Zechariah 14:20-21

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20 On that day holy to the Lord will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots in the Lord’s house will be like the sacred bowls in front of the altar. 21 Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the Lord Almighty, and all who come to sacrifice will take some of the pots and cook in them. And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the Lord Almighty. ~ Zechariah 14:20-21

Today, we come to our final passage in our study of the book of Zechariah. And, as we have already considered, in the Millennium, after the Battle of Armageddon is completed, there will be people from the nations who will believe in the Lord Jesus and survive the wrath of God. Everyone who will go into the Millennium will be "Born Again." Under the old covenant, there were three feasts the Jews were commanded to keep: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles.

Passover referred to the deliverance from Egypt, and the blood of the sacrificed lamb applied to the doorposts. The Passover feast was fulfilled when the Lord Jesus was crucified. He celebrated Passover with his disciples in the evening because the day, the Jewish day, begins at night. The very next day, He was crucified on Passover as the Passover lamb, who takes away the sins of the world. That Passover feast has been fulfilled.

The second feast was Pentecost, 50 days after Passover, where the first fruits of the harvest were taken before the Lord. The people went through their fields, they took the corner of the wheat, bundle them up in sheaves, and they waved them before the Lord. It was a way to acknowledge that the first of the harvest belonged to the Lord. Pentecost was fulfilled in Acts 2, when the disciples were all gathered together in the upper room. The Holy Spirit came and 3,000 people were saved.

The third feast, the feast of Tabernacles, has been unfulfilled to date. As we have pointed out before, the Feast of Tabernacles celebrated the fact that God kept Israel through the wilderness for 40 years. It was that time when the Lord's presence protected Israel in the wilderness and brought them into the promised land. 

The fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles will happen at the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus. After being in the long wilderness of the sinful world, the believers in the Lord Jesus will be delivered into the kingdom age at His coming. When He has defeated His enemies and He will reign over all the earth. 

In v.20  of today's text we read, "On that day holy to the Lord will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots in the Lord’s house will be like the sacred bowls in front of the altar."

The imagery here is drawn from worship under the old covenant. The New Testament interprets old covenant details in terms of new covenant spiritual realities. For example, the Lord Jesus revealed that true fellowship and worship are not restricted to a holy place in Jerusalem in John 4:21-24. And, Paul showed that God extends his hand to all nations. Under the new covenant, the temple of God is the church, not a building in Jerusalem. We offer ourselves as living sacrifices, not physical ones at an altar in Jerusalem. And, circumcision is that of the heart, not just the cutting of the foreskin.

The phrase "Holy to The Lord" is a very special phrase in the Bible. That phrase was engraved in only one place in Israel’s history. The high priest, Aaron, had a turban. On the front of his turban was a gold plate, and engraved on that gold plate were the words "Holy to The Lord" which meant set apart. Aaron was an uncommon man, but he was especially holy, because he was a type of the Lord Jesus.

These words were reserved only for the high priest. The bells of the horses and the pots in the Temple in the kingdom age will have that same inscription. The Millennial kingdom will be holy. There will be no secular and sacred in that world. There will only be the sacred.

In v.21 of today's text we read, "Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the Lord Almighty, and all who come to sacrifice will take some of the pots and cook in them. And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the Lord Almighty."

Everything in the Millennium pertaining to the worship of God will be holy. And, there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the Lord Almighty. The word Canaanite is a figure of speech referring to an unclean person or a person who hasn't been made holy to the Lord. At the beginning of the millennial kingdom of Christ, there will not be a degenerate person.

Our conclusion is that we should not interpret Zechariah 14 in a literal way nor as a command to Christians to keep the Festival of Tabernacles. Like Passover and Pentecost, the feast of Tabernacles will be fulfilled in the second coming of the Lord Jesus. It will be in the Millennium, the feast of Tabernacles will be fulfilled like the other feast in the old covenant. When we come to this chapter, having trusted in the Lord Jesus, we recognize them in light of Christ’s redemptive work. 

Under the new covenant, we are not commanded to keep the Festival of Tabernacles. Christ has fulfilled the old covenant law. The spiritual reality is that Christ has made his tabernacle with us which is what the Apostle told us in John 1:14. It will be that when we are in the Millennium, we, the people of God, will have become the tabernacle of God in whom the Holy Spirit dwells.

Zechariah 14:16-19

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16 Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. 17 If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, they will have no rain. 18 If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain. The Lord will bring on them the plague he inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. 19 This will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. ~ Zechariah 14:16-19

We return to our study of Zechariah 14 where we have discovered what God has in store for His people at the end of the Tribulation. Today, the Lord reveals what will happen to those who reject embracing the humility that enables them to cry out to Him for His salvation. In addition, in today's text, the Lord gives us a slight peak into what the Millennium will be like. 

In v.16 of today's text we read, "Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles."

After the Tribulation and the Day of the Lord, there will be those out of the nations who will have believed in the Lord Jesus as their Messiah, who will come to Jerusalem to worship God. These will literally come out of those nations which came against Jerusalem, though they themselves did not agree with what their nation did to Israel. These, will be those who believed on the Lord Jesus at some point during the Tribulation. And, these from all over the world, will, during the Millennium, go to Jerusalem from year to year to worship the Lord during the Feast of Tabernacles. 

The Feast of Tabernacles is a celebration of God's presence among His people. Annually the people of the world will go to Jerusalem to enjoy the feast of God's presence. Along with Passover and Pentecost, the Feast of Tabernacles is one of three major pilgrimage feasts given by God to Israel around which the Jewish calendar pivots. This feast, the feast of tabernacles, is unique from the other two annual pilgrimage festivals in that it is the only of the seven feasts in which Gentiles could participate.

In v.17 of today's text we read, "If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, they will have no rain."

If people from nations do not come to Jerusalem for this annual feast, during the Millennium, their land will experience drought. During the Millennium, worship will not be optional. And so they’ll keep the Feast of Tabernacles which is a commemorative feast of the presence of God leading His people out of Egypt. This all underscores the fact that during the Millennium, not everyone will be "born again." Sadly, at the end of the Millennium, many will choose to rebel against God and choose their eternal state in Hell with the Devil and his demons.

In v.18-19 of today's text we read, "18 If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain. The Lord will bring on them the plague he inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. 19 This will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles."

Anyone who rebels against God during the Millennium will suffer the consequences of forfeiting the protection of God in their lives. When we ignore God's word, we avail ourselves to the dangers of evil. When we reject God's protection in our lives through His word, the truth is not allowed its position to guide us in its way. 

Now, God has to punish rebellion; He can not allow the slightest sin to go undealt with because the slightest sin will undermine all that is good, true and righteous. So, the punishment of all who will come not to keep the Feast of Tabernacles will be a plague.

The Feast of Tabernacles occurred in the autumn of the year when the summer crops had been harvested. It was then that God gave the Israelites this feast. His goal was to remind His people of their dependence upon Him. The truth is, our success has always been dependent upon His work in our lives. 

The origins of the feast of Tabernacles can be found in the Five Books of Moses, where we are told that the Lord commanded all Israelite males to appear before him three times a year at the place He would designate. They were not allowed to come before God with empty hands. The feast centered on acknowledging the Lord God as their ultimate provider. It was actually considered the most significant feast of all the feasts for Israel. One way we see this is in its name. In several verses in the Hebrew Bible, it is referred to as the "festival of the Lord." Eventually, it became common to refer to it simply as "the festival." 

The Feast of Tabernacles was a seven day feast, and the people came with a piece of citrus fruit in their left hand, symbolic of the fruitful land that God gave them. And, in their right hand, they had branches of three different trees: a palm branch, a willow branch, and a myrtle branch, or pieces of it, emblematic of the stages of the wilderness wanderings before they got into the Promised Land.

To inaugurate the feast, the priest led the procession of people with a golden pitcher in his hand which he eventually dipped into the pool of Siloam in Jerusalem. Then, he walked up to the temple where he poured the water on the stones of the altar. The pouring out of the water was symbolic of the water that God gave Israel from the rock while they traveled in the exodus through the desert. 

On the last day of the Feast, the people were led by the priest to Siloam to get water. After getting the water, the priest and the people marched around the altar seven times, singing Isaiah 12 with joy. On the sixth march around the altar, the priest was met by another priest with a pitcher of wine. Water is symbolic in the Scriptures of the Word of God. Wine is symbolic of joy. This is the message of the feast: the joy of God in the life of the believer through the Holy Spirit.

In John 7:37 we read, "On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.” 

Imagine how powerful that experience was for all who were there that day at the Temple in Jerusalem. The Lord Jesus then said, "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified."

Once the believer in Christ is “Born Again,” he has a whole new perspective on life. He has passed from the darkness into the light of God’s wisdom. As with all the Lord's commands, he recognizes the many benefits of walking in God’s truth. One major benefit is that of gratitude. 

Cicero once said, "Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others." Research has shown that practicing gratitude boosts the immune system, bolsters resilience to stress, lowers depression, increases energy, determination, and strength, and even helps us sleep better.

Gratitude turns our gaze away from self and toward God, reminding us of our desperate need of Him. When we are dependent upon the Lord, it allows us to appreciate and affirm the value of Him as our Provider and Protector. And, all else flows out of this experience with God.

In John 7:38 we read, "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." The stream we learned about in yesterday's passage is analogous of the Holy Spirit and the life He brings to the willing heart. It is in the context of gratitude that the Holy Spirit empowers us with His joy. Nehemiah reminds us that the joy of the Lord is our strength.

In Nehemiah 8:12, in response to the reading of the Law, “all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.” 

In Psalm 51:12, David prays that God would “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” 

And, in 1 Thessalonians 1:6 Paul tells this church that "You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit."

Zechariah 14:12-15

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12 This is the plague with which the Lord will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. 13 On that day people will be stricken by the Lord with great panic. They will seize each other by the hand and attack one another. 14 Judah too will fight at Jerusalem. The wealth of all the surrounding nations will be collected—great quantities of gold and silver and clothing. 15 A similar plague will strike the horses and mules, the camels and donkeys, and all the animals in those camps. ~ Zechariah 14:12-15

We continue today in our study of the book of Zechariah. To this point in this chapter we have learned of all the wonderful things God will do for His people at the end of the Tribulation when He returns to this earth a second time. Today, we will see some of the things that will happen to those who chose to put their faith not in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

In v.12 of today's text we read, "This is the plague with which the Lord will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths."

Pretty bleak verse. The other day, I had someone message me that God will not do these things to people because He is a God of love. That statement proves that this person does not understand real love, because if he did, he would understand the depth of the wickedness of his sin. 

Dr. Timothy Keller once said, "To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God. It is what we need more than anything. His love liberates us from pretense, humbles us out of our self-righteousness, and fortifies us for any difficulty life can throw at us."

Those who will go to Hell for eternity will not go there because God chooses to send them there; They will go there of their own choice. A true understanding of our sinfulness yields the understanding that we are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe. Yet, at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared to hope. The value of the cross of Christ is heightened when we recognize that He went to such great lengths because we were so far damned in our sin.

According to v.12 of today's text, a deadly plague will cause the flesh of those who remained in their sinful condition to rot. Such is the nature of sin. Paul tells us in Galatians that the flesh or the evil within us is destroying us. The flesh brings destruction to our being every time we give in to it. And, these people whose flesh will rot are the ones to whom the Lord Jesus will say, "Depart into everlasting punishment." 

In v.13 of today's text we read, "On that day people will be stricken by the Lord with great panic. They will seize each other by the hand and attack one another."

Those who reject God's offer of salvation will experience a confusion that will cause them such paranoia that they themselves "will seize each other by the hand and attack one another." Those who will not be instantly hit with the plague will find themselves killing each other. The result will be terrible confusion, attacking and slaughtering each other. 

In v.14-15 of today's text we read, "14 Judah too will fight at Jerusalem. The wealth of all the surrounding nations will be collected—great quantities of gold and silver and clothing. 15 A similar plague will strike the horses and mules, the camels and donkeys, and all the animals in those camps."

The people of Judah will be given incredible strength to fight and win. As a result, the tables will be immediately turned. It will look like all hope will be lost and then at that point, the fate of Israel will reverse on a dime. The invading godless nations will be counting all their newfound wealth, right there in Jerusalem, and, just at the last moment, Israel will once again be on top of the battle. 

And, according to v.15, the plague will even touch the animals of war. This will happen in concert with the second return of the Lord Jesus. This just shows how infectious sin is that even the animals are impacted by the plague. This, yet again, underscores the wicked nature of Satan's way.

The plague will be awful, and nuclear war could explain it all. According to Revelation 6:16, it will be why the nations will cry out for the rocks and mountains to fall on them, and hide them from the face of Him who is seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. They will want death but be forced to suffer. They will want to hide but will not be able to hide.

According to Revelation 16:3, "every living thing in the sea will die." This could be the result of megatons of nuclear explosives being set off. And, according to Revelation 8:12, "A third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night." In the same way that large volcanic eruptions have darkened the skies in ancient times, nuclear war could fill the atmosphere with particles that block the sun.

Then in Revelation 8:7, "And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up." Between fires started by the insane heat of nuclear explosions, and the nuclear winter that follows, plant life will be devastated.

And, according to Revelation 16:2, "Ugly, festering sores will break out on the people." Radiation could cause burns and dramatically increase the rates of cancer.

And then, according to Revelation 16:8, "The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire. They were seared by the intense heat." Nuclear war could cause the possible poisoning of all vertebrates by sharply increased levels of vitamin D in their skin as a result of increased ultraviolet light, the people will suffer.

And, according to Revelation 9:18, "A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulphur." Obviously, a nuclear conflict could cause a staggering loss of life from fireballs, nuclear fallout and the massive starvation that would follow a nuclear winter.

The theme of Zechariah, as with any other portion of the Bible, is Christ. He is the theme. He is the answer to all things. This is the foundational truth that affirms the utter sufficiency of Jesus Christ for every spiritual issue in the life of every believer. He is all that is necessary for salvation and life. 

The more we grow in our relationship with the Lord Jesus, the more we will be caught up in the unfathomable and eternal covenant between the Father and the Son as they express their love to one another. This is why we are called to eternity, so that we might be a part of a redeemed humanity who will glorify the Son out of the love of the Father. These cataclysmic happenings on the earth at that time will underscore the utter wickedness of sin.

We didn’t stumble into this deal because of our own intelligence. From eternity past we were in the mind and the heart of God from before we were ever conceived. And, by His wonderful grace, we were ushered into the place where we recognized our need for Him and we said, "YES!," to His free offer of salvation through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Zechariah 14:6-11

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6 On that day there will be neither sunlight nor cold, frosty darkness. 7 It will be a unique day—a day known only to the Lord—with no distinction between day and night. When evening comes, there will be light. 8 On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it east to the Dead Sea and half of it west to the Mediterranean Sea, in summer and in winter. 9 The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name. 10 The whole land, from Geba to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem, will become like the Arabah. But Jerusalem will be raised up high from the Benjamin Gate to the site of the First Gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepresses, and will remain in its place. 11 It will be inhabited; never again will it be destroyed. Jerusalem will be secure. ~ Zechariah 14:6-11

Today, we continue our study of the final chapter in the most Messianic book in the Old Testament. Long before mankind rebelled against God, He remedied man's desperate situation. God, before the creation of this world, approached His Son who agreed to be the sacrifice for all of mankind's sin.

As we re-enter our study of Zechariah 14, we find ourselves at the end of all time. The Tribulation or the time of Jacob's trouble has taken place, and now, the Lord describes what will happen on earth after His Second Coming.

In v.6-7 of today's text we read, "6 On that day there will be neither sunlight nor cold, frosty darkness. 7 It will be a unique day—a day known only to the Lord—with no distinction between day and night. When evening comes, there will be light."

When the Lord Jesus returns to earth, all of the stars and the sun will go out. This event has been revealed many times throughout the Old Testament. This is not something just extracted out of this one text. Repeatedly the Old Testament reveals the day when God changes the patterns of heaven. 

In Revelation 6:12-14 we are told the lights of heaven will go out, the heavens will be rolled up like a scroll, and, the stars will fall out of the sky like figs overriped when the tree is shaken. It will be, as if, all of creation will bow down in the presence of its Creator as He makes His grand entrance.

In Isaiah 13:9-10 we read, "9 See, the day of the Lord is coming, a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it. 10 The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light."

On the one hand this day will be great, and on the other, it will be cruel. In the midst of the blackness will come the blazing revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints. For those who embraced not the truth, they will end up on the losing side. And, it will be, at that moment one third of Israel will turn to their Messiah in belief and they will be wonderfully saved and spared from the judgment of God.

In v.8 of today's text we read, "On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it east to the Dead Sea and half of it west to the Mediterranean Sea, in summer and in winter."

Jerusalem was the place where Abraham went up on Mount Moriah to worship the Lord with his son, Isaac. And, it was there that the Lord provided a ram that was caught in the thicket. A clear picture of the coming Savior who would die on Mount Moriah for the sin of mankind. 

Jerusalem was also the place where King David established his capitol as king of Israel. The phrase “City of David” is used of Jerusalem 45 times in the Bible. As indicated by the Lord Jesus in John 4, Jerusalem was the place of the true worship of God.

In the New Jerusalem, living water will flow continuously. In Revelation 22 we read about this stream that will flow from Mount Moriah which is in Jerusalem. The stream will split in two, one part will go down to the Dead Sea, and the other will go out to the Mediterranean Sea. Jerusalem was the only city that God chose to put His name. Incidentally, the Bible mentions Jerusalem more than any other city, about 800 times.

The living water spoken of here was the main subject between the woman at the well in John 4 and the Lord Jesus. This woman had been through six men, none of whom satisfied her. Unbeknown to her stood before her, her seventh man. The seventh man is the source of this stream of living water. We all long for certain things that we think will satisfy us, but the Lord Jesus is the only One who will satisfy our deepest longings.

In v.9-10 of today's text we read, "9 The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name. 10 The whole land, from Geba to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem, will become like the Arabah. But Jerusalem will be raised up high from the Benjamin Gate to the site of the First Gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepresses, and will remain in its place."

In the crowning of the Lord Jesus as King, He will not only be the King of heaven, He will be the King on earth. And, the deceptive worldwide one world religion that will arise during the Tribulation will be no more.

According to v.10, from Geba to Rimmon will become like the Arabah which is the name of the valley that is the deepest valley in the world. It runs from the Sea of Gailee to well south of the Dead Sea. It is the lowest, longest and flattest valley in the world. The picture the Lord is giving here of the New Jerusalem is of its terrain around it. From Geba on the north to Rimmon on the south is going to be the most perfect valley. And, this valley will raise Jerusalem up as if it were the most brilliant diamond on the most beautiful ring. The New Jerusalem will be dazzling.

In v.11 of today's text we read, "It will be inhabited; never again will it be destroyed. Jerusalem will be secure."

In the new Jerusalem, which will be the capital city of the new heavens and the new earth, there will be no temple in it for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb will be its temple. In the New Jerusalem, death will be swallowed up by life. As a result, the fear of death will no longer hover over the people of Jerusalem. And, there, there will be no more sin, no more curse, and no more heartbreak. Our greatest reality of the New Jerusalem will be that we will be in God's secure presence forever.

Zechariah 14:1-5

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1 A day of the Lord is coming, Jerusalem, when your possessions will be plundered and divided up within your very walls. 2 I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. 3 Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle. 4 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, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. 5 You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. ~ Zechariah 14:1-5

Today, we come to Zechariah 14, the last chapter of the book. This chapter is about winning by losing. God will use the greed and blood-thirstiness of a world under the complete control of Satan to bring all of history to this final conflict, the battle of Armageddon.

The armies of the world will gather against Jerusalem. And, there will be a tremendous battle that will produce incredible bloodshed and devastation. The enemies of Israel will seem to have accomplished their goal, but, as we are informed in today's text, God will miraculously intervene.  

In v.1-2 of today's text we read, "1 A day of the Lord is coming, Jerusalem, when your possessions will be plundered and divided up within your very walls. 2 I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city."

Israel's enemies will have such a sense of victory and such a sense of overwhelming confidence that they plop right down in the middle of Jerusalem, and they will begin to divvy up the wealth of the Jews right there on the spot. And, just at the moment when all will seem lost for the Jews, the Lord Jesus Christ will break through the clouds.

In v.3-4 of today's text we read, "3 Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle. 4 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, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south."

Now, the Old Testament records many days when God fought on the behalf of His people, Israel. And, as He did then, so He will do on that future day. The Lord Jesus will burst through the skies to fight for His people. This will be the long-awaited arrival of the Day of the Lord which is mentioned in the Bible over twenty times. It will be a day that unbelievers will regret and a day that believers will be relieved. It will be a day of redemption for those humble enough to cry out to God for His salvation, and it will be a day of judgment for those who refused to receive the free gift of forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ.

According to Acts 1, when the Lord Jesus ascended into heaven He ascended from the Mount of Olives. And, at His Second Coming, He will return to the very same spot, upon the Mount of Olives. He left this world from the Mount of Olives, visibly and bodily. To the Mount of Olives He will return visibly and bodily. This is a major difference between the Rapture and the Second Coming.

Seismologists have reported that there is a fault line running under and through the Mount of Olives. And they say, it could burst at any moment. It is waiting for a very strategic footprint that will break that fault and cause an earthquake this world has never seen before nor shall ever see again. Revelation 16 informs us this earthquake that will happen in Jerusalem, causing the cities of the nations to collapse. This earthquake will create a huge valley, enabling Israel to flee from its enemies. 

In v.5 of today's text we read, "You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him."

The Old Testament prophet Joel calls this valley, "the Valley of  Decision." It is essential to understand that here it is not talking about somebody choosing to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. Instead, it is a place where God decides the judgment He is going to pass on to the unbelieving people of the world.

The word "Azel" in Hebrew means near. The valley will split wide open near Jerusalem so that there will be immediate access for the threatened Jews. And they will flee through the valley of the mountains which will reach to Azel. 

There is coming a day when the righteous judgment of God will be handed out. If we stand in that valley of decision, on that day, it will be too late to choose to believe on Christ. The Scripture reminds us, "Today is the day of salvation." To wait until the Battle of Armageddon will not end well for anyone who has waited. But, by God's grace, you now have time before that day arrives to make your decision. Will you decide today to believe on the Lord Jesus and be saved?

Zechariah 13:7-9

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7 “Awake, sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!” declares the Lord Almighty. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones. 8 In the whole land,” declares the Lord, “two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third will be left in it. 9 This third I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’” ~ Zechariah 13:7-9

Today, we conclude our study of Zechariah 13 where God has been reiterating to Israel their need for salvation, repentance and restoration. And, as with you and me, Israel will be saved not from something but through something. Israel will be cleansed through the death of the Shepherd.

In v.7 of today's text we read, "Awake, sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!” declares the Lord Almighty. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones."

No one can be cleansed from the defilement of sin unless we are cleansed through the death of the Shepherd. The Lord Almighty, here, speaks of the True Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ. In John 10:11 the Lord Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." There is no mistaken He is the shepherd of whom the prophet Zechariah wrote so long ago.

As God moved in His judgment of sin, He unsheathed His sword against the one true Shepherd. And, the death of the Lord Jesus Christ was the plan of God. God called for the sword to strike His Shepherd. God takes the responsibility Himself for the death of His Son because man could not remedy his problem with sin and death. The Lord Jesus Christ had to come as the lamb slain before the foundation of the world to do in sin and death. Long before man rebelled and went the way of Satan, God had the remedy to mankind's problem. And, since man could never remedy his own problem, man's problem became God's problem. And, He solved it through the willingness of the Lord Jesus Christ to lay down His life for His sheep.

In Isaiah 53:10 we read, "And it pleased God to bruise Him." This does not mean that the death of His Son made God happy. This means the righteous requirements of the God of truth were satisfied through the death of the second person of the Trinity.

The word "man" used here in v.7 means a strong man or a mighty man. So, this is not just talking about any ordinary man. He says, "Take the sword against the strong man." And then the phrase "who is close to me" literally means "OF MY UNION." Literally, it should be translated "The mighty man who is coequal with Me." You see, God had to be our Savior for only God can conquer sin and death. And, this is why it is so important that the Lord Jesus Christ never sinned. He is perfect and only God can measure up to the righteous requirement of perfection. 

The second half of v.7 of today's text reads, "Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones." The result of that strike would be the scattering of the sheep. 

Now, in Matthew's account of this, the Lord Jesus added "this night you will all fall away because of me this night; for it is written, 'I will strike the Shepherd.'" Therefore it is very clear that Zechariah was predicting the Garden of Gethsemane. Gethsemane's struggle was the smiting of the Shepherd, and the result would be the scattering of the sheep. We can see how true that is if we look at Mark 14:50, where it says of the disciples, "And they all forsook him, and fled." 

It is interesting that never did the Lord Jesus speak of His cross to His disciples without setting it against the dawning light of the resurrection. And yet, they never seemed to grasp it. Not one of the disciples believed the Lord Jesus would be raised from the dead. I think that, because they did not want to hear about His death. Since they would not consider His death, there was no need for the resurrection. 

Now, it was far beyond the scattering of the Lord Jesus' disciples that Zechariah spoke, because a few years later in 70 A.D. when Titus came in and conquered Israel and Jerusalem, the whole nation of Israel was scattered throughout the world. The Jews have, to date, not been fully returned to the promised land. In fact, half of the worlds population of Jews live in America. I have often wondered, "What will it take for them to return?" And, one day very soon, all of the Jews will be brought back to the promised land to await the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus to this earth.

And then he adds an interesting note at the end of v.7, "I will turn My hand against the little ones." The little ones are the believing remnant of Jews of Israel who believed in the Lord Jesus as their Messiah. That phrase "turn His hand against" is used in the Old Testament to refer to chastening and disciplining. This is what happened to the early believers. The little ones were immediately persecuted for being believers of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In v.8-9 of today's text we read, "8 In the whole land,” declares the Lord, “two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third will be left in it. 9 This third I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.'"

These two verses speak of the time of the Tribulation, the time of Jacob's trouble or the seventieth seven in Daniel 9. At the end of the Tribulation, at the battle of Armageddon, there will be a terrible slaughter. And here, the prophet Zechariah says that that slaughter will take the lives of two out of every three Jews in Israel. The majority of the Jewish people in the Armageddon battle are going to die. And, just a portion, a third, will remain. And, there will be an attempt by the Antichrist to wipe out the whole nation. But, he will only able to wipe out some of them. Two thirds will die and one third will be left and they will be purified and refined like silver and like gold.

This one third that will make it through the Tribulation will be those in Zechariah 12:10 who will look on Christ and mourn when He returns. These will be the third who will enter the kingdom in their physical bodies to populate the earthly kingdom during the Millennium. 

In Matthew 24 we read, "There shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved." 

These Jewish believers will be refined, meaning, the intensity of the times will lead them to believe in the Lord Jesus as their Messiah. He will become the object of their faith. And, that little third will be the remnant of Israel that inherits the kingdom.

At the end of v.9 we read, "They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God."

In the end, those with a willing heart will be in God's family. God does not sovereignly redeem anyone apart from faith in His Son and His promises. The God of the Bible forgives us because it is His nature. And, because we are the sinners we are, we cannot tolerate a God less than He, because only He can take away our sin.

Forgiveness is man's greatest need, and therefore, God's greatest gift.  And, through the gospel of Jesus Christ will God forgive all of the sins of all of those who ask for it. The gospel is that all are sinners, all are under the wrath of God, all are headed for eternal judgment because of our sin, and, God, as a righteous judge, will bring about that eternal punishment. But, God, also, is a God of mercy and grace, who will forgive the sinner who comes to Him with a repentant heart and asks for that gift of forgiveness.

I close with a quote from Alexander Maclaren who once said, "The essential of the gospel is the unrestrained flow of love from the offended heart of God who has been sinned against. Pardon is God's love unchecked and unembittered, granted to the wrongdoer. That is a divine act exclusively."

Zechariah 13:4-6

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4 “On that day every prophet will be ashamed of their prophetic vision. They will not put on a prophet’s garment of hair in order to deceive. 5 Each will say, ‘I am not a prophet. I am a farmer; the land has been my livelihood since my youth.’ 6 If someone asks, ‘What are these wounds on your body?’ they will answer, ‘The wounds I was given at the house of my friends.’" Zechariah 13:4-6

Today, we return to our study of Zechariah 13 where God's forgiveness of the sins of repentant people is at center stage. Forgiveness means to wipe the slate clean, to pardon, to cancel the debt created by unacceptable choices. Forgiveness is not granted because a person deserves to be forgiven. No one deserves to be forgiven. Forgiveness is an act of love, mercy, and grace. God's free gift of forgiveness is possible due to His Son's obedience to come to earth and hang on the cross, this, paying the penalty for our rebellion.

In v.4 of today's text we read, "On that day every prophet will be ashamed of their prophetic vision. They will not put on a prophet’s garment of hair in order to deceive."

At the end of the Tribulation, the Lord Jesus will return to set up His millennial kingdom here on earth. At that time, as indicated in v.4, anybody who is known as a prophet will quickly try to conceal the fact that he was a prophet.

You see, this is the problem with those who falsely embrace the way of God, they do not come clean until they are caught. They will have no choice in that day to come clean because they will not be able to hide. God's righteousness will reign, and sin will have a short lease, in His presence.

In Deuteronomy 14:1 we read, "Now you’re the children of the Lord your God, you Israelites, so you shall not cut yourselves." 

The unbelievers were taught, in that day, by the prophets of Baal to cut themselves. They thought, cutting themselves, hurting themselves, would cause God to shown them favor. In addition, the prophets of Baal had a ritual of shaving themselves bald. Another futile attempt of trying to fool God. Like all religions, it was man's attempt to gain the forgiveness of God. But, there is no way in hell that any of us can earn God's favor. 

In 1 Kings 18:28 we read, "And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their manner with swords and lances till the blood gushed out."

So, when the prophet in Zechariah 13:5 said, "I’m no prophet, I’ve just been a farmer. I’m not into any of that pagan stuff. I’m just a farmer." Somebody inevitably asked, as we read in v.6 of today's text, "What are these wounds on your body?’ they will answer, ‘The wounds I was given at the house of my friends." 

They cut themselves according to their religion. Their wounds were the wounds of false teaching and idolatry. This is why it is so important to know the truth, because the truth sets us free from such faulty thinking. The problem of man is: There is never a way to escape when God begins to deal with our sin.

Thankfully, God is loving and merciful, and He is eager to forgive us of our sins! In 2 Peter 3:9 we read, "He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." God desires to forgive us, so He provided for our forgiveness.

Someone might ask, "Why couldn't God just say, 'You're forgiven? Why was the sacrifice required?'" God could not have just forgiven sin without a sacrifice or a payment for the penalty  because to do so would be unjust. Imagine a world where rape was just forgiven. How about if serial murderers were just forgiven. What if we just forgave pedophiles? All of these individuals would keep on doing these horrible things without any consequences. What kind of world would this be? A world without any justice.

The only just penalty for our sins is death. The first half of Romans 6:23 declares, "For the wages of sin is death…" Eternal death is what we have earned for our sins. But, God, in His perfect plan, became a human being. The Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross, taking the penalty for our sin that we deserve. 

In 2 Corinthians 5:21 we read, "God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." The Lord Jesus died on the cross, taking the punishment that we deserve! As God, the Lord Jesus’ death provided forgiveness for the sins of the entire world. 

In 1 John 2:2 we read, "He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." And, according to 1 Corinthians 15, the Lord Jesus rose from the dead, proclaiming His victory over sin and death. Through His death and resurrection, the second half of Romans 6:23 is applicable to the broken sinner, "…but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Zechariah 13:1-3

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1 “On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity. 2 “On that day, I will banish the names of the idols from the land, and they will be remembered no more,” declares the Lord Almighty. “I will remove both the prophets and the spirit of impurity from the land. 3 And if anyone still prophesies, their father and mother, to whom they were born, will say to them, ‘You must die, because you have told lies in the Lord’s name.’ Then their own parents will stab the one who prophesies." ~ Zechariah 13:1-3

Today, we transition into Zechariah 13 which is only nine verses long. The context for today's text is the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ which will happen at the end of the seven year period of time most call the Tribulation. In today's text, we will learn what God has to say about the day when Israel will be cleansed of their sin. 

Now, throughout the Old Testament, God reiterates Israel's need for His forgiveness of their sin. This only makes sense, since it is against God and His definition of things that man has rebelled. Through our rebellion, we have challenged God's truth. If truth were ultimately undermined, no one would endure. Yet, God consistently offers His forgiveness throughout the Scriptures. In fact, the whole sacrificial system of the Old Testament is predicated on original sin and a forgiving God. In Psalm 103:12 we read, "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us."  

Notice, He didn't say, "North from the south", because there is an end to the north and to the south. But, there is no ending to the east and the west. Thus, He, once we have trusted in the Son's work on the cross, has forgiven our sin completely. And, it really doesn’t matter what Israel had done in the past. I mean, our sin doesn’t affect God's nature. It lays nothing to bear on His nature that would change Him. And, no matter what man has done, the God of the Bible is still a God of forgiveness and He will come to Israel, in the end, offering His forgiveness. And, this is the message of Zechariah 13. God is a God of forgiveness. 

I love the words of Max Lucado who once said, "There are some facts that will never change. One fact is that you are forgiven. If you are in Christ, when He sees you, your sins are covered-He doesn’t see them. He sees you better than you see yourself."

In v.1 of today's text we read, "On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity."

The "day" God references here is the day the Lord Jesus returns. It will be the day that He will set His feet on the mount of Olives in Jerusalem. It will be on that day, that Israel will look on the Lord Jesus and recognize the One whom they crucified, and, they will mourn over their rebellion. There is no forgiveness until there is repentance. There is no salvation until we admit our understanding of Original Sin and we confess our need for the Savior. And, after Israel mourns and cries out to God for His forgiveness, they will experience His cleansing of their sin.

According to Ezekiel 36, the Lord will sprinkle clean water on Israel, and they will be clean from all their filthiness, and from all their idols will God cleanse them. And, He will give them a new heart and a new spirit. 

The Bible is clear about the condition of man: "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." No one has ever escaped this core truth. "There is none righteous. No, not one." Not only were the people of Israel conceived in sin, like you and me. They also rejected God's free gift of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. "On that day, a fountain opened to Israel."

The word "opened" brings with it the idea of continuance and permanence. Once it is opened, it will be perennially opened. And, it will be available as a source of perennial purification. This fountain of cleansing was opened at the cross of Calvary. The moment we received Christ as our Savior, our past, present and future sins were forgiven. And, on that day, Israel will access God's forgiveness through their recognition of the Lord Jesus as their Messiah. On that day, Israel will learn that as long as there is sin, there will be cleansing for the one who believes. 

The word sin at the end of v.1 of today's text means to go in the wrong way. The root idea in the word used for this word  "sin" brings with it the idea that we went down the wrong path, the path of disobedience and rebellion. And, that rebellion permanently separated us from God. That is, until the Lord Jesus came and paid the penalty for the sin that separated us from God.

The last word in v.1, "impurity," means something that is to be shunned. Israel will be cleansed of its own moral defilement and of its tendency to behave and go in the wrong direction. This is how sin manifests itself, it is a matter of what we are and consequently it is a matter of what we do. And so, this "fountain" will come as a cleansing from the defilement of sin. This "fountain" is the precious blood of the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ.

In v.2-3 of today's text we read, "2 “On that day, I will banish the names of the idols from the land, and they will be remembered no more,” declares the Lord Almighty. “I will remove both the prophets and the spirit of impurity from the land. 3 And if anyone still prophesies, their father and mother, to whom they were born, will say to them, ‘You must die, because you have told lies in the Lord’s name.’ Then their own parents will stab the one who prophesies."

When we come into a relationship with the Lord, He will always confront the idols in our lives. And, these idols can be good things, like our family, because an idol is anything that is more important to us than God. In v.2 of today's text we learn that the product of God's cleansing work in our lives is that we lose a taste for our idolatry. This explains God's words, "I will banish the names of the idols from the land, and they will be remembered no more."

The two besetting sins of all sinners, including the people of Israel, have always been idolatry and false prophecy. And, false prophecy is always the cause behind idolatry. At the end of time, as we know it, Israel will fall prey to another false prophet, the antichrist. But when Christ returns and He cleanses Israel from the defilement of sin, He will enable them to see the deception of the one they will, for a time, believe to be their Messiah. 

God's presence in our lives enables us to see a world that the unsaved can not see. It is an unseen world. And, we only see it because of the word of God and the abiding Holy Spirit. Through His word and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we are able to recognize deception, thus, we are equipped to turn away from such idols.

According to v.3, once we have entered into a personal relationship with the Lord, we will have the ability to recognize and call out the deception of the lost. When we were saved, we were given a tremendous gift to recognize how evil is rebellion. The punishment specified for false prophets in the Old Testament was quite severe. In Deuteronomy 18:20 we read, “If any prophet dares to speak a message in My name that I have not commanded him to speak, or to speak in the name of other gods, that prophet must be put to death.”

Because, God by nature is a God of truth, His judgment is vested in the eternality of His nature as true. He is true and holy. He is the judge of all who pervert the truth and all liars, especially those who say they speak for Him but do not truthfully teach His Word, are treated severely. So, the eternal God by His very nature as truth, has set in motion long ago the condemnation of those who falsify His Word. 

In fact, the moment that sin appeared in this universe, the sentence of God was enacted on anyone who spoke a lie. It was set in motion at that moment. And, all liars and all those who teach falsely about God's Word were doomed. The verdict of guilty was in, when the first sin was committed, against all liars and perverters of the truth.

The Lord's punishment seems pretty severe until we begin to grasp the consequences of the false prophet's work. People are deterred from the Lord and they end up in hell. Now, that is severe. And, for good reason. This is why God has granted us His word and His Holy Spirit, because with the two of them, we would flounder our way to hell. But, as Chuck Swindoll once said, "God’s forgiveness extends to the worst offenders and to anyone who wishes to receive it, not because of who we are, but because of who He is."

Zechariah 12:10-14

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10 “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. 11 On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be as great as the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. 12 The land will mourn, each clan by itself, with their wives by themselves: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives, 13 the clan of the house of Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives, 14 and all the rest of the clans and their wives. ~ Zechariah 12:10-14

Today, we continue our study of Zechariah 12 where we learn of Israel's siege, shielding, sorrow, and salvation. Having considered Israel's siege and shielding, today, we consider Israel's sorrow and salvation. 

According to Ezekiel 38-39, a Russian-Arab alliance will advance upon Israel on that last day. In addition to Russia, this alliance will include Turkey and Egypt. And, according to Revelation 9:16, a 200 million man army from the Far East will join this Russian-Arab alliance. The Euphrates River will be dried up so that this massive army will have no problem advancing against the nation of Israel. This will be a bleak moment in the life of Israel, and it will bring to the end man's time on this earth, as we know it.

If we let Him, God will do His greatest work in our lives through our greatest adversity. Nothing worth having ever comes easy or without opposition. God allows the storms of life in order to reveal Himself to us and to enable us to confront our greatest fears. God allows the path to be difficult in order to refine us and to prepare us for what He has in store for us in the days ahead. Like gaining our bearings by looking at a large plot of land through the benefit of a drone, God uses trials, in tandem with His Spirit, to help us to see the big picture, His big picture.

In v.10 of today's text we read, "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."

God will pour out His Spirit of grace on Israel, because that will be the motive for which He will give His Spirit to broken Israel. He will pour out His Spirit of supplication, because that will be the response which He will produce in the broken hearts of the people. When God pours out His Spirit by His grace, the recipient hearts always respond in prayer. Just as God pours out refreshing showers on thirsty and parched ground, so will He pour out His Spirit of grace and supplication on a repentant sinner.

As a result, when the eyes of my heart are focused on God, trials serve my faith's ability to soar. I have found that my faith is much like the knob on a radio which when fine tuned enables me to hear the frequency of a local radio station better. God's goal is always that I may hear and see Him more clearly with my heart. Through Israel's mourning, they will clearly see the Lord Jesus Christ coming in the clouds. On that day of His Second Coming, Israel will look on Him and they will recognize the nail prints in His body. Their response will be the product of the Holy Spirit working in their hearts in the context of their darkest hour here on earth.

In v.11 of today's text we read, "On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be as great as the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo."

One would think this weeping would be produced by the massive armies advancing upon the people of Israel, but a closer look enables us to see the unfolding of the greatest story to date. Israel will mourn due to the revealing of their victorious Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.

This mourning will be similar to that which was in the valley of Hadad Rimmon in 2 Chronicles 35. In that passage we learn of the murder of Judah's godly king, Josiah. The people of Judah mourned severely for they loved King Josiah. They loved him because he loved them. And, he loved them because he had a very tight relationship with God.

In v.12-14 of today's text we read, "12 The land will mourn, each clan by itself, with their wives by themselves: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives, 13 the clan of the house of Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives, 14 and all the rest of the clans and their wives."

This will be a day of mourning like none other. There will be individual mourning, individual repentance, family repentance and then all the families of Israel will join in a day of national mourning and repentance. This will happen right at the point the Lord Jesus rescues Israel from her many enemies. Israel will recognize that the very one who came back as their deliverer was the same one they killed and they crucified when He came the first time. That is why they will mourn. It will be the most beautiful scene as Israel embraces the anguish of true repentance.

In John 16:8-10 we read, "8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned."

In this passage the Lord Jesus was teaching His disciples about the one sin that must be dealt with before a person comes to faith in the Lord Jesus. This will be exactly the one sin that will be highlighted on that day of the Lord. This is where salvation begins, this is where it began in our hearts. To be saved we must turn from this ultimate sin which is the sin of rejecting Jesus Christ as our Savior. This is the sin that takes anyone to hell. But, once we have dealt with this sin, we are ready to be made alive to God. And, we are made alive to Him when the Holy Spirit comes into our spirit, introducing us to our Maker-Redeemer.

Here, in v.12-14 of today's text, Zechariah singles out certain families who will lead the nation in mourning. These families include the families of David and Nathan. The family of David was the royal line through which Joseph the husband of Mary descended. And, the family of Nathan was the brother of Solomon through whom Mary was descended. And, all of those who will come through the royal line will weep, because they will know that it was in their very line that the Messiah came and was rejected.

The families of Levi and Shimei are also mentioned because they were of the priestly families. The many years they were supposed to connect the people to God, they had kept the people from God. This will be the source of their great mourning because when God had finally arrived in Jesus Christ, they crucified Him.

Zechariah 12:6-9

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6 “On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves. They will consume all the surrounding peoples right and left, but Jerusalem will remain intact in her place. 7 “The Lord will save the dwellings of Judah first, so that the honor of the house of David and of Jerusalem’s inhabitants may not be greater than that of Judah. 8 On that day the Lord will shield those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord going before them. 9 On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem. ~ Zechariah 12:6-9

We continue, today, our study of the Old Testament book of Zechariah. In Zechariah 12, we have four features of Israel’s coming deliverance and salvation: The siege of Israel, the shielding of Israel, the sorrow of Israel, and the salvation of Israel. In our last blog and podcast, we considered the siege of Israel. Today, we will consider the shielding of Israel. 

As we mentioned in our last blog and podcast, at the end of the Tribulation, at the battle of Armaggedon, the nations of the world will attempt to attack little Jerusalem. But, in the end, the nations will find themselves unsuccessful in their huge attempts to destroy the insignificant Jews and their beloved city, Jerusalem. 

In Revelation 17:6, we are reminded, the world will be drunk with all the blood of the Jewish Christian martyrs. They will come upon Israel and they will be drunk with the idea of their seeming conquest. They will be convinced of their seemingly easy win over Israel. This will only lead them to, instead, lose their minds.

For Israel, it will appear that they will be done in by these advancing madmen. But, it is in these moments, is where the Lord God shines the greatest. The Lord always masters at taking a situation that is absolutely hopeless and He turns the circumstances on a dime. Need I mention Gideon's victory, Elijah's victory, David's victories, and the disciples victories in the book of Acts?

In v.6 of today's text we read, "On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves. They will consume all the surrounding peoples right and left, but Jerusalem will remain intact in her place."

Back, in that day, a firepot was used to contain hot coals in a little metal pot. The firepot was used to start a fire. In this verse, Zechariah is likening the Gentile armies to kindling. The clans of Judah are likened to firepots. At the battle of Armageddon, that small, simple country will burn the armies of the gathered gentile nations. Israel will be like a torch of fire in a dry sheaf. If we were to take a sheaf of grain that’s dry and set a torch to it, we would get the same thing. So just as a firepot sets fire to twigs and dry wood and a torch sets fire to dry grain, so Judah will devour its enemies.

In v.7 of today's text we read, "The Lord will save the dwellings of Judah first, so that the honor of the house of David and of Jerusalem’s inhabitants may not be greater than that of Judah."

When Judah wins this big victory, it will be obvious to them that the victory was brought about by the Lord. So, the inhabitants of Jerusalem will have nothing to boast about. After they win this incredible battle, they will unmistakably say, "All the glory goes to God. It sure wasn’t us who garnered the victory." The weak and the defenseless will, yet again, be delivered by the Almighty. 

In v.8 of today's text we read, "On that day the Lord will shield those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord going before them."

King David is the greatest soldier in the history of Israel. One little rock rendered one dead giant by the name of Goliath. A case in point: the weak and the puny nation of Israel, in the last days, will be like David. They will be so outnumbered that their victory will resound throughout the universe for eternity.

This has always been the case down through history. God has always shown up mightily on the behalf of the weak and defenseless. And, according to the book of the Revelation, we discover this will happen just at the climax of the battle of Armageddon, just when the war reaches its highest point. It will be, at that point in time, that out of the sky will come the Lord Jesus Christ, and we will witness this great feat for we will return to earth with Him.

It is most interesting that the angel of the Lord is equated, here in this verse, with God. Another evidence that the angel of the Lord was not just an angel, but God incarnate, the Lord Jesus Christ.

In v.9 of today's text we read, "On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem."

God will wipe out all those who will seek to wipe out His people and His Kingdom. The phrase “will set out” is a most interesting Hebrew phrase. In the Hebrew, it is a term that is used of a marksman who bends his bow with his eye focused on the target. Unquestionably, will He hit the bullseye and nothing will distract Him from accomplishing His goal. The details of this victory are given to us in Revelation 16 & 19. The Lord Jesus will break through the heavens with great glory and power. He will wield a flaming sword dipped in blood and He will come conquering His foes.

So, in summary, the first nine verses of Zechariah 12 describe prophetically Israel’s great deliverance and the destruction of the armies of the world gathered against her. The first part of the this battle will be political, whereas, the next part will be spiritual. And, in our next blog and podcast, we will get into the spiritual side of this.

Finally, God majors in His ability to show up when all looks lost. And, when we are depending on Him instead of anything or anybody else, His power flows in and through our yielded lives. David showed up at the valley of Elah and everyone laughed at him. They laughed because they didn't know of the battle that was about to be won. They didn't understand the might behind our trust in the Lord Almighty. What separated David from all others that day was he knew and understood how to access the power of God. We access God's power by being totally dependent upon Him. And, David's dependence upon the Lord was forged through the insignificant and mundane assignments the Lord gave him leading up to that day. David went to the valley of Elah to feed his brothers. And, when he got there, David was ready for God's miracle through his weak and humble life. Our light afflictions, now, are preparing us to depend upon God most greatly in the future. We only need to depend upon Him in the small things.

Zechariah 12:1-5

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1 A prophecy: The word of the Lord concerning Israel. The Lord, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the human spirit within a person, declares: 2 “I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. 3 On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves. 4 On that day I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness,” declares the Lord. “I will keep a watchful eye over Judah, but I will blind all the horses of the nations. 5 Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, ‘The people of Jerusalem are strong, because the Lord Almighty is their God.’ ~ Zechariah 12:1-5

Today, we transition into Zechariah 12. In this chapter, we have four features of Israel’s coming deliverance and salvation: The siege of Israel, the shielding of Israel, the sorrow of Israel, and the salvation of Israel. These are dealt with in this twelfth chapter of Zechariah. Today, we will consider the siege of Israel. 

As we have long seen in the Scripture, Israel plays a major role in the redemptive plan of God on this earth. There is coming a day when God will bring to a close the drama which includes Israel, the Church, Satan and the Lord Jesus Himself. Throughout the Scriptures, God has predicted these things repeatedly. God has done this so that we will not lose heart when life gets most difficult. This is what the Lord is doing in today's text. He is reminding Israel that before the light comes, it will get dark first. And, in the end, those who have had a very tragic history will experience the miraculous nature of God and He will reverse everything and He will give His people a future that will well outweigh the struggles of the past.

In v.1-2 of today's text we read, "1 A prophecy: The word of the Lord concerning Israel. The Lord, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the human spirit within a person, declares: 2 “I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem."

Today's passage begins with a reminder of God's identity. He is the One "who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the human spirit within a person."

The One speaking here is the One who made the Milky Way galaxy with its one hundred billion stars. And, the Milky Way galaxy is just one of many other galaxies. The Milky Way galaxy is about 100 light years in diameter. Our God is the One who created light speed. Light travels at 186,000 miles per second. If we were to strap ourselves to a beam of light and travel for 100,000 years, we will have traveled the Milky Way galaxy in its fullness. By the way, we will have traveled six trillion miles. All of this is to say we were made by an incredible person. The God of the Bible is really big.

And, when we find ourselves worried about the things of this life, we must remember the One who stretched out the heavens, the One who laid the foundations of the earth, the One who made all things, the One who formed our spirit within us, He has all things in control and we can trust Him.

Now, as indicated in v.2, Jerusalem has always been in the spotlight. It is rather obvious that God's hand of covenant has always been upon Israel, not because of anything they have done, but because He determined to support them in their weakness. In fact, throughout history, the Jews have blown it big time and in many ways, but God long ago made a covenant with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David. Because of those promises, God brought the people of Israel back into the land over and over, and, His hand has and will always be upon them. 

In Deuteronomy 7:7-9 we read, "The LORD did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath He swore to your forefathers that He brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands."

Despite this, Jerusalem will yet again be besieged. In fact, God will draw her enemies on her in the last days. As we are about to see, it is obvious at the end of v.3 that all the nations of the earth will be gathered against Israel in this siege. And, we know at the Battle of Armageddon, the whole world will be against Israel. This will be a worldwide battle where all of the nations of the world converge on Israel in an effort to wipe Israel out.

In v.3 of today's text we read, "On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves." 

A total of sixteen times in Zechariah 12-14, God says, "On that day." And, that day is the day of the Lord. There will come a day when the whole world will hurt themselves when they try to hurt Israel. And, in all of this, we are given one of the greatest apologetics for the existence of God. How many times has the world tried to snuff out Israel? And, all of it to no avail.

In v.4 of today's text we read, "On that day I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness,” declares the Lord. “I will keep a watchful eye over Judah, but I will blind all the horses of the nations."

Here, God is directing this prophecy of siege but it’s also a prophecy of salvation. God allows and accentuates these events for Israel, so that they will have the confidence to believe that it will come to pass. The end result doesn’t depend on man, it depends upon the unchanging immutable God, this God who isn’t thwarted by anything else. He has been and He is always faithful to bring His promises to pass.

In v.5 of today's text we read, "Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, ‘The people of Jerusalem are strong, because the Lord Almighty is their God."

The nations will attack Jerusalem. We know this, because it’s detailed for us in many places in the Bible. And, although Israel's enemies will attack Jerusalem, as this prophecy points out, God will protect Israel and Jerusalem. 

In John 16:33 we read, "In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." 

The Lord Jesus spoke these words to His disciples who were about to go through the hardest moments of their lives. But, as in the case of Israel in today's text, the disciples would come out on the other side better equipped in their walk with the Lord. The same is true for us. We will have hard moments, but we can rest assured that each unwanted moment has its purpose. God not only uses tribulation to get us out of our mess, but most importantly, God uses Tribulation to get us to Him. This is the purpose of it all: that we would be convinced the Lord Jesus has overcome the world and that He is our destiny. He is the victor and He has seen fit to include us in on His winning side. 

Zechariah 11:12-17

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12 I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. 13 And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the handsome price at which they valued me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter at the house of the Lord. 14 Then I broke my second staff called Union, breaking the family bond between Judah and Israel. 15 Then the Lord said to me, “Take again the equipment of a foolish shepherd. 16 For I am going to raise up a shepherd over the land who will not care for the lost, or seek the young, or heal the injured, or feed the healthy, but will eat the meat of the choice sheep, tearing off their hooves. 17 “Woe to the worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May the sword strike his arm and his right eye! May his arm be completely withered, his right eye totally blinded!” ~ Zechariah 11:12-17

As we come back to Zechariah 11, the page is turned from the Lord's offer of redemption to the peoples rejection of the Lord's offer. We, daily, have a choice to live our lives looking to the Lord for His provision and protection or not. And, the more we look to Him and walk with Him, the more we will see that His way is best. Of course, the less we walk with Him, the less we will see that His way is the best.

In v.12-13 of today's text we read, "12 I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. 13 And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the handsome price at which they valued me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter at the house of the Lord."

The prophet Zechariah is picturing Israel's Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, asking the nation of Israel, the worth of their Messiah. According to Exodus 21:32, thirty pieces of silver was the price for a lowly slave. This was the answer the people of Israel gave: thirty pieces of silver. The Lord Jesus came unto His own and His own received Him not. 

When it was all done, we must answer the question, "What is the Lord Jesus worth to us?" As indicated in this passage, the world held no value in the Lord Jesus. They couldn’t just ignore Him, though, so they determined He was worth thirty pieces of silver, the price of a lowly slave. This is why they missed Him. Their value system had been so stunted by this world because they had long rejected the value system of the Lord.

In Matthew 27 we read the well known story of Judas and his betrayal of the Lord Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Judas received thirty pieces of silver for betraying the Lord Jesus. After doing so, ridden with guilt, Judas threw the silver on the floor of the temple. The religious leaders gathered the money up and they bought a potter's field, fulfilling this prophecy. 

In Matthew's gospel it says, according to the word of Jeremiah, which causes many to doubt the veracity of the Bible. There is much evidence that shows the scroll that the book of Zechariah was found in was book of Jeremiah. In fact, it was called the scroll of Jeremiah and it included the book of Zechariah in that scroll. That's why it says in Matthew 27, "according to the prophet Jeremiah." 

In v.14 of today's text we read, "Then I broke my second staff called Union, breaking the family bond between Judah and Israel." 

The Jewish historian, Josephus, tells us that when Jerusalem fell to the Romans, not only did the Romans kill the Jews, but there developed such bitterness between the different factions among the Jews that fellow Jews treated their other fellow Jews with the same kind of contempt as the Romans. So that the bonds of brotherhood were broken. And, the removal of the Lord Jesus, the Good shepherd, made way for the rest of this prophecy to be fulfilled at the end of time. 

So, in v.14, the Lord is saying, "I will break the bond of brotherhood between Judah and Israel." In the end, that will mean He will destroy the nation. This prophecy was all set into motion when He broke the band that held the nation together. They killed each other and they were scattered all over the world. One day, soon, He will complete the comeback of the Jews into the land, and that will bring to the completion this prophecy spoken in Zechariah 11.

In v.15-16 of today's text we read, "15 Then the Lord said to me, “Take again the equipment of a foolish shepherd. 16 For I am going to raise up a shepherd over the land who will not care for the lost, or seek the young, or heal the injured, or feed the healthy, but will eat the meat of the choice sheep, tearing off their hooves."

In these verses, Zechariah jumps from the first century AD all the way to the end of time as we know it. In these two verses, Zechariah provides a contrast between the Good shepherd and the Antichrist. The Antichrist, unlike the humble Messiah who rode into Jerusalem on a donkey to provide salvation to doomed man, will not be so selflessly motivated. The Antichrist will come seeking power and dominion. He will gain such power through his incredible powers of deception. His deceptive powers will garner for him a huge following of people all over this world.

In v.17 of today's text we read, "Woe to the worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May the sword strike his arm and his right eye! May his arm be completely withered, his right eye totally blinded!"

It helps us to understand this verse when we remember the Bible often uses the word "arm" to identify a man's strength. The right arm is always the symbol of strength. And the Scripture often uses the word "eye" to designate intelligence. The worthless shepherd or the Antichrist will splash on the scene as soon as the Rapture of the Church has taken place. But his doom will soon come to fruition.

This passage means God will come with a sword of judgment and will cut off his right arm. His right arm will shrivel and the means of his power will be torn away. And, his eye or his intelligence, will be turned into idiocy. He won’t know right from wrong, up from down, or in from out. And, the sword of God’s vengeance will fall upon him and all who follow him.