Zechariah 12:1-7

Zechariah 12:1

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.

 

The burden is associated with something that is heavy and hauled by an animal.  So the burden means a very intense or strong word which is about to come through the prophet.  Here the burden begins by God speaking about his creative powers.  He stretches forth the heavens.  Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:  (Psalm 104:2)  Then the LORD laid the foundation of the world.  Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:  (Isaiah 42:5)  Then God speaks about his forming man.  And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.  (Genesis 2:7) 

 

Zechariah 12:2

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.

 

In this verse God begins to speak about the protection of the church, that is, the saved in the line of Abraham till the Messiah comes.  Those enemies who come against the city of Jerusalem will be drinking a cup of trembling which is as if they drank something that caused them to be drunk.  They will be stupefied and confused and never have the ability to conquer Judah or Jerusalem.  Any foreign power that attempts to attack Judah or Jerusalem will be like drinking a cup of poison which means every attempt will fail.  No matter what enemy thinks they are strong enough to win, they will be utterly defeated.

 

Zechariah 12:3

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.

 

The word “burdensome” is used only one time in the Old Testament and it comes from a root word meaning “heavy or impose a burden.”  The Jerusalem in view here is the new Jerusalem which is the body of believers that will have its start in physical Jerusalem on Pentecost.  Those who oppose the kingdom of God on earth which is the body of Christ will face dire consequences.  {17} And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?  {18} Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.  (Luke 20:17-18)  Picking up the theme from verse 2, even if the whole world is against Jerusalem, they will not be successful in conquering it because God’s power is sufficient to stop any world power from their pursuit.  This also applies to the church in that the whole world is against the true church and many nations have even banned the Bible and Christianity.  No matter how evil the government is, they cannot stop the church from growing, no matter what method they use.

 

Zechariah 12:4

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.

 

Then the LORD states that he will smite every horse with astonishment which can also be understood as consternation when they are thrown into total confusion.  Then the riders will be thrown into madness which carries with it the meaning of “raving through insanity.”  There will be total incoherence in the invading army.  Just as a person who comes out of sleep with their eyes closed, the LORD will watch and see what is happening to his people.  Then he will confound and destroy the enemy.  The above is a metaphor because God never sleeps or slumbers which means he is watching intently all the time.  {3} He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.  {4} Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.  (Psalm 121:3-4)  Then the LORD will smite every horse with blindness and that will increase the confusion because a blinded horse in battle is of no use.

 

Zechariah 12:5

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.

 

Then those who are the leaders of Judah shall say in their heart that their strength lies in the inhabitants of Judah but not by themselves because they were not prepared for war with countries that lived in a perpetual state of war.  These people were strong in the LORD because the LORD empowered them to go after their enemies and have victory.

 

Zechariah 12:6

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.

 

The governors of Judah will be like the hearth of fire.  The more wood that is placed upon the hearth, the more intensely the fire burns while consuming what it is burning.  Then God uses the torch of fire in a sheaf.  A sheaf or bundle of wheat or whatever is bundled would be dry and would burn instantly and consume the sheaf entirely.  No matter where any enemy may come in, on any side, they will be defeated by God and will not prevent Jerusalem from being inhabited again.  Notice that Jerusalem will be inhabited in Jerusalem.  This is speaking of the church of God which is called the new Jerusalem.  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  (Revelation 21:2)  It is just like Paul states in Romans 9:6 that they are not all Israel which are of Israel.  Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:  (Romans 9:6)  The true seed of Abraham, the spiritual seed, came through the nation of Israel but not all Israelites were of the spiritual seed.

 

Zechariah 12:7

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.

 

The tents signify those who are living in the places outside the city which are the most vulnerable to attack so the LORD states that he will defend them first as the marauders will destroy them on their way to attacking Jerusalem.  God is showing equality here that the weaker people will be defended as well as the inhabitants of Jerusalem.  God never forgets any of his people, whether they be weak or strong.  With God’s power, the weak would be just as strong as the valiant warriors in Judah itself.  Those who were under the authority of a king would be treated the same as those who were in unwalled villages.  {11} And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,  {12} To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.  (Ezekiel 38:11-12)

Back