It is with a great sense of relief that the returned exiles heard that God will restore the Temple and establish it in an environment of security and prosperity (1:16-17). But then, in a vision, Zechariah sees a building official with his tape measure, and he is surveying more than the footprint of the Temple. He is mapping out the whole city.

“But, sir, what do these mean?” (4:4). These two chapters of the book describe the fourth and fifth (of eight) visions given to the prophet Zechariah. The style is often called “apocalyptic,” from the Greek word meaning “uncover” or “expose.” The idea is that an image is being presented that has an underlying meaning that must be revealed if it is to be understood.

Having addressed some of the external obstacles to the restoration of the community’s religious life, Zechariah now receives a vision that is disturbing because of how personal it is. There is some comfort in blaming factors beyond our control when things are not going in a positive direction.

Zechariah’s prophecy opens with a vision of a team of four mounted messengers sent into the world on a reconnaissance mission (1:7-11). Their report that there is “peace” angers the Lord, however, because it indicates that the nations believe that they have got away with their perpetration of evil against God’s people.

As a way of keeping the community memory alive, the Jerusalem exiles gave themselves to rituals at certain times of the year. In the fifth month, for instance, they would abstain from food as they lamented the destruction of the Temple by the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar, which occurred in the fifth month (August) of 587 bc.

I often heard it said that, “As we think, so we are.” Basically, our actions are a result of our thoughts. So, what do you think the end result is of us as individuals and a society saying, “There is no God”? And if you think you don’t say it directly, would you agree we certainly live as though we believe it were true?

As I was about to graduate from high school my mother advised me to become a teacher. “You’d be good at that,” she said. I ignored the advice. It was years later that I discovered I was not only good at teaching others, I loved doing it. I wished I had followed my mother’s advice and gotten the education that would have meant a lifelong profession that I enjoyed.