ZECHARIAH 12:1 The Second Oracle: The People and Their Leaders. In this last section of the book, hope for Judah is tied to the “house of David.” The future of Jerusalem is described in various ways, each beginning with the phrase “on that day” (17 times in these three chapters). The description of... [ Continue Reading ]
ZECHARIAH—NOTE ON ZECHARIAH 12:2 Jerusalem will be God’s instrument of judgment on the nations. It will be an intoxicating CUP OF STAGGERING. Drinking it will result in shame, disorientation, and destruction (compare Jeremiah 25:15). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var... [ Continue Reading ]
ZECHARIAH—NOTE ON ZECHARIAH 12:3 The phrase ON THAT DAY begins a series of nine such statements. See note on Amos 5:18–20. JERUSALEM will become a HEAVY STONE that will HURT the nations that try to move it. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, im... [ Continue Reading ]
ZECHARIAH—NOTE ON ZECHARIAH 12:4 When the nations of the earth gather against Jerusalem, the Lord will STRIKE their elite cavalry troops with BLINDNESS and PANIC (compare Deuteronomy 28:28). As for the HOUSE OF JUDAH, the Lord says, I WILL KEEP MY EYES OPEN to guard and protect them. ⇐ ⇔... [ Continue Reading ]
ZECHARIAH—NOTE ON ZECHARIAH 12:5 The CLANS OF JUDAH recognize that Jerusalem’s strength comes only from the LORD OF HOSTS (see note on Amos 3:13). He uses them as a BLAZING fire or a FLAMING TORCH to destroy the nations around them (Zechariah 12:6). ⇐ ⇔... [ Continue Reading ]
ZECHARIAH—NOTE ON ZECHARIAH 12:7 The Abrahamic covenant will be fulfilled (see Genesis 12:1). This will result in GLORY for JERUSALEM and all of JUDAH but destruction for the nations that oppose them. SALVATION will come TO THE TENTS OF JUDAH FIRST, even before Jerusalem. Either the soldiers in tent... [ Continue Reading ]
ZECHARIAH—NOTE ON ZECHARIAH 12:8 All of Jerusalem’s INHABITANTS will be raised to the highest human glory, LIKE DAVID (1 Samuel 13:14). David’s line will attain an even greater glory. ON THAT DAY the descendant of DAVID will lead the people into battle as the ANGEL OF THE LORD did in days of old (se... [ Continue Reading ]
ZECHARIAH—NOTE ON ZECHARIAH 12:9 The Lord will bring judgment on ALL THE NATIONS THAT COME AGAINST JERUSALEM. The fate of “all the nations,” first introduced in v. Zechariah 12:3, is settled. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
ZECHARIAH—NOTE ON ZECHARIAH 12:10 These verses focus primarily on the HOUSE OF DAVID and JERUSALEM. The “pouring out” of the SPIRIT (that is, God’s Spirit; v. Zechariah 12:10; see Ezekiel 39:29; Joel 2:28), will result in GRACE AND PLEAS FOR MERCY (Zechariah 12:10). This implies both fo [ Continue Reading ]