Zechariah 9:9 – Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
The first portion of Zechariah chapter 9 deals with some of the heathen nations that were intent on destroying Israel. These nations had crafty/intelligent leaders, strong military might, ample resources and a lot of wealth. Because they enjoyed a measure of success in their endeavors, they became conceited. In their state of pride, they despised Israel and mocked the God of heaven. 
As a result, God pronounced judgment against them. In many instances, those judgments have been well documented in history; we can still read about them today (see the prior post).
But the oracle which began with judgment ended in mercy. God was planning to establish his house (the church) which would be made up of both Jews and Gentiles. Once that church was established, God would surround it like a ring of fire (Zechariah 2:5) and protect her against Satan and his followers.
The middle portion of Zechariah chapter 9 is a prophetic word about the Messiah, the one who would bring the message of salvation, die for our sin, establish the church, and make sure that Gentiles were invited into his family.
In fact, the coming of Jesus the Messiah is the single most important event in the history of the world.
The coming of the Messiah was the reason God made a covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It was the reason God freed Israel from Egypt and brought her into the Promised Land. It was the reason he protected her during the captivity and brought her back to Jerusalem. It was the reason he insisted that the Jews of Zechariah’s day rebuild the temple – the very structure where Jesus would later proclaim the words of life!
The promise of the coming Messiah was cause for great joy and delight. The people of God were to shout loudly and rejoice greatly in the knowledge that the Messiah, their King, was coming (Psalms 148:13).
Jesus, King of kings and Lord of Lords, would be like no other king the world has ever seen:
He rules in heaven, on earth and even under the earth (Revelation 5:13). He is a perfectly righteous ruler; all his ruling actions will be perfectly fair, equitable and just, because he himself is righteous and just (Psalms 89:14). He comes to his subjects bearing the gift of salvation/eternal life (Isaiah 12:2). He is the all-powerful protector of those who have faith in him as their Messiah (Psalms 18:1-19). Every knee will bow before him (Romans 14:11). He will rule the nations with a rod of iron; no one can stand against his power and authority (Revelation 19:15).
But even though Jesus has a name above every other name (Philippians 2:9), and even though all power and authority belong to him (Ephesians 1:21), he assumed the role of a servant during the incarnation.
This is why the Messiah is described by the prophet as being humble. We can’t help but notice that the humbleness of Christ is the exact opposite of the prideful heathen kings/nations that God had just promised to destroy.
Part of the humbleness of Christ was reflected in the fact that he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. What is that about? Why was it significant?
Let’s begin by reviewing this important event. It occurred just a few days before Jesus gave up his life for us on Calvary. The event itself is called the ‘triumphal entry’. We celebrate this day as Palm Sunday.
On that day, Jesus instructed his disciples to go into the town, where they would find a mother donkey and her baby (colt or foal) tied up. Sure enough, the animals were found exactly as Jesus said they would be. The disciples brought the animals back to Jesus, and then laid their coats on the colt in place of a saddle. As Jesus rode into Jerusalem, the Jewish people welcomed their King by spreading their cloaks or palm branches in the roadway as they shouted “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! (Matthew 21:1-11, John 12:12-19).
The triumphal entry was significant for a few different reasons.
First, it was a fulfillment of the prophesy of Zechariah. As such, it was a confirmation to the Jewish people that Jesus was indeed the long-awaited Messiah.
Second, his actions were symbolic. In order to fully understand the symbolism, we need to review some Old Testament history.
As you may recall, God had forbidden the people of Israel to amass large amounts of war horses, because in scripture war horses represent human might/power:
Deuteronomy 17:16 – He [the king of Israel] must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall never return that way again.’
God did this because he knows what is in the heart of mankind. If Israel had a large army of fierce war horses, they would begin to trust in their own strength (just like the heathen nations), instead of relying on God to give them victory. If they won battles with their own strength and wisdom, they would become full of pride, just like the heathen nations God had destroyed (Phoenicians, Philistines, etc).
God spared them from this temptation by commanding them not to own war horses.
Just as the mortal kings of Israel were not supposed to own or ride on horses, so King Jesus the Messiah would not come to his people riding on a horse either. The picture we have is that the Messiah was a King who fully trusted in God to bring him and his kingdom to victory; he was not placing his trust in physical strength/weapons.
And sure enough, that is exactly what happened. Jesus died on Calvary, but then God raised him from the dead and give him power and dominion over all things. He has defeated death, hell and the grave. Jesus is now the head of the church and he reigns over a kingdom that has no end (Daniel 2:44)! 
Thirdly, the triumphal entry was a word of wisdom to the Jews of that day, especially the religious leaders (who for the most part, refused to acknowledge it).
At the time of the incarnation, the Jews were convinced that when the Messiah came, he would immediately set up his kingdom on earth. They believed he would be a great national hero who would raise an army, overthrow Roman rule, and once again make Israel an independent nation. They expected the Messiah to bring Israel to a ‘golden age’ of peace and prosperity with borders that would surpass those of the kingdom of Solomon.
But the Jews of that day didn’t fully understand the plans and purposes of God. Specifically, their timing was all wrong. There will certainly be a time when Jesus rules in Jerusalem and Israel will enjoy a period of peace and prosperity, but this was not going to happen during the incarnation of Christ.
Even now, that event is in the future. Modern day scholars expect it to occur during the millennial reign of Christ.
So, by humbly riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, Jesus was sending a message to the Jews of that day (particularly the religious leaders). He was indeed ushering in a new kingdom, but it was the kingdom of heaven, not the kingdom of Israel. It was a spiritual kingdom built upon his victory over Satan and sin, not a temporal kingdom that would overthrow Rome:
John 18:36 – Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”
Once again, just to be clear, a day will come when Jesus returns to earth again to physically rule over this planet for a thousand years, but as of today that is still a future event.
For now, those of us who belong to the church of Jesus Christ can spend our days rejoicing in the victory Christ has already won. Because of him, we are free from sin and we will spend eternity with God!
Zechariah 9:10 – I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.
Zechariah goes on to prophesy that horses, chariots and bows (emblems of worldly military power) will be ‘cut off’ which means they will disappear or cease to exist. We would expect military might to be cut off from the heathen nations, but the prophet declares they will be removed from Ephraim (which represents the 10 tribes of Israel) and Jerusalem (which represents the tribes of Judah and Benjamin).
What does this signify?
It means that the kingdom of heaven will not come to power through typical worldly means; war/force would not be used to spread the kingdom of the Prince of Peace. His kingdom is a spiritual kingdom, which is not established by military might or power, but by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts (Zechariah 4:6) and the preaching of the gospel.
Jesus brings peace to the nations, but it is not the temporary, ever fluctuating peace that the world gives (John 14:27). It is something much, much more precious! Jesus made it possible for sinners to experience peace with God through the remission of sin:
Ephesians 2:13-14 – But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both [Jews and Gentiles] one and has broken down in his flesh the diving wall of hostility…
I don’t know about you, but I am glad that the peace of God, which passes all understanding, is guarding my heart and mind through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7)!
Zechariah also tells us that the territory of the Messiah’s kingdom will stretch from ‘sea to sea’ and from ‘the river to the ends of the earth’ (Psalms 72:8). 
The boundary of the original Promised Land stretched from the Mediterranean Sea on one side to the Euphrates River on the other. Using the kingdom of Israel to denote the kingdom of heaven, the prophet indicates that the new spiritual kingdom of heaven will expand all over the world – from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the world.
Again, this language clearly confirms that Jews will not be the only citizens of this great new kingdom. God’s kingdom/church will also include Gentiles, who will enjoy the same peace, prosperity and safety as the Jewish citizens of the kingdom.
The overall thought is that the kingdom of the Messiah would have humble beginnings. It would first unfold itself through lowliness and suffering, but it would exponentially expand until it reached its true might and glory, covering the entire world.
In other words, Jesus would not conquer the world by force of arms leading to political supremacy. Instead, he would establish his kingdom through his own sacrifice which would eventually overcome the world.
Zechariah 9:11 – As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.
Up to this point, God had been proclaiming the coming of the Messiah, who would establish the New Testament church. This was a good reason to shout, rejoice and give glory to God.
But the promise of a new covenant did not negate the old one. In other words, God had not forsaken the first covenant or his people the Jews. Humanly speaking, the coming of the Messiah and his spiritual kingdom was still a long, long, way off and the period of time between the prophesy of Zechariah and the incarnation of the Messiah was going to be full of trials and tribulations for the Jews.
In order to encourage and strengthen his people, God gave the Jews special promises/assurances of his protection and provision for them during this specific period of time. The word ‘also’ confirms that these special blessings are in addition to the blessings of the church mentioned in the last two verses of our text.
The Old Testament contains numerous instances of God delivering his people from the prison or bondage of nations such as Egypt, Babylon and Rome. Even though these (and other nations) greatly desired to annihilate Israel, God protected and blessed her. 
Those nations soon faded into the sunset of history, but Israel still stands today! This is clear evidence that God has never forsaken, cast-off or replaced the Jews and he never will!
It should be noted that these supplemental blessings are not just for those who were present in Jerusalem to hear the prophesy of Zechariah. The benefits belonged to all those who were under the first covenant made at Sinai and ratified by the blood of animals (Exodus 24:4-8).
Specifically, God promises to ‘set your prisoners free from the waterless pit’. What is he talking about?
During the time of ancient Israel, it was very common for rulers to dig pits or cisterns to retain water during the dry season. Many times when the pits/cisterns were empty (or full of mud) they were also used as temporary prisons.
This was the kind of pit that Joseph was thrown into by his 11 brothers, after they had stripped him of his coat of many colors (Genesis 37:12-24). The prophet Jeremiah was also cast into one of these pits (Jeremiah 38:6) and nearly died in the mud.
To be a prisoner in a waterless pit was essentially a euphemism for being in bondage.
Psalms 40:2 – He [God] drew me [David] up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.
The waterless pit is deep and terrible. Those confined in the pit have no light, no comfort, no peace, no fellowship and no way of escape. There was no deliverance until justice had been satisfied and the prisoner’s debt paid in full. Only then would someone heed the prisoner’s cry for help and lift them out of the pit.
It isn’t difficult to see the spiritual parallel here. We were all prisoners of sin at one time. We had no spiritual light or hope. We had no peace with God, no comfort and no way of escape, since we could NEVER pay the debt of sin which we owed.
But then the Messiah came and satisfied the debt of our sin with the Father! At that point we could obtain mercy by calling out to him. When we did, he delivered us from the pit and set our spiritual feet upon the solid rock of Christ Jesus. Hallelujah!
In the meantime (until the coming of Messiah), the Jews had the blessing of forgiveness through the temple sacrifices. They had the blessing of fellowship with God through the covenant festivals. They were God’s chosen people and he blessed them in all that they endeavored to accomplish (Deuteronomy 28).
Zechariah 9:12 – Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double.
God has promised to deliver Israel from the bondage of other nations. This is symbolic of freedom from the bondage of sin.
But in order to obtain that freedom, the Jews were to ‘return to your stronghold’. A stronghold was a fortress or a well-fortified place of safety where people fled in perilous times. It contained offensive and defensive weapons, as well as water and other provisions. In the scriptures, God’s protection is often referred to as a stronghold.
Nahum 1:7 – The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.
(See also Joel 3:16, Psalms 27:1, Psalms 18:2, Proverbs 18:10, etc). In other words, to reap the benefits of this promise of God, the Jews must willingly turn (or return) their hearts and minds to the Lord. They must trust in him alone - not in idols, or their own wisdom, or in physical weapons such as horses and chariots. 
When the Jews turn to the Lord, he will make them ‘prisoners of hope’. They will be held fast and secure by the Lord, who will give them a special measure of hope to sustain them through all the years of expectation until the time of the Messiah arrived (Acts 26:6-7, Acts 28:20, Titus 2:13, Hebrews 6:18-19, etc).
Neither the persecution of the world nor the weariness of waiting could force them to give up this hope. This promise applied particularly to the Jews of Zechariah’s time, who experienced weariness in the rebuilding of the temple and the walls of Jerusalem.
In addition to this blessing, God was going to restore ‘double’ to them. Double signifies anything that is large, plentiful or more than sufficient.
God would compensate or make amends for the loss, harm and suffering which the Jews endured (Isaiah 61:7) during this period of time.
God also promised that the latter glory of the second temple would be greater than the former, and in that house, peace would be found (Haggai 2:9). He would give his people a plentiful measure of grace - double what was received under the old covenant.
The Jews could expect to enjoy all the blessings of grace, both spiritual and temporal. Instead of trouble, they would receive double comfort and joy in Christ.
Zechariah 9:13 – For I have bent Judah as my bow; I have made Ephraim its arrow. I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and wield you like a warrior’s sword.
This is the most controversial verse in today’s study.
Many bible scholars believe this verse speaks of the military prowess of Israel, through the aid of God. The controversy comes when one tries to pinpoint its fulfillment. The following scenarios have all been suggested as the fulfillment of this word:
- Some scholars say this prophesy refers to the time when the Maccabees triumphed over the Grecian rulers of Syria (around 167-130 BC).
- Other scholars believe the verse refers to the nations of Gog and Magog which are spoken of in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39. If this is the correct interpretation, then we have not yet seen its fulfillment.
- Another interpretation says that the verse should be interpreted only in a spiritual sense, because the church’s weapons of warfare are spiritual and not carnal. This view says that the 12 apostles (and other church leaders of the time) were the Jewish ‘bows and arrows’ which God used to strike the hearts of men and women with the gospel.
One thing we can agree on is that this verse speaks of the Lord our God as a warrior armed for battle, who partners with his people to defeat all the enemies of righteousness. This is clearly intimated by the fact that God is the one who bends the bow and nocks the arrow; the people of God do not have the strength or authority to do this without their commander-in-chief. 
This is certainly a picture of the church which is supported in the New Testament:
God has given the church the keys of his kingdom (Matthew 16:19). He has given us the armor of God (Ephesians 6). He has given us the authority to use his Name, which is so powerful that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow (Philippians 2:10). He has given us thousands of promises which are contained in the bible and endued with his power. He has given us the gift of faith which is both an offensive weapon (when we stand upon his promises) and a defensive weapon (when used as a shield).
Let me offer you some encouragement and some relief:
In this portion of scripture, God shows the Jews that his plans were far, far greater than anything they imagined.
Obviously, the Jews were looking for the eventual coming of the Messiah. But they did not understand that he was not coming to establish a new nation of Israel; he was coming to bring a far greater kingdom to the world – the kingdom of heaven.
The Messiah is the crowning glory of this new kingdom and he has made a way for every human being to find citizenship within it. He has rescued us from the ‘waterless pit’ and now we stand upon the solid rock of his sacrifice.
In light of our citizenship in this kingdom, we should shake off the cares of this world and renew our dedication to being a warrior in his kingdom. With Jesus as our commander-in-chief, we will not only be victorious, we will be doubly blessed!
Let me offer you some strength:
In today’s text, Jehovah refers to the Jews as ‘prisoners of hope’. What a wonderful phrase!
Prisoners of hope are held securely in the arms of God. They have the ability to hold onto the promises of God and never, ever let them go. Regardless of how long it takes for the promise to be fulfilled, they still hold on. Regardless of the taunts of friends, relatives or enemies they still hold on. Regardless of how the circumstances look, they still hold on. And when the appointed time comes, they will be rewarded!
What promises of God are you standing on? Whatever they are, don’t let go!