No. 2.
The latter portion of the book of Zechariah, extending from the seventh chapter to the end, gives many details as to the restoration of Jerusalem, and the person, rejection, sufferings, sin-cleansing work, and reign of Messiah.
Nearly two years after the last prophecy, the word of the Lord came again unto Zechariah, solemnly to ask the people and the priests, if, when they mourned and fasted during the past seventy years, they did it unto the Lord? A very searching question. He also appealed to them to “hear the words that had been cried by the former prophets.” (chapter 7:1—7.)
Again, the prophet testifies against their refusal to hear, and their hardness of heart, which had brought great wrath upon them from the Lord of hosts, even desolation of the land, and scattering of the people among the nations whom they knew not. (chapter 7:8-14.)
The word of the Lord again came to the prophet to assure the people of the return of blessing to Jerusalem; that Messiah would yet dwell in her midst; that Jerusalem would be a city of truth, the holy mountain, old men and old women dwelling there, and the streets full of playing boys and girls; that the Lord of hosts would save His people from the east and from the west, the ground give her increase, and the heavens give her dew, and the remnant of His people possess all these things; “that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel, so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing.” Then the feasts of the fifth, and seventh, and tenth months shall be to the house of Judah feasts of joy and gladness; many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts at Jerusalem; yea, ten men out of all languages of the nations shall take hold of the skirt of a Jew, saying, “We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” (chapter 8)
The daughter of Jerusalem is called on to “rejoice and shout,” because the meek and lowly King cometh just and bringeth salvation, who will cut off the horse and chariot from Jerusalem, and speak peace to the heathen, whose dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the rivers to the ends of the earth. (chapter 9)
In answer to their prayers, God will give them blessings, and make the house of Judah “as His goodly horse in the battle.” The heart, too, of the men of Ephraim shall rejoice in the Lord; they shall remember Jehovah in far countries, shall be brought out from the land of Egypt and Assyria, when the pride of the Assyrian shall be brought down, and the scepter of Egypt shall depart away; and He will strengthen His people in the name of the Lord, “and they shall walk up and down in His name.” (Chap. 10.)
Although “their own shepherds” are out off, yet the Lord graciously recognizes “the poor of the flock.” The rejection of Messiah, His betrayal for thirty pieces of silver which were cast to the potter, are found in the eleventh chapter. We have also the Antichrist, and the summary judgment he, “the idol shepherd,” will meet with, in the last verse. The two staves, “Beauty” and “Bands,” show that Jehovah can unite both Judah and Israel together; but the staves were cut asunder that He “might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel;” but the remnant, “the poor of the flock,” waited upon the Lord, and knew that it was His word. (chapter 11)
Yet Jerusalem shall be “a burdensome stone for all people,” and “a cup of trembling,” though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it; for the Lord will open His eyes upon the house of Judah, save the tents of Judah first, and smite with madness and blindness every horse of the people; for in that day the Lord shall defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and smite all the nations that come against it. (How impossible to apply such language to the church, and how unaccountable it is that any child of God can do so!) The prophet goes on to show, that so deep and real will be the repentance wrought in the heart of the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem when they look on Him whom they have pierced, that they shall mourn every family apart, and their wives apart, as one who is in bitterness for his first-born. In this way will there be true restoration of heart, and relationship established with God according to the efficacy of the work of Him who died for that nation. (chapter 12) Hence the next thing the prophet presents to us is the fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness, which is followed by practical separation from idolatry, the unclean spirit passing out of the land, and even parents executing unsparing judgments on a son who is a false prophet. Then the meek and lowly Jesus, who was wounded in the house of His friends, is declared to be the man who was shepherd and fellow of the Lord of Hosts, and though smitten by Him, and the sheep scattered, He will yet bring in blessings upon a remnant, “the little ones.” Of those who are “in all the land” (the two tribes) He will cut off two parts, leave a third part therein (in the land), who shall be “brought through the fire,” be thus tried and refined, to whom He will say, “It is my people, and they shall say, The Lord is my God.” (chapter 13)
As we have seen before, all nations shall yet be gathered together against Jerusalem, the city be captured, the houses rifled, half of the city go forth into captivity, and the residue not be cut off. At this moment the Lord Himself will be personally revealed from heaven, who will fight against those nations.
His heavenly saints will accompany Him. (See Rev 19.) His feet will stand on mount Olivet, from whence He ascended. The mountain will be rent in twain, so as to produce a very great valley, when the people will flee. Then Jerusalem will be blessed, be safely inhabited, and know no more utter destruction. The personal glory of the Lord will be so resplendent as to alter day and night; “at evening time it shall be light.” Living waters will flow out of Jerusalem, both in summer and winter. The Lord shall be Bing over all the earth. To Him every knee shall bow.
Some of those nations which had fought against Jerusalem will be so smitten by the Lord, that their flesh shall consume away while they stand, and every man’s hand shall rise against his neighbor. Judah shall fight, and obtain great wealth from the heathen. Those who are left of all the nations which cams against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to Jerusalem to worship the Bing, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles; those nations who refuse to do so shall have no rain; but as Egypt has no rain, its punishment shall be different.
In Jerusalem, in that day, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD shall be on the bells of the horses, and every pot in Jerusalem shall be holiness to the Lord. Neither shall the Canaanite be any more in the house of the Lord. Blessed time, indeed, when the true Messiah, who died for that nation, has His rightful place as the seed of Abraham and the Son of David!