Zechariah 14:8-14

Zechariah 14:8

And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.

 

The living waters will be the preaching of the gospel.  But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.  (John 4:14)  When Pentecost came the giving of the Holy Spirit to the body of believers meant that the last days of this world had begun along with the evangelization of this world.  The gospel would go worldwide as is evidenced in this verse.  The former sea which is also known as the eastern sea and is unknown and the hinder sea both of which are unknown, meaning these seas are used in a symbolic manner along with summer and winter meaning that the true gospel will go forth until the last one is saved on the last day.  While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.  (Genesis 8:22)  Just as the four seasons will continue as long as the earth lasts, so will the going forth of the true gospel until the last day of this earth’s existence.

 

Zechariah 14:9

And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.

 

This is not speaking about a mythical millennium but is speaking about the New Heavens and the New Earth when the LORD will have absolute rule over his true people because the unbelievers have been judged and sent to eternal damnation. 

 

{4} There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;  {5} One Lord, one faith, one baptism,  {6} One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.  (Ephesians 4:4-6)

 

Even at the present there is one Lord over all the true believers.  Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.  (Matthew 2:2)  When we understand that the Scriptures state that a true Jew is one who is one inwardly, that is, one who is born again in Christ then we can understand that Jesus is truly king of the Jews, the spiritual Jews that is.  {28} For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:  {29} But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.  (Romans 2:28-29)  His name shall be one and there will no longer be any false gods with a plethora of names, there will only be the name of the true God.

 

Zechariah 14:10

All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winepresses.

 

This verse is also a symbolic verse which describes the life of the true Christian which is under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Israel is a very hilly country but here we are told that it would be “as a plain” which means all the hills and valleys have been equalized.  John the Baptizer stated: Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;  (Luke 3:5)  In other words, the Christian walk need not be filled with the problems of religion or obedience to systems where a person makes their own atonement for their sins.  Since Christ has made full atonement for the sins of his people, no longer will any Christians have to adhere to any theological system.  Geba was the northern part of Israel and Rimmon was the southernmost part of Israel.  Jerusalem shall be inhabited once again but it is the New Jerusalem which will be inhabited with all the true believers. 

 

Zechariah 14:11

And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.

 

If one looks at the history of Jerusalem, we read many wars and destructions took place within that city and the people have never dwelt there in safety including the Middle Ages when there was war between the Roman Catholics and the Muslims for control of the city.  Our verse states there will be no more destruction which means that the city of Jerusalem will go on forever without interruption.  As it also says that it will be safely inhabited.  In view is the New Jerusalem which is the body of believers.  The believers will dwell safely because they cannot lose their salvation and no one can ever remove them from the true holy city.  And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: ( Revelation 22:3)  The curse of the old Jerusalem was the fact that it was ruled by the law of God which cannot save a soul.  Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:  (Galatians 3:13) 

 

Zechariah 14:12

And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.

 

I remember many years ago I heard prophecy preachers interpreting this verse as the effects from the Neutron Bomb.  This shows you how silly and ridiculous Pre-Tribulational prophecy really is.  What is in view is the swift judgment of the unbeliever, those that have fought against the true church of God will suffer judgment that will spell the end of all those who opposed the true church of God.  The flesh would refer to their bodies, they will no longer have the strength to come against the church of God.  {29} A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good.  {30} He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass.  (Proverbs 16:29-30)  No longer will the unbeliever be able to devise evil things with the eyes and no longer will be able to speak against the church because their mouths will be shut.  This could also be a picture of Judgment Day when the unbelievers will stand before the LORD and their judgment will be swift.  The word for “plague” in this verse can also be understood as “slaughter.”  Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men.  (2 Samuel 18:7)  The word “slaughter” is the same word in Hebrew used for “plague.”

 

Zechariah 14:13

And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.

 

The enemies of the church in Judah will suffer a great tumult which will be a time of great confusion and chaos.  Things will get so bad for the enemies of the church that they will turn against each other.  It will look like they want to make alliances but while they hold the hand of their neighbor, they are attempting to kill them.  This could also be pointing to the future war of the Maccabees.  And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Beth-shittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abel-meholah, unto Tabbath.  (Judges 7:22)  In the time of Gideon, when he blew the trumpet, the enemies had turned against each other, so this same type of confusion will happen to the enemies of the church within Judah.

 

Zechariah 14:14

And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance.

 

Then those who come against the church of God will suffer great loss in that everything they hold dearly will be taken from them.  These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.  (Revelation 17:14)  When the enemy comes against the true church of God they are in actuality making war against the Lord Jesus Christ himself.  It is just like the Apostle Paul when he was persecuting the Christians, he was actually persecuting Christ because the Holy Spirit indwells every true believer and he is the third person of the Godhead.  So Jesus would be sensitive and well aware of the persecution.  And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.  (Acts 9:5)  The gold, silver, and fine apparel are what the people of earth set their hearts upon but these things shall be taken away eternally.

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