Zechariah 9-11
The remainder of Zechariah took place after a gap of about 40 years
The Temple was completed in 516bc, chapter 9 probably occurred in 480bc
Chapters 9-11 seem to prophecy a period of history from Alexander through the 1st century
9:1-8 Destruction of Pagan regions by Alexander the Great
1. Syria (Hadrach, Damascus, Hamath)
Alexander made his way through Syria while neighbors watched carefully
2. Lebanon/Phoenicia (Tyre, Sidon)
Alexander continued South and defeated Tyre. Tyre had previously been defeated by Babylon, but had rebuilt their city about 700 paces into the sea. Their defense was a 150ft high double wall, but Alexander used the rubble from 'Old Tyre' to create a causeway to 'New Tyre' and laid a successful seige against them.
3. Philistia (Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, Ashdod)
Having heard of Alexander's destruction of Tyre/Sidon, the Philistine cities feared his arrival to their land. God was working through Alexander to punish the Philistines for their wickedness (9:7). The survivors, however, would align themselves with the Lord (9:8) and even, eventually, become leaders in Judah.
4. Judah (Jerusalem)
Alexander did not, however, destroy Jerusalem. God defended His house and rescued His people from otherwise certain destruction. In fact, in Josephus' history we are told that Alexander actually bowed to the Jewish priests in fulfillment of a dream. 9:8 ('never again') can hardly be taken in a wooden literal sense since Jerusalem was indeed overrun by oppressors at various points in the future. Instead the verse can be taken as hyperbole, or, as I prefer, can be taken to be a promise to God's true people (the church) made up of the Jewish remnant and any others like the Philistine survivors or Jebusites (gentiles incorporated into Israel). In this latter sense, the prophecy is something like Jesus' prediction that the gates of hades would never prevail against the church.
9:9-10 Prophecy of Triumphal Entry
These verses seem, to me, to be a parenthesis in the chronological flow of the passage, leaping ahead to the triumphal entry before returning to the time of the Greek Empire. That these verses were fulfilled in the triumphal entry is unquestionable since the Gospels themselves quote verse 9. Though many Jews were awaiting a military King, the Messiah, here, is predicted to come humbly, riding on a donkey. Some believe verse 10 awaits future fulfillment, but I believe Jesus did, indeed, proclaim peace and establish His rule at His 1st Coming (John 14:27, Galatians 6:16) over all His people, even to the ends of the earth.
9:11-17 The Maccabean Victory
This section seems to return, chronologically, to the time following Alexander the Great in which the Greek Empire was divided. Destruction seemed inevitable for Jerusalem, but through the Maccabean Revolt God's people were surprisingly rescued once again. God used His people to defeat the Greek threat (9:13) and was present in their protection (9:14-15).
10:1-12 Fallen Leadership & the Rise of the King
After the Maccabean period, a corruption of Jewish leadership took place (idolatry, diviners, bad shepherds). The Lord would take the initiative to right this wrong by personally caring for His people (10:3) via 'the cornerstone' (Jesus) who would lead His people to complete victory. This cornerstone would bring restoration (10:6), gladness (10:7), redemption (10:8), and a true return from exile (10:9-10), though not without difficulty (10:11). At that point, His people would walk in His name (10:12).
11:1-17 The Fall of Jerusalem & the Reason Behind it
We move move to the result of the fallen leadership of chapter 10; the destruction of Jerusalem itself. The doors of Lebanon would open up (11:1) allowing the Roman army to approach the city (and, in a more literal sense, the temple doors, made of wood from Lebanon would open up to the Romans). The leaders of Israel would wail because their corrupted prosperity was rotting away before their eyes.
To explain the reason for Jerusalem's 1st Century destruction, God has Zechariah act out a 'skit' of sorts in which he portrays a shepherd a shepherd with 2 staffs, one called 'favor' and the other called 'union'. In the skit, Zechariah represents Christ. The flock represents Israel. The flock detested Zechariah (valued him at a mere 30 pieces of silver) and he grew weary of them, no longer willing to be their shepherd. To complete the illustration, Zechariah broke the staff called 'favor' to show that God's covenant would be revoked. He also broke the staff called 'union' to show that Israel would become divided into factions.
A replacement shepherd would raise up, but he (probably symbolic for Roman rule) would not care for the people. While Rome's arrival was what the people asked for and deserved (in a negative sense), its own destruction is predicted at the end of the chapter as well (11:17). In the end, only God's remnant along with gentile believers would remain as a kingdom with no end.
The Temple was completed in 516bc, chapter 9 probably occurred in 480bc
Chapters 9-11 seem to prophecy a period of history from Alexander through the 1st century
9:1-8 Destruction of Pagan regions by Alexander the Great
1. Syria (Hadrach, Damascus, Hamath)
Alexander made his way through Syria while neighbors watched carefully
2. Lebanon/Phoenicia (Tyre, Sidon)
Alexander continued South and defeated Tyre. Tyre had previously been defeated by Babylon, but had rebuilt their city about 700 paces into the sea. Their defense was a 150ft high double wall, but Alexander used the rubble from 'Old Tyre' to create a causeway to 'New Tyre' and laid a successful seige against them.
3. Philistia (Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, Ashdod)
Having heard of Alexander's destruction of Tyre/Sidon, the Philistine cities feared his arrival to their land. God was working through Alexander to punish the Philistines for their wickedness (9:7). The survivors, however, would align themselves with the Lord (9:8) and even, eventually, become leaders in Judah.
4. Judah (Jerusalem)
Alexander did not, however, destroy Jerusalem. God defended His house and rescued His people from otherwise certain destruction. In fact, in Josephus' history we are told that Alexander actually bowed to the Jewish priests in fulfillment of a dream. 9:8 ('never again') can hardly be taken in a wooden literal sense since Jerusalem was indeed overrun by oppressors at various points in the future. Instead the verse can be taken as hyperbole, or, as I prefer, can be taken to be a promise to God's true people (the church) made up of the Jewish remnant and any others like the Philistine survivors or Jebusites (gentiles incorporated into Israel). In this latter sense, the prophecy is something like Jesus' prediction that the gates of hades would never prevail against the church.
9:9-10 Prophecy of Triumphal Entry
These verses seem, to me, to be a parenthesis in the chronological flow of the passage, leaping ahead to the triumphal entry before returning to the time of the Greek Empire. That these verses were fulfilled in the triumphal entry is unquestionable since the Gospels themselves quote verse 9. Though many Jews were awaiting a military King, the Messiah, here, is predicted to come humbly, riding on a donkey. Some believe verse 10 awaits future fulfillment, but I believe Jesus did, indeed, proclaim peace and establish His rule at His 1st Coming (John 14:27, Galatians 6:16) over all His people, even to the ends of the earth.
9:11-17 The Maccabean Victory
This section seems to return, chronologically, to the time following Alexander the Great in which the Greek Empire was divided. Destruction seemed inevitable for Jerusalem, but through the Maccabean Revolt God's people were surprisingly rescued once again. God used His people to defeat the Greek threat (9:13) and was present in their protection (9:14-15).
10:1-12 Fallen Leadership & the Rise of the King
After the Maccabean period, a corruption of Jewish leadership took place (idolatry, diviners, bad shepherds). The Lord would take the initiative to right this wrong by personally caring for His people (10:3) via 'the cornerstone' (Jesus) who would lead His people to complete victory. This cornerstone would bring restoration (10:6), gladness (10:7), redemption (10:8), and a true return from exile (10:9-10), though not without difficulty (10:11). At that point, His people would walk in His name (10:12).
11:1-17 The Fall of Jerusalem & the Reason Behind it
We move move to the result of the fallen leadership of chapter 10; the destruction of Jerusalem itself. The doors of Lebanon would open up (11:1) allowing the Roman army to approach the city (and, in a more literal sense, the temple doors, made of wood from Lebanon would open up to the Romans). The leaders of Israel would wail because their corrupted prosperity was rotting away before their eyes.
To explain the reason for Jerusalem's 1st Century destruction, God has Zechariah act out a 'skit' of sorts in which he portrays a shepherd a shepherd with 2 staffs, one called 'favor' and the other called 'union'. In the skit, Zechariah represents Christ. The flock represents Israel. The flock detested Zechariah (valued him at a mere 30 pieces of silver) and he grew weary of them, no longer willing to be their shepherd. To complete the illustration, Zechariah broke the staff called 'favor' to show that God's covenant would be revoked. He also broke the staff called 'union' to show that Israel would become divided into factions.
A replacement shepherd would raise up, but he (probably symbolic for Roman rule) would not care for the people. While Rome's arrival was what the people asked for and deserved (in a negative sense), its own destruction is predicted at the end of the chapter as well (11:17). In the end, only God's remnant along with gentile believers would remain as a kingdom with no end.
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