Bible study friends, I can’t even tell you how much I enjoy digging into God’s Word with you! Zechariah has been a passion for many years and it just seems right to share chapters 12-14 during the fall feast season. I pray you are blessed. The Feast of Tabernacles actually began last Saturday at sundown, so we are into the last Jewish feast as we study!
We’re headed into Zechariah 14, but before we go there, here are links to the previous five study sessions. Feel free to review them as we move forward with today’s focus.
As we enter Zechariah 14, the prophet seems to backtrack into the tribulation once again, as though he wants a running start into the Feast of Tabernacles. Todays passage, verses 1-5, will dwell there, but this passage will also launch us forward into the final joyous celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles in our next post.
The chapter begins with Jerusalem under siege from the nations. Revelation and other prophetic passages tell us to expect that, and it is often called “the day of the Lord.” Without getting into various theological positions regarding whether the day of the Lord is a singular day (and when it is) or a term to mean a season, suffice it to say, God is going to rise up on that day and the Messiah returns!
In verses 1-2 we’re told the Lord Himself will gather all nations to battle against Jerusalem. Some would say Rome did this in 70AD, but the deliverance Zechariah described in the following verses does not bear that out. Thus, we seem to be talking about a very end time event here. In fact, it is the end of the tribulation. We’ll see why in verse 4.
Meanwhile, Zechariah predicts that half of the city of Jerusalem will be taken captive. Perhaps that is part of the two-thirds mentioned in Zechariah 13:8 that will perish. Regardless, a remnant will remain and the city itself will not be overthrown. Throughout Scripture, God uses a remnant. In fact, He pared Gideon’s 32,000-man army down to only 300 men before sending him out to do battle with the Midianites. (Judges 7) In typical fashion, God brought the victory and the glory. We can rest assured God will bring the victory to Jerusalem in the end as well!
In fact, we find out about God’s intervention on Jerusalem’s behalf right away! Verse 3 says the Lord will go forth and fight! When all hope seems gone, the Lord is faithful to show up! In this case, how and where does He do it? Check out verse 4!
There you have it! Jesus steps foot on the Mt of Olives, bringing an end to the great tribulation and splitting the mount in two from east to west! Jesus will physically return to the Mt of Olives, will look across the Kidron Valley to Temple Mount, and a giant chasm will split it and the Old City of Jerusalem in two! Jerusalem sits on a hill, half of which will move north and the other half south.
Somewhere amidst Jesus’ appearing comes the Trumpet, and all that happens at this point leads to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement when all Israel will be saved! This is a catalyst. When two-thirds of your people are gone and your Holy City splits in two, God has your attention!
However, notice how this passage ends in verse 5. The Lord will come with all the saints! When Jesus steps foot on the Mt of Olives, He returns at the Jews’ request. Remember the passage from Matthew 23:37-39? As promised, He returns when He hears, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” They invite Him back, and He comes with all believers (Jews and Gentiles) who have spent 7 years enjoying the wedding feast of the Lamb while tribulational hell ravages earth. Revelation 19:14-16 describes that return and what happens next:
14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:
KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS.
This was the type of arrival the Jews hoped for in Jesus’ First Coming. Yet rather than a military conqueror, Jesus came to conquer sin. He first came in peace to die on a cross for the redemption of sinners. In His Second Coming, He comes to bring repentance and, finally, salvation to His people, but they will go through much trial and tribulation at Yom Kippur.
Then, the big celebration! Check back soon because we dive into the Feast of Tabernacles next!
