Zech. 11:1 Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars.
Zech. 11:2 Howl, fir tree; for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are spoiled: howl, O ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come down.
There is a definite shift in the message at this point. Address is being made to Lebanon, which is on the northern border of Israel, the direction from which Israel’s enemies are most noted to come. This seems to be a directive for Lebanon to make way for the fire [of judgment] that is coming to devour thy cedars [representative of strength]. The oaks of Bashan (the Golan Heights) picture the strength of the associated area of Syria in the northern Jordan Valley. This seems to be a picture of judgment coming to and from the north according to God’s purpose.
Zech. 11:3 There is a voice of the howling of the shepherds; for their glory is spoiled: a voice of the roaring of young lions; for the pride of Jordan is spoiled.
The shepherds are a reference to the spiritual leaders of the people. They are pictured lamenting the fact that their positions are being destroyed and their pride brought down. The young lions would seem to be a reference to the governmental rulers of the land, who are also moaning (from the Hebrew for roaring) at the destruction of their land.
This is obviously referencing a yet future time of judgment. We noted earlier that Alexander the Great basically gave Israel a pass, so this must be in reference to the Romans and/or the kingdom of the future Antichrist. This must be a tough message to deliver after the promise of the preceding message.
Zech. 11:4 Thus saith the LORD my God; Feed the flock of the slaughter;
Zech. 11:5 Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they that sell them say, Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not.
YHWH is talking to Zechariah, and as you continue to read, it would seem that he is being instructed to act out an object lesson similar to many of Ezekiel’s prophecies. Point is made that Zechariah is speaking the words of “YHWH my God.”
Zechariah is told to feed a flock of sheep even though they have been designated for slaughter. In context, the flock would seem to be a reference to the people of Israel. I believe the instruction to “feed the flock” would be a reference to providing spiritual nourishment. The Hebrew for possessors references those who gain possession of the sheep, i.e., conquerors. It would seem that many of the people are killed at the hands of these conquerors who experience no guilt for their actions. Those who have part in surrendering to or cooperating with the enemy for their own benefit declare their prosperity to be a blessing from YHWH. The spiritual leaders of the people show no pity to their people. Why? They are the ones cooperating with the conquerors for their own personal gain.
Zech. 11:6 For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD: but, lo, I will deliver the men every one into his neighbour’s hand, and into the hand of his king: and they shall smite the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them.
Zech. 11:7 And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock.
YHWH declares that He will no longer have pity on His people (in contrast to the situation existing at the time of Zechariah’s prophecy). God is going to allow the people to fall victim to their corrupt leaders and the leaders of the conquering nation. In other words, God is giving them over to another time of judgment.
Even though God is going to allow His people to fall under the rule of their enemy, He is still going to provide spiritual nourishment to them. There will be a few godly men in the land, mainly among the poor, humble and needy of the land.
Since we have the privilege of hindsight, it is easy to make application to Israel during the time of Christ. The religious leaders of the day were more concerned about their own well being than that of the people, the temple had become a place of business for profit for them. Zechariah appears to be a type of Jesus who comes on the scene to feed the flock the truth of God’s Word and declare Himself as the Messiah.
Staves are a reference to a shepherd’s rods that are used for guidance and protection of the sheep. Zechariah pictures himself taking two rods; one he names “Beauty” (agreeable, delight, pleasant) and the other he names “Bands” (bind, destroy, spoil). Then point is made that he fed the flock.
I see Zechariah picturing the Good Shepherd, Jesus; He identified Himself as such in a parable in John 10.
John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”
One use of the shepherd’s rod is to identify his sheep from the larger group in the sheepfold. I see Him using the rod called “Beauty” to identify those of the sheep of Israel that are His followers, and the rod called “Bands” to identify those that are marked for destruction. I also see application to identify the whole flock (Israel) as His pleasant plant and place of delight from which He has promised to preserve a remnant through whom His covenant with Abraham will be fulfilled.
When Jesus came, He made a point to feed the flock (the people of Israel) with spiritual truth. In fact, He made a point that His mission at that time was specifically to the house of Israel.
Matthew 15:24 “But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
It is interesting to note that it was the poor and needy who most readily received Him and His message, and Jesus explained why.
Matthew 19:23–24 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”
Zech. 11:8 Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me.
“month” = from a unused root of uncertain signification
This is a difficult verse, especially regarding application to those to whom Zechariah was ministering. It would seem to me that consistent future application would have to be made to the time of Jesus’ ministry. Consistency would also make reference to the three shepherds as spiritual leaders. Some of the commentaries state that this makes reference to viable positions before the LORD, not specific people—prophet, priest and king (all of whom were to be spiritual leaders). This made sense to me since the Lord at His resurrection assumed the leadership role of all three positions. Unlike some others, I tend to think that the point these positions were “cut off” was at the resurrection.
“lothed” = … much discouraged, grieve…trouble, vex.
As to possible reference to individuals, Caiphas and Ananias would be two of my guesses. I would have added Herod except that He was not Jewish, and there is no indication that he “abhorred” Jesus. That the other two abhorred the LORD is clear from their declaration of allegiance to Caesar as their king in their persistence to have the Savior crucified. That they vexed and troubled Him, along with the others of their group, is evident from His castigation of them as related by Matthew.
Matthew 23:13-16 “But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!”
Matthew 23:23-30 “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone….Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess….Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness….Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.”
Zech. 11:9 Then said I, I will not feed you: that that dieth, let it die; and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another.
The thoughts of this verse lead directly into some of the next verses in Matthew.
Matthew 23:37-38 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.”
He has given them over to judgment.
JFB: “In spite of the ideal ministry of the Good Shepherd, the flock as a whole detested him. Similarly, he grew weary of them and terminated his providential care of the sheep so that they even ate ‘one another’s flesh.’ According to Josephus, this actually happened during the siege of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 by the Romans.”
Zech. 11:10 And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people.
Zech. 11:11 And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the LORD.
At this point the LORD is pictured breaking the staff called Beauty; this represented the break in His old covenant with Israel to replace it with a new and better one as prophesied by Jeremiah and Ezekiel. God is a covenant-keeping God. The only way He would break a covenant is to replace it with something that would add value to the first.
Jeremiah 31:31–34 “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
Ezekiel 36:25–28 “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.”
No longer would the covenant be based on the law; it would become a covenant of grace. The law would remain in effect, but provision for the sinner would be made by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
Paul tells us that some of the branches were broken off and new branches from a wild olive tree (the church) were grafted in to strengthen the original tree and provoke Israel to jealousy so that they would return to God in faith. The time is coming when they will again be grafted back into covenant position. (This is all detailed in Romans 9-11; see journal.) Again there is reference to the poor of the flock of Israel who made up the early church (which, by the way, was predominantly Jewish in its beginnings). They came to understand that this was all according to the word of YHWH.
Zech. 11:12 And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.
Zech. 11:13 And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.
The EBC Abridged Commentary gives more insight: “‘Give me my pay’ speaks of the termination of the relationship; ‘keep it’ is a more emphatic way of terminating the relationship.”
These verses foretold the transaction Judas made with the Pharisees to betray the LORD for 30 pieces of silver, the price of a slave—500 years before the event. The price was paid because the religious leadership and, in turn, the people had rejected Jesus as the Messiah. Then the LORD tells Zechariah to picture the 30 pieces of silver being thrown back in the house of the LORD for the use of the potter.
Again, we have the privilege of hindsight in understanding that this was an amazing prophecy regarding details of events that accompanied the betrayal and death of Jesus. When Judas threw the money down in the temple, the Pharisees used it to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for the poor, since their law forbade that it be returned to the temple treasury.
Matthew 27:3–10 “Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; And gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me.”
Note that Matthew makes reference to Jeremiah instead of Zechariah. Of the different explanations I have found, the following one makes the most sense. The scripture was written in scrolls in that day, and the scroll of Jeremiah contained the book of Zechariah.
Zech. 11:14 Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
Next, Zechariah breaks the staff called Bands. This is a bit confusing since the two kingdoms were divided after the reign of Solomon. I just had a thought that since Jesus is described as the “lion of Judah…”
Revelation 5:5 “And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.”
… that maybe this represents the break in the relationship between the LORD and Israel when they rejected the Messiah.
Another thought is that maybe this is a reference to the dispersion yet to be forced upon the people of Israel by Rome that would result in its people being spread all over the globe. No longer would this staff be used to keep the wicked from harming the flock.
Zech. 11:15 And the LORD said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd.
YHWH continues to instruct the prophet, and he is told to take hold of the instruments of a foolish shepherd. What would be the instruments of a foolish shepherd? A weak rod? A broken sling? In other words, whatever made him ill prepared to care for the sheep and protect them from harm.
Zech. 11:16 For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces.
Zechariah was serving as a picture of a foolish shepherd to come. This shepherd is described as one who is not interested in the sheep or taking care of their needs; in fact, he destroys them. Important truth to note: God is the One that will facilitate the rise of this shepherd to his position. Why? To serve as an instrument of His judgment.
It was interesting to find that the Hebrew defined foolish as impious, which Webster defines as “not pious…irreligious; irreverent; ungodly; profane; wanting in reverence for the Supreme Being.” Consistency would declare this shepherd to refer to a religious leader to come. In connection with Jesus as the “Good Shepherd,” it would position him as the Anti-Messiah or evil, foolish shepherd. Implication is that the people will look to this foolish shepherd for guidance and protection (and Jesus predicted this)…
John 5:43 “I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.”
…but will soon find out that he cares nothing for them.
I think the reference to the coming Antichrist is clear and graphic. He will rise to power through the ability to mediate peace in the Mideast with the pretense of looking out for Israel in the process. Time will prove that he hates God and God’s people. He will try one more time to prevent the coming of the Messiah as King of kings by destroying His people so that they cannot call out to Him for deliverance. He will destroy many who become part of God’s flock during his terrible reign of power.
Guzik: “Democracy’s value is that it respects man’s fallen nature and spreads out power – yet the majority may be very, very wrong and prefer a foolish shepherd instead of the Good Shepherd.”
Zech. 11:17 Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.
In this verse, God declares a prophecy regarding this foolish shepherd. It would seem that he will sustain injury to his arm and his right eye; the result--his arm will be withered, and he will be blind in his right eye. This will prove to be another one of those amazing prophecies that will strengthen the faith of tribulation believers by again affirming the truth of God’s word. I think there is a connection to this verse and some verses in Revelation regarding the Antichrist, which would indicate that these wounds appear to be fatal (according to the Greek for deadly), but he miraculously recovers.
Revelation 13:12-14 “And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.”
“that leaveth the flock” - I can’t help but think that this is a reference to a Jewish man who forsakes his own people for personal power and glory. I personally believe that, as Judas of old, he sells his soul to Satan.
Zech. 12:1 The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.
This verse seems to introduce a new message from YHWH for Zechariah to deliver to Israel. As I read through this chapter several times, it was clear that this message is for the whole nation—not just the remnant from Judah to whom Zechariah is ministering.
YHWH makes a point of identifying Himself without question in this verse as:
The One Who stretched forth the heavens. – The Hebrew for “stretched forth” is direct reference to the extent of the heavens, the far reaches of the universe.
The One Who laid the foundation of the earth. – The Hebrew for “laid the foundation” is declaring that God established, ordained and made sure the position of planet earth in that universe.
The One Who formed the spirit of man within him. – The Hebrew for “formed” references squeezing into shape like a potter the life force (spirit) of each human being (man). This paints a picture to me of God equipping each body with a spirit unique to that body.
It came to mind that the LORD was looking down through the centuries to directly refute evolutionists as well as those through the millennia who have claimed allegiance to false gods. The universe and our existence are not accidental; they are deliberate actions on the part of YHWH, the self-existent eternal God. God had also declared this truth through the prophet Isaiah…
Isaiah 45:11-12 “Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me. I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.”
…and the prophet Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 10:10 & 12 “But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.”
Smith: “Francis Schaeffer said that it is important that we not just talk about God today, or to just use the term God without defining the term, because the term God represents so many things to so many people. They really don"t know what God you are talking about. So he said when we refer to God, we need to give sort of a defining qualifications. And thus, we should say, "The eternal God, the Creator of the heaven and the earth." Then they know what God you"re talking about.”
Ironside: “God forms man’s spirit within him. The spirit then is an entity existing distinct from the body. It is not to be confounded with the breath, nor is it merely the same as the mind. Mind is one of the functions of the spirit, for it is the seat of the intelligence. ‘What man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God’ (1 Corinthians 2:11). It is impossible logically to deny the personality of man’s spirit and not likewise deny the personality of the Spirit of God. The spirit is the real man, who inhabits the body during life, and at death puts off the tabernacle of flesh and goes out unclothed into the unseen world, called by the Jews Sheol, by the Greeks Hades. This is not the grave, but the condition of departed spirits, whether saved or lost. The spirit of the believer is ‘absent from the body and present with the Lord.’ That of the unsaved is ‘in torment,’ but awaiting the final judgment, when ‘death and Hades will be emptied into the lake of fire’ (Revelation 20:15).”
Zech. 12:2 Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.
Zech. 12:3 And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.
These verses are some of the most frequently used verses by prophecy scholars today. The LORD is declaring His intent to make Jerusalem “a cup of trembling” to ALL the people round about and a “burdensome stone” for ALL people; and just to clarify “all people,” He states “all the people of the earth.” At the time that Zechariah is prophesying, Jerusalem is widely known as the capital of Israel and intimately connected to the glory of the God of Israel. The Hebrew for “a cup of trembling” is a reference to reeling and shaking from intoxication. The Hebrew for “a burdensome stone” is reference to a weight that is troublesome, painful and hard to bear.
Point is made that it is the LORD that is going to put Israel in this position among the nations. Point is also made that the nations will respond by laying siege in Judah and Jerusalem. I think verse two can in retrospect be seen to be describing the siege of Rome prior to Jerusalem’s fall in 70 AD, but that does not discount primary fulfillment by future events. I think verse 3, however, definitely jumps forward in time to the current age, specifically referencing the final battle of Armageddon.
It’s interesting to me that Jerusalem and Judah are singled out of the land of Israel. A good chunk of Israel today is occupied by the “Palestinians,” but they aren’t satisfied with that; they want all of Israel. Chunk by precious chunk the Jewish people are ceding their God-given land in hopes of establishing peace that they will never have until Jesus the Messiah returns to establish His Kingdom. They’ve even been deceived into referencing themselves as the occupiers.
The LORD is very clear; it doesn’t matter how large a group of multi-national forces may gather against Israel. The forces of those nations will end up being “cut in pieces,” and haven’t Israel’s victories in the face of overwhelming odds proven this truth over and over again. Frankly, I think this truth will continue to be proven regarding those nations that may not be participating in direct battle with Israel, but are acting with disregard to Israel’s well being in other ways.
It’s interesting to have the present day perspective of how Jerusalem and the nation of Israel have been positioned exactly as prophesied by Zechariah. The Jewish people are more secular than religious, and the Islamic world is determined to destroy the nation. I’m sure Satan thinks he has been very clever in his game of deceit by bringing about the establishment of Islam. Prophecy declares the truth of Who has been in control all along. Our amazing God has brilliantly utilized the actions of evil men (and spirits) to bring about His purposes—and will continue to do so until He has determined it is time for sin to be no more and His kingdom established for eternity.
Zech. 12:4 In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness.
“that day” – The day when the nations are gathered together against Jerusalem and Judah
I don’t see how one can make application of this verse to the siege of the Romans in the first century; Israel was overwhelmingly defeated. This is much more descriptive of miraculous military victories of recent history and in the days yet to come in connection with the forces of Gog, and again with the forces of Antichrist at Armageddon. I wouldn’t even have made the connection to current times, except that I’ve heard accounts of miracles on the battlefield beginning with the War of Independence that seem to be directly connected to this verse.
The following in reference to the War of Independence in 1948 is from http://www.christiantrumpetsounding.com/nation_of_miracles.htm.
“To liberate the airport at Lydda the tactics of Gideon were employed. Seven thousand Arab troops were ready to attack. Sixteen Israelis dressed as Arabs infiltrated into the city of Lydda. Like Gideon’s band of 300 they made such a commotion during the night that the Arabs, totally confused, fired upon each other. Finally the majority fled back across the border.”
Regarding the 6-Day War in 1967 at http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/122435.
“The Israeli soldiers didn’t have to parachute out of the Nord airplanes which took them to the Tiran Straits. They landed like spoiled tourists in the airport, because the Egyptian regiment which was on guard there fled before the Israeli troops were visible on the horizon. After landing, I was sent with another reserves soldier, an electrician, to patrol the area. When we had distanced ourselves two kilometers, an Egyptian half track appeared before us filled with soldiers and mounted with machine guns on every side. We had only light weapons with a few bullets that couldn’t stop the half track for a second. We couldn’t turn back, so we stood there in despair, waited for the first shot, and for lack of a better idea, aimed our guns at them.
But the shots didn’t come.
The half track came to a halt, and we decided to cautiously approach it. We found 18 armed soldiers inside sitting with guns in hand, with a petrified look on their faces. They looked at us with great fear as though begging for mercy. I shouted ‘Hands up!’ As we were marching them and I had returned to a state of calm, I asked the Egyptian sergeant next to me, ‘Tell me, why didn’t you shoot at us?’ He answered, ‘I don’t know. My arms froze – they became paralyzed. My whole body was paralyzed, and I don’t know why.’
It turned out that these soldiers didn’t know that the Straits of Tiran were already in Israeli hands; why didn’t they eliminate us? I don’t have an answer. How can one say that G-d didn’t help us.”
These are just two of many more similar to those reported by Michael Greenspan in his series, “Against All Odds: In Search of a Miracle.”
Zech. 12:5 And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the LORD of hosts their God.
Zech. 12:6 In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.
The KJV wording here is a bit difficult, but reading through the other translations helped. The prophet is declaring that (in context with the above scriptures) the leaders of Judah will recognize that it is the LORD who is strengthening and empowering them.
This would seem to look more forward to the attack of the forces of Gog (see Ezekiel 38-39) in my thinking since much of the leadership in Israel today is far from religious; although I am sure there are many in Israel even today who recognize God’s hand in their victories against their enemies.
Ezekiel 39:7 & 22 “So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel….So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward.”
Zech. 12:7 The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah.
The NLT is a bit clearer: “The LORD will give victory to the rest of Judah first, before Jerusalem, so that the people of Jerusalem and the royal line of David will not have greater honor than the rest of Judah.”
I think the key truth to grasp is that no man will be glorified above another since it is God Who is the obvious deliverer and source of strength for all in Israel. In times past, the royal family of the house of David and those who lived in Jerusalem were accorded greater honor among the people of the nation; and that will be the case once again when Jesus, the final King of the line of David, establishes His kingdom.
Zech. 12:8 In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them.
Again, the key truth—YHWH is the defender of Jerusalem and His people. He will empower the weakest among them to be as mighty and courageous in battle as David. The house of David will accordingly seem to possess the power of God Himself as they follow the “angel of the LORD,” their leader, in the person of Jesus Christ.
Zech. 12:9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
Again, I think this has double reference—to the attack of the armies of Gog and the attack of the forces of Antichrist at Armageddon. We may fear for Israel’s safety and wonder how she can possibly survive the combined forces of the Islamic world backed by the military might of Russia, but she will survive. She will survive to eventually face the combined military might of the forces of all the nations on planet earth that gather at Armageddon. “In that day” the LORD will destroy those armies by the sword of His mouth.
Revelation 19:13-15 & 21 “And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God….And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.”
I was very interested to see the Hebrew definition for seek, “to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer).” I think the speaker in this verse is the LORD Jesus, and I believe the words that go forth from His mouth to destroy the nations are a prayer to the Father that is immediately answered in the destruction of the armies of Antichrist.
Zech. 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
Finally, at this time, the “house of David” and the “inhabitants of Jerusalem” will recognize Jesus as LORD. They will “look upon” Him; this is direct reference to His physical return as King Messiah. Point is made that the Jewish people will recognize that they were guilty of causing the crucifixion of Jesus, and it will be a cause for great mourning and sorrow—the type of sorrow and grief one would feel at the death of his/her only child or the firstborn child. It should be noted that although the Jews were responsible for having Jesus crucified, it was for the sin of each and every person that Jesus was crucified; we were all responsible.
What produces the wonderful change of heart in the Jewish people? It is the pouring out of the Spirit of God in grace upon His people in establishment of the New Covenant. He will replace their hearts of stone with hearts of flesh.
Ezekiel 11:19 “And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.”
This repentance will be expressed in their prayer to God for deliverance.
Matthew 23:37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.”
The Greek for the word say in verse 37 above includes “bid…call.” In other words, the pouring out of God’s Spirit on His people will result in repentance of their sin and recognition of their need for Jesus the Messiah to return.
Guzik: “As Jerusalem is supernaturally defended and the Spirit is poured out on the nation, they will turn to Jesus, the pierced One. His head was pierced with thorns, His hands and feet were pierced with nails, and a spear piercedHis side.”
Zech. 12:11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.
Zech. 12:12 And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart;
Zech. 12:13 The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart;
Zech. 12:14 All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.
These verses speak to the fact that mourning for Jesus the Messiah will resonate throughout Judah. The comparable time of great mourning mentioned in verse 11 is in reference to the death of King Josiah (2Chronicles 35).
The houses of David and Nathan are direct references to the royal house of David through whom both Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Joseph, her husband, were descended. Though scholars may argue the facts, scripture is clear that Jesus would be a physical descendant of David, a son of David.
Psalm 89:3-4 “I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.”
Isaiah 11:1 “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots….”
Romans 1:3 “Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh….”
The only way that can be true is through His earthly mother, Mary. Both the genealogies in Matthew and Luke are worded as though they both pertain to Joseph—Matthew’s coming through Solomon and Luke’s through Nathan, Solomon’s brother. Matthew’s genealogy includes Jechoniah, also known as Coniah, whom God had declared would never have seed that would occupy the throne of David.
Jeremiah 22:28-30 “Is this man Coniah a despised broken idol? is he a vessel wherein is no pleasure? wherefore are they cast out, he and his seed, and are cast into a land which they know not? O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD. Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah.”
I found an article by Arnold Fruchtenbaum at http://www.messianicassociation.org/a-agf-throne.htm that gives the best clarification of this issue that I’ve heard.
“The final question is: On what grounds can it be said that Luke’s account is actually Mary’s genealogy? While there is much evidence to support this, it will be necessary to limit it to only three lines of argument.
First, the Talmud itself refers to Mary as the daughter of Heli. It is obvious, then, that in long-standing Jewish tradition, Mary was recognized to be the daughter of Heli as mentioned in Luke 3:23.
Secondly, although most versions translate Luke 3:23 as follows: ... being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli …
That same Greek phrase could easily be translated in a different way. While all of the names in Luke’s genealogy are preceded with the Greek definite article, the name of Joseph is not. Because of this grammatical point, that same verse could be translated: "being the son (as was supposed of Joseph) the son of Heli." In other words, the final parenthesis could be expanded so that the verse reads that although Jesus was supposed or assumed to be the descendant of Joseph, He was really the descendant of Heli. The absence of Mary’s name is quite in keeping with Jewish practices on genealogies, and it was not unusual for a son-in-law to be listed in his wife’s genealogy.
The third argument is the obvious viewpoint of the two genealogies. Matthew is clearly writing from the viewpoint of Joseph. Luke, however, is obviously writing from the viewpoint of Mary. So from the context alone, it would appear that Luke is giving Mary’s lineage, because his whole perspective is focused on Mary.” [end quote from Fruchtenbaum]
The house of Levi is a reference to the priestly tribe of Judah. So by naming the houses of David and Levi, the prophet is making note that both the governmental and religious leaders would lead the people in this national repentance. This is a very vivid contrast to the actions of those leaders who had led the people in rebellion to God and rejection of His Son Jesus.
It’s also interesting that reference is made to the mourning of whole families. Scripture is clear that one day “all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26).