Zechariah 14
-The final chapter of this great book emphasizes the end of
times and gives specifics as to the daily lives and what will happen in
Jerusalem’s eschaton. The time sequences do not seem to be chronological in the
prophecy. The spoil taken from them will be divided among them. All the nations
will gather against the Holy City to battle. The city will be captured for a
while with houses plundered, women ravished, and half of the population of
Jerusalem exiled. However, the rest of the city will not be cut off, and the
LORD will go forth and fight against those nations that come against His
people. “In that day His (Messiah) feet will stand on the Mount of Olives,
which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and Mount of Olives will be split
in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half the
mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south
(Zechariah 14:1-4).” The inhabitants of Jerusalem will flee by the valley to
Azel in the beginning wilderness area just east of Jerusalem. The people had fled
in this direction during the time of King Uzziah as well. Then the LORD will
come, and His holy ones with Him (Zechariah 14:5)! These are events that seem to be during the tribulation period. There will be no light in
this day, which I believe refers now to the New Jerusalem following the millennial reign
(Zechariah 14:6-7, Revelation 21:1-2, 23-22:7). In that day “living waters will
flow out of Jerusalem” towards both the east and the west in both summer and
winter (Zechariah 14:8).
-“In that day” the LORD will be the only King over all the
earth, which I believe goes back in chronology to the millennial period. His
Name will be ultimately supreme and the land will be changed into a plain from
Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem; however, Jerusalem will remain on its site
and rise from the Benjamin Gate as far as the place of the First Gate to the
Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s wine presses
(Zechariah 14:9-10). People will inhabit it with no longer having to deal with
God’s curse. Jerusalem will live in complete security. Now going back in time
further to the era of tribulation, plagues will devastate those who have gone
to war against His Holy City in an attempt to bring about its downfall. “Their
flesh will rot while they stand on their feet, and their eyes will rot in their
sockets, and their tongue will rot in their mouth (Zechariah 14:11-12).” There
is no way Zechariah could have foreseen a time when this was actually possible,
but we know the effects of atomic and nuclear power and how these things can really
occur. A great panic, as you can imagine, comes upon these enemies of God as He
sends His fury. Violence will occur with each other as they fruitlessly attempt
to combat the Holy One. Judah will be embroiled in the battle at Jerusalem, and
the wealth of the nations will come as a gathering place to duke it out. When
it is all said and done, and I believe this involves the millennial Kingdom of
Christ (Revelation 20:2-7), the ones who are left from the nations will go up
from year to year to worship King Jesus, the LORD of hosts, and to celebrate
the Feast of Booths (Leviticus 23:34-36, Zechariah 14:13-16). No rain will fall
on those who disobey this command to come to Jerusalem and worship the LORD
yearly. Egypt is mentioned in particular here since they were the ones who
enslaved the Hebrew people necessitating the reason for the Feast of Booths
during Israel’s wilderness wanderings (Zechariah 14:17-19). “In that day” the
bells of the horses will render the phrase “HOLY TO THE LORD.” And the cooking
pots in the LORD’s House will be like the bowls before the altar. In fact every
cooking pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the LORD, and all who come
to sacrifice to the LORD will come and take of them and boil in them. In other
words, His holiness is open to all the nations to come and partake of His
goodness. There is longer no a distinction between the holy and the common
since all is now declared holy before the LORD as the curse is removed. Also, “There
will no longer be a Canaanite in the House of the LORD of hosts in that day
(Zechariah 14:20-21).” The Canaanite represented idolatry and false religion. God
had commanded the Hebrews to annihilate them when they originally came back
into the Promised Land under Joshua (Exodus 23:23-25, Joshua 24). Sadly, they
had been left as a remnant and infiltrated the Jewish culture leading to Israel
and Judah’s own depravity, idolatry, and exile. Now that the Messiah is in
charge, no corruption to His power and authority remains.
-*Application* In summation, Zechariah gives us a sweeping panorama
of world history and what is to come for the glorious Kingdom of God. His hope
should be our hope as we see the hastening of the Day of the LORD. His enemies
will be dismantled, His justice, mercy, and love will rule. Better days are
ahead after the tumult. Keep trusting Him and praying for souls to come under
His grace. Messiah Jesus is coming back, and He will correct all that has gone
wrong with this sinful world!
Verse to Memorize:
Zechariah 14:4
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