in Ephesians, chapter 2, verses 20 to 22,. Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him, the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord and in Him. You too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.
Speaker 1:Zechariah. Chapter 7 and 8 address questions about religious observances that arose. During the exile, the people had established fasts to mourn the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. Now that they were rebuilding, should they continue these fasts? God's response, through Zechariah, goes to the heart of true religion. In chapter 7, verses 5 to 6, he asks when you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past 70 years, was it really for me that you fasted? And when you eat and drink, do you not eat and drink for yourselves? The issue isn't the activities themselves, but the heart behind them. Religious observances that focus on external performance rather than internal transformation miss the point. God wants hearts that are genuinely engaged with him, not just bodies going through motions.
Speaker 1:Zechariah, chapter 7, verses 9 to 10, gives God's priorities. This is what the Lord Almighty said Administer true justice, show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the. This sounds remarkably like Jesus' teaching about the greatest commandments love God and love your neighbor. Matthew, chapter 22, verses 37 to 39. Both emphasize that authentic faith shows itself in how we treat others, especially the vulnerable. Jesus criticized the Pharisees for this same problem in Matthew, chapter 23, verse 23. You give a tenth of your spices mint, dill and cumin but you have neglected the more important matters of the law, justice, mercy and faithfulness.
Speaker 1:Zechariah, chapter 8, contains some of the most beautiful promises of restoration in the Old Testament. God declares that he will return to dwell in Jerusalem, making it the city of truth and the holy mountain, verse 3. The imagery is wonderfully specific Old men and women will again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each of them with cane in hand because of their age. The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there verses 4 to 5. This picture of safety and normalcy elderly people sitting peacefully while children play safely represents the kind of community God desires. It's a place where the vulnerable are protected and life flourishes across generations.
Speaker 1:But the restoration extends beyond Jerusalem. Verse 23 contains a remarkable prophecy. This is what the Lord Almighty says In those days, ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you. This points to the Gentiles being drawn to worship the God of Israel, a prophecy fulfilled through Jesus' ministry and the early church, as Paul writes in Ephesians 2, verse 14,. For he Himself is our peace. Who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.
Speaker 1:Zechariah chapter 9 contains one of the most famous messianic prophecies in the Old Testament. Verse 9 declares Rejoice greatly, daughter Zion, shout, daughter Jerusalem, see your king comes to you righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt the triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Matthew, chapter 21, verses 4 to 5, specifically quotes this passage. This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet. The contrast in this prophecy is striking A king who is righteous and victorious, yet lowly and riding on a donkey rather than a war horse rather than a war horse. This perfectly captures Jesus' first coming, where he demonstrated his kingship through humility and service rather than conquest and force. Verse 10 continues I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the war horses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth. This describes the peace that Jesus' kingdom brings, not through military might, but through transformed hearts. As he declared in John, chapter 18, verse 36, my kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.
Speaker 1:Zechariah, chapter 11, contains a disturbing prophecy about a shepherd who is rejected by his flock. In verses 4 to 17, zechariah acts out the role of a shepherd caring for sheep destined for slaughter. When he asks for his wages, they pay him 30 pieces of silver, the price of a slave. God's response is telling throw it to the potter, the handsome price at which they valued me. Verse 13, zechariah throws the money into the house of the Lord, to the potter. This prophecy finds its fulfillment in Jesus' betrayal. Matthew, chapter 27, verses 3 to 10, records how Judas returned the 30 pieces of silver he received for betraying Jesus, and the chief priests used the money to buy the potter's field. Matthew specifically notes this fulfilled Zechariah's prophecy.
Speaker 1:The deeper tragedy is that Israel's leaders rejected the good shepherd God sent to them. As Jesus lamented in Matthew, chapter 23, verse 37, jerusalem, jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you. How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Yet even this rejection served God's purposes. The death of the good shepherd became the means of salvation for all who would believe, as Jesus said in John, chapter 10, verse 11,. Zechariah, chapter 12, verse 10, contains another remarkably specific I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
Speaker 1:Zechariah, chapter 12, verse 10, contains another remarkably specific prophecy about the Messiah and I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. This prophecy describes God as the one who is pierced, yet spoken of in both first person me, and third person, him. This hints at the mystery of the incarnation, god becoming man in the person of Jesus Christ. John's gospel quotes this prophecy twice. In John, chapter 19, verse 37, after recording that soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, john writes and, as another scripture says, they will look on the one they have pierced. Revelation, chapter 1, verse 7, applies this prophecy to Jesus's second coming. Look, he is coming with the clouds and every eye will see him. Even those who pierced him, and all peoples on earth will mourn because of him. The mourning described isn't just sorrow but repentance. When people truly see who Jesus is, the God they rejected and crucified, they will grieve over their sin and turn to him for forgiveness.
Speaker 1:Zechariah, chapter 13, verse 7, contains another prophecy that Jesus specifically applied to himself Awake sword against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me. Jesus quoted this verse when predicting his disciples' abandonment during his arrest and crucifixion. In Matthew, chapter 26, verse 31,. He told them this very night, you will all fall away on account of me, for, it is written, I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. The prophecy describes the shepherd as the man who is close to me, literally my associate or my equal. This remarkable phrase suggests the intimate relationship between the Father and the coming Messiah. It hints at the Trinity. The shepherd who will be struck is God's equal, yet distinct from him. The scattering of the sheep describes what happened when Jesus was arrested All his disciples fled, just as he predicted, but the prophecy doesn't end with scattering. Predicted, but the prophecy doesn't end with scattering. God promises to refine and restore a remnant who will call on his name and receive salvation.
Speaker 1:Zechariah concludes with visions of the end times and God's ultimate victory. Chapter 14 describes a great battle where all nations come against Jerusalem, but the Lord fights for his people. Verse 4 contains a striking detail On that day, his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley. This prophecy looks ahead to Jesus' second coming Acts. Chapter 1, verses 11 to 12, records that Jesus ascended from the Mount of Olives and angels promised he would return in the same way you have seen him go into heaven. Zechariah suggests he will return to the same location. The final vision shows all nations coming to worship in Jerusalem during the Feast of Tabernacles. Even the bells on horses will be inscribed Holy to the Lord, verse 20. This picture is a world where every aspect of life is consecrated to God's service.
Speaker 1:How do Zechariah's visions apply to our lives today? First, they remind us that God is working out his purposes even when circumstances seem discouraging. The returned exiles faced overwhelming challenges, but God was orchestrating events toward the coming of the Messiah. When we feel overwhelmed by current events or personal struggles, zechariah reminds us that God sees the big picture. Second, they call us to authentic faith rather than mere religious observance. God's response to questions about fasting emphasized that he wants hearts engaged with his concerns for justice and mercy, not just external compliance with religious rules.
Speaker 1:As Jesus taught in John, chapter 4, verse 24, god is spirit and his worshipers must worship in the spirit and in truth. Our religious practices should flow from transformed hearts, not replace them. Third, they encourage us to work by God's Spirit rather than human strength. The promise, not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, applies to every aspect of Christian living and ministry. We need to depend on God's power, not just our own abilities. Fourth, they point us to Jesus as both the humble servant and the coming King. Fourth, they point us to Jesus as both the humble servant and the coming king.
Speaker 1:Zechariah's prophecies show that the Messiah's two comings, first in humility, then in glory, were always part of God's plan. We live between these comings, serving the humble king while awaiting his glorious return. Finally, they give us hope for ultimate justice and restoration. The visions of elderly people sitting peacefully while children play safely and nations coming to worship God together remind us that current struggles aren't the end of the story, friends. Zechariah's visions provide some of the clearest previews of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. From the cleansing of the high priest to the humble king on a donkey, from the pierced one to the good shepherd, these prophecies paint Jesus in vivid detail centuries before his birth.
Speaker 1:What strikes me most about Zechariah is how he balances immediate concerns with eternal promises. He addresses the discouragement and practical challenges of his day while revealing God's ultimate plan for restoration and redemption. This same balance is what we need today. We must deal with present realities while maintaining hope in God's promises. We must work diligently while depending on His Spirit. We must serve the humble Jesus while anticipating the glorious King.
Speaker 1:Zechariah's final vision of all nations worshiping together reminds us that God's story ends in triumph. The scattered sheep will be gathered, the pierced one will be honored and the kingdom will extend from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth. Next week, we'll conclude our journey through the minor prophets, with Malachi and his message about the coming messenger who will prepare the way for the Lord. Until then, this is Evan Evans, reminding you to keep chasing God's heart when circumstances seem overwhelming. God bless you, jesus in every story of the Bible. This episode of the God Chaser podcast is proudly sponsored by God Chaser Apparel, the clothing line designed to empower and inspire your spiritual journey.
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Speaker 1:May you not just chase God but find him in the blessings, big and small, that he has in store for you. And there we have it, folks. Another episode of God Chaser wrapped up. We hope you've been blessed by today's discussion and we look forward to diving into more life-transforming topics with you in the future. Stay blessed and keep chasing after God.