1. A Prophecy Regarding the Coming of an Earthly King
a. The Destruction of Phoenicia, Syria, and Philistia
i. Our text begins today with an “oracle” or a “burden” describing the Lord’s judgment on Syria, Phoenicia, and Philistia, the traditional enemies of Israel.
ii. Most evangelical scholars agree that the instrument of judgment described here is none other than Alexander the Great.
iii. Without a doubt, Alexander the Great was one of the great military strategists of history. The charismatic Alexander was born in 356 BC, to Philip II of Macedon, who was a great conqueror in his own right.
iv. Philip had united Greece with Macedonia and was planning to attack Persia when he was assassinated in 336 BC. Alexander, educated under the famed Athenian philosopher Aristotle, was only nineteen when he succeeded his father as king.
v. At the age of 20 he launched an attack against the Persians. His attack was to avenge the invasions of the Persian rulers Darius and Xerxes and to put an end to the nations constant quarrelling.
vi. In 334 BC, Alexander crushed the Persian battle at the Battle of Granicus in Asia Minor, thereby bringing an end to the dominance of the Medo-Persia Empire. Incredibly within only three years Alexander conquered the entire Near and Middle East. It was after his victory at Issus that Alexander turned south toward Egypt and invaded Syria, Phoenicia, and the Philistine cities mentioned in our text today.
vii. We could look at each of these cities and the historical context of their defeat by Alexander, but let’s focus in on verse 3.
1. Tyre’s defenses were formidable, and the city felt it was invincible. Actually, Tyre was comprised of two harbors, the old port on the mainland and one on an island about one-half mile out to sea. A wall 150 feet high surrounded the island city. Nebuchadnezzar had besieged the city for thirteen years and succeeded in conquering the mainland city. However, the Tyrians were able to transport most of their wealth to the island city which the frustrated the Babylonian king could not conquer
2. Tyre was well-protected, but it was also very rich. Zechariah vividly portrays this by describing silver and gold as so abundant that they were piled up like dust and dirt on the streets.
3. But in spite of her wealth, in verse 4 the Lord prophesied that Tyre would be stripped of her wealth.
4. In 332, Alexander besieged the island city for seven months. Determined to conquer Tyre, Alexander took the ruins of the mainland city and threw them into the sea, building a causeway to the island that was 2600 feet long and 900 feet wide. His soldiers walked across the causeway with their siege weapons, and the city fell. Alexander’s conquest has been called his greatest military conquest and it was foretold by the prophet Zechariah!
5. Tyre experienced the full fury of the Greek king’s wrath. Ten thousand residents were executed, thirty thousand were sold into slavery, and the city was burned. Alexander’s causeway was never removed and the island became a peninsula.
6. Incredibly, Ezekiel prophesied, “I will scrape away her rubble and make her a bare rock” (Ezekiel 26:4) which is an apt description of the city after Alexander’s soldiers removed the rubble of the mainland and threw it into the sea to create a walkway to an island that was laid bare.
7. God’s Word is amazing. Zechariah’s prophecy was penned about 200 years before the event, and Ezekiel’s was about 250, yet both were fulfilled to the letter!
b. The Deliverance of Judah
i. When Alexander stormed through the area, the Jewish People were, no doubt, very concerned. No one had been able to stand against the mighty king. How would Alexander treat them? Would this be the end?
ii. In verse 8, there is a reassuring prophecy for the people of God. “I will defend my house.” More literally, it meant that the Lord would encamp around his people.
iii. Josephus, a first-century Jewish historian, recorded a fascinating story of Alexander’s first visit to Jerusalem and the city’s deliverance. Although Josephus’s account may be clothed in legendary dress, a visit to Jerusalem by Alexander is not implausible.
iv. The story goes that Alexander sent a letter from Tyre to the high priest in Jerusalem demanding assistance, supplies for his army, and the tribute money formerly sent to Darius, the Persian King. The high priest refused, asserting he had given his oath to Darius not to take up arms against him. Alexander was livid and after Gaza’s defeat, he decided it was time to punish Jerusalem.
v. Jaddus, the Jewish High Priest, called on the people to pray to the Lord for deliverance. In a dream, God instructed the high priest to meet Alexander dressed in his high priestly garments while the priests and other citizens were to don white robes. Learning that Alexander was near the city, the delegation bravely marched out the meet the Greek king.
vi. When Alexander saw the procession, he approached alone and fell prostrate before the high priest. The soldiers with Alexander were dumbfounded and asked the meaning of his actions. Alexander replied that he was not bowing in front of the high priest, but before the high priest’s God. He explained that in Macedonia, he had a dream in which he saw this very person, dressed in these exact clothes, who assured him of victory over the Persians. The Jews welcomed Alexander into the city where he was shown the amazing prophecies in the Book of Daniel that predicted one of the Greeks would defeat the Persian Empire. Alexander then granted favors to the Jews.
2. A Prophecy Regarding the First Coming of the King of Kings
a. Possessing Righteousness and Salvation
i. There are two prophecies regarding the King of Kings in just two verses. In verse 9 we have a prediction of the First Appearance of Jesus Christ, and beginning in verse 10 we have a prophecy regarding the Return of Jesus Christ.
ii. Verse 9 says that Christ will come with righteousness and having salvation. What a contrast to Alexander the Great? While Alexander could be capricious and ruthless, Christ was righteous and would rule justly.
b. Proceeding in Humility (Luke 19:28-40)
i. And unlike the arrogant Alexander, who required his subjects to revere himself as a god, Christ, the true God, would proceed with humility.
ii. While one would wage war, the other would come peaceably on a donkey. What a gulf between the two kings!
iii. We read in Luke 19 a description of the Triumphal entry. “As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples saying, ‘Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here…”
iv. Matthew 21:6, “The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them.”
v. The disciples could have questioned the King. “Excuse me, Jesus…Don’t you want something more majestic than a donkey? Don’t you remember that conquering Kings ride into the city on a black stallion? Are you sure you want a donkey that has never been ridden? What if it’s not broken in?”
vi. But you see Jesus did come to Jerusalem to display power, but to restore peace between God and man. He didn’t come to be enthroned as an earthly King, but to be recognized as a Heavenly King.
vii. Through their humble submission to the King, the disciple’s were part of the great mission of the King.
viii. Just as Jesus had predicted, the disciples were questioned, presumably by the owner of the colt. “Why are you untying the colt?” Notice the significance of their obedient response, “The Lord has need of it…”
ix. As King, Jesus lovingly commanded the disciples to accomplish His purpose, and he lovingly commandeered a donkey to carry out His plan.
x. The Celebration of the King
1. The crowd gave Jesus the “red carpet treatment” by laying their garments on the road in front of Him.
2. As the King entered into Jerusalem, verse 37 says, “The whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praised God in loud voices. ‘Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in Heaven and glory in the highest.’”
3. “The crowd milled around the king, some preceding him as heralds, some following as adoring loyalists. The picture is of a royal procession…” (Stu Weber, Holman NT Commentary, vol. 1, gen. ed. Max Anders, (Nashville: Holman, 338) And the crowds raised a voice of royal proclamation.
4. “They shouted the words of praise, celebrating the arrival of Israel’s Savior, the Messiah-King… For a short time, the people would acknowledge Jesus’ true identity as the sovereign Son of David, but they would fail to identify him as the sacrificial Son of Abraham. They knew he had come to restore his kingdom, but they missed the fact that he was also here to redeem his people. They anticipated the sovereignty but overlooked the sacrifice. Jesus would not exercise the rule without the redemption.” (Weber, 338-339).
5. The Rejection of the King
a. The Pharisee’s Rebuke
b. Verse 39 says, “Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples.’”
c. The Pharisees did not come to coronate the King; they came to crucify the King.
d. They did not come to receive the King, they came to rebuke the King.
e. The Pharisees did not want Jesus to be King.
6. The King’s Reply
a. But notice how Jesus replied. “I tell you if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
b. The rightful King will receive His rightful praise! “If human voices were silent, nature would shout its praise.” (Trent Butler, Holman NT Commentary, vol. 3, gen. ed. Max Anders (Nashville: Holman, 2000), 318.)
c. The King of Kings came gently on a donkey to present Himself as the Savior of the World, but the world rejected Him.
d. He came with a humble heart to people who that possessed hard hearts.
3. A Prophecy Regarding the Second Coming of the King of Kings
a. But this was just the First Coming of the King of Kings.
b. Between Zechariah 9:9 and 9:10 there is a gap of over 2000 years. This gap is the gap between the first coming of the King of Kings and the Second Coming of the King of Kings. This gap is the age of grace that we live in today. It is the time between the earthly ministry of the Savior and the impending Reign of the Sovereign. The first time Christ came, He came in:
i. Humility
ii. Gentleness
iii. Peace
c. But when He comes again, He will rule the nations.
d. His Triumph
i. He will once again enter Jerusalem, but not on the back of a donkey. This time He will enter the city as a conquering King with all his heavenly hosts. Look with me at Revelation 19, beginning in verse 11.
ii. The King of Kings will triumph. His Kingdom will reign on High and the scope of His government will reach to the ends of the earth!
e. His Blessings
i. Protection (Zech. 9:15)
ii. Salvation (Zech. 9:17)
iii. Provision (Zech. 10:1)
iv. Strength (Zech. 10:6)
v. Redemption (Zech. 10:8)
• God is in control of human history. He directs the affairs of men and of nations. Do not fear the future, God is in control.
• Our Messiah, the King of Kings provided salvation from sin at His first coming. He came with gentleness and humility though many rejected Him, he shed His blood that we might be saved.
• Our Messiah, the King of Kings is coming again. This time He will come as a conquering King. Those that have rejected Him will receive the just penalty for their sins.
