Chapters 12–14
As the first prophetic “burden” (chaps. 9-11) focused on events surrounding the Lord’s first Advent, so this second “burden” (chaps. 12-14) focuses on events around the Lord’s second Advent. It has to do with the rejected Messiah being received by His repentant people and enthroned as their rightful King. In this burden, the prophet uses the expression, “in that day,” 16 times! The term refers to the day when the Lord will undertake to restore and bless the remnant of Israel.
An Attack on Judah and Jerusalem
So far as a prophetic timeline is concerned, the second burden is a continuation of the first. Hence, chapter 12 picks up the prophecy where chapter 11 left off, viewing the Jews in their land in last days under the rule of the Antichrist. Verses 1-3 show that Jerusalem will be a source of trouble to the nations in that day. The mounting political pressures in the Middle East regarding Zionism will culminate in an all-out attack on the Jews and the city of Jerusalem by a ten-nation confederacy of Islamic Arab nations under the King of the North (Psa. 83:2-8; Dan. 11:40-41). These confederate armies will enter the land of Israel from the north and will proceed to decimate it as they move southward. Millions of Jews will be slaughtered in a matter of a few days! (Psa. 74:1-8; 79:1-3; Zech. 13:8). This is called the “consumption” (Isa. 10:22-23; 28:22; Dan. 9:27). It will be God’s judgment upon the apostate Jews for receiving the Antichrist.
Notwithstanding, the Lord promises to take up Israel’s cause and judge those nations. He says: “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of bewilderment unto all the peoples round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem” (vs. 2). And “in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people [peoples]: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces” (vs. 3). Thus, after destroying the apostate Jews in the land of Israel, those Arab nations led by the King of the North will drink of the cup of God’s judgment themselves.
“All peoples,” in verse 3, are the hostile Gentile nations who will take up arms against the Jews; they are not the ten-nation western confederacy under the Roman Beast (Rev. 13:1-8). The Roman powers will be judged by the Lord, and thus, will be out of the way by the time this assault on Jerusalem occurs. (The western powers will not be antagonistic toward the Jews, as these nations are. Quite the opposite, they will be friendly toward the Jews (Isa. 18:1-2) and will make a “covenant” with them to protect their land—though they will breach the terms of the “agreement” later – Isa. 28:14-18; Dan. 9:27.) W. Kelly said, “All nations must mean here the hostile Gentiles who take up arms against Israel after the destruction of the Beast, and his vassal king of the west, with their false prophet ally in Jerusalem. These here [in Zechariah 12] are the nations in league with the King of the North, and quite opposed to the Beast, though openly the antagonists of Israel. In fact, all nations in the prophets never mean the western powers, but all that remain after the ruin of the Beast and the horns ... .We must then distinguish between the Lord’s appearing in flaming fire, taking vengeance on those that know not God, etc., and the earthly judgments that He will execute after a certain interval, as in Zechariah 12. This is not His appearing to destroy the Beast and the false prophet. It is afterwards that He makes Jerusalem a cup of trembling to the nations” (Lectures on the Minor Prophets, pp. 480, 482). Mr. Kelly also said: “The siege takes place with the King of the North at the head of all these nations. It is clearly not the Beast who, instead of besieging Jerusalem, supports the false prophet with all his might” (Lectures on the Minor Prophets, p. 491).
The Second Advent of the Messiah
Verse 4 goes on to explain that the Lord will personally destroy those northern armies. This will occur just after He appears from heaven (His second Advent), though His Appearing is not directly mentioned here. The Lord will not deal with this Arab confederacy immediately upon coming from heaven. He will judge the western armies under the Beast and the Antichrist first (2 Thess. 2:8; Rev. 19:11-21; Num. 24:24), and then after that, He will go to Jerusalem to “defend” the city and “destroy” those assembled nations (vss. 8-9). J. N. Darby remarked: “In spite of her pride and her covenant with evil [Daniel 9:27], Jerusalem shall be taken in the last days. We have seen when studying the other prophets, that this will be the case; and then afterwards, when again besieged, Jehovah will intervene for the destruction of these enemies. This is distinctly announced here [in Zechariah 14]. The nations shall be assembled by Jehovah; the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and half the people led captive. Jehovah will then come forth against those nations, as we read in the twelfth chapter” (Synopsis of the Books of the Bible, Loizeaux edition, vol. 2, p. 628).
While the Lord is executing judgment upon the western powers, the King of the North will continue his conquest southward into Egypt (Dan. 11:42-43). But hearing “tidings” (news) from the land of Israel, the King of the North will return from Egypt to lay “siege” against Judah and Jerusalem, which he had previously overthrown on his way into Egypt. He will pitch his tents “between the [Mediterranean] Sea” and “the eastern sea” (the Dead Sea)—which is the vicinity of Jerusalem—only to meet the Lord there! Full of pride and confidence from his previous victories, the King of the North will “stand up against the Prince of princes,” only to be “cut in pieces” and “broken without hand” (Dan. 8:25; 11:44-45; Joel 2:20). This is the judgment described in chapter 12:3-9.
The rout of these Arab armies is described figuratively as a cavalry being violently overthrown. The Lord will “smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness” (vs. 4a). The Lord’s “voice” will be the instrument by which they will be “beaten down” (Isa. 30:31). He will “open” His “eyes upon the house of Judah” in divine pity and will have compassion on them and will rise up to deliver them (vs. 4b). The “governors [leaders] of Judah” will recognize that God has intervened on their behalf and is acting providentially for their deliverance. They will “say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in [through] the LORD of Hosts their God” (vs. 5). Thus, they will own that the nation’s new-found strength is “through” the Lord and will give Him the due credit for it. They will not realize, at this point, that the Messiah has actually appeared, for when He comes initially, He will veil Himself “in a cloud” from the view of the Jewish remnant (Luke 21:27). He will reveal Himself to them later.
The faith of the Jewish remnant will soar, and they will get involved in the rout of the armies of the King of the North that will gather against Jerusalem. And amazingly, the Lord will use them in the battle: “In that day, will I make the leaders of Judah like a hearth of fire among wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the peoples round about, on the right hand and on the left; and Jerusalem shall dwell again in her own place, in Jerusalem” (vs. 6). To ensure happy unity in the remnant of Jews, the Lord will deliver those in the countryside of Judah before delivering the city of Jerusalem (vs. 7). Thus, the Lord will “defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem” and “destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem” (vss. 8-9). See also Isaiah 31:4-5 and Zechariah 14:3.
The Repentance of the Jewish Remnant
Having judged the Arab armies under the King of the North, the time will have come for the Lord to show Himself to the Jewish remnant. He will go to “the Mount of Olives” and create a shelter (a great valley) into which the remnant will be encouraged to enter (Zech. 14:4-5). “Tidings” will go out over the surrounding mountains where many Jews will be hiding, and they will come down into the valley (Isa. 52:7).
Some expositors say that what follows in verses 10-14 is the most moving and touching scene in all the Bible. At that time, the Lord will “pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn” (vs. 10). A profound sense of grace will sweep over the remnant of the Jews, and like He did with His disciples 2000 years ago in the upper room, He will show them “His hands and His side” (John 20:20). Immediately, it will connect with their hearts and consciences, and they will realize that He is Jesus of Nazareth whom the nation crucified. They will look upon Him whom they “pierced” (John 19:37; Psa. 22:16) and will “mourn” in deep repentance (Matt. 24:30). There will be “a great mourning” among the Jews comparable to the mourning that took place in “Hadad-rimmon in the valley of Megiddon” when king Josiah was killed there by Pharaoh-Necho (2 Kings 23:29; 2 Chron. 35:22). Josiah’s death was an incredibly great loss for Judah, for he was the last bulwark against the wickedness of idolatry which flooded the nation after his death (vs. 11).
This will be a quiet and intimate affair between the Lord and the Jewish remnant alone. Joseph revealing himself to his brethren who had rejected him is a type of this (Gen. 45). In that day, the Jews will fully understand and own that they, as a nation, crucified their Messiah. (Today, the Jews adamantly insist that they are not guilty of crucifying the Lord. They cry: “How could we who live today be responsible for something that happened 2000 years ago? We weren’t even there!” But if we were to examine what they believe as to who Jesus Christ is, we would find that they take the very same position that the nation took long ago, when they rejected Him and condemned Him as a blasphemer and an impostor. Since the Jews today uphold the decision that the nation made back then, they are morally included in that sin with them, and are blood-guilty indeed.)
So thorough will be the repentance in the people that everyone will mourn individually. This is the force of the word, “apart”—used eleven times in verses 12-14. The various parts of the nation will own their part in Christ’s death.
“The house of David”—the royal line.
“The house of Nathan”—the prophetic line.
“The house of Levi”—the priestly line.
“The house of Shimei”—the Levitical line.
It will not only be the families of the public leaders and officials who will mourn in repentance, but “all the families that remain”—i.e., the rank-and-file Jews—will also repent. Husbands and wives will mourn separately from each other, showing the gravity of the occasion. Thus, it will be a deep national repentance.
The Cleansing of the Repentant Jews
Chapter 13 follows with the Lord effecting a cleansing for His repentant people. We don’t find Him scolding them or berating them for their great national failure. Instead, a “fountain” will be “opened” (figuratively speaking) by the Lord for the cleansing away of their “sin and for uncleanness” (vs. 1). Such is the way of divine grace! The Lord will forgive their sins and purge them of their guilt in what will be the fulfilment of the Day of Atonement (Lev. 23:27). See also Isaiah 53. There will surely be a judicial cleansing for them, but the emphasis here is on moral and practical cleansing. It will result in the remnant of the Jews being happily restored to the Lord.
The Cleansing of the Land
Having purged the people of their national sin, the Lord will proceed to purge the land of the two evils which Satan used to lead the people astray—idols and false prophets. “It shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of Hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land” (vs. 2). Prior to the Lord’s coming (the Appearing) the land will have a proliferation of “false Christs and false prophets,” and there will be no restraint put upon them by the authorities (Matt. 24:24-26). But when the Jews are restored to the Lord, they will zealously judge all such spiritual corruption according to God’s Word (Deut. 13). In that day, if anyone dares to prophesy falsehood, the people will deal with him immediately, even if he were a family member. “His father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth” (vs. 3b). Consequently, false prophets will be “ashamed” of their sham prophecies, and out of fear of being executed for their presumption, they will readily confess that they were fakes. They will admit that they have worn “a rough garment [hairy mantle]” (a prophet’s attire – 2 Kings 1:8; Mark 1:6) “to deceive” the people into thinking that they were real (vs. 4). Thus, all such corruption in spiritual things will be quashed.
The Sufferings of the Messiah
An abrupt change in the prophecy now occurs. Christ is introduced in verses 5-7, and His character is contrasted to that of the false prophets in verses 2-4. The purpose of this is to give the people a clear understanding of the sufferings of Christ. Concerning this passage, J. N. Darby said: “It is Christ taking His lowly place, and amongst men, as Man, man’s place, and then His rejection by the Jews” (Notes and Comments, vol. 4, p. 221). (See also W. Kelly, Lectures on the Minor Prophets, p. 489; E. Dennett, Zechariah the Prophet, p. 170; A. J. Pollock, Things Which Must Shortly Come to Pass, p. 238.)
Immediately upon introducing Christ, we see that His character is quite the opposite to that of the false prophets. “And He (the Lord Jesus) shall say, I am no prophet, I am a tiller of the ground [a husbandman]; for man acquired Me as bondman from My youth” (vs. 5). Instead of putting Himself forward as being something that He wasn’t (as the false prophets did), the Lord is seen speaking of Himself in a humble, self-effacing way. Such was His lowliness (Matt. 11:29; 2 Cor. 10:1; Phil. 2:7-8). The Lord was indeed “that Prophet” whom God had promised to send to His people (Deut. 18:15-19), but since He was not received as such by them, He refused to take that office at that time, stating that He was “no prophet” (Luke 7:16; John 6:14; 7:40). In spite of being rejected, the Lord carried out His earthly ministry in faithfulness to God. As a “Tiller of the ground,” He cultivated men for God in a spiritual sense, sowing the good seed of the kingdom in their hearts and seeking their blessing (Luke 8:4-18). He was willing to take a servant’s place to meet the needs of men, and in that sense, He was a Servant of men. Thus, He could say: “Man acquired Me as a bondman from My youth.” Such was His grace (2 Cor. 8:9).
Verse 6 tells us what He got in return for His humble service: Wounds! “One shall say unto Him, What are these wounds in Thine hands? Then He shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of My friends.” The Lord uses the word “friends” here in an outward sense only. In that sense, He spoke of Judas as His own “familiar friend” (Psa. 41:9; Matt. 26:50).
It may be asked: “Who is the ‘one’ who asks about the wounds in His hands?” It couldn’t be the Jewish remnant; they will know full well how the Lord got those wounds, and they will be deeply repentant about it, having owned their part in His rejection (chap. 12:10-14). Some Bible teachers say (we think rightly) that these who are ignorant of the crucifixion of Christ are the ten tribes of Israel. C. E. Lunden said: “The ten tribes will ask the Lord, ‘What are these wounds in thine hands?’ He will answer, ‘Those with which I was wounded in the house of My friends’” (Judah Today, All Israel Tomorrow, p. 31). Matthew 24:30-31 supports this. It indicates that the ten tribes will come back into the land right at the time when the Jews (the two tribes) will be mourning over their national sin of crucifying Christ. The “tribes of the land” who “mourn” are the Jews (vs. 30) and the “elect” who are gathered in from “the four winds” are the ten tribes (vs. 31). It is important to remember that the two tribes (the Jews) will go through the Great Tribulation in the land, having returned there before the Great Tribulation, but the ten tribes will come back to the land after that terrible time.
We must also keep in mind that the Jews are guilty of rejecting Christ and receiving the Antichrist, but the ten tribes are not guilty of either. The ten tribes were not in the land of Israel at the time of the Lord’s first Advent. They didn’t cry: “Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him” (John 19:15). They had been deported from the land some 750 years earlier (2 Kings 17). Nor will they be back in the land when the Jews receive the Antichrist. Hence, the ten tribes who return after Christ appears are not cognizant of the significance of Christ’s death—not having a conscience about it, as will the Jews. These things fit the context here in Zechariah.
This being the case, the Lord will undertake to explain to the ten tribes the two sides of His death on the cross—His sufferings from the hands of man (vs. 6) and His sufferings from the hand of God (vs. 7). The first side is of His martyrdom sufferings (Psa. 69:1-21) and the second side is of His atoning sufferings (Psa. 22:1-3). Hence, it is not only the wounds inflicted by His friends that they are bidden to contemplate, but also of Jehovah’s sword smiting His Fellow. “Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, and against the Man that is My Fellow [My Equal], saith the LORD of Hosts: smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered” (vs. 7a). The Lord endured intense physical suffering in His body from being beaten and crucified; He also experienced deep internal suffering in His spirit from the insults and mockery hurled at Him. However, all that cannot be compared to His atoning sufferings which He endured when the “sword” of divine judgment against sin found its mark in His soul (Isa. 53:10). Such was the sacrifice necessary to put away sin (Heb. 9:26). The seventh verse clearly brings out who the Lord Jesus is—Jehovah’s “Fellow.” This points to His divinity. Thus, the Sin-bearer is none other than God Himself in the Person of Israel’s Messiah! So that there would be no mistake as to this, the Lord told His disciples, in no uncertain terms, that this passage in Zechariah would be fulfilled in His death (Matt. 26:31).
The Stroke of God’s Governmental Wrath Upon the Nation
On God’s side of the death of Christ, the result of the smiting was that sin was justly dealt with and put away righteously. Consequently, with propitiation having been made, God is now able to announce soul-salvation to the world as a blessing for all who will believe the gospel. But on the Jews’ side of Christ’s death, those who are guilty of killing Him (Acts 3:15), the sheep would be “scattered” under the stroke of God’s governmental wrath. The Roman armies in A.D. 70 were the instrument He used to destroy the nation and to scatter the people in a dispersion that now extends all over the world (Matt. 22:7). Even the Lord’s own disciples felt it, and thus, they were temporarily scattered (Matt. 26:56).
Thus, the Lord says: “And I will turn Mine hand upon the little ones” (vs. 7b). Not only would His hand be upon the guilty nation in governmental judgment, but His hand would also be upon those among them who have faith—“the little ones”). J. N. Darby said: “In smiting the Shepherd for the sake of the flock, His hand falls necessarily on the faithful of the flock itself. They must feel the condition of Israel, the sin in which they are all involved, but to them, living through Him, it is passing through the fire for purifying. Isaiah 1:25, and Amos 1:8, and Psalm 81:14, show, I think, that ‘turning the hand upon’ is in judgment” (Notes and Comments, vol. 4, p. 222). This stroke of divine judgment on the Jews is something that continues to be felt by them in their diaspora to this day.
The Ultimate End of the Jews in the Ways of God
In verses 8-9, the prophecy steps over the present interval of two thousand years—during which time God is visiting the Gentiles with the gospel of His grace (Acts 15:14)—to consider the Jewish remnant in a coming day suffering with the unbelieving mass of Jews under this governmental stroke of God’s wrath. “And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on My name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is My people: and they shall say, The LORD is My God.” E. Dennett said: “The whole of this present interval of grace must be interposed between the seventh and eighth verses; for while judgment, and terrible judgment, did fall upon the Jewish nation some thirty or forty years after the death of Christ, no such result as the bringing the third part through the fire into relationship with God was then reached. The accomplishment of this word, therefore, must be looked for in the future, when the Jews shall have been brought back to their land in unbelief, when God will resume His dealings with them” (Zechariah the Prophet, p. 176). Similarly, A. J. Pollock said: “Between the stroke of the sword (fulfilled at the cross) in verse 7 and the events prophesied in verses 8 and 9, we must interpose the whole of the present dispensation, which is not taken account of in Old Testament prophesies” (Things Which Must Shortly Come to Pass, p. 239).
The “third part” of the Jews in the land are the preserved portion of the remnant who will have genuine faith in Jehovah, and the “two parts” who are cut off and die are the apostate mass of Jews who will receive the Antichrist. The question is: “When are the two-thirds cut off?” Some think that it will happen in the Great Tribulation. But if that is so, who but the faithful remnant would be left in the land at the end of the Great Tribulation when the King of the North attacks? Scripture tells us that his armies will overrun the land and will leave a great carnage of people after him. Who would these people be that the King of the North cuts down? It couldn’t be the remnant (the one-third), because then there would be no Jews left on earth! W. Scott gives us the answer. He says: “The Jews, allying themselves with the apostate civil power (Dan. 9:27), will suffer in the land from the ‘desolator’ or King of the North—Jehovah’s scourge upon His guilty people—and there the unbelieving and apostate Judah-part of the nation—‘two parts shall be cut off and die’ (Zech. 13:8)” (Future Events, p. 47). Thus, the two-thirds part of the nation will not be cut off during the Great Tribulation, but just after that terrible time when the King of the North desolates the land, as chapter 14:2 goes on to state. The remnant will be in hiding due to the persecution of the Antichrist when the northern army attacks and will not be touched by them (Matt. 24:16-20). Since there are about 15 million Jews worldwide, and in that day they will all be gathered back into their land, the two-thirds who are cut down would number about ten million!
Zechariah is not giving a chronology of events here, but rather, is stating what these two parts of the nation are destined for. The larger part (the apostate mass) will be “cut off” by the King of the North and the other part (the faithful remnant) is to be refined through the sufferings of “the fire” during the Great Tribulation and brought into a living relationship with the Lord. Both parts will go through the Tribulation, but only the third part profit from the ordeal. These will form the nucleus of the nation when the Messianic kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ is established. Being restored to the Lord, “Lo-ammi” (meaning “Not My people” – Hos. 1:9) which is presently written over the nation, will be lifted. They will once again call, in faith upon Lord’s name, and He will own them as His people. See also Hosea 2:23. Thus, in the end, one part of the nation will be removed in judgment and the other part will be blessed in a relationship with the Lord Jesus, their Messiah.
A Recap of the Events Surrounding the Second Advent of Christ
Chapter 14—In the preceding chapters, Zechariah has traced the ways of God with the Jews in relation to their Messiah, which, as we have seen, will culminate in their full and happy restoration to Him. Now in this last chapter, the prophet gives some additional details that complete the subject. In a recap, Zechariah dwells upon events surrounding the second Advent of Christ and shows how those things will result in millennial blessing for Israel and the Gentile nations who worship Israel’s God. The chapter is a fitting climax to the fore-going visions and prophecies in the book.
The Coming of the Day of the Lord
Zechariah begins by announcing the coming of “the Day of the LORD,” and the fact that Jerusalem will be spoiled by her enemies before she will be enriched through the taking of their spoil after defeating them (vss. 1, 14). Thus, the nation will be reduced and humbled before being built up with God’s favour and blessing. This, as we have seen in chapter 11:15-17, will be on account of the mass of the Jewish people being apostate. They will have received the Antichrist as their king (Isa. 8:21; 30:33; 57:9; Dan. 11:36) and will have engaged in the worship of the Beast and his image (Rev. 13:11-18; Matt. 24:15), and consequently, since there is no recovery for apostates, that part of the nation must be cut down and removed (chap. 13:8).
The Day of the LORD is the time when the Lord will personally intervene in the ways of men with judgment and will subjugate the world under Him with a rod of iron (Psa. 2:9; Rev. 2:27; 12:5; 19:15). This day of judgment begins at the Appearing of Christ (1 Thess. 5:2; 2 Thess. 2:2-8) and will extend for a thousand years—the duration of the Millennium (2 Peter 3:8-10). Thus, God has blessing in store for this world when Christ takes His rightful place in it. This will not come about through the whole world being converted by the gospel, as Reformed (Covenant) Theology erroneously teaches. The gospel of the kingdom will be preached in that day, and many will be blessed through it (Rev. 7:9), but the millennial kingdom blessings described by the Prophets when Christ reigns supreme will result from an intervention of judgment, not by gospel preaching (Isa. 26:9). Evil men of this world, like the Jewish apostates who receive the Antichrist, will not be converted, and therefore, must be removed through judgment.
In Zechariah 14, the prophet indicates that the Day of the LORD will be signaled by an attack from an assemblage of armies that will overrun the land and take the city of Jerusalem. The Lord says: “I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle” (vss. 2-3). We know from elsewhere in the prophetic Scriptures, that these confederated armies that come against Jerusalem are those under the King of the North (Psa. 83:2-8; Dan. 11:40-41). Thus, in a matter of a few literal days after these armies enter and desolate the land of Israel, the Lord will appear from heaven and the Day of the LORD will begin. The prophet Joel confirms the timing of this, stating that when the Assyrian (the King of the North) comes in, the people will know that the day of the LORD is “at hand”—that is, it was about to take place (Joel 2:1-11).
This passage shows that the Lord has two reasons for gathering these armies together against Jerusalem: firstly, He will use them to cut down the apostate Jews in the land (vs. 2), and secondly, He will gather them together in one place so that He can judge them (vs. 3). What the prophet doesn’t tell us here is that the Lord will appear out of heaven between verses 2 and 3. This is obvious, for if the Lord is to personally “fight against” and judge “those nations,” He must of necessity have returned. Other prophetic Scriptures indicate that the Appearing of Christ will occur after the King of the North attacks and desolates the land of Israel (Dan. 11:40-44; Joel 2:1-20; Rev. 9:13–11:15; 16:12-15).
When the Lord appears, He will come out of the eastern sky (Matt. 24:27) into the northern part of the land of Israel (Isa. 9:1-2) to judge the western powers under the Beast who will be coming in from the west (Num. 24:24; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; 2:8; Rev. 16:15-21; 19:11-21). After dealing with the armies of the Beast, the Lord will move south to defend Jerusalem from the armies of the King of the North who will then be returning from Egypt (Dan. 11:44-45; Joel 2:20; Isa. 31:4-5; Zech. 12:8-9; Psa. 76:3). It is at this time that the Lord will fight against those (Arab) nations, as verse 3 states.
The Remnant of the Jews Restored to the Lord at the Mount of Olives
Having judged the armies that were gathered against Jerusalem, the Lord will then come to the Mount of Olives. Zechariah says: “And His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah (vss. 4-5a). When the Lord judges the armies of the Beast and the King of the North, He will not have as yet touched the earth. But now at the Mount of Olives, He does. He puts “His feet” on the very same spot from which He ascended two thousand years ago! This is exactly what the two angels told the apostles would happen (Acts 1:9-12).
The Lord’s purpose in coming to the Mount of Olives will be to reveal Himself to the Jewish remnant, and in doing so, He will restore them to Himself. At that time, they will look upon Him whom they have (as a nation) pierced and will “mourn” in repentance (Zech. 12:10-14; Matt. 24:30). The Lord will forgive them of their national sin of rejecting Him and will cleanse them from all iniquity (Zech. 13:1).
Zechariah tells us that when the Lord’s feet touch the Mount of Olives, it will create a “very great valley” in the mountains. This amazing phenomenon will give the Jewish remnant a sense that Jehovah has arisen to deliver them from their troubles. They will be in immense distress at the time and will perceive that a door of deliverance has been divinely opened for them—for who but Jehovah could make an alteration in the topography of the land to that magnitude without anybody being harmed! They will recall this prophecy of Zechariah and act in faith upon it, and thus, will run into the newly-formed valley. Normally, a person would run away from an earthquake, but their faith will lead them to run into it. Through the encouragement of heralds who will announce on the mountains: “Thy God reigneth!” the remnant will come out of their hiding places into the valley (Isa. 52:7). It is at this time, that they will see the Lord for who He truly is—Jesus of Nazareth, the One whom the nation rejected long ago!
Two Phases to the Appearing of Christ
Hence, in summary, there are two parts (or phases) to the Appearing of Christ:
Firstly, there is the side that pertains to the judgment of His enemies (Psa. 97:1-7; Isa. 30:27-33; 1 Thess. 5:1-2; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; 2:8; Jude 14-16; Rev. 16:15-21; 19:11-21). This will be a violent display of raw and intense judgmental power. His coming in this sense is said to be “in a cloud” (Luke 21:27) because there will be a partial veiling of Himself in regard to the Jewish remnant who will not see Him initially; a special moment is reserved for that. C. E. Lunden said: “The Son of Man is in a cloud. Before He appears in all of His glory, He will send His angels to clear His land of all evil. Though He won’t be seen [by all] yet, it is still His coming in that sense” (Notes for Prophetic Scriptures, p. 25).
Secondly, there is the side that pertains to the restoration and blessing of His people (the Jewish remnant) at the Mount of Olives (Zech. 14:4-5). The Lord’s appearing in this sense is said to be “on the clouds” (Matt. 24:30), denoting a full and public display of His glory. At that time, “every eye shall see Him”—including the Jewish remnant, which is “they also which pierced Him” (Rev. 1:7). As mentioned in our remarks on chapter 12:10-14, this will be a calm, quiet, and intimate manifestation of Himself, similar to when Joseph revealed himself to his brethren who had rejected him (Gen. 45). The Lord ascended to heaven from the Mount of Olives in a private manner amidst His own (Acts 1:9-12), and He will return to the waiting remnant of His people to the same spot and in the same calm and private manner. J. N. Darby said: “Besides the personal manifestation of Christ in judgment [against His enemies], there will be a discovery which is much more calm, much more intimate, of the Lord Jesus to the Jews. This is what will take place when He will descend on the Mount of Olives, where ‘His feet shall stand’ according to the expression of Zechariah 14:4-5. It is always the same Jesus; but He will reveal Himself peaceably, and show Himself, not as the Christ from heaven, but as the Messiah of the Jews” (Collected Writings, vol. 2, p. 380).
A. J. Pollock summarized these two aspects of the Appearing of Christ as follows: “It is like two parts of one campaign: first, the Lord’s appearing from heaven and destroying the Gentile powers at Armageddon, and then appearing actually on the Mount of Olives for the succour and deliverance of His people” (Things Which Must Shortly Come to Pass, p. 240).
The Personal Reign of Jesus Christ, the Messiah
Vss. 5b-21—The last section of this prophetic burden begins part-way through the fifth verse with the statement: “And the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with Thee.” It’s unfortunate that the KJV has placed this clause with the preceding subject, making it confusing. J. N. Darby remarked: “I do not see that the last-mentioned event follows that which precedes it in the chapter. There is a division in the middle of verse five. ‘And Jehovah my God shall come’ begins a fresh subject, introducing a grand distinct event which affects the whole earth in a manner that characterizes its future existence” (Synopsis of the Books of the Bible, Loizeaux edition, vol. 2, p. 629). W. Kelly said: “What is put as the last clause of verse five ought to be the beginning of a new section. These divisions are not inspired. They are only the effect of an editor’s effort to give the sense, and are sometimes mistaken, as I believe the fact is here ... .The new section begins, ‘And Jehovah my God shall come, and all the saints with Thee” (Lectures on the Minor Prophets, p. 496). E. Dennett said: “He now commences the second part of the chapter, beginning at this point, with the coming of the Lord. He says, as if addressing Jehovah, ‘And the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with Thee’” (Zechariah the Prophet, p. 185).
This final portion of the book presents a glorious picture of the blessedness of the personal reign of the Lord Jesus Christ—the Messiah of Israel and the King of all the earth. It begins with what will introduce His reign—His second advent (His Appearing). Thus, “the glorious Appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13) is not only for the judgment of His enemies and for the deliverance and restoration of the remnant of Israel, but it will also be for the display of His kingdom glory. The saints are mentioned as coming “with” Him (Zech. 14:5b; 1 Thess. 3:13; 4:14; Jude 14; Rev. 19:14), because they are the vehicle through which His glory will stream to the world. The Apostles Paul and John speak of this in connection with the Church (2 Thess. 1:10; Rev. 21:10-11), but here, Zechariah includes those from Old Testament times in the expression of “all the saints.”
Features That Will Characterize the Reign of Christ
The first notable thing is that the manifested glory of Christ’s coming and public reign will be such that at nighttime it will not be completely dark, due to His resplendent glory filling the earth (Num. 14:21; Psa. 72:19; Isa. 4:5; Ezek. 43:4-5; Hab. 2:14). “And it shall come to pass in that day, that there shall not be light; the shining shall be obscured. And it shall be one day which is known to Jehovah, not day, and not night; and it shall come to pass, at eventide it shall be light” (vss. 6-7). (The editors of the Hebrew text tell us that the wording in this passage is difficult.) This will be similar to what Israel experienced in the wilderness at night, having the Shekinah glory cloud over the camp providing light for them—(Ex. 13:21-22; Psa. 105:39)—only this will be far greater, covering the whole earth.
Another thing that will mark that day is that a new river will flow through the land with healing waters. “And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former [eastern] sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be” (vs. 8). We learn from Ezekiel 47:1-12, that this river’s headwaters will be “under the threshold” of the new temple which will be built in that day (Ezek. 40-43). Its healing waters will flow out to the Dead (“eastern”) Sea in the east and to the Mediterranean (“hinder”) Sea in the west. Ascertaining which seas are meant here is better understood (as mentioned in our remarks on chapter 6:1-8) by noting that the eastern way of obtaining one’s direction is by first standing facing the east toward the sunrise. Thus, north would be to the left and south to the right. West would be behind the person, and hence, is indicated in this passage as “the hinder sea,” which would be the Mediterranean. These “living waters” will rejuvenate the whole earth, causing agriculture to flourish beyond our imagination, and people to be healed of all their maladies—including the lame, the blind, the deaf and dumb, etc. (Psa. 103:3; Isa. 33:24; 35:1-7; Rom. 8:20-22). The streams that run through those Middle Eastern lands are seasonal and dry up in summer, but that will not be the case with this river; it will run “in summer and in winter,” signifying continual blessing.
Another thing that will characterize the Lord’s millennial kingdom reign is unification of state and religion in Himself. “And the LORD shall be King over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and His name one” (vs. 9). Thus:
As “King,” He will be the Sovereign Ruler of the world.
As “LORD [Jehovah],” He will be the Object of worship.
For the first time in world history there will be a one-world government conducted in perfect righteousness (Psa. 72:1-3; Isa. 32:1; 61:11). Some have the idea that the Beast and the Antichrist will establish a one-world government during the Great Tribulation, but that is not true. The sphere of their authority will be in the West, and in those nations only. They will not have control over the Arab nations in the Middle East, nor will they have authority over Gog (Russia) and the nations in his confederacy. These nations are enemies of the West, and as such, will not accept the rule of any power in the West.
There will also be vast geographical changes in the topography of the land of Israel. Besides the great valley that will be created by the Lord’s feet on the Mount of Olives, “all the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba (six miles northeast of Jerusalem) to Rimmon (thirty-three miles southwest of Jerusalem) south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin’s gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner-gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king’s winepresses” (vs. 10). This plot of land is approximately 40 miles in diameter and will be “lifted up” in elevation, creating a high, very visible plain in the vicinity of Jerusalem, and making it the prominent feature in the land. Its purpose will be to accommodate the influx of people from all the nations of the world who will be visiting Jerusalem to worship. It is called “the mountain of the LORD” in connection with worship and learning the truth (Isa. 2:2-3), and “the city of the great King” in connection with the government of the earth (Psa. 48:2). “Benjamin’s gate” was in the north wall of the city and is the same as “the gate of Ephraim” (2 Kings 14:13; Neh. 8:16; 12:39). From it went the road northward to the land of Benjamin, and north of that to the land of Ephraim.
For the first time in thousands of years, Jerusalem will be safe to live in—simply because the Lord will be there (Psa. 46:4-5; Ezek. 48:35; Zeph. 3:5). “Men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited” (vs. 11). It will no more be “trodden down of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24; Dan. 9:26b). As a result, a scene of rest and peace will mark the land in that day (Isa. 32:1-2, 17-18). A remnant of all twelve of the tribes of Israel will dwell there safely (Ezek. 38:11, 14) and in happy unity (Isa. 11:13).
The Destruction of Israel’s Foes Who Challenge the Reign of Christ
Vss. 12-15—The prophet then turns to speak of the Lord’s judgment upon “the peoples (Gentiles) who will come against Jerusalem” (vs. 12a). Most translations render this as “have fought,” but M. F. Unger indicates that the Hebrew literally is, “will come.” “Will come” points to yet another coalition of armies that will mount an attack “against Jerusalem” after the Lord has appeared and has restored the remnant of Israel. That there would be such a presumptuous attack upon Jerusalem, when there will be so many outward signs of the Lord’s presence being there with His people, is quite incredible. But such is unbelief; it blinds the heart and mind.
Who could these armies be who would dare to attempt such a thing? Zechariah does not specify who they are, but the prophetic Scriptures indicate that it could only be Gog and his great confederacy (Ezek. 38-39). They will be the only hostile enemies left on earth opposed to Israel who have not engaged in the conflicts. Commenting on this passage, W. Kelly said: “The awful judgment of the nations which fought against Jerusalem is set forth. We see the last sample of this stroke in Ezekiel 38-39 before peace flows like a river” (Lectures on the Minor Prophets, p. 500).
Needless to say, the Lord will decimate these godless people in the most ferocious judgment recorded in Scripture—called the Winepress (Vintage) judgment (Isa. 63:1-6; Joel 3:9-17; Rev. 14:17-20). Not only will the Lord personally roar out of Zion to “trample” these enemies in His fury, but there will also be a “plague” upon them that will consume their flesh away. “Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes [sockets], and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth” (vs. 12b; Ezek. 38:22a). Though not mentioned here, there will also be an enormous earthquake (Ezek. 38:19-20) causing the attacking armies to panic, and pandemonium will break out among them. In their confusion they will beat one another down. “And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour” (vs. 13; Ezek. 38:21). (Compare Judges 7:22.) Moreover, Israel’s armies will also “fight” (vs. 14; Jer. 51:19-23). “And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance.” These nations will have designs on despoiling Israel (Ezek. 38:12-13), but they themselves will end up being despoiled by Israel!
Millennial Worship of Christ by All Nations
Vs. 16—Every foe being defeated, the Lord Jesus Christ as the Messiah of Israel and the King of all the earth will reign supreme. “Every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of Hosts, and to keep [celebrate] the Feast of Tabernacles” (vs. 16). Millennial worship of the Lord will be established, and the nations will be glad to give their homage to Him (Psa. 86:9; 100:1-5). All nations will be required to go up to Jerusalem annually to “worship the King, the LORD of Hosts,” and to keep “the Feast of Tabernacles.” This will be done representatively. Delegates representing each nation will come with an oblation from their respective nation, for it would be impossible to have several billion people converge on Jerusalem at one time. The large plain created for those visiting Jerusalem (vs. 10) will be large enough to accommodate the delegates from each country, but not for all the people of the world.
Governmental Judgment in the Millennium
Vss. 17-19—The nations who refuse to send an embassage to represent them in Jerusalem at the Feast of Tabernacles will be made to feel the governmental judgment of God in their land in a very practical way—“upon them shall be no rain” (vs. 17). This is a considerable judgment, for the rain in that millennial day will not be any ordinary rain. The “living [healing] waters” from the new river flowing out into the sea (vs. 8) will be absorbed into the eco-system all over the world, and thus, the rain will have those living virtues in it as well. The effect of the rain being withheld will, therefore, have huge negative consequences on the fertility of crops, etc. With nations like “Egypt,” such a penalty might seem irrelevant. They have virtually no rainfall (“have no rain”) and exist without it by using irrigation (Deut. 11:10). But God’s ways in government will not be thwarted by man’s ingenuity. On all such rainless nations that refuse to come up to Jerusalem to worship “there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep [celebrate] the Feast of Tabernacles” (vs. 18).
The Millennial Earth Characterized by Holiness
Vss. 20-21—Finally, the character of the great King will be reflected in everything in His kingdom. Since He is holy, holiness will be the order of the day in all aspects of life. The whole land will be sanctified to the Lord. “HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD” will be written across everything (symbolically), from the most ordinary things in domestic life to things pertaining to the worship of the Lord in the temple. This epitaph signifying the holy standard of the Lord will be on:
“The bells of the horses”—public life.
“The pots in the LORD’S house”—religious life.
“Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah”—private life.
In a holy city, populated with holy people who worship in a holy temple, there is absolutely no place for unholiness. Therefore, “in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of Hosts” (vs. 21). In Israel, a “Canaanite” was the proverbial name for a profane and morally corrupt person.
Such will be the character of the millennial day when the Lord Jesus Christ, Israel’s Messiah and King of all the earth, will reign supreme.
THE VISIONS, PROPHECIES
& BURDENS OF ZECHARIAH—The Complete History of Israel
and the Gentile Nations in Relation
to Jesus Christ, the Messiah
Bruce Anstey
ISBN 1-894403-00-31
First Printed Edition – November 2020
Printed Version – 1.0
Printed in Canada
First eBook Edition – May 2021
eBook Version – 1.0
Note: all Scriptures quoted are from either the King James Version (KJV) or the J. N. Darby Translation, unless otherwise noted.
Published By:
CHRISTIAN TRUTH PUBLISHING
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