Zechariah 12:1-9
Let’s begin by summing up the book of Zechariah so far. Chapter 1 begins with God’s command to the returned exiles in 520 BC: “Return to me, and I will return to you” (1:3). God doesn’t merely want Jews to physically return to the land of Israel; He wants them to genuinely trust in Him as their Lord and Savior.
Then, over the next 11 chapters, God describes how Israel will return in two separate ways: a present-day partial return and a future complete return.
The first half, chapters 1-6, focuses on Israel’s partial return in Zechariah’s day. It shows how God has appointed Israel’s leaders to fulfill His law and called its people to worship Him in holiness and living justly.
The second half, chapters 9-14, describes Israel’s complete return to Yahweh when He comes to reign in Jerusalem. It shows a cataclysmic upheaval of Israel and the rest of the world. In each chapter thus far (9, 10, 11) God contrasts the present world order with the future reign of the Messiah.
In chapter 12, God describes the events leading to Yahweh’s reign. The chapter opens with a stunning description of God in verse 1:
The word of the Lord concerning Israel.
A declaration of the Lord, who stretched out the heavens, laid the foundation of the earth, and formed the spirit of man within him.
Commentators point out that these three descriptions of God all link to Genesis 1:
- who stretched out the heavens
- laid the foundation of the earth
- formed the spirit of man within him
By framing God as Creator, Zechariah prepares us for God’s creative work in the rest of the chapter. God returns to earth to dwell on it like He did with Adam and Eve after His creation. But this time, He is re-creating Israel to govern the world from it.
Similarly, the next section (verses 2-9) shows God bringing order out of the chaos surrounding Jerusalem in the last days.
2 “Look, I will make Jerusalem a cup that causes staggering for the peoples who surround the city. The siege against Jerusalem will also involve Judah. 3 On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who try to lift it will injure themselves severely when all the nations of the earth gather against her. 4 On that day” — this is the LORD’s declaration — “I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness. I will keep a watchful eye on the house of Judah but strike all the horses of the nations with blindness. 5 Then each of the leaders of Judah will think to himself: The residents of Jerusalem are my strength through the Lord of Armies, their God. 6 On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves; they will consume all the peoples around them on the right and the left, while Jerusalem continues to be inhabited on its site, in Jerusalem. 7 The LORD will save the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of David’s house and the glory of Jerusalem’s residents may not be greater than that of Judah. 8 On that day the LORD will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that on that day the one who is weakest among them will be like David on that day, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the LORD, before them. 9 On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
This description can be broken down into sections: verses 2-4, 5-6 and 7-9.
In verses 2-4, we see a siege against Jerusalem, where all the nations of the earth gather against Jerusalem and Judah. Though they outnumber the Jews in these regions, the armies of the world will be functionally inept. They will “stagger” (2), “injure themselves severely” (3), and their horses will “panic” with “madness” and “blindness” (4). Readers will note the similarity of this panic and that of the Egyptians at the Red Sea (Exodus 14), the Midianites against Gideon (Judges 7), the Philistines against Jonathan (1 Samuel 14), and the Ammonites and Moabites against Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20). In each case, God gave supernatural protection to the Israelites.
When Yahweh returns to earth, it will look similar to these past events because God supernaturally causes Israel’s enemies to fail. God doesn’t want Israel’s victory to be seen as a military achievement because that would diminish the glory He receives from it. Rather, He wants His power to be manifested to all the world so they will know God is fighting for the Jews.
This supernatural panic, which seizes the nations laying siege against Jerusalem and Judah, has an immediate effect on Judah’s leaders in verse 5-6. Judah’s leaders realize the Lord of Armies, their God, is empowering the people of Jerusalem. They realize they aren’t fighting alone. In that renewed confidence, God makes them a fiery force that burns up “all the peoples” laying siege to them.
Verses 7-9 concludes this section, showing God’s active role in this victory. “The LORD will save the tents of Judah first”, “the LORD will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem”, and “I will set out to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.” His presence and power are so strong with the Jews at this time that “the one who is weakest among them will be like David on that day”. This means that children or elderly people will be as strong as the most successful warrior of Israel’s history.
Some of us may know Revelation 19, which presents Jesus wiping out these armies with “the sword of His mouth”. I believe that in Zechariah 12:1-9, we see the earthly fulfillment of the heavenly command of Jesus. His word empowers these leaders on earth to execute His will.
Next time, we will look at Zechariah 12:10-14, which shows the response of Israel to their Savior in the aftermath of His defeat of the nations on their behalf. For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under the law but under grace.
Pastor David