Zechariah 9 · The Lantern

The Burden against Israel’s Enemies

The oracle of the word of the LORD in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus is its resting place — for the eye of man and all the tribes of Israel are toward the LORD —

and Hamath also borders on it, Tyre and Sidon, though she is very wise.

And Tyre built herself a stronghold and heaped up silver like dust and fine gold like the mire of the streets.

See — the Lord will dispossess her and strike her wealth into the sea; and she will be devoured by fire.

Ashkelon will see and fear, and Gaza, and she will writhe greatly, and Ekron, for her expectation is dried up. And a king will perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon will not be inhabited.

And one born of a forbidden union will dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.

And I will remove his blood from his mouth and his detestable things from between his teeth; and he too will remain for our God, and he will be like a chief in Judah, and Ekron like a Jebusite.

And I will encamp at my house as a guard, from the one passing through and from the one returning; and an oppressor will not pass over them any more, for now I have seen with my eyes.

Zion’s Coming King

Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! See — your king comes to you; righteous and saved is he, afflicted and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the son of she-donkeys.

And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, 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.

Everywhere the cause of the unbelief of the Jews was this: that they did not understand Jesus as the "Christ of God", because they always gave their mind to the corporeal histories, unwilling to believe anything spiritual in them.

Rejoice greatly O daughter of Sion, shout O daughter of Jerusalem; behold thy King cometh unto thee; he is just and having salvation; lowly and riding upon an ass—even a young colt. This passage he uttered with reference to Zerubabel, in a strain of hyperbole as regards him, for it had properly its accomplishment in the Lord Christ, whom Zerubabel as it were, personified.

And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be cut off. And he will speak peace to the nations, and his dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

For peace and tranquillity of the soul is above all glory of any house; for peace passeth all understanding. This is that peace above all peace which shall be granted after the third shaking of the heaven, the sea, the earth and the dry land, when He shall destroy all Principalities and Powers.

And 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.

Be glad, therefore, O Jerusalem, since of such a kind is a king appointed for you by God, and he has come to you, capable of saving his own on account of the divine influence accruing to him and justly inflicting total punishment on the adversaries.

You also — by the blood of your covenant I have sent out your prisoners from the pit with no water in it.

The sun was darkened because of the Sun of justice. The rocks were rent because of "the spiritual rock." Tombs were opened, and the dead arose, because of him who was "free among the dead." He "sent forth his prisoners out of the pit, wherein there is no water." Do not be ashamed, then, of the Crucified, but say with confidence, "He bears our sins and carries our sorrows, and b…

It was fitting that the herald of his resurrection is reported to have been sitting, so that by sitting he might prefigure him who, having triumphed over the author of death, would ascend to his seat in the everlasting kingdom.

Since it was fitting for Christ to die in order to deliver us from death, so it was fitting for Him to descend into hell in order to deliver us also from going down into hell.

Return to the stronghold, prisoners of the hope! Also today I declare that I will return double to you.

For I have bent Judah for myself, I have filled the bow with Ephraim; and I will rouse your sons, Zion, against your sons, Javan, and I will make you like the sword of a mighty man.

The LORD Will Save His People

And the LORD will be seen over them, and his arrow will go out like the lightning; and the Lord GOD will blow the trumpet and will go in the whirlwinds of the south.

The LORD of hosts will shield over them, and they will devour and subdue the sling stones; and they will drink, they will roar as with wine, and they will be full like the basin, like the corners of the altar.

And the LORD their God will save them in that day, like the flock of his people; for they are stones of a crown, lifted as a banner over his ground.

For how great is his goodness and how great his beauty! Grain will make the young men flourish, and new wine the young women.

Zechariah9

The Burden against Israel’s Enemies

Zion’s Coming King

The LORD Will Save His People