Judgment on Israel’s Enemies - Bible Study...

www.biblestudyworkshop.org 1

Judgment on Israel’s Enemies

An Oracle

The Spiritual King is Coming

The Lord Will Appear

Zechariah 9:1-17

Landmark Publications, Inc., 1045 Mayor Street, Nashville, TN 37216, U.S.A., John C. Sewell ,Ph.D., Editor.


Judgment on Israel’s Enemies

An Oracle

The Spiritual King is Coming

The Lord Will Appear

Commentary

By

Charles Box

Text:

Zechariah 9:1-17,

1. An oracle of the word of the Lord concerning the land of Hadrach, with its focus on Damascus: The eyes of all humanity, especially of the tribes of Israel, are toward the Lord,

2. as are those of Hamath also, which adjoins Damascus, and Tyre and Sidon, though they consider themselves to be very wise.

3. Tyre built herself a fortification and piled up silver like dust and gold like the mud of the streets!

4. Nevertheless the Lord will evict her and shove her fortifications into the sea—she will be consumed by fire.

5. Ashkelon will see and be afraid; Gaza will be in great anguish, as will Ekron, for her hope will have been dried up. Gaza will lose her king, and Ashkelon will no longer be inhabited.

6. A mongrel people will live in Ashdod, for I will greatly humiliate the Philistines.



7. I will take away their abominable religious practices; then those who survive will become a community of believers in our God, like a clan in Judah, and Ekron will be like the Jebusites.

8. Then I will surround my temple to protect it like a guard from anyone crossing back and forth; so no one will cross over against them anymore as an oppressor, for now I myself have seen it.

9. Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Look! Your king is coming to you: he is legitimate and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey— on a young donkey, the foal of a female donkey.

10. I will remove the chariot from Ephraim and the warhorse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be removed. Then he will announce peace to the nations. His dominion will be from sea to sea and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.

11. Moreover, as for you, because of our covenant relationship secured with blood, I will release your prisoners from the waterless pit.

12. Return to the stronghold, you prisoners, with hope; today I declare that I will return double what was taken from you.

13. I will bend Judah as my bow; I will load the bow with Ephraim, my arrow! I will stir up your sons, Zion, against yours, Greece, and I will make you, Zion, like a warrior’s sword.

14. Then the Lord will appear above them, and his arrow will shoot forth like lightning; the Lord God will blow the trumpet and will sally forth on the southern storm winds.

15. The Lord who rules over all will guard them, and they will prevail and overcome with sling stones. Then they will drink, and will become noisy like drunkards, full like the sacrificial basin or like the corners of the altar.



16. On that day the Lord their God will deliver them as the flock of his people, for they are the precious stones of a crown sparkling over his land.

17. How precious and fair! Grain will make the young men flourish and new wine the young women. (NET)

Introduction:

I. The theme of the first eight chapters of Zechariah dealt with the restoration of the Temple and the rebuilding of the nation.

A. The last four chapters have several Messianic prophecies in them.

B. Although this chapter has a great promise of the Messiah, Zechariah nine and ten have to do with events that were future to Zechariah, especially God’s judgment against Gentile cities and nations.

II. Zechariah’s exact prophecies and their fulfillment is another proof of the inspiration of the Scriptures.

A. God’s eyes were upon everyone, especially the Jews.

1. So He pronounced judgment against the wicked places like the land of Hadrach and Damascus.

2. God’s judgment also fell on the city of Hamath, as well as on Tyre and Sidon.

a. Tyre had piled up silver and gold, as though it was mud from the streets.

b. The Lord punished them with poverty.



3. The Jews would be spared as cities like Ashkelon, Gaza and Ekron were punished.

a. The Philistines would be conquered and their pride would be gone.

b. God later provided special protection for the Temple and the Jewish nation.

III. Zechariah nine contains a great promise of the Messiah.

A. It is not easy to see how it fits in this context other than the reason that God protected the Jews was for the coming of the Messiah.

1. The prophecy said, “Rejoice 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.” (Zechariah 9:9)

2. This prophecy is directly applied to Jesus in Mathew 21:5.

a. Matthew 21:5, “Tell the people of Zion, ‘Look, your king is coming to you, unassuming and seated on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’” (NET)

3. The prophecy was so specific that it was pointed out that the Messiah would ride into Jerusalem on a male donkey.

B. Zechariah 9:9-11 is a beautiful picture of the rescue of sinful people from the deep pits of sin.

1. Zechariah 9:9-11, Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Look! Your king is coming to you: he is legitimate and victorious, humble and riding



on a donkey—on a young donkey, the foal of a female donkey. I will remove the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be removed. Then he will announce peace to the nations. His dominion will be from sea to sea and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth. Moreover, as for you because of our covenant relationship secure with blood will release your prisoners from waterless pit. (NET)

2. The Messiah would speak peace to the heathen.

3. It is by the blood of the Messiah that people are released from the prison of sin.

IV. Judah and Israel are pictured as restored and joined with God as He protected them in battle.

A. The Jews were the special people of God until the time that the Messiah could be born.

B. The protection and preservation of God is the only way the Jewish nation could exist until the Messiah could come through them.

1. ”How lovely they will be. Young people will grow there like grain in a field or grapes in a vineyard.”

Enemies of Israel Will Be Punished

Zechariah 9:1-8, An oracle of the word of the LORD concerning the land of Hadrach, with its focus on Damascus: The eyes of all humanity, especially of the tribes of Israel, are toward the LORD, as are those of Hamath also, which adjoins Damascus, and Tyre and Sidon, though they consider themselves to be very wise. Tyre built herself a fortification and piled up silver like dust and gold like the mud of the streets! Nevertheless the Lord will evict her and shove her fortifications into the sea—she will be consumed by fire.



Ashkelon will see and be afraid; Gaza will be in great anguish, as will Ekron, for her hope will have been dried up. Gaza will lose her king, and Ashkelon will no longer be inhabited. A mongrel people will live in Ashdod, for I will greatly humiliate the Philistines. I will take away their abominable religious practices; then those who survive will become a community of believers in our God, like a clan in Judah, and Ekron will be like the Jebusites. Then I will surround my temple to protect it like a guard from anyone crossing back and forth; so no one will cross over against them anymore as an oppressor, for now I myself have seen it. (NET)

I. In Zechariah nine verses one through eight, prophecies were made about God’s judgment coming against the nations.

A. We see God’s judgment against the land of Hadrach and Damascus.

B. Other Gentile locations that would feel God’s wrath would be Hamath, Tyrus, and Zidon, the land of Philistia, including Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and Ashdod.

C. The abominable things of false religion and the blood-thirsty activity of the sinful Gentiles would face certain and severe punishment.

II. God has always hated the shedding of innocent blood.

A. At the same time the Gentile nations were being judged, God promised to protect the Temple and His people.

1. He would stand guard to protect the Temple against attacks and He would preserve the Jews for the coming of the Messiah.

2. These events were fulfilled in the days of Alexander the Great.



3. These events were to take place before the promised time of the Kingdom of Christ.

The King, The Messiah Is Coming

Zechariah 9:9-10, Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Look! Your king is coming to you: he is legitimate and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey— on a young donkey, the foal of a female donkey. I will remove the chariot from Ephraim and the warhorse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be removed. Then he will announce peace to the nations. His dominion will be from sea to sea and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth. (NET)

I. In a powerful prophecy of the Messiah, Zechariah wrote, “Rejoice 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.” (Zechariah 9:9)

A. This prophecy is directly applied to Jesus as He made His triumphant entry into Jerusalem.

1. And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethpage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.” (Matthew 21:1-5)



2. This was indeed a time for rejoicing.

B. Observe the four descriptions that were given of the King: . . .

1. He is just or righteous.

2. He brings salvation, . . .

3. He is lowly or meek and . . .

4. He is riding upon an ass colt.

C. Today we can rejoice because the King has come.

1. “Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the Highest.” (Matthew 21:9)

Rescued From Sin By Blood

Zechariah 9:11-13, Moreover, as for you, because of our covenant relationship secured with blood, I will release your prisoners from the waterless pit. Return to the stronghold, you prisoners, with hope; today I declare that I will return double what was taken from you. I will bend Judah as my bow; I will load the bow with Ephraim, my arrow! I will stir up your sons, Zion, against yours, Greece, and I will make you, Zion, like a warrior’s sword. (NET)

I. The covenant that God made with Abraham (Genesis 12) and later Isaac, Jacob, and the Israelites was ratified with the blood of many godly victims.

A. Genesis 12:2-3, Then I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great, so that you will exemplify divine blessing. I will bless those who bless you, but the one who treats you lightly I must curse,



and all the families of the earth will bless one another by your name.” (NET)

B. The time finally came when the Messiah shed His precious blood, a sacrifice that had been vividly pictured by many Old Testament sacrifices.

1. It is by the precious blood of the Son of God that those bound in the misery and pits of sin can be set free.

a. “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” (Hebrews 9:12)

2. The stronghold to which we look for deliverance from sin is Jesus.

a. He was delivered for our offences and raised for our justification. (Romans 4:25)

i. Romans 4:25, He was given over because of our transgressions and was raised for the sake of our justification. (NET)

3. Those who become children of God through the blood of Jesus receive the double blessing of peace and salvation.

C. Zechariah then returned to describe events that would lead up to the coming of the Messiah King.

1. God said, “I will use Judah as my bow and Israel as my arrow. I will take the people of Zion as my sword and attack the Greeks.”



God Protected His People

Zechariah 9:14-17, Then the LORD will appear above them, and his arrow will shoot forth like lightning; the Lord GOD will blow the trumpet and will sally forth on the southern storm winds. The LORD who rules over all will guard them, and they will prevail and overcome with sling stones. Then they will drink, and will become noisy like drunkards, full like the sacrificial basin or like the corners of the altar. On that day the LORD their God will deliver them as the flock of his people, for they are the precious stones of a crown sparkling over his land. How precious and fair! Grain will make the young men flourish and new wine the young women. (NET)

I. In Zechariah 9:14-17 God declared that he would be with and bless His people.

A. There are many times that God blesses and protects His people physically, but the primary reference here is to how God would bless the Jewish nation spiritually and how He would later bless us spiritually through Jesus.

1. There are times when prophecies have a physical fulfillment and later a more complete spiritual fulfillment.

2. The case here is likely that God will remain with His people and bless the nation physically and will later bring the Messiah through them as the redeemer for the people.

3. You can be assured that the Lord will protect His people.

a. “The LORD All-Powerful will protect his people.”

b. “The LORD God will save them on that day, because they are his people, and they will shine on his land like jewels in a crown. How lovely they will be. Young



people will grow there like grain in a field or grapes in a vineyard.”

Conclusion:

I. We should that God because the humble and meek Messiah has come!

A. There is now cleansing by His blood.

II. Is it your desire to get out of the pit of sin?

A. If so, it is time to become a Christian now!



Questions

On

Zechariah 9:1-17

By

John C. Sewell

1. The ______________ of the ______________ is against the ____________ of ______________ and will rest upon ______________ and upon ______________ too, which borders on it, and upon ______________ too, which borders on it, and upon ______________ and though they are very ______________.

2. Geographically locate the places mentioned in question 1 above._______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Why was the word of the Lord against these places? ______________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. The ____________ of ______________ and all the ______________ of ______________ are on the ______________.



5. How often was the statement in question 4 above correct? . . . incorrect? Consider Israel’s and mankind’s history. Consider the situation when Zechariah 9 was written. _________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. What had Tyre done? (See verse 3.) __________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. What will God do to Tyre? Why would he do these things? (See verse 4.) __________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8. What Philistine cities are mentioned in verses 5-8? What would happen to these cities? Consider both good things and bad? Why would these things happen to these cities? _____________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



9. God declared, “But I will ______________ my ______________ against ______________ ______________. Never again will an ____________ ____________ my ______________, for ____________ I am ______________ ______________.

10. Were there any exceptions o the statement in question 9 above? If so, name these exceptions. ____________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

11. The first ______________ ______________ of ______________ focuses on the ______________ of the ______________ and the ______________ the ______________ following the ______________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

12. While the last four chapters contain several ______________ ______________, Zechariah ______________ and ______________ have to do with ______________ that were future to the time ______________ lived and focus on ______________ ______________ against ______________ ______________ and ______________.

13. Zechariah 9:9-11 is a ______________ ______________ of the ___________ of _____________ ____________ from the ___________ ______________ of ______________.

14. Why was the Daughter of Zion to rejoice greatly? (See verses 9) __



__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

15. When was Zechariah 9:9 fulfilled? __________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

16. Judah’s king would produce ______________ ______________. He would be ______________ and would have ______________. He would be ______________ and would proclaim ______________ to the ______________. His rule would be to the ______________ of the ______________.

17. What was the waterless pit from which the people would be freed? To what fortress would the prisoners of hope return? _______________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

18. “I (_______________) will take away the ______________ from ___________ and the ___________ - __________ from ____________, and the ______________ ______________ will be ____________.”

19. “I (______________) will bend ______________ as I bend my ______________ and fill it with ______________.”



20. “I (____________) will rouse your ____________, _____________, against your ______________, O ______________, and make you like a ______________’s ______________.”

21. when did the events of questions 18, 19 and 20 occur ?___________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

22. There are many times that ______________ ______________ and ______________ His ______________ ______________, but the ______________ ______________ here (verses 4-17) is to how ______________ would ______________ the ______________ ______________ ______________ and how He would later ______________ us ______________ through ______________.

23. There are times when ______________ have a ______________ ______________ and later a more ______________ ______________ ______________.

24. The ______________ and ______________ ______________ has come! There is now ______________ by his ______________.

25. “The ______________ will ______________ over them; his ______________ will ______________ like ______________.”

26.. “The ______________ ______________ will ______________ the ______________; he will ______________ in the ______________ of the ______________, and the ______________ ______________ will



______________ ______________.” They will ______________ and ______________ with ______________.”

27. “They will ______________ and ______________ as with ______________; they will be ______________ like a ______________ used for ____________ the ______________ of the ______________.” Is this good? Why or why not?

28. the ______________ their ______________ will ______________ them on that ______________ as the ______________ of his ______________. They will ______________ in his ______________ like ______________ in a ______________.”

29. “How ______________ and ______________ they will be! ______________ will make the ______________ ______________ ____________, and ____________ ____________ the ______________ ______________.”

30. When did or will the promises of verses 14-17 come to pass?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



2.Geographically locate the places mentioned in question 1 above._____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Why was the word of the Lord against these places?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. The ____________ of ____________ and all the __________

of ____________ are on the ____________.

5. How often was the statement in question 4 above correct? .... incorrect? Consider Israel’s and mankind’s history. Consider the situation when Zechariah 9 was written.________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



______________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. What had Tyre done? (See verse 3.)_____________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. What will God do to Tyre? Why would he do these things? (see verse 4.)_________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8. What Philistine cities are mentioned in verses 5-8? What would happen to these cities? Consider both good things and bad. Why would these things happen to these cities?_________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9. God declared, “But I will _____________ my ____________ against _______________ ________________ . Never again will an _____________ _____________ my ______________, for ____________ I am ____________ ____________.”

10. Were there any exceptions to the statement in question 9 above? If so, name these exceptions._____________________ ___________________________________________________



____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

11. The first ____________ ____________ of _____________ focuses on the ____________ and the ____________ of the ____________ following the___________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

12. While the last four chapters contain several _____________ _________________, Zechariah ____________ and _________ have to do with _______________ that were future to the time ____________ lived and focus on ____________ ___________ against ___________ _______________ and ____________ .

13. Zechariah 9:9-11 is a ____________ ____________ of the ______________ of _____________ ____________ from the ______________ _____________ of _____________ .

14. Why was the Daughter of Zion to rejoice greatly? (see verse 9)__________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

15. When was Zechariah 9:9 fulfilled?____________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



16. Judah’s king would produce ___________ ____________. He would be ____________ and would have ______________. He would be __________ and would proclaim ____________ to the ___________. His rule would be to the ____________ of the _____________ .

17. What was the waterless pit from which the people would be freed? To what fortress would the prisoners of hope return? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

18. “I ( _____________ ) will take away the ____________ from _____________ and the ___________ - _____________ from _____________ , and the ____________ ____________ will be ____________.”

19. “I ( ____________ ) will bend _____________ as I bend my ____________ and fill it with ____________.”

20. “I ( _________ ) will rouse your _________, O__________, against your __________, O __________, and make you like a __________’s ___________.”

21. When will the events of questions 18, 19 and 20 occur? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

22. There are many times that __________ and __________ His __________ __________ , but the __________ __________ here (verses 14-17) is to how __________ would __________



the ___________ would later ____________ us ____________ through ____________.

23. There are times when ____________ have a ____________ and later a more ____________ _____________ ___________.

24. The __________ and __________ ___________ has come! There is now ____________ by his ___________.

25. “The _____________ will ______________ over them; his _____________ will _____________ like ____________.”

26. “The ____________ ____________ will ______________ the _____________ ; he will ____________ in the __________ of the _____________, and the __________ __________ will ______________ .”

27. “They will __________ and __________ as with _________; they will be __________ like a __________ used for ________ the __________ of the __________.” Is this good? Why or why not? _______________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

28. “The __________ their __________ will __________ them on that __________ as the ___________ of his ____________. They will __________ in his __________ like __________ in a __________.”

29. “How _____________ and _____________ they will be! _______________ will make the ___________ ___________ __________, and __________ __________ the __________ __________ .”

30. When did or will the promises of verses 14-17 come to pass?_______________________________________________



_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Judgment on Israel’s Enemies - Bible Study...

Documents

Transcript of Judgment on Israel’s Enemies - Bible Study...