Zechariah 10:9 – “Though I scattered them among the nations, yet in far countries they shall remember me, and with their children they shall live and return.”
As we pointed out in our last post, the remainder of this chapter focuses on promises that God made to his people, especially to the children of Israel. These promises include both spiritual and temporal/physical blessings and they include an element of battle (also spiritual and physical).
Most bible scholars believe the final fulfillment of these promises is still in the future. This is consistent with what Paul tells us in Romans chapter 11, where we read that God has caused a temporary blindness to come upon the Jews until the Gentiles have been brought into his kingdom. God promises that at the proper time, he will then remove the blindness of his people and draw them back to himself.
Here in Zechariah 10:9 we are told that God scattered Israel among the nations. Of course, we know this to be true; the Jews have been scattered throughout the known world on several occasions. Some of these include:
- The Jews of Israel were scattered when Assyria conquered them in 721 BC.
- The Jews of Judah were scattered when Babylon conquered them in 597 BC.
- Just after the foundation of the church, severe persecution scattered the Jews to almost all of the surrounding countries.
- Large numbers of Jews were scattered from Jerusalem after the Romans destroyed the city in 71 AD.
- The Jews were scattered among the nations during WWII, when they fled from the Nazis.
In order to grasp the true meaning of this verse, we need to take a closer look at the word ‘scattered’. To scatter means to disperse or to spread in different directions. In many ways, this does accurately describe what happened to the Jews. But the word ‘scatter’ has a negative connotation; it carries the idea of mindless or random dissipation and/or breaking something down in order to destroy or remove it.
Most versions of the bible translate the Hebrew word as ‘sowed’ instead of ‘scattered’, which is a better word choice, because it more accurately describes what God was doing.
We know that God never intended to hurt or destroy Israel. When he ‘sowed’ them among the nations, the idea is that he purposely planted them throughout the world as a farmer would sow seed.
Hosea 2:23 - …and I will sow her [Israel] for myself in the land. And I will have mercy on No Mercy and I will say to Not My People, ‘You are my people’ and he shall say, ‘You are my God’.
A farmer intentionally sows seed in the best possible places because his goal is to reap the largest harvest possible. In the same way, God did not just randomly scatter the Jews around the world, he purposely planted them in specific places where he could nurture and multiply them with the full intention of bringing them back to himself:
Hosea 2:19-20 – And I will betroth you [Israel] to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord.
God reveals to the Jews that their displacement to Babylon (and other countries) was not the last time they would be ‘scattered’. But this should not be a reason to worry or fear. God was in full control as he intentionally ‘sowed’ them throughout the world.
Furthermore, God assures his people that at the appointed time, he will once again gather them to himself. This ingathering will involve multiple generations of the Jews (them and their children), indicating that none will be lost.
At some point the Jews will ‘remember the Lord’, which speaks of spiritual understanding; they will finally accept Jesus as the Messiah and receive salvation. They will be part of the church and will enjoy the same spiritual and physical benefits that are available to all believers.
Zechariah 10:10 – “I will bring them home from the land of Egypt, and gather them from Assyria, and I will bring them to the land of Gilead and to Lebanon, till there is no room for them.”
There are differences of opinion on how to best interpret this verse.
The nation of Israel was located between Egypt (to the west) and Assyria (to the east). For this reason, some theorize that Egypt and Assyria represent not only themselves, but all of the great empires of the world which would later exist in those lands and cause Israel to suffer.
However, regardless of which nations God’s people wound up in, he would bless them and call them back to himself. This return would involve a literal return to Gilead and Lebanon, which represent the boundaries of the Promised Land. God would so multiply his people that upon their return, there would barely be enough room for all of them to live.
A second interpretation says that the scripture should be translated “As I brought them out of the land of Egypt, so will I gather them from Assyria”. In this theory, a parallel is suggested between the way Israel was delivered from Egypt and the way it will be delivered from future oppression. This may entail a physical bondage and release, and/or a spiritual one.
In a physical sense, it means that at some point, Israel will find herself totally bound by another nation or group and unable to defend/free herself. At that time, she will cry out to God and he will once again use his miraculous power to deliver her (just as he delivered her from Egypt).
This would not only free the Jews, it would also provide a terrifying and irrefutable testimony to the nation who tried to oppress God’s people. This testimony would glorify God and give the heathen nations the opportunity to accept salvation.
In the spiritual sense, we know that the bondage of Israel in Egypt was a picture of the bondage of sin. It reflected the oppression that mankind was subjected to under the authority of Satan. Just as God brought his people out of Egypt with great miracles and his own mighty strength, he will also bring them out of spiritual darkness and into the freedom of Christ Jesus, which is possible only through his miraculous power and might.
Thus, the Jews will find themselves members of the kingdom of heaven - a spiritual Gilead (which means ‘heap or mass of testimony’) and Lebanon (which means ‘white’, as in washed in the blood of the Lamb).
In this theory, the phrase ‘till there is no room for them’ refers to the number of people who are admitted into the kingdom, which is a number beyond measure.
A third theory says that Egypt and Assyria are both mentioned to assure the Jews that the redemption being promised was open to them all. This theory takes into account a cultural difference among the Jews.
Once the Lord had freed the Jews from Egyptian bondage, they were never to return and live there (Deuteronomy 17:16). However, during the times of dispersion, there were some Jews who fled to Egypt. These people were regarded with distain by other Jews. The reputation of any Jew who returned to Egypt was sullied or tarnished in the eyes of his fellow Jews.
It is possible that the majority of Jews would have felt the promises of God did not apply to these Egyptian Jews. Thus, when God promises to bring his people back from both Assyria and Egypt, he is making it perfectly clear that he means ALL of his people, no matter where they were in the world, or what they had done.
Zechariah 10:11 – “He shall pass through the sea of troubles and strike down the waves of the sea, and all the depths of the Nile shall be dried up. The pride of Assyria shall be laid low, and the scepter of Egypt shall depart…”
Here we have a reference to both a sea and a river (Nile). These are allusions to former miracles that God had performed on behalf of the Jews.
In the first instance, God miraculously brought ten plagues upon the nation of Egypt, who finally agreed to let Israel go. But shortly afterward, Pharaoh changed his mind. He gathered his troops and marched out against Israel as they camped before the Red Sea.
At that time, God again displayed his miraculous power by standing between Israel and her enemies in the form of a pillar of fire and cloud. He kept the Egyptians at bay all night while a severe east wind blew and God parted the Red sea.
As you recall, all of the Jews passed over the sea on dry ground. Once they had passed, the pillar moved and the Egyptians rushed after the Jews. As they were in the midst of the dry seabed, God caused the water to return to its original boundaries and all of the Egyptians drowned (Exodus 14:22-30).
We find a similar occurrence when the Israelites were finally ready to conquer the Promised Land. In order to reach Jericho, they had to cross the Jordan which was at the spring flood stage. Once again, God parted the waters and his people crossed on dry land (Joshua 3:14-17).
The point is that the literal waters of the sea and river were obstacles which stood in the way of Israel’s blessing and restoration. Israel herself was incapable of removing these obstacles, but God was not; he struck the waters and provided his people with safe passage through them.
Likewise, God will make a way through every future obstacle or ‘sea of trouble’ which opposes Israel’s blessing and restoration.
These obstacles may refer to affliction, oppression or problems of any kind – political, financial, etc. However, it should be noted that in scripture ‘sea’ is often symbolic of the nations of the world. Thus, the ‘sea of trouble’ may also refer to nations or kingdoms who oppose Israel and her restoration. Regardless of the nature or identity of the obstacle, God will simply strike it down, so his people can pass through.
This is a powerful reminder to the Jews that God’s power has not diminished; no force on earth, under the earth, or in the heavens can stop him from coming to the assistance of his people and providing them with victory. His past deliverances are proof/assurance that he will also deliver them in the future.
As God delivers his people, their enemies (as represented by Assyria and Egypt) will fall out of power and be destroyed. Again, this is believed to be something that will occur in the future; possibly as the final end-time kingdom of Satan tries one last time to destroy the Jews.
Spiritually speaking, the message is that God will bring the Jews into the kingdom of heaven, regardless of any/all opposition. This fulfillment began immediately following the resurrection of Christ, and it will reach its ultimate climax when God removes the temporary blindness of the Jews and they recognize Jesus as their Messiah.
Zechariah 10:12 – “…I will make them strong in the Lord, and they shall walk in his name,” declares the Lord.
The bottom line is that as long as they depend upon the Lord, the Jews would be sufficiently strong to be victorious over their enemies:
II Corinthians 12:9 – But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Even if the whole world were to rise up against them, the Jews will have nothing to fear because they walk under the power, direction and authority of Jehovah himself. He will not allow his people to sink under the afflictions of their enemies. The more the Jews are opposed, persecuted and afflicted, the more they will be upheld by the mighty hand of the Lord.
In fact, the weaker the Jews are, the more glory God will ultimately receive because his grace and power will be acknowledged in Israel’s victory.
In a spiritual sense, this means that when the Jews accept salvation, they will be able to do all things through Christ, who strengthens them (Philippians 4:13). They will have the strength to forgive, perform Christian duties, withstand temptation, sharpen personal holiness, endure afflictions, gain victory over all spiritual enemies, and subdue the world around them, just as the Gentile Christians do.
By faith, all believers (Jew and Gentile) can ‘walk in his name’ which means we can live our daily lives in the will of God, standing on his promises, walking according to his commands and worshipping him in spirit and in truth.
Let me offer you some encouragement:
The promise of God’s mighty strength and power applies to the church as well as to the nation of Israel. Let’s face it – the church is weak in many areas and sometimes it looks as though we will be crushed by Satan’s schemes.
But we do not need to fear. God has built the church upon the solid rock Christ Jesus and he promises that the gates of hell will not prevail against us (Matthew 16:18). As long as we are faithful to God, he will come to our aid and fight on our behalf. Now that’s an encouraging word!
Let me offer you some relief:
There can be no doubt that Israel made many mistakes and fell into many sins. There can also be no doubt that God chastised her for her rebellion. But the bottom line is that God never cast Israel away from himself.
Instead, he called to her out of love and waited patiently for her to return. Just as the prodigal son eventually realized the error of his ways and returned to his father, so Israel will eventually realize the error of her ways and accept Jesus Christ as her Messiah.
The same principle applies to America. We have fallen into the exact same sins as ancient Israel – rebellion, sexual immorality, covenant breaking and even idol worship (idolatry is putting anything before God, such as money, self gratification, entertainment, etc).
The good news is that God has not given up on us. As we humble ourselves, and pray and turn from sin, God has promised to hear our prayers and heal our land (II Chronicles 7:14). This means that there is still hope for America!
If you are praying for our nation, don’t give up – the battle for America is still being waged. If you are not currently praying for our nation, please begin to do so now. Be a part of what God is doing in this generation!
Let me offer you some strength:
Today’s post speaks of sowing, which is different from scattering. God ‘sowed’ or intentionally planted his people into every nation of the known world. He desired for them to worship and serve him wherever they found themselves.
I believe the same thing is true for Christians. Regardless of where you live, what vocation you have chosen, or your season of life, God desires for you to serve and fellowship with him.
So don’t put off your service to the King. Don’t wait until you retire or until you move or until you find that perfect job. Enjoy fellowship with Jesus today and if he wants you to move locations or jobs, he will open a new door for you. For now, just enjoy his company!