Zechariah 9:1 – The oracle of the word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrach and Damascus is its resting place. For the Lord has an eye on mankind and on all the tribes of Israel.
Welcome back readers! It's time to put on our 'thinking caps' because the next portion of Zechariah has many different interpretations.
For instance, some scholars believe that the last six chapters (9-11 being one prophesy and chapters 12-14 a second prophesy) were not written by Zechariah.
Those who hold this opinion point out that the last six chapters have a very different style (they are much more poetical) from the first part of the book. In addition, these oracles are in many ways unconnected with the prophesies of the first eight chapters, which dealt almost solely with Israel.
These six chapters are sometimes attributed to Jeremiah. One reason for this is because Zechariah 11:12-13 is quoted in the New Testament (Matthew 27:9-10) but Matthew attributes the quote to Jeremiah, not Zechariah.
Other scholars believe these chapters were penned by Hosea or another unknown prophet who ministered before the captivity. This, in turn, leads to the speculation that there was actually a 13th minor prophet.
But we do not need to be overly concerned. Regardless of who the author was, these last six chapters are clearly the divine, inspired word of God. Their authenticity is beyond question because they are quoted in the New Testament.
For the purposes of our study, we will stick to the theory that these chapters are exactly what they appear to be – the word of the Lord delivered through the prophet Zechariah. However, whenever possible we will continue to offer all of the most common viewpoints, so you can make up your own mind.
Now let's begin our study of chapter nine.
This chapter opens with an 'oracle' which is simply a divine revelation/communication delivered to mankind, usually in answer to a request for guidance. It is essentially the same as a prophesy. In fact, some translations use the word 'prophesy' or 'burden' instead of oracle.
This oracle mentions a number of cities; however, bible scholars believe the oracle refers not only to the specific cities mentioned, but to the nations or kingdoms where these cities were located.
For example, when the cities of Damascus and Hadrach (Chadrak) are mentioned, they are believed to represent the entire kingdom of Syria. So, in verse one, we find God pronouncing a word over the entire kingdom of Syria, which includes the two specific cities mentioned by name.
The interpretation of this verse depends on your understanding of the phrase 'for the Lord has an eye on mankind and on all the tribes of Israel'. Let's examine the three main viewpoints.
The first viewpoint is a literal one. It suggests that God was watching (had an eye) not only on the tribes of Israel, but on the Gentile nations as well. Their treatment of Israel did not go unnoticed; he saw every instance of injury, oppression, and persecution that his people suffered.
Because of that abuse, God was pronouncing vengeance upon the Syrians. His judgment 'rested' or was hanging over them in such a way that it would not depart until they repented or were fully destroyed. No matter what the Syrian people did to protect themselves, they were powerless to stand against God; if they declined to repent, there was no way to escape the disaster decreed for them.
Those who hold this view point out that historically speaking, these kingdoms were eventually subdued by Alexander the Great, which shows the fulfillment of this prophesy.
Meanwhile, God's eye was also upon the ten tribes of Israel. This was a word of both comfort and concern.
It was comforting because the children of Israel could be sure that God was watching over them and their nation. He had seen the injustice they suffered at the hands of Syria, and he was going to act on behalf of Israel.
But at the same time, this was a concerning word in light of the fact that God had recently corrected his people for practicing vain religious rituals (such as fasting while mistreating and oppressing their fellow countrymen). Since God was watching them as well as the other nations, they needed to be holy, just as God commanded them.
One of the implications of this prophesy is that hypocrisy is a hindrance to the blessing of God. When Israel began to earnestly seek after the Lord in sincerity and truth, God would see it; he would in every way bless them and bring judgment upon their enemies. This is consistent with the word of the Lord given in the first eight chapters of the book of Zechariah.
The second viewpoint is more of a spiritual interpretation. It interprets the verse to mean 'when the eyes of mankind are on the Lord and on all the tribes of Israel'. In other words, the oracle speaks of a time when, spiritually speaking, the Gentile nations no longer have 'eyes' for idols.
At that time, they will recognize and serve the Lord. They will also acknowledge and honor the tribes of Israel because they are God's chosen people and they (the Gentile nations of the world) have been blessed by the Jews.
When that happens, God's glory will 'rest' upon the cities of Damascus/Hadrach and upon the entire kingdom of Syria. The people there will be converted and find salvation.
Those who hold this view point out that Zechariah 8:23 speaks of just such an occurrence:
Zechariah 8:23 – Thus says the Lord of Hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'
This could certainly occur during the gospel dispensation, when Holy Spirit brings revival to the nation of Syria. However, this prophesy may also find its fulfillment sometime during the millennial reign of Christ (Isaiah 11:10).
Proponents of this view also point out that in Acts chapter 9 we find the apostle Paul preaching the gospel in the city of Damascus. His preaching of the gospel confounded the Jews so much that they plotted to murder him, and he had to escape by being lowered over the city wall in a basket during the night! This may be proof that a partial fulfillment of this prophesy was experienced during the time of the apostles.
The third viewpoint interprets the verse this way: God was announcing coming judgment upon the nation of Syria (as well as Tyre, Sidon, the Phoenicians and the Philistines, which are mentioned in the next few verses). When judgment falls on Damascus/Syria (and the other nations mentioned), the remainder of the heathen nations will look to the Lord. They will recognize/acknowledge him as the true God, and seek to serve him. The tribes of Israel will do the same thing.
In other words, the judgment/destruction of these kingdoms will be so unexpected and so shocking, it will stun all other nations. Witnesses of these events will marvel at the exact and complete fulfillment of God's pronouncements. Furthermore, people who live after these events take place (for instance, people in our generation) will also be amazed as they look back on history and see the exact fulfillment of God's decrees.
In this third view, the 'eye of man being towards Jehovah' indicates that the people of earth (Jew and Gentile) would marvel or be amazed at the power and glory of God.
Zechariah 9:2-3 - and on Hamath also, which borders on it, Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise. Tyre has built herself a rampart and heaped up silver like dust, and fine gold like the mud of the streets.
Zechariah goes on to prophesy that the oracle did not apply only to Syria. It included Hamath and then expanded to the two very famous coastal cities of Tyre and Sidon.
What do you remember about these two cities from ancient history? Here is a brief review:
The people of Tyre and Sidon are generally referred to as Phoenicians. They were located in the modern-day countries of Syria and Lebanon.
Did you know that the ancient city of Tyre was separated into two parts?
One half was on the mainland off the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The other half was on an island about a mile from the shore. Because of the split city, Tyre had not one, but two excellent sheltered harbors. This made it the top choice for all merchant shipping across the Mediterranean Sea.
As we would expect, these two cities became exceedingly prosperous through shipping and trading.
It's not hard to see that these circumstances made Tyre a very desirable place for anyone who wanted to conquer that part of the world. As one might expect, the city (especially the half located on the island) became heavily fortified over time.
What do we know about the relationship between the Phoenicians and Israel?
Scripture tells us that they were enemies back in the era of the Judges. The Sidonians had oppressed Israel, but God's people cried out to him, and he delivered them (Judges 10:11-12).
Later on, early in the era of the monarchy, Tyre and Sidon had an excellent relationship with Israel. Solomon, king of Israel made a treaty with Hiram, king of Tyre. The two nations worked peacefully together for many years to obtain (and transport) the timber, stones and other resources needed to build the first temple (I Kings 5).
But eventually, things changed. New rulers came to power. The citizens of Tyre/Sidon grew rich. They became proud of the luxury of their cities and the amount of their wealth. They boasted of their natural island defenses, the strength of their army and the craftiness of their leaders. They grew jealous of Jerusalem and began to enjoy her misfortunes.
The bible describes them as idolatrous, 'wise' (intelligent and crafty) and full of pride:
Ezekiel 28:3-4 - you [Tyre] are indeed wiser than Daniel; no secret is hidden from you; by your wisdom and understanding you have made wealth for yourself, and have gathered gold and silver into your treasuries;
The wisdom/craftiness of Tyre was not only the source of her pride, it was also the cause of her downfall by the judgment of the Lord:
Ezekiel 28:1, 7-8 – "Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord God: "Because your heart is proud, and you have said, 'I am a god, I sit in the seat of the gods, in the heart of the seas,' therefore, behold, I will bring foreigners upon you, the most ruthless of the nations; and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom and defile your splendor. They shall thrust you down into the pit, and you shall die the death of the slain in the heart of the seas."
(If you have a few spare minutes, you will enjoy reading the 26th, 27th and 28th chapters of Ezekiel. All three chapters deal with the kingdom of Tyre/Sidon and the Phoenicians.)
What eventually happened to Tyre and Sidon?
History tells us that the coastal portion of Tyre was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. According to the noted historian Josephus, Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to Tyre for 13 years before he successfully took the coastal part of the city!
However, he did not capture the island portion of Tyre, which had built up some incredible defenses, including an outer wall that was 150 feet high (you can research her other defenses yourself. Humanly speaking, they were formidable). The bottom line is that the people of the island city of Tyre thought their city was impregnable.
As a result, they gloried in their own wisdom and trusted in their own strength. They thought their vast wealth could provide anything/everything they might need. They mocked and rejected Jehovah, considering themselves the god of the seas.
Zechariah 9:4 – But behold, the Lord will strip her of her possessions and strike down her power on the sea and she shall be devoured by fire.
But when the day of destruction came, their defenses (and the heaps of gold and silver) were powerless to save them.
The island portion of the city was eventually conquered, burned, and razed to the ground by God's chosen instrument - Alexander the Great in 332 BC.
How does the destruction of Tyre and Sidon fit into the three viewpoints we mentioned earlier?
The first viewpoint says that God was looking down upon the whole world, and he was going to judge the enemies of Israel. In this scenario, the physical destruction of Tyre and Sidon by Nebuchadnezzar and Alexander the Great would be a literal fulfillment of the prophesy.
The second viewpoint is a spiritual interpretation which speaks of a time when Gentiles and Jews alike will turn from idols and seek the Lord.
Those who hold this view point out that during the earthly ministry of Jesus, crowds of people from Tyre and Sidon would travel to hear Jesus speak. On at least one occasion, Jesus personally visited the region of Tyre and Sidon where he cast a demon from a Gentile child (Matthew 15:21).
Proponents of this theory also point out that the apostle Paul visited Tyre/Sidon on his way to Jerusalem (during his third missionary journey) and met with the believers there for seven days (Acts 21:3).
According to those who hold this view, this shows that the prophesy began to be fulfilled during the time of Christ, when Gentiles from these heathen regions began to accept the gospel message. They believe a full fulfillment will take place at some point in the future.
The third viewpoint says that God was announcing judgment upon certain heathen nations. When that judgment fell, the remaining Gentile nations (as well as Israel) would be astonished; they would acknowledge Jehovah as the true God and have an opportunity to repent.
We know that this is at least partially true. God sent Alexander the Great to cut an enormous path of destruction on his way to Egypt. Many of Israel's enemies were witnesses of these incredible victories. They would have had ample time/opportunities to turn away from their false idols and seek the Lord. Once such example was the kingdom of the Philistines:
Zechariah 9:5-6 – Ashkelon shall see it, and be afraid; Gaza too, and shall writhe in anguish; Ekron also, because its hopes are confounded. The king shall perish from Gaza; Ashkelon shall be uninhabited, a mixed people shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of Philistia.
The oracle of the Lord now turns to the Philistines. This kingdom consisted of several independent city-states. The five major Philistine cities were Ekron, Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon and Gath (Joshua 13:3).
Much like the Phoenicians, the Philistines took great pride in their military strength. They also took immense pride in their national identity. They considered themselves to be a strong, fierce, independent and relentless people. To be a Philistine was to be better than all others.
As we know, the Philistines were long and bitter enemies of Israel. They despised Jehovah and showed contempt for his name and power. Whenever Israel suffered a defeat, a loss or a setback it was a cause for rejoicing among the Philistines.
But a day was coming when God would remove their sources of pride.
God plainly foretold that when this kingdom witnessed the destruction of the Phoenicians (Tyre and Sidon) they would be struck with an all-consuming fear, and that is exactly what happened.
The Philistines considered Tyre and Sidon to be a kind of barrier for their own kingdom; as long as the Phoenicians remained free of invasion, so would the Philistines. Consequently, when Tyre fell to Alexander, the hope and courage of the Philistines fell with it.
Notice that the word of the Lord regarding the Philistines contained several specific pronouncements:
- The king would perish from Gaza.
- Ashkelon shall be uninhabited.
- A mixed people will dwell in Ashdod.
- The pride of Philistia would be cut off.
Let's take a closer look at the situation.
Back in that day it was common for a victorious leader (Nebuchadnezzar, for example) to assign a king/leader of his own choosing as a tributary ruler over the newly conquered city or nation. It would be this king's job to keep the people from revolting against the new national authority. It was also his job to collect and deliver the tribute money that must be paid to the conquering nation.
So, when God declared that the 'king would perish from Gaza', he was essentially proclaiming that the government would be fully dissolved. This not only meant that the current king would perish; it also meant he would have no successor/replacement because the nation itself was going to perish from the earth.
And again, history proves that God's word came to pass exactly as he said it would.
Josephus tells us that Gaza was taken by Alexander the Great after a siege of only a few months. Ten thousand inhabitants were killed, and the governor (Batis) was dragged around the city by a chariot until he died.
Then, instead of setting up his own puppet government in Gaza, Alexander completely removed the Philistines from every city and eventually repopulated them with strangers/foreigners.
When the Philistines were overthrown by Alexander, it destroyed their national identity which in turn destroyed their pride. Their country was a wasteland inhabited by foreigners (your translation may say bastards) who took control of their remaining homes, goods and livestock.
Some commentators believe that even Jews were taken to live in those cities, which would have been the ultimate insult to the pride of the Philistines. Others believe that 'strangers' refers to people who practiced a different religion than the Philistines. This could refer to both Jews and Christians.
Zechariah 9:7 – I will take away its blood from its mouth, and its abominations from between its teeth; it too shall be a remnant for our God; it shall be like a clan in Judah, and Ekron shall be like the Jebusites.
This verse is best examined phrase by phrase.
I – The Lord was planning to bring about a complete change of heart for the Philistine people who were left. He and he alone was capable of changing their hearts.
Will take away its blood from its mouth, and its abominations from between its teeth – The abominations mentioned here refer to sacrifices made to false idols. It was common for the heathen to drink blood mingled with the wine of their sacrifices or to eat the blood of an animal along with its flesh.
The Jews considered it an abomination to eat or drink blood, because this practice was forbidden by the Lord:
Leviticus 17:10-12 - And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eats any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eats blood, and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul. Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourns among you eat blood.
This phrase probably means that when the Philistines (heathen) begin to serve the Lord, they will no longer offer sacrifices to idols or eat the blood of animals, as prescribed in the law. It may also mean that the heathen will no longer thirst after the blood of their enemies (God's people), because they too are children of God.
It too shall be a remnant for our God – Although most of the Philistines will be destroyed, God will preserve a remnant for himself, who will embrace the gospel message, openly worshiping and serving him.
Shall be like a clan (or governor) in Judah – Those who were former enemies of God and Israel will now be honored just like princes or men of high rank and dignity like the rulers in Judah.
Ekron shall be like the Jebusites – The Jebusites were the original inhabitants of Jerusalem. Ekon was the least important of the Philistine cities. The intended meaning here is that the lowliest remnant of the Philistines who embrace the Jewish religion will have an equal place with the Jews in the city of Jerusalem.
The overall meaning of the verse is that God will display his power and glory to the heathen nations, who will then embrace the gospel message. When they do, they will be added to the kingdom of God. There will no longer be a difference between the Jews and Gentiles; there will be one united family of God.
Zechariah 9:8 – Then I will encamp at my house as a guard, so that none shall march to and fro; no oppressor shall again march over them, for now I see with my own eyes.
The oracle which began with judgment ends in mercy. Once God establishes his house (the church, made up of Jews and Gentiles) he will surround and defend it.
Zechariah 2:5 - For I, says the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.
God will do this through his own power and presence, surrounding the church like a ring of impenetrable fire.
Those who march 'to and fro' (like Alexander or other conquerors) can no longer oppress the children of God, because he will be watching over them.
The literal fulfillment of this occurred when Alexander returned from Egypt after establishing the city of Alexandria. On his way home, he intended to conquer Jerusalem, but he was met by a group of priests led by Jaddua (the high priest) who made intercession for Jerusalem and the temple. As a result, Alexander spared both. He even turned around and showed favor to the Jews.
There is a spiritual parallel here as well. Jesus has purchased the church with his blood. Now he surrounds and defends us against our enemies, like a ring of fire.
- The law would seek to oppress us, but it can't because the blood of Christ has freed us from its curse and condemnation.
- Justice would seek to oppress us, but it can't because the blood of Christ has fully satisfied the debt owed to God.
- Satan would seek to oppress us, but he can't because the blood of Christ ensures that he cannot prevail over us.
- Legalistic leaders/teachers (those from the days of Christ as well as those of today) seek to oppress us, but they can't because the blood of Christ frees us from the yoke of bondage.
- Our past would seek to oppress us, but it can't because the blood of Christ has washed away all our sin.
Hallelujah and Amen!
Let me offer you some encouragement, relief and strength:
Today's post speaks a lot about the subject of pride.
Pride is an abomination in the eyes of God.
Proverbs 8:13 - The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the perverse mouth, do I hate.
Pride is always found in sinners; they take the glory and honor due to the Lord and heap it upon themselves. Today's post gives us several good examples of this.
But we would do well to remember that Christians can fall into the same trap. If we are not careful to remain humble, we too can fall into the trap of pride. We can become proud of our service to God, proud of our 'sinless' lives or proud of our position in the church. We must guard ourselves against these evils.
We can do so by reminding ourselves that we are sinners saved by grace alone, not by any works or merit in our own lives (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Or we, like the Phoenicians, can fall into the trap of taking pride in our own wisdom.
But scripture tells us that the wisdom of man, no matter how lofty or excellent it seems, is as nothing in the eyes of God (I Corinthians 1:18-31).
Real wisdom is not being knowledgeable in the ways of this world; everything here is tainted with sin and it will eventually pass away. Real wisdom begins with reverence and respect for God our Creator and Savior (Psalms 111:10). Following his commands and living a holy life will make us wise (Job chapter 28).