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Zechariah 10
THE reader will have observed that the successive chapters do not afford a continuous account of the events and developments of the last days.
Other prophetic books are similar in this respect, notably the Revelation; the divine Author in them all looks on to the end to be attained, and again returns to give details which unfold and add to the preceding communications. Nothing is written in God’s word for the intellect; everything is for the conscience and heart, and the saint who seeks God’s glory may profit much by prayerful study of the Book of Books, the Bible.
The closing, verse of the 9th chapter views, as though already begun, the Millennial state of earthly blessedness, but chapter 10 treats of the time preceding the Lord’s coming in glory to set up His kingdom, and of the service His earthly saints are to perform following that coming.
Verse: 1 The early days of the Church were the time of the early rain; the time of the latter rain is yet future, speaking of the pouring out of rich blessing in the Millennium upon a world that has been cleansed in judgment. The Jews refused the early rain, and were set aside while the gospel went out to the Gentiles, but ere long the Jew will be restored to the chief place, the Church having meanwhile been completed and caught away on the resurrection morning, (1 Thessalonians 4:10, 1710And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more; (1 Thessalonians 4:10)
17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:17)).
Verse 2 refers to Israel’s past devotion, to idols, and the captivity out of which their trusted idols could not deliver them. “They were troubled” is not an exact rendering; it should be read, “they are troubled (or in distress) because there is no shepherd;” that is, from the time of the Babylonian captivity, when God had given up the Jews as no longer His people, they have been without a true shepherd.
The whole of verses 3 and 4 should be read in the present tense, or as that which is to be immediately brought to pass. When the Lord returns to the earth, His first act will be to destroy the western powers and the false prophet (Revelation 19:11-2111And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. 17And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 18That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. 19And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. (Revelation 19:11‑21)). In this work He will not make use of the believing Jews, but other judgments will follow, and in these they, and, later, also the believers of the lost ten tribes, will be used by the Lord. (See Isaiah 11-13-14; Ezekiel 25:1414And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel: and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger and according to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord God. (Ezekiel 25:14); Obadiah 1818And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the Lord hath spoken it. (Obadiah 18); Psalms 60 and 108, (last verses).
Out of the house of Judah, hereafter to be Jehovah’s majestic horse in the battle, has already come the Corner-stone (1 Peter 2:3-83If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 4To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 5Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. (1 Peter 2:3‑8)), and the Nail (Isaiah 22:20-2520And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah: 21And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. 22And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. 23And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house. 24And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons. 25In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off: for the Lord hath spoken it. (Isaiah 22:20‑25)), that is to say, Christ Himself; out of Judah are yet to come the battle bow for war, and every oppressor (or ruler),
Verse 6 (“the house of Joseph”) and 7 (“they of Ephraim”) show the return of the 1ost ten tribes, which will be attended by a passage through affliction (verse 11).
ML 09/19/1937