Zechariah 9-14 (August 12)
Zechariah 9-14
Restoration
(August 12)
The last half of Zechariah (chs.9-14) was written in a different time period than chapters 1-8
(some believe it was written about 50 years after chs.1-8;
others believe it to have been written just a few years after chs.1-8;
still others believe it may have been written well before chs.1-8...
possibly as early as 722 B.C., because of the contemporary-sounding reference to Ephraim, or Israel, in v.10)
There is also some dispute as to whether it was penned by the same person who penned chs.1-8
(or whether chs.9-14 might have even been penned by several people, perhaps using chs.1-8 as a model)
What is not in dispute is that we are given 2 “oracles” (or “burdens”) here
In chs.9-11, we see God's interaction with his people until the coming of Christ
In chs.12-14, we see the Last Days (the final conflict and ultimate triumph of God)
I considered going into an in-depth analysis on each of the nations listed in ch.9:
Syria (represented here as “Hadrach”, and by its capital city, Damascus, bordered by the city of Hamath)
Lebanon (represented here by the cities of Tyre and Sidon)
Philistia (represented here directly in vs.6-7; as well as by the cities of Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, & Ashdod)
God is promising judgment for their sins
(His way of reminding the Jews that He hasn't forgotten what was done to them
by these neighboring countries).
I considered going into an in-depth study of the VERY clear Messianic prophecies found throughout chs.9-14:
Ref: Zechariah 9:9 (NIV)
“Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion!
Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and having salvation,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
[Seen as Jesus enters Jerusalem]
Ref: Matthew 21:5 (ESV)
“Say to the daughter of Zion,
'Behold, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.'"
Ref: John 12:15 (NASB)
“FEAR NOT, DAUGHTER OF ZION;
BEHOLD, YOUR KING IS COMING, SEATED ON A DONKEY'S COLT.”
Ref: Zechariah 11:10-13 (NIV)
“Then I took my staff called Favor and broke it, revoking the covenant I had made with all the nations.
It was revoked on that day,
and so the afflicted of the flock who were watching me knew it was the word.
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.
And the LORD said to me,
"Throw it to the potter"-the handsome price at which they priced me!
So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD to the potter.”
[This, of course, foreshadows Judas Iscariot's betrayal]
Ref: Matthew 26:14-16 (NCV)
“Then one of the twelve apostles, Judas Iscariot, went to talk to the leading priests.
He said, "What will you pay me for giving Jesus to you?"
And they gave him thirty silver coins.
After that, Judas watched for the best time to turn Jesus in.”
Ref: Zechariah 12:10 (NIV)
“"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. “Ref: Zechariah 13:7 (NIV)
“"Awake, O 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."”
But, I felt overwhelmingly led to examine Zechariah 10 with you
(knowing where many of us are right now with struggles and challenges).
Ref: Zechariah 10 (NLT)
“Ask the Lord for rain in the spring, for He makes the storm clouds.
And He will send showers of rain so every field becomes a lush pasture.
Household gods give worthless advice, fortune-tellers predict only lies,
and interpreters of dreams pronounce falsehoods that give no comfort.
So my people are wandering like lost sheep; they are attacked because they have no shepherd.
“My anger burns against your shepherds, and I will punish these leaders.
For the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has arrived to look after Judah, His flock.
He will make them strong and glorious, like a proud warhorse in battle.
From Judah will come the cornerstone, the tent peg, the bow for battle, and all the rulers.
They will be like mighty warriors in battle, trampling their enemies in the mud under their feet.
Since the Lord is with them as they fight, they will overthrow even the enemy’s horsemen.
“I will strengthen Judah and save Israel; I will restore them because of my compassion.
It will be as though I had never rejected them, for I am the Lord their God, who will hear their cries.
The people of Israel will become like mighty warriors,
and their hearts will be made happy as if by wine.
Their children, too, will see it and be glad; their hearts will rejoice in the Lord.
When I whistle to them, they will come running, for I have redeemed them.
From the few who are left, they will grow as numerous as they were before.
Though I have scattered them like seeds among the nations,
they will still remember me in distant lands.
They and their children will survive and return again to Israel.
I will bring them back from Egypt and gather them from Assyria.
I will resettle them in Gilead and Lebanon until there is no more room for them all.
They will pass safely through the sea of distress,
for the waves of the sea will be held back, and the waters of the Nile will dry up.
The pride of Assyria will be crushed, and the rule of Egypt will end.
By My power I will make My people strong, and by My authority they will go wherever they wish.
I, the Lord, have spoken!”
What are the notes of encouragement that God has left for you and me in this letter to us?
What has our Father promised us?
Abundance (v.1)
Strength (v.3)
Victory (v.5)
Happiness (v.7)
Redemption (v.8)
Freedom (v.12)
Purpose (vs.9-11)
Restoration (central theme, explicitly mentioned in v.6)
God is preparing to restore us (just like He did with Israel) to show His glory
(not our greatness, perseverance, faith, strength, courage, resourcefulness, integrity, or dignity... but His glory!
