Zechariah 9

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Dave Burnette's Commentary

Zechariah Chapter 9

Written By: God through Inspiration

Penned By: Zechariah

Date Penned: (1-8 520-518BC)(9-14 480BC)

Overview: Messages After Completing the Temple (c 9-14)

Theme: Zechariah's Words of Encouragement (c 7-14)

Message: Israel Enemies Judged (v 1-17)

Zechariah: Chapter 9 Commentary

(9:1) The last six chapters of the book are 2 messages delivered late in Zechariah's life which point to the Messiah and the Second Coming. Some of these prophecies were fulfilled before the Messiah came, perhaps by Alexander the Great. Others were fulfilled during the Messiah's time on earth and others will be fulfilled when he returns. Those who oppressed Jerusalem - Syria, Philistia, Phoenicia - would be crushed. The promised King would come - first as a servant on a donkey's cold, then as a powerful ruler and judge.

(9:5-7) Zechariah mentions four key cities in Philistia, Ashkelon, Gaza, and Ekron would be destroyed and Ashdod would be overtaken by foreigners. This would happen because of their great evil idolatry. But those who are left in the land would be adopted into Israel as a new clan, as the Jebusites were (when David conquered Jerusalem, he did not wipe out the Jebusites, but absorbed them into Judah)

(9:8) Several centuries after Zechariah's day Antiochus IV Epiphanes would invade Israel, and in AD70 Titus, a Roman general, completely destroyed the Temple. This promise, therefore, may have been conditional upon the people's obedience. The day will come, however, when God's people will never again have to worry about invading enemies (Joel 3)

(9:9) The Triumphal Entry of Jesus riding into Jerusalem (Matthew 21) is predicted here 500 years before it happened. Just as this prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus came to earth, so the prophecies of his Second Coming are just as certain to come true. We are to be ready for his return, for he is coming.

(9:10) When we view 2 distant mountains, they appear to be close together, perhaps even to touch each other. But as we approach them, we can see that they are in fact far apart, even separated by a huge valley. This is the situation with many Old Testament prophecies. Verse 9 was clearly full field in Christ's first coming, but verse 10 can now be seen to refer to his Second Coning. At that time all nations will be subject to Christ and His Reign will cover the whole earth. In Philippians 2 we are told that at that time every knee will bow to Christ and every tongue confess him as Lord.

(9:11) Covenants in Old Testament times were sealed or confirmed with blood, much as we would sign our name to a contract. The Old Covenant was sealed by the blood of sacrifices, pointing to the blood Christ would shed at Calvary, his "signature" which confirmed God's new covenant with his people. Because God had made a covenant with these people, he delivered them from the "pit wherein is no water" the cistern like prison of exile.

(9:13-17) Ephraim is another name for the Northern Kingdom of Israel. After Solomon's reign, the kingdom was divided into the Northern Kingdom (called Israel or Ephraim) and the Southern Kingdom (Called Judah) This prophecy says that all Israel, north and south, will someday be reunited. The first part of this chapter tells how God will help his people when war is inevitable. Verses 14-16 explain how the Jews will win over the Greeks, but it is also a figurative picture of the ultimate future victory over evil by God's people.

Dave Burnette's Life Application
How Great is Our God

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we continue in the book ofZechariah with Chapter 9. In our text today we see Messages after completing the temple with Israel's enemies judged. Here we see the power of God as the Messiah is predicted to ride into Jerusalem 500 years in advance and God's permissive will to allow Alexander the Great conquer and make the roads that Paul would later travel to Share the Gospel of Jesus-Christ. In making application we see how Great is our God and how we must simply trust and obey Him in every step for He is in Ultimate Control. How about you? Do you see Power of God? Let us learn from our text today and Histories Story and Record of the Power of God, the Power in His Permissive Will, the Power in His Prophesied Word, to come to the conclusion, "How Great is our God"

Zechariah 9

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Zechariah 9

¹The burden of the word of the LORD in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be the rest thereof: when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the LORD.

²And Hamath also shall border thereby; Tyrus, and Zidon, though it be very wise.

³And Tyrus did build herself a strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.

⁴Behold, the LORD will cast her out, and he will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire.

⁵Ashkelon shall see it, and fear; Gaza also shall see it, and be very sorrowful, and Ekron; for her expectation shall be ashamed; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.

⁶And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.

⁷And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth: but he that remaineth, even he, shall be for our God, and he shall be as a governor in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.

⁸And I will encamp about mine house because of the army, because of him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth: and no oppressor shall pass through them any more: for now have I seen with mine eyes.

⁹Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

¹⁰And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.

¹¹As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water.

¹²Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee;

¹³When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man.

¹⁴And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the LORD God shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.

¹⁵The LORD of hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour, and subdue with sling stones; and they shall drink, and make a noise as through wine; and they shall be filled like bowls, and as the corners of the altar.

¹⁶And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land.

¹⁷For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids.

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