Zechariah - Prophet And Priest
Haggai and Zechariah were the two lone prophets of Israel in the days when Darius of Persia released the captive Jews to return to Jerusalem. Their influence on Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, and Joshua the High Priest was observable. Zechariah was born into the priesthood. Several of his prophecies foretold the millennial temple of the Messiah. Zechariah prophesied extensively about the LORD coming to earth, including enlightening details about His millennial kingdom.
Zechariah 1:1 - " In the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet."
Turn Unto Me And I Will Turn Unto You
This is God's perennial proposition. "Turn to me, and I will turn to you." The premise is that the fathers have turned their backs on God, and the sons must rectify the breach by turning back to God. As long as we continue in sin, God, of necessity, must remain aloof. But He will instantly respond to our first overture.
Zechariah 1:2-3 - "The LORD hath been sore displeased with your fathers. Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, ...and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts."
Spirit-Messengers Report To God How Israel Fares
Zechariah prophetically saw men riding horses among myrtle trees outside Jerusalem. The riders told an angel, "We have walked to and fro through the earth, ...all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest." God responded, "I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: ...they helped forward the affliction." God was angry because no one helped Jerusalem after their return from captivity.
Zechariah 1:16 - "I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, ...My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the LORD shall yet comfort Zion."
Four Horns And Four Carpenters
Zechariah saw four horns, and enquired of the angel. "These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem," the angel replied. Previous to this prophecy, four great empires (horns) had displaced Israel: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Egypt and Assyria (Daniel 11). Then Zechariah saw four carpenters (builders). Zerubbabel, Joshua, Ezra and Nehemiah would rebuild Jerusalem and Judah around the time of this prophecy. God ordained national revival.
Zechariah 1:21- "But these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it."
God Is Not Limited By Human Boundaries
Zechariah saw a man with a measuring line going to measure the length and breadth of Jerusalem. He heard one angel tell another, "Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein." The measurements of Jerusalem were insignificant at that time, because God planned to vastly expand Jerusalem. That can only be fulfilled by a miracle.
Zechariah 2:5 - "For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her."
The Apple Of God's Eye
The enemies of Israel might just as easily pluck out the eyes of God than to destroy Israel. God made an everlasting covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, in which He obliged Himself to Israel's perpetuation. He often punished them, but vowed never to annihilate them.
Zechariah 2:6-8 - "Come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the LORD: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the LORD. Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon. ...for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye."
Sing, Rejoice! The LORD Shall Inherit The Holy Land!
Zechariah prophesied exciting things about the coming kingdom of Christ, and commanded the people to rejoice!
Zechariah 2:10-12 - "Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD. And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee. And the LORD shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again."
Silence Before The LORD Following Armageddon
In Revelation 8:1, when the Seventh Seal is opened, there will be thirty minutes of silence in heaven. Since the Sixth Seal is "The Day of His Wrath," (Armageddon), John apparently saw the same thing that Zechariah foresaw - silence in the presence of the LORD after He won His great victory over all His enemies. When Jesus finishes His final war at Armageddon, all creatures in heaven and earth will stand in silent awe for half an hour.
Zechariah 2:13 - "Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation."
Joshua The High Priest, Angel Of The LORD, & Satan
After Israel's 70 years in Babylon, Joshua the High Priest finally stood in the holy place in Jerusalem before the angel of the LORD for the first service. Zechariah saw Satan resisting him - spiritual warfare! But the LORD rebuked Satan. When YOU come to intercede, the LORD will rebuke YOUR devourer.
Zechariah 3:1-2 - "He shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee."
Like A Fiery Brand, Ministers Make Their Mark On Men
The High Priest stood before the angel of the LORD. On his right hand, Satan resisted him, but the LORD rebuked Satan, and warned him that the High Priest was a brand plucked out of the fire. As a fiery brand burns its mark, God's fire-tested ministers are victorious over Satan, and are tools used by God to govern the people.
Zechariah 3:7 - "Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts."
I Will Bring Forth My Servant - The BRANCH
Isaiah prophesied that a branch would come out of the stem of Jesse. Jeremiah prophesied that the LORD would raise a righteous branch unto David. Zechariah prophesied to Joshua the High Priest that God would bring forth His servant called THE BRANCH. Henceforth, Jesus Christ would be called not only A branch, but one of His names is now THE BRANCH. All life is in THE BRANCH.
Zechariah 3:8 - "Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH."
7 Lamps, 7 Candles, 7 Eyes, 7 Spirits, 7 Churches
"Seven lamps shall give light" (Numbers 8:2) described the candlestick in Moses' tabernacle. In Revelation, John saw "seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, ...the seven Spirits of God," (4:5) and "...a Lamb ...having ...seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth," (5:6). A stone (Rock/Christ) had seven eyes. "...the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth," (3:9; 4:10). "...the seven Spirits which are before his throne," (Revelation 1:4).
Zechariah 3:9 - "The stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes."
Christ With His Church Will Save Israel At Armageddon
A stone with seven eyes will remove the iniquity of the land in one day. The stone represents the rock, Christ Jesus. The seven eyes represent the seven Spirits of God that are sent forth into all the earth. Moses' tabernacle had seven lamps, which foreshadowed the early church, also symbolized by seven candlesticks (the seven churches of Asia; Revelation 1:20). In one day, Jesus will save Israel when He and His church arrive at Armageddon.
Zechariah 3:9 - "Upon one stone shall be seven eyes: ...and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day."
Thou, Great Mountain, Shall Become A Plain
When Zerubbabel, born in Babylon, returned to Jerusalem, the holy temple built by Solomon had been completely destroyed. The temple mount (Moriah, altitude 2428') was covered with charred heaps of debris, with a small plateau on the northern end, and a steep decline on the southern slope. By the time Jesus was born, that ragged mountain had become a giant 35 acre level platform. Part of the Antonian hill on the north had also been annexed and the area between was filled up with landfill.
Zechariah 4:7 - "Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain."
The Second Temple, Built By Zerubbabel
What Zechariah prophesied, Ezra recorded its fulfillment. "Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: ...And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, ...the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king," Ezra 5:2;6:15.
Zechariah 4:7-9 "And he shall bring forth the headstone [capstone] thereof with shoutings, ...Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it."
Not By Might, Nor By Power, But By My Spirit
When Zechariah saw the candlestick and the two olive trees, the angel explained, "This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts." Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, had no might, no power to revive Israel. But God, by His Spirit, would do the work. That principle is still true today.
Zechariah 4:9 - "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you."
Do Not Despise Small Beginnings
It must have been profoundly discouraging to see the devastation where Solomon's glorious temple once stood. Not one stone was where it should be. But God challenges us not to despise small beginnings. When you see the general contractor setting his plumb line, you will see that God performs His promises. The eyes of the LORD scan the earth to make certain that His will is done.
Zechariah 4:10 - "For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven [eyes of the LORD]."
Grace, Grace Unto It!
The prophetic word of the LORD to Zerubbabel said, "Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it." God promised Zerubbabel the grace he needed to rebuild the Jerusalem. In a larger sense, GRACE would finish God's great work, and build the New Testament church - heavenly Jerusalem, the "mother of us all," (Galatians 4:26).
Zechariah 4:10 - "For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel."
Two Olive Trees - The Two Witnesses
An angel showed Zechariah a golden candlestick having seven lamps, with two olive trees beside it providing golden oil through golden pipes. Zechariah asked, "What are these, my lord?" The lamps were the eyes of the LORD (called seven spirits of God in Revelation 5:6), running to and fro through the whole earth. Revelation 11:3 says "I will give power unto my two witnesses, ...These are the two olive trees." The identity of these two will be revealed during the great tribulation.
Zechariah 4:14 - "These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth."
A Flying Roll - God's Word - Curses Evildoers
Zechariah saw a FLYING ROLL, roughly 40 x 20 feet in dimension. The angel said it was a CURSE going across the whole earth, upon everyone that steals or swears falsely by the name of God. The word of God covers the earth with either blessing or curse.
Zechariah 5:1,3,4 - "Behold a flying roll. ...Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: ...it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: ...and shall consume it."
Sign Of The Stork - Uncleanness Leads To Bondage
In Leviticus and Deuteronomy, Moses declared the stork unclean and unfit to eat. Nevertheless, Psalm 104 lists the unclean stork as one of many things that have appointed places in creation. "As for the stork, the fir trees are her house." Jeremiah added, "The stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; ...but my people know not the judgment of the LORD." Zechariah saw two evil women, with wings of a stork, carrying Israel away into bondage. Uncleanness (sin) always leads to bondage.
Zechariah 5:9 - "There came out two women, ...they had wings like the wings of a stork."
Woman In A Basket Carried To Shinar (Babylon)
The angel showed Zechariah an ephah (basket) with a heavy lead lid. Inside sat a woman called "wickedness" (presumably Israel). Two women, with wind in their wings, carried the basket to Shinar (Babylon). Ezekiel 23 describes two women as the apostate cities of Samaria and Jerusalem. This prophecy came AFTER the Babylonian captivity, so must indicate another, future Jewish exile to Babylon, probably when the Antichrist overthrows Israel during the tribulation.
Zechariah 5:10-11 - "Then said I... Whither do these bear the ephah? And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar."
Four Horses - Four Spirits Of The Heavens
Have you heard of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse? Two great prophets spoke of them: Zechariah (Chapter 6) and John (Revelation 6). Chariots and horses - a red one, a white one, a black one and a strange colored one. They are the four prevailing spirits on earth in the last days, and have ENORMOUS prophetic significance. You need to understand this prophecy!
See "The Four Horsemen of Revelation."
Zechariah 6:5 - "And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth."
Crowns For The Royal Priesthood
Joshua the High Priest worked with Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, to build the holy temple following the Babylonian exile. God instructed Zechariah to make gold and silver crowns for Joshua and his fellow priests - Heldai, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen. Likewise, the LORD promises a "crown of righteousness," "...of life," "...of glory" for all His saints - His Royal Priesthood (1 Peter 2:9).
Zechariah 6:9 - "The word of the LORD came unto me, saying, ...take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua, ...Helem, ...Tobijah, ...Jedaiah, and ...Hen, ...for a memorial in the temple of the LORD."
The Millennial Temple
At Armageddon, Jesus will take permanent ownership of Jerusalem. The Islamic Dome of the Rock will have to go. He will build a new Temple more glorious than ever before. His throne will sit where the Ark of the Covenant once sat, and He will rule as King and High Priest of Israel and the world.
Zechariah 6:13 - "He shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both."
You Will Know That God Sent The Prophets
The world is suffocating from atheism and unbelief. But that fact cannot prevent the prophesied plan of Almighty God from coming to pass. When God's people finally see the millennial temple being constructed, and Jesus Christ standing in His place on the Temple Mount as King and Priest in His newly-constructed temple, the world will know forever that the prophets were truly sent from God.
Zechariah 6:15 - "They that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the LORD, and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you."
A Rebuke Against Phony Fasting And Weeping
Zechariah was one of three prophets who ministered after the Babylonian captivity (Haggai and Malachi were the other two.) Some of the Jews who had returned to Jerusalem came to Zechariah to enquire whether they should continue practicing fasting as they had during captivity. Zechariah used the occasion to rebuke them for hypocritical fasting, without even being mindful of God. Ritual fast days are worthless. Fasting and prayer must be personal before the LORD. Do not stop fasting. Just do it properly.
Zechariah 7:5-6 - "When ye fasted and mourned ...did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?'"
He Cried, They Would Not Hear. They Cried, He Would Not...
God's warnings should not be taken lightly. In these modern times, we WILL see a repetition of this spiritual law. If God cries out, WE MUST HEAR! If we refuse to hear HIM, HE will eventually refuse to hear US!
Zechariah 7:11-13 - "But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear. ...therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts. Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts."
Jerusalem Will Be Called The City Of Truth
The LORD told Zechariah that He would return to Jerusalem, "and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain." He said that old men and old women would dwell there, and the streets would be full of boys and girls playing. Jerusalem will be unimaginably glorious under Christ.
Zechariah 8:8 - "I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness."
Prayer In The Millennium
Jesus Christ will resurrect Israel and His born-again Church to establish a 1000-year kingdom on earth. Sinners who survive the horrors of the great tribulation and Armageddon will repopulate the earth with mortals. Jesus will rule that world with a rod of iron.
Zechariah 8:21-22 - "The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD."
God Keeps A List Of His Enemies
Born-again Christians enjoy the comfort of knowing that God will never remember their sins against them again. But such is not the case with unrepentant sinners. Not one of the wicked will be accidentally overlooked. When Jesus comes, judgment will be meted out to everyone who trespassed against Him. Zechariah listed just enough names to remind us that God never forgets who His enemies were.
Zechariah 9:1 - "The burden of the word of the LORD in the land of Hadrach, ...Damascus, ...Hamath, ...Tyrus, ...Zidon, ...Ashkelon, ...Gaza, ...Ekron, ...Ashdod, ...but he that remaineth, even he, shall be for our God."
The King Cometh, Riding Upon The Foal Of An Ass
Zechariah prophesied the grand entrance of Messiah in Jerusalem. 500 years later, Matthew 21:9 documented the fulfillment. "The multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest." Just as certainly, Jesus will fulfill prophecies of His second coming!
Zechariah 9:9 - "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass."
Israel Will Be As Stones In The LORD's Crown
Zechariah called the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel Ephraim and Jerusalem, and prophesied that the LORD will be seen over them; His arrow shall go forth as lightning, and His trumpet will blow. Jesus will come and save them from their sins, and they will be as stones in His crown.
Zechariah 9:16-17 - "The LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land. For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty!"
Ask Of The LORD Rain In The Time Of The Latter Rain
If you simply want to waste a lot of your time, pray to a stone or rock, or a wood-carving, or any man-made image. How can anybody in their right mind explain the logic in praying to an idol? If you need a miracle, you should go to the only power in the universe Who can give you a miracle. Call Jesus.
Zechariah 10:1 - "Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field."
In Jesus Christ, Failures Become Mighty Men
The LORD looked at Israel, and saw idolaters, diviners, false dreamers, and a scattered flock. But He said that He would make them as good horses in battle, as mighty men who tread down their enemies. By the blood of His covenant (9:6), through Jesus Christ, men who have been failures can become mighty men.
Zechariah 10:5 - "And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the LORD is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded.
They Shall Be As Though I Had Not Cast Them Off
The return of Israel to the Holy Land in 1948 was considered to be an exciting fulfillment of Bible prophecy. But that was miniscule compared to what God will soon do. He has only begun to regather Israel. When Jesus comes, He will raise them from their graves, and gather living Jews from every nation.
Zechariah 10:6,12 - "I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off."
Lebanon - No More Pity
Zechariah pronounced doom on Lebanon - fires will devour its cedars, fir trees will fall, and its oaks will come down. The glory of its shepherds (kings and rulers) will be spoiled. The modern state of Lebanon is infiltrated and controlled by rabidly anti-Jewish radical Islamic extremists and terrorists. No wonder this prophecy is in the Book.
Zechariah 11:1-3,6 - "O Lebanon, ...the cedar is fallen; ...the mighty are spoiled: ...There is a voice of the howling of the shepherds; for their glory is spoiled. ...For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD."
Broken Staves, Beauty And Bands, Covenant And Unity
A shepherd's staff became an object lesson for Israel. God said that He carried two staves, one called Beauty, the other called Bands, all the while He shepherded Israel. But when they forsook Him, He BROKE both staves. BEAUTY represented the Old Testament Covenant (v10). With that broken, a New Testament would have to be made. The second, BANDS, represented the brotherhood of Judah and Israel (v14). Their separate identities were lost in the diaspora (dispersion). Both were divine punishments.
Zechariah 11:7 - "I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands."
Israel's Redeemer-King Sold For Thirty Pieces Of Silver
Israel despised the Covenant of God, so He broke it, as illustrated in the broken staff named Beauty. Zechariah published this breathtaking prophecy 500 years before Judas Iscariot fulfilled it: "I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price. ...So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver." Judas sold Jesus (Matthew 27), and they took Him and crucified Him. That day, the Old Covenant ended, the New Covenant began, and Judas' guilt destroyed him.
Zechariah 11:13 - "And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.
A Foolish Shepherd - The Antichrist
A foolish shepherd, Antichrist, will yet come and completely betray Israel. Jesus will smite, then destroy him at Armageddon.
Zechariah 11:15-17 - "Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd. For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, ...Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened."
Prophets Carry The Burden Of The Word Of The LORD
Isaiah called the word of the LORD against Babylon a "burden." He called the word of the LORD for Moab a "burden." There was also the "burden" of Damascus, then Egypt, Arabia, Tyre and several others. Jeremiah often called it "the burden of the LORD." Nahum, Habakkuk, Zechariah and Malachi all mentioned their burden. Any time God gives a preacher a heavy word of prophecy, especially a message of doom or a dire warning, it is a heavy burden. The preacher can only relieve his burden by preaching.
Zechariah 12:1 - "The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel..."
Jerusalem - Cup Of Trembling - Burdensome Stone
God brought Abraham to Mount Moriah to make Covenant. God brought David to Moriah and told him to buy the place. God chose that mountain. Satan said, "I will sit on that mountain." God said, "I will destroy you in that mountain." Antichrist will die on that mountain. Jerusalem is a death trap for anybody who denies those truths.
Zechariah 12:2-3 - "I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, ...In that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces."
Nobody - Not Even Everybody - Can Stop God
God said that Jerusalem would be a cup of trembling and a burdensome stone for all people that contend with it - "though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it." ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE EARTH? If seven billion people in chorus cannot stop God from doing as He pleases, then why should one single man ever resist God? You cannot win. "Submit yourselves therefore to God," James 4:7.
Zechariah 12:3 - "Jerusalem... all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it."
Governors Of Judah Like A Hearth Of Fire Among Wood
When the enemy armies of Israel gather around Jerusalem for the final battle of Armageddon, God said He would smite every horse with blindness and every rider with madness. "I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about."
Zechariah 12:8,9 - "In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; ...I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem."
They Shall Look Upon Me Whom They Have Pierced
The Antichrist will kill or displace most of the Jews. But by God's Spirit of grace and supplications, the Savior will come. They will mourn when they realize that Jesus was their Messiah all along.
Zechariah 12:10-11 - "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. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon."
The Mourning Of Hadadrimmon In The Valley Of Megiddon
The last righteous and beloved king of Israel, Josiah, died tragically in the crossfire of a fight between the king of Egypt and the king of Carchemish "in the valley of Megiddo. ...and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah," 2 Chronicles 35:22,24. When Messiah comes to Armageddon, and the surviving remnant of Israel realizes their Savior is the one their fathers killed, they will mourn their error as the death of a firstborn son.
Zechariah 12:11 - "In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon."
Nearest Of Kin Are Most Grief-stricken
When Jesus comes, the proper lineage and ancestry of all Jews will become known. Those who were direct ancestors of Messiah (from David) and those who were in the priesthood (the Levites) will grieve the long years since their fathers crucified Jesus Christ.
Zechariah 12:12-13 - "The land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of the Shimeites apart, and their wives apart."
False Prophets Will Not Be Tolerated In The Millennium
In the millennium, Christ will rid His holy land of all idols and false prophets. False prophets will not be tolerated, but will be put to death in accordance with the ancient laws of God. No man will want to admit that he has been prophesying, knowing that he faces the death penalty.
Zechariah 13:4-5 - "The prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive: But he shall say, I am no prophet, I am an husbandman; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth."
Wounded By A Friend
Betrayal is a hallmark of the godly life. "Mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me," Psalms 41:9. Judas came to Jesus, and kissed Him. Jesus said to him, "Friend..." "Betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?" (Matthew 26:49-50 and Luke 22:48). No enemy can hurt you as much as a dear friend who betrays you. If you have never been betrayed, brace yourself. It is coming.
Zechariah 13:6 - "I was wounded in the house of my friends."
Smite The Shepherd, The Sheep Shall Be Scattered
This prophecy said that the Shepherd would be smitten, and the sheep would be scattered. Both were fulfilled. Jesus, the Chief Shepherd of Israel (1 Peter 5:4) was scourged, smitten, and crucified at Calvary. The sheep were scattered shortly after Calvary, when Romans destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD, and the Jews were dispersed to the four winds. Jesus pointed out this prophecy to His disciples shortly before He was taken and crucified (Matthew 26:31; Mark 14:27).
Zechariah 13:7 - "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, ...smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered."
Under Antichrist, 2/3 Of Jews In Israel Will Die
When Israel finally calls on the name of Jesus, two-thirds of the people will have recently died. In the forty-two months under Antichrist, only one third of all Jews living in Israel will survive.
Zechariah 13:8-9 - "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."
When They See His Wounds, They Will Pray
Zechariah prophesied of a day that would come when Israel would look upon Jesus Christ and say, "What are these wounds in thine hands?" He will answer, "Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends." In that day there will a fountain of mercy and salvation opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for cleansing from sin and uncleanness.
Zechariah 13:9 - "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."
Earthly Spoils Will Go To God's People
The earth is the LORD's, and He promised that the meek will inherit it. Although Satan and sinners have exercised dominion over the earth for thousands of years, "the day of the LORD" will remedy that wrong forever. When all the armies of earth come against Jerusalem, to render a final, fatal blow to Israel, Christ will come and destroy them. All that was theirs will become God's. He will divide His spoils of war to His holy people.
Zechariah 14:1 - "Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee."
Jerusalem Will Be Divided Violently
As I write this, world powers are calling for a Palestinian State with Jerusalem as its capital. Jerusalem will be divided. Prophecies say that hostile forces will go from house to house, raping and plundering Jews, violently driving them out of Jerusalem. That will provoke the second coming of Jesus Christ.
Zechariah 14:2 - "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."
The Battle Of Armageddon
Pat Robertson said that "there is no battle of Armageddon" mentioned in the Bible. He is wrong. It will be "the day of the LORD." Jesus Christ will make war with His adversaries. Zechariah 14:1-15 details several events during that battle.
Zechariah 14:2-3 - "For 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, ...Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle."
The Mount Of Olives
Jesus surrendered to Satan and Judas Iscariot while standing on the Mount of Olives. But soon He will stand there again in awesome victory. He will launch the final battle of Armageddon on that very spot.
Zechariah 14:4 - "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."
Earthquake Will Provide Jews Escape Route To Christ
Armies of Antichrist will be in the process of annihilating the Jews when Jesus arrives on the Mount of Olives. An earthquake will cleave the mountain open, and terrified Jews will flee to Christ through that new valley.
Zechariah 14:4-5 - "His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, ...before Jerusalem on the east, and [it] shall cleave in the midst thereof..., 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."
All The Saints Will Come With Christ
Jesus Christ will gather all His saints, living and dead, to the great climax at Armageddon. "Immediately after the tribulation of those days... They shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other," Matthew 24:29-31. "They lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years," Revelation 20:4.
Zechariah 14:5 - "The LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee."
It Shall Be Light In The Evening Time
This is one of the great divine paradoxes. When the world faces its darkest hour, it shall be light. When sin, hatred and war reach their very worst, Jesus will come, and the people who sit in darkness will see a Great Light - the Light of the World!
Zechariah 14:6-7 - "It shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light."
Living Waters Shall Go Out From Jerusalem
Several prophets called the LORD the fountain of life, or the fountain of living waters. It only makes sense that when Jesus moves into His new temple in Jerusalem, a new fountain will spring up from beneath the sanctuary, creating a new river that will run throughout Israel from the Mediterranean to the Dead Sea (bringing it to life).
Zechariah 14:8 - "And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.
There Shall Be One LORD, And His Name One
God has been known by many names throughout the centuries. The Bible gives us many of them: Elohim (God), Jehovah [Yhwh] (the Self-Existent One), El Shaddai (God Almighty), Jehovah Jireh (Provider), Jehovah Nissi (Banner of War), Jehovah Shalom (Peace), Jehovah Rapha (Healer), Jehovah Tsidkenu (Our Righteousness), and others. But when Messiah comes to earth, we will only know God by one name from then on. He will be known as Jesus (Yehoshua - Jehovah Savior).
Zechariah 14:9 - "And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one."
All Who Fight Against Jerusalem Will Suffer A Plague
Many Bible prophecies speak of fiery judgment from God, during the Sixth Trumpet War AND the Battle of Armageddon. From the description that Zechariah gave, it appears that a nuclear holocaust will come to the Middle East. Look at these symptoms:
Zechariah 14:12,15 - "This shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. ...And so shall be the plague of ...all the beasts."
The Nations Will Worship The LORD, Or Get No Rain
During the millennial rule of Jesus, all nations must come yearly to worship the LORD in Jerusalem, or they will get no rain. O, worship the LORD!
Zechariah 14:16-17 - "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 the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain."
HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD
The world we live in is vile and profane - NOT the world that God created it to be. Sin has taken its toll and left its ugly mark. But when Jesus comes, He will be king over all the earth. There will be no more destruction, and Jerusalem will be safely inhabited. The whole land of Israel will be restored to beauty. Everything will be HOLY.
Zechariah 14:20 - "In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; ...every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts."
