Zechariah 9:1-9

Zechariah 9:1

The burden of the word of the LORD in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be the rest thereof: when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the LORD.

 

The burden at this time points to a time of coming calamity or a coming catastrophe.  These verses through Zechariah predict the doom of the enemies of Judah.  The land of Hadrach is located in biblical northern Syria which today is Lebanon.  It is north of Damascus on the Orontes River and is identified with the city of Hatarikka which has been found in Assyrian inscriptions.  Damascus shall also be subject to the coming judgment of God.  Then the eyes of man and the tribes of Israel shall focus upon the LORD which means that those who have been converted to the truth will seek the face of the LORD.  No more will there be any more seeking of false gods or false religions for when the true gospel comes through the Messiah then people will look toward the LORD especially the Elect of God.

 

Zechariah 9:2

And Hamath also shall border thereby; Tyrus, and Zidon, though it be very wise.

 

Hamath was north of modern day Lebanon.  Tyrus and Sidon were two principal cities in the land of the Hittites were also longtime enemies of Israel and Judah.  They thought that they were wise above all others and especially wiser than God’s people.  Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.  (Proverbs 26:12)

 

Zechariah 9:3

And Tyrus did build herself a strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.

 

With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures:  (Ezekiel 28:4)  Ezekiel had written about Tyrus or Tyre and how they built themselves up strong and had made themselves rich as if it was they who did it all by themselves.  All the gold in the world will be unable to stop the onslaught of the justice and judgment of God which will come upon them.

 

Zechariah 9:4

Behold, the Lord will cast her out, and he will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire.

 

The LORD will eventually cast Tyrus out as one cast out an undesirable, yet there will come a time when she shall become an inheritance of the LORD.  Alexander the Great had attacked the city of Tyrus by means of the Great Sea.  It took place 185 years after this prophecy was given to Zechariah.   Alexander attacked with about 200 ships and destroyed the city by fire.

 

Zechariah 9:5

Ashkelon shall see it, and fear; Gaza also shall see it, and be very sorrowful, and Ekron; for her expectation shall be ashamed; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.

 

The three cities mentioned here are three of the five principal cities of the Philistines.  Zephaniah had also prophesied the destruction of these cities.  For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.  (Zephaniah 2:4)  Ashkelon along with Gaza was taken by Nebuchadnezzar shortly after the Jews were taken into captivity by him but this prophecy of Zechariah was totally fulfilled in the time of Alexander the Great.  Gaza will experience pains of judgment.  Ekron was a city which was famous for its idolatry.  The inhabitants of Ekron will hope that the forces in Gaza will repel the invaders but that will not happen.  The king of Gaza whose name was Boetis was put to a cruel death.  Ashkelon was laid waste and was not inhabited for many years.

 

Zechariah 9:6

And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.

 

It was rumored that Alexander the Great was a bastard child and is in view here.  Whether it be him or others who did not have the right of inheritance to their land, there will be people in Ashdod who were not of Philistine origin.  Ashdod thought they were above the judging hand of God but their pride of heart had betrayed them.  They will be taken and never to be built up again as an enemy of the Lord.

 

Zechariah 9:7

And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth: but he that remaineth, even he, shall be for our God, and he shall be as a governor in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.

 

The blood out of his mouth and the abominations would be basically the same thing as what is in view is the sacrifices to the false gods which afterward were eaten at the pagan festivals.  The blood out of his mouth would also allude to the war like desire of the Philistines which God would now remove from them making them the victim instead of them being the victor.  Then there will be left a godly remnant who will not serve false gods but will serve the LORD in truth.  This person will also gain the respect of the people and will be treated as one who is a Governor of Judah.  Ekron will be like a Jebusite.  Jebus was the ancient name for the city of Jerusalem.  And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus; where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land.  (1 Chronicles 11:4)  The Ekronites might also bring tribute to Judah as did the Jebusites did to David.

 

Zechariah 9:8

And I will encamp about mine house because of the army, because of him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth: and no oppressor shall pass through them any more: for now have I seen with mine eyes.

 

As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.  (Psalm 125:2)  History notes that Alexander the Great had bypassed Jerusalem twice on his way to Egypt.  The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.  (Psalm 34:7)  The city of Jerusalem but especially the temple was guarded by the LORD so it would not be destroyed before the Messiah would come to the temple.  The LORD was continually watching over them as he continually watches over those who have become saved in Christ.  No enemy of Israel will destroy the temple again until the time that the LORD has determined Jerusalem should be completely destroyed one last time and for good.

 

Zechariah 9:9

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

{4} All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,  {5} Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.  (Matthew 21:4-5)  Here we have one of the most open prophecies of all time.  If the Pharisees and Sadducees were not so blinded by hate, they would have seen Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem as a direct fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy.  The fact that he was hailed as King, did not mean he was king of the physical, unsaved Jews but was coming to Jerusalem to die for those who would become saved and those are called the true Jews.  {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)  See my study called “Jesus: King of the Jews.  He is coming to Jerusalem in fulfillment of his promise that he is going to prepare a place for his disciples and all Christians. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  (John 14:2)  He went to the cross to secure the salvation of those written in the Lamb’s Book of Life from the foundation of the world.  He is also called just in that he would keep every single tenet of the law of God perfectly and thus imputing that perfection to those whom he came to save as if the Christian kept the law of God perfectly in their life.

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