04/10/2021 – Day 328 – Zechariah 8 -14//Part II of ? – Too much – From “Jerusalem, Holy City of the Future” to “The Day of the Lord” so let’s take a 10000 foot view.
With prayer, albeit limited time, I am going to use my trusted commentator warriors, in this case: 1) Halley’s Bible Handbook with quotations annotated with just quotation marks; and, 2) John Gill, English Baptist preacher and theologian extraordinare circa 1700s, annotated commentary links in the concluding chapter and verses to “The Day of the Lord”, with the symbol ” ” *JG My prayer includes prayer for organization as I have connecting reflections all over the place.
Let’s get started with our 10,000 foot view with a succinct summary of the entire book of Zechariah from Henry H. Halley:
“Summary of Zechariahs Fore- Glimpses of Christ
His Atoning Death for the Removal of Sin (3: 8-9; 13:1). / As Builder of the House of God (6:12). / His Universal Reign as King and Priest (6:13; 9:10), / Triumphal Entry (9:9, quoted in Matthew 21:5; John 12:15). / Betrayal for 30 pieces of silver (11:12, quoted in Matthew 27:9,10). / His Deity (12:8) / His Hands Pierced (12:10; 13:6, quoted in John 19:37)./ A Smitten Shepherd (13:7, quoted in Matthew 26:31, Mark 14 – 27). /
Here are plain statements which forecast, in specific language, not only the doctrines of the Coming Messiah’s Atoning Death, for human sin, his Deity, and his Universal Kingdom, but also mention detailed incidents in his life, such as his Entry in Jerusalem riding on a Colt, his Betrayal for 30 pieces of silver , etc.
Chapter 8 – Holy City of the Future
8:3: “Thus says the Lord: I will return to Zion, And dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, The Mountain of the Lord of hosts, The Holy Mountain.”
Jimmy’s commentary: I will have more to say about this and related verses in Part 3, but this verse prophecy and others in Zechariah were a real test for this fighting remnant of God’s covenant people to stand fast and realize that indeed: “Hope that is seen is not hope.” Again, for historical context, chapters 1 – 8 are generally considered 6th century b.c. and chapters 9 through the end of the book in Chapter 14 are considered 5th century b.c. The obstacles to build this rather small temple and much less elaborate as well, when compared to Solomon’s temple that had been destroyed. The city of Jerusalem was still in ruins generally even at the completion of the temple. It was a test of faith indeed to envision this promise of future prosperity and grandeur for Jerusalem, the Holy City of the Future.
Chapters 9, 10, 11. God’s Judgments on Neighbor Nations
“… A Picture of Zion’s Coming King (9: 9-10) is here set amid scenes of Judah’s fierce struggle with Greece. Verse 9 is quoted in the New Testament as referring to the Triumphal Entry of Christ into Jerusalem ( Matthew 21:5; John 12:15) In that same breath (10), the prophet sweeps forward to the day of Final Triumph. A glimpse at the Beginning of Messiah’s Kingdom; then a glimpse of the End. (note – all in just two verses)
Chapters 12, 13, 14. Vision of Israel’s Future
As chapters 9, 10, 11 are called the “burden” concerning Neighbor Nations (9:1), so chapters 12, 13, 14, are called the burden concerning Israel (12:1). The two sections are quite similar…..
12: 1-6. Judah’s Coming Struggle with All Nations. Description of this struggle is continued in 14: 1-8. Some consider the language to be a figurative representation of God’s struggle with the nations through the whole Christian era. Other’s apply it more literally to the time of the End…
Thus the death of the Branch, in David’s family, would be the source of God’s power against the nations (12: 2-4) and its efficiency would be shown in the eventual removal of idols and false prophets from the earth (13: 2-5).
14: 3-21. God’s Victory and Universal Regin. The grand consummation of prophetic dreams, the day of the Lord’s Return and the inaugeration of His Everlasting Kingdom. Some Biblical scholars think that verses 4-8 mean that Jesus, when He returns, will literally make His throne on the Mount of Olives, that the mountain will literally be cleft, that the waters will literally flow eastward and westward from Jerusalem, and that Jerusalem literally will be the center of pilgramages from nations outlined in verses 10-21. Others take the language to be a figurative representative representation of the New Heavens and New Earth, under the imagery of a benign, prosperous and all-powerful earthly kingdom, as Revelation 21, describes Heaven under the imagery of a magnificent earthly city. The “two-thirds” (13 – 8), may mean the larger part of the nation that fell in the destruction of Jerusalem (A.D. 70), following their Rejection of Christ.” ***
*** Jimmy note – and end of Halley quote section: Today in Alistair’s live stream sermon on 2 Samuel 8 – “David’s Conquests”, check out verse 2: “And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines measured to be put to death, and with one full line to be kept alive. And so, the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought gifts.”
And now we transition to John Gill’s commentary. John Gill has a commentary for every single verse in the bible; I am going to supply you with one link starting at 1) 14: 4 , and 2) from the concluding verse in the whole book – 14:20. If you so choose you can simply go to 14;4 and then at the top: just click out each succeeding verse until you have read all the commentary from 14:4 through the last verse, 14:20. I was thankful for the look up.
https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/zechariah-14-4.html
https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/zechariah-14-20.html
Soli Deo Gloria!
Always connected by His grace,
Your brother in Christ,
Jimmy