Lesson #14

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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
ZECHARIAH 12:1-14
LESSON #14
GRACE IN THE FINAL MOMENTS

• MEMORY VERSE: EZEKIEL 39:29

• CHAPTERS 12-14 OF ZECHARIAH FORM ONE COMPLETE PROPHECY. IN OTHER WORDS, THE CHAPTERS ARE LINKED TOGETHER BY THEIR SUBJECT MATTER.
• THIS IS THE SECOND “BURDEN” MENTIONED BY ZECHARIAH.
• REMEMBER A “BURDEN” IS SOMETHING HEAVY, TO BE CARRIED, AND REFERS TO A PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD OF GOD.
• BECAUSE THE PHRASE “IN THAT DAY” OR “AT THAT DAY” OCCURS 16 TIMES IN THESE THREE CHAPTERS, THE TIME FRAME IS A DISTANT FUTURE.
• BECAUSE THE NAME, “JERUSALEM” OCCURS 23 TIMES IN THESE CHAPTERS, THE LOCATION IS CLEARLY JERUSALEM.
• GOD PROMISED THE JEWS THAT THEIR MESSIAH WOULD BE IN THEIR MIDST PROTECTING THEM. HE WOULD BE THEIR SHEPHERD AND THEIR KING. IN THIS CHAPTER WE SEE MORE FUTURE PROBLEMS FOR GOD’S PEOPLE. THE QUESTION ONE WOULD ASK IS, “WHERE IS GOD IN ALL THESE PROBLEMS?”

• READ ZEC 12:1-9 THE GREATEST BATTLE
• IN VERSE 1 WE SEE A STRONG EMPHASIS ON AN ALL-POWERFUL OMNIPOTENT GOD. WHY?
• IT IS BECAUSE WHEN WAR BREAKS OUT AGAINST JERUSALEM, THE QUESTION PEOPLE WILL ASK IS, “WHERE IS GOD?” THEREFORE, GOD WANTS TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT HE IS IN CONTROL. HE HAS NOT LOST HIS POWER, AND HE IS NOT ASLEEP.
• THREE PICTURESQUE DESCRIPTIONS ARE USED IN THIS CHAPTER TO DESCRIBE AN EVENT SURROUNDING JERUSALEM:
• =1= “JERUSALEM, A CUP OF TREMBLING”: (2)
• WHAT IS A CUP OF TREMBLING?
• THIS WORD CUP IN THE HEBREW IS USED NOWHERE ELSE IN SCRIPTURE. IT IS A CUP FROM WHICH PEOPLE DRINK INTOXICATING BEVERAGES THAT CAUSES ALL WHO DRINK TO BECOME DRUNK, STAGGER, LOSE CONTROL. IT IS ALSO A CONTAINER FOR BLOOD.
• ALL NATIONS GATHERED TOGETHER FOR WAR AGAINST JERUSALEM WILL DRINK FROM THIS CUP.
• READ ISA 51:17, 22-23
• THE CUP OF TREMBLING IN THIS PASSAGE IS GOD’S WRATH.
• NOTICE THAT IT IS THE PEOPLE OF JERUSALEM THAT DRINKS FROM THE CUP IN ISAIAH’S PROPHECY.
• THE WORD, CUP, IN THIS PASSAGE IS A DIFFERENT WORD THAN ZECHARIAH USED. ISAIAH USES THE COMMON WORD FOR CONTAINER.
• READ JER 25:15, 17, 28
• ALL NATIONS OF THE EARTH WILL BE MADE TO DRINK FROM THE CUP OF GOD’S WRATH BECAUSE THEY HAVE OPPOSED THE JEWS.
• =2= “JERUSALEM, A BURDENSOME STONE” (3)
• THIS IS A STONE TOO HEAVY TO LIFT.
• IN OTHER WORDS, JERUSALEM BECOMES A WORLD PROBLEM TOO DIFFICULT TO SOLVE.
• WE ALREADY SEE THE BEGINNINGS OF THE FULFILLMENT OF ZECHARIAH’S PROPHECY IN OUR DAY.
• ALL THE PEACE TALKS AND ALL THE ARGUMENTS OVER WHO IS GOING TO CONTROL JERUSALEM ALREADY HAS THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD BURDENED WITH THE MIDDLE EAST PROBLEM.
• ALL THE NATIONS THAT MAKE JERUSALEM THEIR BURDEN WILL BE CUT IN PIECES. (3)
• WHEN IS THE FULFILLMENT OF THE PROPHECY THAT ALL NATIONS WILL BE GATHERED TOGETHER AGAINST JERUSALEM? (3)
• IT IS THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON AT THE END OF THE SEVEN-YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD.
• ALL NATIONS THAT HATE ISRAEL WILL GATHER TOGETHER TO DESTROY JERUSALEM.
• =3= “JERUSALEM, A SEA OF CONFUSION”: (4)
• THE VERSE IS NOT TALKING ABOUT AN OCEAN OF WATER BUT A SEA OF HORSES IN BATTLE.
• WHAT WOULD CAUSE SUCH CONFUSION AND TERROR IN BATTLE?
• READ REV 16:16-21 AND REV 14:20 AND REV 19:11-21
• ARMIES FROM EVERY COUNTRY WEARING DIFFERENT UNIFORMS WOULD CAUSE CONFUSION.
• HUGE EARTHQUAKES, THUNDERS, AND LIGHTNING WOULD CAUSE CONFUSION AND TERROR.
• THE COMING OF JESUS CHRIST IN THE CLOUDS WOULD CAUSE CONFUSION AND TERROR.
• “I (GOD) WILL OPEN MINE EYES UPON THE HOUSE OF JUDAH” (4)
• GOD WILL SEE THE PERSECUTION AND DEATH CAUSED BY THE ANTI-CHRIST AGAINST THE JEWS AND NOT ALLOW IT TO CONTINUE.
• GOD CAUSED SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS TO COME UPON THE JEWS BECAUSE OF THEIR REJECTION OF THE MESSIAH AT HIS FIRST COMING.
• READ ROM 11:25
• GOD WILL REMOVE THE BLINDNESS FROM ISRAEL AND PLACE IT ON THE HORSES IN THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON.
• THE POPULATION OF ISRAEL BEGINS TO TURN TO GOD. (5)
• GOD WILL GIVE THE JEWISH LEADERS AND THE PEOPLE IN JERUSALEM SUPERNATURAL STRENGTH THAT WILL GIVE THE JEWS VICTORY IN JERUSALEM. (6, 8)
• NOTICE THAT “THE ANGEL OF THE LORD” IS LEADING THEM.(8)
• REMEMBER THE PHRASE “ANGEL OF THE LORD” IN THE OLD TESTAMENT REFERS TO JESUS CHRIST.
• BUT “THE LORD SHALL SAVE THE TENTS OF JUDAH FIRST.” (7)
• THE WORD “TENTS” REFERS TO BEDOUIN TRIBES IN THE DESERT.
• REMEMBER THAT GOD WILL PROTECT THE 144,000 JEWS HIDDEN IN PETRA DURING THE LAST HALF OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.
• JEWS WHO ARE FLEEING INTO THE SOUTHERN DESERT WILL BE THE FIRST TO BE SAVED.
• PERHAPS THEY ARE FLEEING THE WAR IN JERUSALEM IN THE HOPES OF MAKING IT TO PETRA.
• VICTORY AT LAST (9)
• CHRIST DESTROYS ALL ISRAEL’S ENEMIES.
• JUST AS GOD DESTROYED THE ASSYRIANS WHEN THEY ATTACKED JERUSALEM, HE WILL DO IT AGAIN IN THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON.
• THE ANGEL OF THE LORD WAS PRESENT IN THE BATTLE AGAINST THE ASSYRIANS WHERE 185,000 ASSYRIANS WERE KILLED.(2KIN 19:35)

• READ ZEC 12:10-14 THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE JEWISH MESSIAH, THE GOOD SHEPHERD
• THE NATIONAL SALVATION OF THE JEWS:
• GOD HAS BEEN DEALING WITH THE JEWS ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS DURING THIS AGE OF GRACE. HOWEVER, AT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST, WHEN THE SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS IS REMOVED FROM THE JEWS, THEY WILL NATIONALLY EN MASSE RECEIVE HIM AS THEIR MESSIAH.
• READ ROM 11:7-12, 25-27
• “THE SPIRIT OF GRACE AND SUPPLICATION” (10)
• BY THE MERCIFUL GRACE OF GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL OPEN THE EYES OF THE JEWS TO ENABLE THEM TO SEE CHRIST FOR WHO HE REALLY IS.
• “THEY SHALL LOOK UPON ME WHOM THEY HAVE PIERCED” (10)
• THIS IS THE KEY VERSE FOR OUR STUDY OF ZECHARIAH.
• THERE IS A HINT OF THE PRESENCE OF THE TRINITY IN THIS VERSE:
• IT BEGINS WITH GOD GIVING GRACE TO THE JEWS.
• IT IS BY THE ACTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT CAUSES A PERSON TO SPIRITUALLY SEE HIS NEED OF CHRIST. (JOH 16:8, 13-14)
• JESUS IS THE CRUCIFIED ONE, PIERCED FOR OUR INIQUITIES.
• EVERYTHING IN THE BOOK POINTS TO THIS ONE MOMENT IN TIME WHEN THE JEWS WILL RECOGNIZE THEIR MESSIAH AS THE SAME JESUS CHRIST THEY FIRST REJECTED AND HANDED OVER FOR CRUCIFIXION.
• THIS IS THE CAUSE OF THE GREAT NATIONAL MOURNING: (11-14)
• THE JEWS WILL FEEL SUCH REMORSE AND REGRET THAT THEY DID NOT ACCEPT JESUS AS THEIR MESSIAH AT HIS FIRST COMING.
• THE JEWS WILL IMMEDIATELY KNOW THAT THEY COULD HAVE ESCAPED SO MUCH PERSECUTION AND DEATH OVER THE CENTURIES HAD THEY BUT ACCEPTED CHRIST THE FIRST TIME.
• THIS IS AN INDIVIDUAL, PERSONAL MOURNING THROUGHOUT ISRAEL FOR THEIR DEAD FAMILY MEMBERS THROUGHOUT HISTORY THAT FAILED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR MESSIAH. (11)
• THERE IS ALSO MOURNING FOR ALL THOSE WHO DIED IN THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON. (11)
• THE PROPHET LOOKS BACK IN TIME TO AN EVENT THAT OCCURRED IN THE VALLEY OF MEGGIDO (SAME LOCATION AS THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON) THAT CAUSED A GREAT MOURNING IN ISRAEL. IT WAS THE DEATH OF JOSIAH IN 2KIN 23:29,30. (2CHR 35:20-27)
• THE MOURNING OF VARIOUS FAMILIES:
• THE FAMILY OF THE HOUSE OF DAVID (12)
• THIS REFERS TO JEWS DESCENDED FROM THE ROYAL FAMILY OF DAVID – THE ROYAL LINEAGE.
• THE FAMILY OF THE HOUSE OF NATHAN (12)
• THIS REFERS TO THE PROPHETIC LINEAGE.
• THE FAMILY OF THE HOUSE OF LEVI (13)
• THIS REFERS TO THE PRIESTLY LINEAGE.
• THE FAMILY OF THE HOUSE OF SHIMEI (13)
• THIS REFERS TO THE SCRIBAL LINEAGE.

• SUMMARY AND PERSPECTIVE::
• BECAUSE ZECHARIAH SAYS THAT THE JEWS LOOK AT JESUS, WHOM THEY HAVE PIERCED, DOES THAT MEAN THAT ONLY THE JEWS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATH OF CHRIST? NO, IT DOES NOT.
• THERE IS MUCH CONTENTION BETWEEN CHRISTIANS AND JEWS BECAUSE OF A MIS-UNDERSTANDING OVER WHO KILLED CHRIST.
• NOTICE THAT ZECHARIAH SAYS, “WHOM THEY HAVE PIERCED”.
• IT WAS NOT THE JEWS WHO DROVE THE NAILS IN JESUS’ HANDS, IT WAS THE ROMANS. THE GENTILE ROMANS ARE EQUALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATH OF CHRIST.
• THE JEWS HANDED JESUS OVER TO THE ROMANS UNDER FALSE CHARGES.
• BECAUSE THE PLAN WAS GOD’S AND JESUS HAD ALL POWER AND AUTHORITY TO RESIST THE ARREST AND CRUCIFIXION, THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT HAS BEEN FREELY BORNE BY GOD HIMSELF. (REV 13:8)
• BECAUSE JESUS DIED FOR THE SINS OF ALL MANKIND, IT IS THE SINS OF ALL OF US, JEW AND GENTILE ALIKE, THAT BEARS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF JESUS’ CRUCIFIXION. WE ARE ALL EQUALLY GUILTY.
• BECAUSE ZECHARIAH IS SPEAKING TO THE JEWS, HE TELLS THEM OF THEIR PART IN THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEATH OF CHRIST.
• EVERYTHING IN THE BIBLE POINTS MAN TO THE ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST, GOD’S GREATEST GIFT TO MAN.
• EVERYTHING IN ZECHARIAH POINTS THE JEWS TO THE ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR MESSIAH.
• THROUGH THE BIBLE WE ARE TOLD THAT ONLY A MINORITY WILL ACCEPT GOD’S GIFT OF GRACE AND OFTEN IN THE FINAL MOMENTS OF DESPAIR.
• BECAUSE MAN IS WEAKEST WHEN HE IS IN THE GREATEST DESPAIR, IT IS THE PERFECT TIME TO SHARE GOD’S LOVE, GOD’S GRACE, AND GOD’S GIFT OF JESUS CHRIST WITH HIM.
• IT IS AT THAT POINT THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN OPEN THAT PERSON’S SPIRITUAL EYES TO SEE JESUS CHRIST AS HIS SAVIOR.

HOMEWORK
ZECHARIAH 13
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF ZEC 12
• PRAY FOR THOSE IN YOUR FAMILY AND AMONG YOUR FRIENDS WHO DO NOT KNOW JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR PERSONAL SAVIOR. ASK GOD TO REVEAL TO YOU THAT POINT IN THEIR LIVES WHEN THEY ARE MOST OPEN TO RECEIVE FROM GOD.

• PREPARATION FOR ZEC 13
• READ ZEC 13:1-9
• HOW MANY JEWS WILL BE SAVED AT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST?

• WHY DO YOU THINK THE CHAPTER TALKS SO MUCH ABOUT THE IDOLS AND THE FALSE PROPHETS?

• MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 3:8