Zechariah 9:1-9
Zechariah 9:1
The burden of the word of the LORD in the land of
Hadrach, and Damascus shall be the rest thereof: when the eyes of man, as of all
the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the LORD.
The burden at this time points to a time of coming
calamity or a coming catastrophe.
These verses through Zechariah predict the doom of the enemies of Judah.
The land of Hadrach is located in biblical northern Syria which today is
Lebanon. It is north of Damascus on
the Orontes River and is identified with the city of Hatarikka which has been
found in Assyrian inscriptions.
Damascus shall also be subject to the coming judgment of God.
Then the eyes of man and the tribes of Israel shall focus upon the LORD
which means that those who have been converted to the truth will seek the face
of the LORD. No more will there be
any more seeking of false gods or false religions for when the true gospel comes
through the Messiah then people will look toward the LORD especially the Elect
of God.
Zechariah 9:2
And Hamath also shall border thereby; Tyrus, and Zidon,
though it be very wise.
Hamath was north of modern day Lebanon.
Tyrus and Sidon were two principal cities in the land of the Hittites
were also longtime enemies of Israel and Judah.
They thought that they were wise above all others and especially wiser
than God’s people.
Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit?
there is more hope of a fool than of him.
(Proverbs 26:12)
Zechariah 9:3
And Tyrus did build herself a strong hold, and heaped up
silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.
With thy wisdom
and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold
and silver into thy treasures:
(Ezekiel 28:4) Ezekiel had
written about Tyrus or Tyre and how they built themselves up strong and had made
themselves rich as if it was they who did it all by themselves.
All the gold in the world will be unable to stop the onslaught of the
justice and judgment of God which will come upon them.
Zechariah 9:4
Behold, the Lord will cast her out, and he will smite her
power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire.
The LORD will eventually cast Tyrus out as one cast out
an undesirable, yet there will come a time when she shall become an inheritance
of the LORD. Alexander the Great
had attacked the city of Tyrus by means of the Great Sea.
It took place 185 years after this prophecy was given to Zechariah.
Alexander attacked with about 200 ships and destroyed the city by fire.
Zechariah 9:5
Ashkelon shall see it, and fear; Gaza also shall see it,
and be very sorrowful, and Ekron; for her expectation shall be ashamed; and the
king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.
The three cities mentioned here are three of the five
principal cities of the Philistines.
Zephaniah had also prophesied the destruction of these cities.
For Gaza shall be forsaken, and
Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron
shall be rooted up. (Zephaniah 2:4)
Ashkelon along with Gaza was taken by Nebuchadnezzar shortly after the
Jews were taken into captivity by him but this prophecy of Zechariah was totally
fulfilled in the time of Alexander the Great. Gaza
will experience pains of judgment.
Ekron was a city which was famous for its idolatry.
The inhabitants of Ekron will hope that the forces in Gaza will repel the
invaders but that will not happen.
The king of Gaza whose name was Boetis was put to a cruel death.
Ashkelon was laid waste and was not inhabited for many years.
Zechariah 9:6
And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off
the pride of the Philistines.
It was rumored that Alexander the Great was a bastard
child and is in view here. Whether
it be him or others who did not have the right of inheritance to their land,
there will be people in Ashdod who were not of Philistine origin.
Ashdod thought they were above the judging hand of God but their pride of
heart had betrayed them. They will
be taken and never to be built up again as an enemy of the Lord.
Zechariah 9:7
And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his
abominations from between his teeth: but he that remaineth, even he, shall be
for our God, and he shall be as a governor in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.
The blood out of his mouth and the abominations would be
basically the same thing as what is in view is the sacrifices to the false gods
which afterward were eaten at the pagan festivals.
The blood out of his mouth would also allude to the war like desire of
the Philistines which God would now remove from them making them the victim
instead of them being the victor.
Then there will be left a godly remnant who will not serve false gods but will
serve the LORD in truth. This
person will also gain the respect of the people and will be treated as one who
is a Governor of Judah. Ekron will
be like a Jebusite. Jebus was the
ancient name for the city of Jerusalem.
And David and all Israel went to
Jerusalem, which is Jebus; where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the
land. (1 Chronicles 11:4)
The Ekronites might also bring tribute to Judah as did the Jebusites did
to David.
Zechariah 9:8
And I will encamp about mine house because of the army,
because of him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth: and no
oppressor shall pass through them any more: for now have I seen with mine eyes.
As the mountains
are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth
even for ever. (Psalm 125:2)
History notes that Alexander the Great had bypassed Jerusalem twice on
his way to Egypt.
The angel of the LORD encampeth round
about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
(Psalm 34:7) The city of
Jerusalem but especially the temple was guarded by the LORD so it would not be
destroyed before the Messiah would come to the temple.
The LORD was continually watching over them as he continually watches
over those who have become saved in Christ.
No enemy of Israel will destroy the temple again until the time that the
LORD has determined Jerusalem should be completely destroyed one last time and
for good.
Zechariah 9:9
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of
Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation;
lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.