"STUDIES IN THE MINOR PROPHETS"
Zechariah - I Am Zealous For Zion (9:1-11:17)
INTRODUCTION
- The last six chapters of the book of Zechariah contain two "burdens"
(i.e., weighty words of judgment)...
- The "burden" against Israel's enemies - cf. Zech 9:1-2
- The "burden" against Israel herself - Zech 12:1
- There is a sharp contrast between these chapters and the first
eight...
- Prompting some to suggest they may have been written by a
different author
- While others (myself included) believe they were written much
later in the life of Zechariah
- Though the temple was completed by this time, and Zechariah's
initial work a success...
- His work as a prophet was not over
- Through him the Lord has much to say about the future of Israel,
with glimpses concerning the coming Messiah (Jesus)
[In this lesson, we shall survey the first "burden", which contains
words of judgment against Israel's longtime enemies, while offering
words of hope to Israel herself...]
- JUDGMENT AGAINST ISRAEL'S ENEMIES
- AGAINST SYRIA...
- Against its leading cities: Damascus, Tyre, Sidon - Zech 9:1-2
- Despite her strength and wealth, the Lord will bring
destruction - Zech 9:3-4
-- Many commentators point to the conquests of Alexander the
Great as the fulfillment of this prophecy (ca. 333 B.C.)
- AGAINST PHILISTIA...
- Her cities (Gaza, Ekron, Ashkelon) will be dismayed - Zech 9:5
- Strangers will abide there; those that remain will be for God
- Zech 9:6-7
- In contrast, God will protect His house, or Israel - Zech 9:8
-- Alexander the Great did not destroy Jerusalem as he made his
way through Palestine (cf. Josephus, Antiquities Of The Jews)
[Verse 8 might actually belong to what follows. If so, then it begins
what appears to be designed to provide comfort to Israel concerning her
future...]
- ISRAEL'S HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
- HER KING IS COMING...
- The promise of the King - Zech 9:9a
- The character of the King - Zech 9:9b
- The nature of His kingdom - Zech 9:10
- A peaceful kingdom
- A universal reign
-- That Jesus fulfilled this passage is taught in the New
Testament! - Mt 21:1-7; 28:18; Ep 1:22; 2:14-17
- GOD WILL SAVE HIS PEOPLE...
- Her prisoners will be delivered, even from her enemies like
Greece - Zech 9:11-13
- The Lord lead them to victory and glory - Zech 9:14-17
-- The fulfillment of this passage may be figurative, alluding to
the spiritual victory we have in Christ (cf. Lk 4:16-21);
some, however, believe Zechariah is returning to the theme of
Israel overcoming the Greeks in the time of Alexander
- ISRAEL WILL BE RESTORED...
- The people are encouraged to seek blessings from the Lord, not
idols - Zech 10:1-2
- The Lord will provide proper shepherds - Zech 10:3-5
- The old leaders removed
- New leaders raised up to lead them to victory
- Both Judah and Joseph (Ephraim) will be redeemed and restored
- Zech 10:6-8
- Though sown among the nations, they shall remember and return
- Zech 10:9-11
- Strengthened in the Lord, they shall walk in His name - Zech
10:12
-- While speaking in terms that may have been meaningful to the
Israelites of that day, this section may also have its
fulfillment in the work of Christ through the gospel
- BUT NOT WITHOUT JUDGMENT...
- With great imagery, coming judgment is described - Zech 11:1-3
- Coming by way of the north (Lebanon)
- In which the shepherds in particular wail for their loss
- Zechariah is told to feed a flock destined for slaughter
- Zech 11:4-6
- Whose owners and shepherds do not pity them
- For a time is coming when the Lord would not pity His flock
- Zechariah does so, but not for long - Zech 11:7-14
- He starts by making two staffs, one called "Beauty", the
other "Bonds"
- He feeds the flock, but not without opposition from the
other shepherds
- He gives up on the flock, breaking his staffs
- The breaking of "Beauty" symbolizing the breaking of the
covenant
- He is paid 30 pieces of silver, and is told to throw it
to the potter
- Then he breaks "Bonds" which symbolizes the break of the
brotherhood between Judah and Israel
- Zechariah is then told to take the implements of a foolish
shepherd - Zech 11:15-17
- For the Lord will one day raise up a foolish shepherd
- One who will not care for the flock, upon whom judgment
will come
- What is this chapter about?
- Many see in it the destruction that befell Israel and
Jerusalem by the hands of the Romans in A.D. 70
- Because Israel's shepherds (leaders) rejected its Good
Shepherd for which they paid a paltry 30 pieces of silver
(cf. Mt 27:1-10), they were rejected by God
CONCLUSION
- The last six chapters of Zechariah have been described as some of
the most difficult in the Bible...
- The difficulty lies in discerning the true fulfillment of these
prophecies
- Not only their initial fulfillment, but whether a double
fulfillment was intended as well
-- Even the apostles were unable to fully discern Old Testament
prophecy without the Lord's help - cf. Lk 24:44-47
- As with all Old Testament prophecy, I recommend the following...
- Where the inspired writers of the NT have provided inspired
interpretation, we should certainly hold to what they wrote
- But on those prophecies of the OT where NT writers have not
commented, we should be very cautious:
- We can offer our understanding as to what they pertain
- But we should abstain from developing doctrines or practices
based upon our uninspired interpretations of such prophecy
- Indeed, if the Lord had wanted us to know...
- I am persuaded the New Testament would have made it known
- Just as it did the "mystery" of the gospel - cf. Ro 16:25-26;
Ep 3:3-5
Part of that "mystery" that had been hidden so long was contained in
these very words of Zechariah:
"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of
Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and
having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal
of a donkey. (Zech 9:9)
And again...
Then I said to them, "If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages;
and if not, refrain." So they weighed out for my wages thirty
pieces of silver. And the LORD said to me, "Throw it to the
potter"; that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty
pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD for
the potter. (Zech 11:12-13)
Yes, the mystery concerning One who was coming to be their King. He has
come, but some rejected Him for 30 pieces of silver (cf.
Mt 27:1-10)!
Have you rejected Jesus from being your King, for what is a paltry sum
in comparison to the blessings He provides? - cf. Ac 2:36-38