#56 On the nature of God: Learning from the prophets: Zechariah Chapters 12-14

In earlier chapters, God described the future for His people. He urged the rebuilding of the temple and promised to protect the country from harm. Then, by sending His Son, the Messiah, He would build a spiritual kingdom/temple—the church—which would provide forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation and never be destroyed.

These last chapters elaborate on this future spiritual kingdom.

In this new era, spiritual Jerusalem—the church—would be exalted and receive its strength from God. In the spiritual battle, God describes spiritual Jerusalem as a stone so heavy that any attacking nations would hurt themselves attempting to lift or overcome the city. In the battle, God would provide victory.

Salvation would come from the one they pierced, Zechariah 12:10:

“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.”

This prophecy was fulfilled after Jesus died, John 19:33-34:

“…But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.”

The death and resurrection of the Messiah opened an avenue for forgiveness of sins—a cleansing. In addition, idols and false prophets would be removed from spiritual Israel, Zechariah 13:1, 2:

“On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness. And on that day, declares the LORD of hosts, I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, so that they shall be remembered no more. And also I will remove from the land the prophets and the spirit of uncleanness.

A prophecy was given of what happened at Judas’ betrayal of Jesus, Zechariah 13:7:

“Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered;”

Jesus quoted this passage before it happened, Matthew 26:31, 56:

“Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered…

…But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.”

The last chapter of Zechariah proclaims a victory for God’s spiritual family after the physical destruction of Jerusalem: Zechariah 14:1-2:

“Behold, a day is coming for the LORD, when the spoil taken from you will be divided in your midst. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women raped. Half of the city shall go out into exile,”

The destruction of Jerusalem signified the end of the old law, the Jews, and God’s care for them. Thereafter, a spiritual battle would occur, Zechariah 14:3:

“Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle.”

Spiritual living water—the forgiveness of sins—would go to all the world and the Lord would be king, Zechariah 14:8-9:

“On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea. It shall continue in summer as in winter. And the LORD will be king over all the earth.”

God would also send a figurative plague on the enemies of spiritual Jerusalem, Zechariah 14:12:

“And this shall be the plague with which the LORD will strike all the peoples that wage war against Jerusalem: their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths.”

The survivors of the battles and plagues will become worshippers of God, Zechariah 14:16:

”Then everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Booths.”

The Feast of Booths was a time of thanksgiving and symbolically shows thanksgiving for those saved from every nation.

Thus, God is rebuilding physical Jerusalem and the temple as a prelude to the time of the Messiah when spiritual Jerusalem and the spiritual temple—the church—would be built.

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