ZECHARIAH CHAPTER 9 Amidst the judgments of the neighbouring nations God will defend his church, MALACHI 9:1. Zion is exhorted to rejoice for the coming of Christ, and his peaceable kingdom, MALACHI 9:9. God's promises of victory and defence, MALACHI 9:12. THE BURDEN, i.e. the heavy, sad, and grievo... [ Continue Reading ]
HAMATH; a principal noted town of Syria, once called Epiphania; it was near neighbour to the Jews, for it was a boundary of the Land of Promise. SHALL BORDER THEREBY; shall be so near to this storm which cometh, that they shall be the. worse for it. The country called by this name, in which Riblah w... [ Continue Reading ]
TYRUS; which was naturally a strong hold, situate on a great rock in the sea. DID BUILD HERSELF A STRONG HOLD; fortified herself mightily, and then thought herself impregnable. HEAPED UP SILVER; gathered treasure, and laid it up, so that there was no end of it. AS THE DUST: it is a proverbial speech... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD; observe it, for I tell you truth; though strange, it will be so. THE LORD WILL CAST HER OUT; the Lord will do this, he will eject and cast her out of her inheritance, as the word in the Hebrew, and he will inherit her, as the word also bears. God will do both, he will seize into his hand by... [ Continue Reading ]
ASHKELON, threatened by Zephaniah, ZEPHANIAH 2:4, which threat was executed by the Babylonians soon after the Jews captivity, when Nebuchadnezzar wasted the seacoast, and besieged and took Tyre; but this threat of Zechariah was fully executed by Alexander the Great, as is most likely. SHALL SEE IT;... [ Continue Reading ]
A BASTARD; some say Alexander the Great was by Olympia's confession declared to be a bastard, and that he is here pointed at; but I think rather strangers, who have no right of inheritance, yet did dwell here, are meant, called bastards because not the rightful heirs, but intruders. ASHDOD; Azotus,... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL TAKE AWAY HIS BLOOD OUT OF HIS MOUTH; though proud and warlike nations have delighted to shed blood, nay, (if some judge aright,) to eat the blood of their slain enemies; yet now God will restrain, nay, overthrow their power, and take the prey out of their mouth, they shall neither breathe ou... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL ENCAMP ABOUT; pitch, not the tents of travellers and shepherds. but of an army, God in the midst of his own hosts, and angels among them, guardians, too. MINE HOUSE; this material temple, but as it is an emblem of the church. BECAUSE OF THE ARMY; of the Persian and Grecian army, whose march l... [ Continue Reading ]
REJOICE GREATLY: the prophet calls for such a joy as expresseth itself in outward gesture, as indeed the daughters of Zion did in their hosannas, when this had its accomplishment. DAUGHTER OF ZION; Jerusalem's inhabitants, or the church. SHOUT; proclaim aloud your joy at the news I now tell you. Bef... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL CUT OFF THE CHARIOT FROM EPHRAIM: when the Messiah comes and sets up his kingdom, he will need no external force, he will do that by the power of his Spirit; chariots of war are for other kind of kings and kingdoms, but in promoting of his own kingdom he will make no use of such force. AND TH... [ Continue Reading ]
AS FOR THEE, O Zion, and Jerusalem, thou Jewish church: these words are Christ's words to her, not the prophet's words to Christ, though papists would have it so, to countenance a _limbus patrum_. BY THE BLOOD, by my blood, saith Christ, OF THY COVENANT, in which thy covenant is confirmed: it is God... [ Continue Reading ]
TURN YOU: the prophet exhorts the Jews, both those in Babylon still, and those already in Canaan, to hasten up to THE STRONG HOLD; to Jerusalem, say some, which had been a strong hold, and which was now to be built again, as the high places of the earth; or to Christ, who is the salvation and high t... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN I HAVE BENT JUDAH FOR ME; in the days when Judah shall have recovered strength and courage, and be in my hand as a strong bow, ready bent. FILLED THE BOW WITH EPHRAIM; Ephraim, the remainder of the ten tribes, (which returned with Judah,) shall be for supply of warriors; as the quiver filled is... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD, the Almighty God, the God of Israel, Lord of hosts, SHALL BE SEEN OVER THEM; shall manifestly appear for them by his works of power against their enemies. HIS ARROW; alluding to warriors, that then used the bow: God's judgments, which slew his church's enemies, were swift, irresistible, an... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD OF HOSTS SHALL DEFEND THEM; in the most dangerous attempts the Jews, under their captains in the wars against the Grecians, were preserved to a miracle, according to this promise. THEY SHALL DEVOUR; a few of them destroy many of their enemies. SUBDUE WITH SLING STONES: as we read this passa... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD THEIR GOD, as in covenant with them, not only as Lord of hosts by his power, but as their God in mercy and faithfulness, SHALL SAVE THEM, fully deliver them, i.e. the sons of Zion, in that day, in the day of their contest and wars with the sons of Javan, AS THE FLOCK OF HIS PEOPLE; as a she... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HOW GREAT IS HIS GOODNESS! infinite goodness is the fountain of all that good done for this people; the prophet admires it, and suggests what is fit to be done by those that come and view those stones set up for trophies. HOW GREAT IS HIS BEAUTY! how wonderful the beauty of Divine Providence in... [ Continue Reading ]