The Lord of creation speaks; Jerusalem will cause trembling but not from Antichrist 1
Confusion and destruction 4
Judah will devour their neighbors; protection 6
Spirit poured out; mourning 10
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¶ The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which
stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and
formeth the spirit of man within him.
.2 Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. 3 And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. |
1 -
Burden Or oracle. This is the second one and continues through the
rest of the book. "The triumph of God's program" has been suggested as
a title.
1 - Formeth the spirit of man See ge0207 remembering that "breath" and "spirit" translate the same Hebrew word. 3 - In that day See the end of the previous chapter zec1116ff. 3 - Stone for all people Some believe a future antichrist is pictured here but it doesn't fit. If Israel had been faithful de2801, de2815, this would have been literally fulfilled. God will fulfill prophecies like this for spiritual Israel ga0326ff. So what will happen? The end-time wicked will want to destroy the righteous remnant v7. |
| .4
In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment,
and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of
Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness.
5 And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the LORD of hosts their God. |
5 - Governors With a slightly different vowel pointing, the word would be "thousands" or "clans." The original Hebrew had no vowels. Later scribes added little marks to indicate them. |
| .6
In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among
the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all
the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem
shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.
.7 The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah. .8 In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them. 9 ¶ And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. |
6 -
They shall devour The Jews of Jesus' day certainly knew this prophecy.
However, they likely didn't read carefully the text of what is our previous
chapter where the faithful, including the surrounding were holy. What we
read here is what could have happened.
7 - Save Considering spiritual Israel, the pure Christian church, we may see that the righteous will be protected during the time of trouble da1201c. After probation closes, their further suffering would not be a witness for saving more souls. |
| .10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. | 10
- Spirit of grace The word for grace here means agreeable or finding
favor in God's eyes. This goes with an attitude of prayer or supplication.
10 - Pierced Words we recognize as applying to Christ jn1937. How this would have played out if a majority of the Jewish leaders had accepted Christ, we don't know. We see from this text that they would have mourned for having lost Him. In other texts we find people mourning, but for themselves, not because He died. Compare re0107 and mt2430. We can see a direct fulfillment, however. Those who, with grace in their characters, mourn, because it was for their sins that He died on the cross is5304ff. Let us claim Him as our Lord and Saviour today! The pouring out of the Spirit would point to the fulfillment of the text at the time of the latter rain just before the coming of Christ zec1001. |
| .11
In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning
of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.
12 And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; 13 The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart; 14 All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart. |
11-
Hadadrimmon
A combination of two Syrian towns. The valley of Megiddon
could be where the Kishon river runs and where Elijah killed all the priests
of Baal 1ki1840.
The families would have mourned but not in sorrow for sin. Again pointing
to two classes – righteous and wicked – who mourn at the end of time.
12 - Mourn ... apart We may see this sorrow for sin as the time of Jacob's trouble where every person is alone with God je3006f. Even husbands and wives stand as individuals. |
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