Zechariah 9 - Introduction

This Second Main Section In Chapter s 9-14 Probably Came Later in Zechariah's Life and It Concentrates on the Eschatalogical Future When God Will Finally Bring All His Work to Fruition.

Many years have passed. The building of the Temple has been completed, but it has not produced the spiritual revival that Zechariah had hoped for. The nations round about are constantly at odds with them. The leaders are dallying with divination and the occult (Zechariah 10:2). Zechariah, whose words had been so effective in his youth, now finds his efforts thwarted and he himself rejected and put to one side (Zechariah 11:4). His opponents are profiting from their position by misusing the Temple to the detriment of the people, having become ‘traffickers of the sheep' (Zechariah 11:5; Zechariah 11:7; Zechariah 11:11).

So in this second main section the prophet, realising that everything was not going to happen as speedily as he had hoped, seeks to encourage the faithful in Israel and concentrates on the more distant future, and the fulfilling of the purposes of God. Then the nations as a whole will be dealt with by God and His people will become a blessing to the world, especially through their Coming King. But before the final fulfilment there will be treachery and suffering. For God's triumph will come through the tribulation of His people.

This second main section divides up into two subsections, 9-11 and 12-14.

ANALYSIS OF THE FIRST SUBSECTION.

This third section of Zechariah's prophecy (Zechariah 9:1 to Zechariah 11:17) is not so clearly divided up as the previous sections but we may possibly divide it as follows on the basis of exhortations:

· ‘The burden of the word of YHWH on' (the northern nations) - (Zechariah 9:1).

· ‘Rejoice greatly O daughter of Zion --- behold your King comes' (Zechariah 9:9).

· ‘Ask of YHWH rain in the time of the latter rain' (Zechariah 10:1).

· ‘Open your doors, O Lebanon ---' (Zechariah 11:1).

IN DEPTH ANALYSIS OF Zechariah 9-11.

· Destruction of the pride and wisdom of the nations, salvation for the humbled Philistines, God will encamp around His house (His people) so that they will never again be oppressed (Zechariah 9:1).

· ‘His people are called on to behold the arrival of the lowly but triumphant King who will introduce peace and abjure warfare. He will release the captive exiles, who are therefore to turn to the Stronghold, for YHWH will act on their behalf as their Defender using His own weaponry of lightning and whirlwind and thus they will feast and rejoice and flourish in perfect safety (Zechariah 9:9).

· His people are to ask of YHWH for the necessary rains and the One Who is their Defender (the One Who makes lightning - Zechariah 9:14) will give them rain, for God will deal with the false prophets and shepherds, and will raise up One Who will be His Cornerstone, His secure nail, and His battle bow, and an army of rulers who will be mighty men and will deliver His people. His people will be made strong and rejoice and He will signal to the exiles, will strengthen them in YHWH and they will return and walk up and down in His Name (Zechariah 10:1).

· The nation is to open its doors to invaders because it has listened to the false shepherds and rejected its true shepherd who is valued at a derisory thirty pieces of silver. The result is that they will have to endure the false shepherds that they have chosen (Zechariah 11:1)

Note that in ‘a' God promises that He will deal with the proud nations, and that His people will never be oppressed, and in the parallel His people will be oppressed because they have chosen to follow false shepherds. In ‘b' their King comes and YHWH fights on His people's behalf with His own weaponry, and in the parallel He sends His Cornerstone and again acts on their behalf again with His own weaponry.

In this remarkable chapter we have a description of YHWH's purposes for the world. We may summarise it as follows:

· All who are proud, and especially Tyre and Sidon, the outstanding symbol of pride and wealth at the time, will be brought down (Zechariah 9:1).

· This will affect the attitudes of the peoples like the Philistines and they will see what happens and will be afraid. They too will be humbled, but in their case it will lead them to become one with God's people, freed from idolatry (Zechariah 9:5).

· At this time YHWH will become as a guard to His house (the house of Israel), so that His people will be free from oppressors (Zechariah 9:8).

· The coming King will arrive, triumphant and victorious and yet riding in humility on an ass (Zechariah 9:9).

· At this stage all weapons of warfare will be dispensed with, and the King will command peace to the nations and establish worldwide dominion in peace (Zechariah 9:10).

· Because of the blood of the covenant His people will now be free to come out of their prisons as ‘prisoners of hope' and return to His stronghold (Zechariah 9:11).

· The influence of His people will reach across the seas even to Javan (Zechariah 9:13).

· And all this will be wrought by the hand of YHWH as He goes forward to conquer, just as He did before Israel of old (Zechariah 9:14).

· YHWH will watch over His people who will be under His protection and will make even the most fiendish weapons fail against them. They will be able to feast, and tread on their enemies' sling stones, and satiate themselves with wine in the face of their enemies (Zechariah 9:15).

· And on that day God will save them, and the age of blessing and plenty will dawn (916-17).

So the overall picture is of judgment on the proud, and of salvation to the humble, wrought by YHWH through the coming King.