Lesson #11

• MEMORY VERSE: ZECHARIAH 9:16

• IN THE LAST PART OF THE BOOK OF ZECHARIAH, THERE ARE TWO THEMES THAT COMPLETE THE BOOK.
• ONE THEME IS THE REJECTION OF THE MESSIAH.
• ANOTHER THEME IS THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE MESSIAH, THE SHEPHERD.
• THIS THEME INCLUDES:
• THE FALL OF GENTILE NATIONS.
• THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MESSIANIC KINGDOM CALLED THE MILLENNIUM.
• IN THE LAST PART OF THE BOOK OF ZECHARIAH, WE WILL SEE THE FULL COMPLEXITY OF BIBLE PROPHECY:
• WE HAVE ALREADY DISCUSSED THE LAW OF DOUBLE FULFILLMENT WHERE BIBLE PROPHECY HAS A FIRST AND PARTIAL FULFILLMENT NEAR THE TIME THE PROPHECY WAS GIVEN, AND A SECOND AND COMPLETE FULFILLMENT LATER IN TIME IN THE LAST DAYS.
• ANOTHER ASPECT OF BIBLE PROPHECY IS ITS SUDDEN AND GIGANTIC JUMPS IN TIME FROM ZECHARIAH’S DAY TO THE END TIMES. THIS ASPECT BECOMES VERY OBVIOUS IN THE LAST HALF OF THIS BOOK.
• IN CHAPTER 9, ZECHARIAH CHANGES THE TONE OF HIS MESSAGE. HE USES THE PHRASE, “THE BURDEN OF THE WORD OF THE LORD”. (1)
• WHAT IS A BURDEN?
• THE WORD HAS TWO MEANINGS:
• SOMETHING THAT IS CARRIED.
• SOMETHING THAT IS PROCLAIMED.
• IN THE BIBLE, IT IS A MESSAGE THAT GOD LAYS ON THE HEART OF A PROPHET THAT HE MUST CARRY ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE AND THAT HE MUST SPEAK THIS MESSAGE FOR GOD.
• OFTEN THESE “BURDENS” CONTAINED GOD’S JUDGMENT, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THE PROPHET CARRYING THE MESSAGE BECAME UNPOPULAR AMONG HIS OWN PEOPLE. TOO OFTEN THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS PAID WITH THEIR LIFE FOR BRINGING THESE BURDENS.
• THERE ARE TWO OF THESE BURDENS IN THE BOOK OF ZECHARIAH.
• THE FIRST BURDEN IS ZEC 9 –11.
• THE SECOND BURDEN IS ZEC 12 –14.

• READ ZEC 9:1-10 THE SIGNS FOR THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH
• EVENTS THAT MUST FIRST OCCUR BEFORE THE MESSIAH WILL COME:
• LOOK FOR THE COMING OF A GREAT KING (1-6)
• WHO IS THIS KING?
• ALEXANDER THE GREAT, THE LEADER OF THE GRECIAN EMPIRE THAT FOLLOWED THE MEDO-PERSIAN EMPIRE OF ZECHARIAH’S DAY.
• ALEXANDER THE GREAT (331 BC) CAME ABOUT 185 YEARS AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE TEMPLE IN 516 BC.
• HOW DO WE KNOW THIS PASSAGE REFERS TO ALEXANDER?
• THE CITIES CONQUERED BY ALEXANDER ARE THOSE LISTED IN THIS PASSAGE. THESE ARE CITIES HE CONQUERED AFTER THE BATTLE IF  OF ISSUS IN 333 BC.
• “WHEN THE EYES OF MAN, AS OF ALL THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL, SHALL BE TOWARD THE LORD.” (1)
• BECAUSE ALEXANDER CONQUERED SO MANY CITIES SO RAPIDLY, FEAR STRUCK THE HEART OF EVERYONE IN HIS PATH CAUSING MANY JEWS TO CRY OUT TO GOD FOR HELP.
• IT IS INTERESTING THAT ALEXANDER DID NOT ATTACK JERUSALEM BUT MERELY PASSED IT BY.
• THE LAND OF HADRACH AND DAMASCUS (1)
• DAMASCUS IS IN SYRIA.
• THE NAME HADRACH IS NOT ANY KNOWN PIECE OF GEOGRAPHY.
• THE WORD IS MADE UP OF TWO WORDS IN HEBREW. ONE MEANS SOFT AND THE OTHER WORD MEANS SHARP.
• THE MEDO-PERSIAN EMPIRE WAS MADE UP OF TWO PEOPLE GROUPS. THE MEDES WERE SHARP WARRIORS WHILE THE PERSIANS WERE INTELLECTUALS, NOT HARDENED WARRIORS. THEY WERE CONSIDERED SOFT.
• THEREFORE, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE WORD HADRACH REFERS TO THE MEDO-PERSIAN KINGDOM AS A WHOLE.
• TYRE (TYRUS) AND SIDON (ZIDON) (2)
• THESE ARE SISTER SEAPORT CITIES, CLOSE IN PROXIMITY, IN PHOENICIA. TYRE WAS THE LARGER OF THE TWO AND MORE IMPORTANT. THE CITIES WERE VERY WEALTHY FROM TRADE (3). AFTER BABYLON CONQUERED THE CITY OF TYRE, THE INHABITANTS MOVED THEIR CITY TO AN ISLAND OFF SHORE AND BUILT A FORTRESS AROUND IT.
• ALEXANDER CONQUERED THE CITY IN SEVEN MONTHS BY GRADING THE RUINS OF THE OLD CITY INTO THE SEA TO BUILD A CAUSEWAY TO THE ISLAND. HIS ARMY MARCHED ON THE CAUSEWAY TO THE ISLAND CITY AND BURNED IT. (4)
• EZE 28:1-8 GIVES MORE DETAILED PROPHECIES ABOUT THE EVIL KING OF TYRE AND HIS DEFEAT.
• ASHKELON, GAZA, AND EKRON (5) AND ASHDOD (6)
• THESE ARE FOUR OF THE FIVE PHILISTINE CITIES ALONG THE COAST OF THE PROMISED LAND.
• FROM TYRE AND SIDON ALEXANDER MOVED SOUTH. THE CITY OF GAZA HELD OUT FOR 5 MONTHS. UPON CONQUERING THE CITY OF GAZA, ALEXANDER KILLED THOUSANDS OF CITIZENS AND DRAGGED THE BODY OF THE KING THROUGH THE STREETS. AFTER THAT, THE OTHER CITIES FELL EASILY TO ALEXANDER’S ARMY.
• “A BASTARD SHALL DWELL IN ASHDOD” (6)
• AFTER THE FALL OF THE PHILISTINES BY ALEXANDER, THE PEOPLE CEASED TO EXIST AS A SEPARATE PEOPLE. MANY OF THOSE WHO SURVIVED THE ATTACK BY ALEXANDER TURNED TO THE LORD, CONVERTED TO JUDAISM, AND BECAME PART OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH. (7)
• A MONGREL GROUP OF MIXED PEOPLE THAT ZECHARIAH CALLS “BASTARDS” CAME TO LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE PHILISTINES.(6)
• JERUSALEM (8)
• WITH THE DEFEAT OF TYRE AND SIDON, ALEXANDER PASSED JERUSALEM ON HIS WAY TO BATTLE THE PHILISTINES. HE DEMANDED THAT JERUSALEM PAY TRIBUTE, BUT THEY REFUSED. ALEXANDER DID NOT ATTACK BUT CONTINUED ON TO BATTLE THE PHILISTINE CITIES. ALEXANDER TURNED NORTH AND EAST TOWARD JERUSALEM TO FINALLY SETTLE THE MATTER OF THEIR REFUSAL TO PAY.
• HOWEVER, GOD WAS PROTECTING THE CITY. (8)
• GOD TOLD THE HIGH PRIEST IN A DREAM TO WEAR HIS HIGH PRIESTLY ROBES, TO DRESS EVERYONE IN THE CITY IN WHITE ROBES, OPEN THE GATES OF THE CITY, AND TO GO OUT TO MEET ALEXANDER WITH AN ATTITUDE OF HUMILITY.
• WHEN ALEXANDER SAW THE HIGH PRIEST, HE SAID THAT HE HAD A VISION OF THE MAN IN THOSE ROBES BEFORE HE LEFT GREECE. IT WAS THE ONLY CITY ALEXANDER DID NOT ATTACK. BEFORE LEAVING JERUSALEM, ALEXANDER WENT INTO THE TEMPLE AND OFFERED SACRIFICE TO JEHOVAH.
• THE COMING OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT WAS TO BE A SIGN POST MARKING TIME UNTIL THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH.
• THE COMING OF THE SECOND KING:
• IN ZEC 9:8, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE VERSE, PROPHECY TAKES ONE OF THOSE SUDDEN LEAPS IN TIME TO THE LAST DAYS.
• “…AND NO OPPRESSOR SHALL PASS THROUGH THEM ANYMORE…”
• THE WORD OPPRESSOR MEANS = TASKMASTER OR SLAVE DRIVER.
• THIS PART OF THE VERSE HAS OBVIOUSLY NOT BEEN FULFILLED BECAUSE THE ROMANS CAME AFTER ALEXANDER.
• THEREFORE, IT REFERS TO A SECOND KING WHO WILL COME AND PROTECT THE PEOPLE FROM ANY OPPRESSION EVER AGAIN.
• THIS KING IS JESUS CHRIST AND THE TIME IS HIS MILLENNIAL KINGDOM.
• IN ZEC 9:9, ZECHARIAH SHIFTS BACK IN TIME TO THE FIRST COMING OF JESUS CHRIST. (SOME 330 YEARS AFTER ALEXANDER AND SOME 500 PLUS YEARS AFTER ZECHARIAH.)
• ISRAEL’S DESIRE FOR A KING
• ISRAEL’S DESIRE FOR A KING GOES BACK TO 1SAM 12:12-15. IN GOD’S PERMISSIVE WILL HE ALLOWED SAUL TO BE KING. SAUL WAS A FAILURE BECAUSE IT WAS NOT GOD’S PERFECT TIMING FOR ISRAEL TO HAVE A KING. DAVID WAS GOD’S CHOICE AND GOD’S TIMING.
• DAVID PREFIGURES THE GREATER KING, JESUS CHRIST.
• FOR WHAT CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MESSIAH DOES ZECHARIAH SAY A PERSON IS TO LOOK?
• HE WILL COME WITH PERFECT JUSTICE. (9)
• NOT LIKE ALEXANDER WHO CARED ONLY FOR POWER AND NOTHING FOR JUSTICE, BUT ANOINTED WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS.
• HE WILL COME WITH ETERNAL SALVATION (9)
• NOT LIKE ALEXANDER THAT KILLED EVERYONE WHO GOT IN HIS WAY.
• HE WILL COME IN HUMILITY. THE WORD “LOWLY” MEANS = POORLY AFFLICTED.(9)
• NOT LIKE ALEXANDER WHO CAME IN PRIDE AND ARROGANCE..
• HE WILL COME RIDING ON AN ASS (9)
• NOT LIKE ALEXANDER WHO CAME ON A GREAT WHITE HORSE.AS A CONQUERING HERO.
• READ MAT 21:1-11 FOR THE FULFILLMENT OF ZECHARIAH’S PROPHECY.
• ZECHARIAH’S PROPHECY WAS FULFILLED AT THE FIRST COMING OF CHRIST ON WHAT WE CALL PALM SUNDAY. NOTICE THE REJOICING IN ZECHARIAH’S PROPHECY AND THE REJOICING IN MAT 21.
• IN ZEC 9:10, THERE IS ANOTHER SUDDEN SHIFT IN TIME.
• THIS VERSE IS SPEAKING ABOUT THE SAME KING, JESUS CHRIST, BUT THE TIME PERIOD IS DIFFERENT. THIS VERSE REFERS TO THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST AND NOT THE FIRST COMING.
• FOR WHAT CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MESSIAH DOES ZECHARIAH SAY A PERSON IS TO LOOK?
• A CONQUERING KING WHO DEFEATS HIS ENEMIES (10)
• A KING WHO MAKES IMPLEMENTS OF WAR UNNECESSARY. (10)
• A KING WHO BRINGS PEACE AND NOT WAR (10)
• A KING WHO SPEAKS PEACE (10)
• A KING WHO REIGNS IN PEACE OVER THE WHOLE WORLD (10)

• READ ZEC 9:11-13 A TOTAL HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
• THE CONDITION OF GOD’S PEOPLE:
• “…PRISONERS OUT OF THE PIT IN WHICH IS NO WATER.” (11)
• LIKE THE TIME OF JOSEPH IN GEN 37 WHEN JOSEPH’S BROTHERS PUT HIM IN A DRY PIT UNTIL THEY SOLD HIM TO A CARAVAN HEADED FOR EGYPT, GOD’S PEOPLE HAVE ENDURED PERSECUTION IN THE WORLD.
• THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY WAS LIKE THAT DRY PIT.
• “…TURN YE TO THE STRONGHOLD, YE PRISONERS OF HOPE”. (12)
• THIS IS A CALL OF RETURN TO THOSE JEWS WHO HAVE NOT RETURN ED TO ISRAEL IN ZECHARIAH’S DAY.
• THIS IS ALSO A CALL TO TURN TO THE LORD.
• “…I WILL RENDER DOUBLE UNTO THEE…” (12)
• THE LAWS OF INHERITANCE GAVE A DOUBLE PORTION TO THE FIRSTBORN. (DEU 21:7)
• GOD CONSIDERS ISRAEL TO BE THE FIRSTBORN OF ALL NATIONS.
• ISRAEL WILL, THEREFORE, RECEIVE A DOUBLE PORTION OF BLESSINGS AND HONOR IN CHRIST’S MILLENNIAL KINGDOM.
• ISRAEL HAS ALSO SUFFERED DOUBLE BECAUSE SHE IS THE FIRSTBORN OF GOD. HAVING BEEN CHOSEN BY GOD ALSO COMES ACCOUNTABILITY.
• A LACK OF FAITHFULNESS BRINGS A DOUBLE CURSE.
• “RAISED UP THY SONS, OH ZION, AGAINST THY SONS, O GREECE, AND MADE THEE AS THE SWORD OF A MIGHTY MAN.” (13)
• IN THE PERIOD OF TIME BETWEEN THE OLD TESTAMENT AND THE NEW TESTAMENT, UNDER THE GRECIAN EMPIRE, A SYRIAN KING NAMED ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES IV DESECRATED THE JEWISH TEMPLE AND CAUSED A JEWISH REVOLT. THIS REVOLT WAS LED BY A MAN NAMED JUDAS MACCABEUS.AND HIS SONS. THE MACCABEAN WARS LASTED FROM 175–163 BC. THE JEWS SUCCEEDED IN GAINING THEIR FREEDOM FROM GREECE FOR A BRIEF TIME.

• READ ZEC 9:14-17 THE SECOND COMING OF THE MESSIAH
• FOR WHAT CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MESSIAH DOES ZECHARIAH SAY A PERSON IS TO LOOK?
• JESUS CHRIST, THE MESSIAH, COMES DOWN FROM HEAVEN (14)
• THE MESSIAH COMES IN A BATTLE (14)
• THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON.
• THE MESSIAH WILL IMMEDIATELY GO TO THE SOUTH (TO BOSRA AND PETRA) WHERE GOD IS PROTECTING THE 144,000 IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.(14)
• GOD’S PEOPLE WILL BE SO HAPPY AT THE DEFEAT OF THEIR ENEMIES AND AT THE COMING OF THEIR MESSIAH THAT THEY WILL REJOICE AS THOUGH DRUNK WITH WINE. (15) (17)
• AT THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH, THERE WILL BE SO MUCH BLOOD SPILLED IN THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON THAT IT WILL BE LIKE THE BOWLS AT THE ALTAR WERE FILLED WITH THE BLOOD OF SACRIFICED ANIMALS. (15)
• THE JEWS WILL RECOGNIZE THEIR MESSIAH, AND HE WILL SAVE THEM AT THE SECOND COMING. (16)
• THE MESSIAH WILL BE THE SHEPHERD OF HIS PEOPLE. (16)
• IMPLIED IN THE WORD SHEPHERD IS EVERYTHING A SHEPHERD DOES FOR HIS ANIMALS. HE SEEKS THEM WHEN LOST, HE GATHERS THEM, HE PROTECTS THEM, HE FEEDS THEM, HE GUIDES THEM, AND CARES FOR THEM.
• THE MESSIAH WILL BRING PROSPERITY TO HIS PEOPLE IN THE MILLENNIUM. (17)
• CORN AND WINE ARE SYMBOLS FOR PROSPERITY.

• SUMMARY AND APPLICATION:
• ZECHARIAH 9 HAS GIVEN US A FULL PICTURE OF THE MESSIAH WITH LITTLE GLIMPSES OF HIS 2 COMINGS.
• FOR THE CHRISTIAN TODAY, WE LOOK BACK AT HISTORY AND MARVEL AT THE DETAIL OF MIRACULOUSLY FULFILLED PROPHECY. BUT WE ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO A COMPLETE FULFILLMENT AT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST, KNOWING THAT PAST HISTORY ONLY REINFORCES THE ETERNAL HOPE TO COME.

HOMEWORK
ZECHARIAH 10
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF ZEC 9
• IN THIS LESSON, WHAT IS THAT YOU FIND MOST ENCOURAGING AS YOU LOOK FORWARD TO THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST?

• PREPARATION FOR ZEC 10
• READ ZEC 10:1-12
• WHAT SYMBOLIC SIGNIFICANCE IS THE BIBLICAL PHRASE, “THE LATTER AND THE FORMER RAIN”? (HOS 6:3)

• FIND THE MEANINGS OF THE FOLLOWING SYMBOLIC OBJECTS:
• THE SHEPHERDS (3) =

• THE GOATS (3) =

• THE CORNER (4) =

• THE NAIL (4) =

• THE BATTLE BOW (4) =

• MEMORY VERSE: ZEC 10:12