We closed last week with the call to “complete obedience,” and the Gospel reminder that “Apart from Christ we can do nothing, but in Christ we are made fruitful.” As we begin the second half of the book of Zechariah, called by some commentators the Triumphal Intervention, we will keep in mind that God’s Covenant Faithfulness remains our only hope. These next several visions of Zechariah reveal God intervening to do for His people what they cannot do, and reassuring them, and us, of the true hope. 9-10, God comes from the NORTH, works His way south, addresses whole kingdom; 11 breaks the staff; 12-14 focus on Judah and Jerusalem, the remnant, fulness as Gentiles join.
This week we discussed only chapters 9-10. In Jeremiah 1:14 we read: Then the Lord said to me, “Out of the north the evil will break forth on all the inhabitants of the land.” Formerly, God brought the promised consequences from the north, the people that would carry Israel and Judah into captivity. Now, He is showing His Sovereignty over all the nations, beginning in the North, as He works down to Jerusalem, to show His compassion to His remnant.
An Encouragement
I was reading in Calvin’s Works last summer, and came across this, and enjoyed it immensely. As we begin this second half, let this encourage you to keep reading, pondering, studying! From Calvin, vol 3, page 70; the preface he wrote to a French translation of the New Testament:
“As for the affliction he was to bear for our deliverance and the death he was to suffer for our redemption, Isaiah and Zechariah have spoken of those matters fully and with certainty. The glory of his resurrection and the nature of his Kingdom, and the grace of the salvation he was to bring to his people–these things were fully treated by Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Zechariah. Such promises, declared and testified to by these holy men who were filled with the Spirit of God, have been the comfort and consolation of the children and elect of God, who have been nourished, supported, and sustained their hope in these promises… …This is what we should in short seek in the whole of Scripture: truly to know Jesus Christ, and the infinite riches that are comprised in him and are offered to us by him from God the Father. If one were to sift thoroughly the Law and the Prophets, he would not find a single word which would not draw and bring us to him. And for a fact, since all the treasures of wisdom and understanding are hidden in him, there is not the least question of having, or turning toward, another goal…Therefore, rightly does Saint Paul say in another passage that he would know nothing except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And such knowledge although mean and contemptible to the mind of the flesh is nevertheless sufficient to occupy us all our lives. And we shall not waste our time if we employ all our study and apply all our understanding to profit from it. What more would we ask for, as spiritual doctrine for our souls, than to know God, to be conformed to him, and to have his glorious image imprinted in us, so that we may partake of his righteousness, to become heirs of his kingdom and to possess it in the end in full? But the truth is that from the beginning God has given himself, and at present gives himself more fully, that we may contemplate him in the face of his Christ.”
Contemplate, and pray
These chapters have enough material for hours of discussion, and pages upon pages of writing. Instead of all that, here I will only encourage you to read slowly, (not American fast food style reading, or doom scroll style reading). Read the text, slowly, and let the words sink in, and usher you into communion with your God. I will briefly mention a few highlights.
Zech. 9:1-10, all places captured by Nebuchadnezzar; all places they were to have conquered in the beginning of their history yet they would not. (Numbers 34 & Ezek 47) They had fears, they made concessions, they thought of many excuses; is it not the same with us, when faced with a call to Gospel Obedience while living in an adverse culture, do we not give in to fear, to excuses, to pressure of some sort to conform or to accept and incorporate what God says to remove from our dwelling? God says “what communion has Light with darkness?” and we say “is it really darkness? Can I keep it hidden away?” God will triumph over these adversaries, and will even show mercy on some including them in His remnant! Here He lets Israel know that some Philistines will be in the remnant! Do you pray for your enemies, asking that some might be shown compassion and given a heart to know Him–the One True God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent? (John 17:3)
9:1—12:1—Malachi 1:1—- the burden; some translations say “oracle” but this wording lets us know these sections are full of eschatology. The prophet was to preach these words to the people to encourage them in the moment, but ultimately many of these words point to Christ’s coming, and to our eternal hope in the new heavens and new earth.
Read vs. 8-10; try to read them without glossing over the familiar. A people rebuilding, unprotected by city walls, surrounded by opposition had been told already by Zechariah that God is a wall of fire, and now they are told He is encamped around them. The same Hebrew word in Psalm 34:7. He encamps around His people, there is no better place to be! No safer place.
Then comes our beloved Palm Sunday reading! Jesus comes riding on a donkey. Like most Ancient Near Eastern kings, this King will celebrate His coronation on a donkey rather than a horse. Jesus was claiming to be the True King when He fulfilled this prophecy.
As for you also, because of the blood of My covenant with you, I have set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. Return to the stronghold, O prisoners who have the hope; This very day I am declaring that I will restore double to you.
Because of the blood of His covenant, our covenant keeping God makes and remembers His promises, He keeps them, working them out in His sovereign time.
Contemplate the blood sprinkling ceremonies described in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Contemplate the purpose, the sensory experience of the worshippers. Meditate on the blood of the New Covenant, and the promises secured by His blood. Ponder all the way through Revelation 12:11 “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, and they loved not their life unto death.” Who did they overcome? The accuser, who we saw earlier in the book (Zech. 3:1-2). God sets the prisoners free! Held fast by what? Set free how? Returning to what? Our stronghold, God! Our Refuge. Our Rock. And just like Job, we are promised double restoration! Oh LORD! Your promises are too good, You are good!
Our God’s plans are never merely utilitarian. Never. He will not merely rescue us, but promises to make us as…
For they are as the stones of a crown, Sparkling in His land. For what comeliness and beauty will be theirs! Grain will make the young men flourish, and new wine the virgins.
Ponder these metaphors, slowly. God is making His people beautiful, dazzlingly so. Not just “making it” but flourishing, fruitful, happy, not burdened with worry but enjoying a festival or party. This is truly our hope, our heavenly reality. Blessed are those who mourn now for they shall be…
And now onto chapter ten. We are commanded to pray, for what? In what time? From the God who created and sovereignly controls nature. Consider, pause and consider–God will provide, and care for His people. The people hearing this had plenty, and were misusing their plenty; why do they wander in such a way? They are a flock without a good shepherd.
10:1-3 who is God’s anger directed towards?
In contrast, 10:4 who is the cornerstone? The tent peg? In Isaiah 22:20-25 we remember that Cyrus was a tent peg. This is a common metaphor for kings and rulers. Every king foreshadows the True King; every false peg foreshadows the True Peg, the one that will hold all things together, who will with the word of His power sustain all!!!
This Shepherd motif will be revisited in upcoming chapters. Consider these various promises:
For the Lord of hosts has visited His flock, the house of Judah,
And will make them like His majestic horse in battle.
“I will strengthen the house of Judah,
And I will save the house of Joseph,
And I will bring them back,
Because I have had compassion on them;
And they will be as though I had not rejected them,
For I am the Lord their God and I will answer them.
They have physically returned, He will bring back their hearts, and their fulness; He will show His compassion, He will answer–consider the contrast to earlier chapters wherein the people would not listen or respond, so God did not respond to their prayers. And now we pray as directed and He will be their God and will answer! What does this tell you about the character, the faithfulness and trustworthiness of God?
And in His name they will walk. Not just sheep stumbling into a ditch, but majestic war horses walking. He will complete the work He has begun, and they will be strengthened, and will walk. Are you walking with Him, beloved; are you walking because of His work in you? I have found these two chapters invigorating to my prayer life, I hope you will too!
Persevere, brethren; all of us who “have the hope.”
photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash