Reading: Zechariah chapter 9 verses 1-17.
Background:
(1). The writer.
• Zechariah is a very common name in the Bible,
• At least twenty-seven Bible characters had it.
We know little of the prophet’s biography, apart from a few scant references:
• Chapter 1 verse 1 and Nehemiah chapter 12;
• Enable us to pinpoint and gather a little bit of information on him.
(a).
• We know that this Zechariah came from a family of priests,
• So he was both a prophet and a priest.
(b).
• We can also learn from chapter 2 verse 4,
• That he was a young man.
(c). His family tree is recorded for us in Nehemiah chapter 12:
• His name means “Jehovah remembers”.
• His fathers name means “Jehovah blesses”.
• And his grandfather’s name means “his time”.
• Put them together and you have “Jehovah remembers to bless in his time”.
(2). The Situation:
In the very first verse of his prophecy Zechariah dates for us his prophecy:
• In 597BC the Babylonian Empire was the superpower of the world,
• They conquered Jerusalem in 587BC, destroying the city and the temple,
• And they captured the people of Jerusalem,
• And exiled them to Babylon.
• In time the Babylonian Empire declined and was overrun by the Persians,
• It was the Persian king Cyrus who issued a decree in 537BC.
• Allowing all exiles to return to their home-lands,
• He also gave permission to the Jews to rebuild their temple at Jerusalem.
The first Jews returned to Jerusalem from Babylon in 537BC:
• They laid the foundation for the temple,
• But then the work stopped.
• God used the preaching of Zechariah and Haggia to stir up the leaders and people.
• And in 520BC, the Jews again began to rebuild God’s house.
(3). The Message:
• The prophets Zechariah and Haggai were called to motivate, to inspire and encourage,
• The people to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.
• Zechariah’s vision, however, was much broader than the more practical Haggai.
• He saw God breaking into history on behalf of his people.
• He looks down the ages and sees the coming of the king, the Messiah,
• The one who will establishes his everlasting kingdom.
Worth noting:
• That Zechariah is one of the most quoted Old Testament books in the New Testament,
• Over 70 times it is quoted or there are allusions to it.
TWOFOLD THEME IN THE BOOK:
(a). Jerusalem.
• The key verse in the book is (chapter 8 verse 2):
• “God is jealous for Jerusalem”
• In fact Jerusalem is mentioned over forty times in this book.
• And we are told that God will punish the heathen for what they have done to his city;
• Jerusalem may lie in ruins now, but God will one day restore the city in glory,
• And he will one day dwell there.
(2). Jesus.
Zechariah shows us Jesus in many aspects of his ministry.
• Zechariah’s prophecies speak of Jesus as king (ch 9 vs 9),
• Jesus as the stone (ch 3 vs 9 & 10 vs 4),
• Jesus as the slave sold for 30 pieces of silver (ch 11 vs 12),
• Jesus the smitten shepherd (ch 13 vs 7).
• Jesus as a wounded, crucified saviour (ch 12 vs 10);
• “They will look on me whom they have pierced”.
• Jesus the branch (ch 3 vs 8 & ch 6 vs 12),
• Jesus the glorious ruler (ch 14 vs 1-4, 9, 16-17).
Zechariah’s message to the people is a simple one:
• Remember the past and return to the Lord.
• Recalling the past is a very Hebraic, a Jewish thing to do.
• Jews believed the future was in God’s hands,
• So you best faced the future by looking behind.
Ill:
A bit like sitting on a train with your back to the engine.
• You looked back to remember and learn from the mistakes of your ancestors.
• And so you avoid making the same mistakes! And facing the same consequences.
THE BOOK OF ZECHARIAH DIVIDES INTO THREE PARTS:
• Section 1: Chapter 1 to chapter 6:
• We have recorded a serious of eight visions.
• Section 2: Chapters 7-8:
• Deals with questions by various people regarding fasting.
• Section 3: Chapters 9-14:
• Is a description of Jerusalem and God’s victory over the heathen nations.
This morning We are entering section three of Zechariahs prophecy:
• Remember with prophecy there is often a twofold fulfilment,
• A near and a distant meaning:
Ill:
• Sometimes when you look out on the horizon,
• You may see to great mountain peaks.
• From a distance they seem to almost touch each other,
• But as you get closer to them,
• You discover a valley of some distance,
• Separates them from one another.
Bible prophecy is like that, one prediction can have both a near and a distant meaning:
• The Old Testament prophets saw the two touching mountains,
• They did not see the valley of time which separated them.
Bible prophecy has both a near and a distant meaning:
• In one verse he will describe the near thing;
• i.e. the fall of Jerusalem under the Romans.
• And in the next verse the distant;
• I.e. He will picture the coming Messiah to reign.
At times the prophet refers to both the first and second advents (comings) of Jesus,
• In succeeding verses,
• But this is not unusual in prophetic literature.
Ill: Isaiah chapter 9 verse 6.
The first advent (coming of Jesus) in verse 6:
6For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
We see the second-advent predicted in verse 7:
7His ever expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule forever with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David. The passionate commitment of the LORD Almighty will guarantee this!
• This morning e are entering section three of Zechariahs prophecy:
• And we will look at verses 1 to 10, dividing it up into two parts.
(1). Invasion (verses 1-8)
• For God’s kingdom to be established,
• Rival kingdoms have to be dislodged.
Zechariah the prophet foretold the preservation of the city of Jerusalem (verse 8),
• In the very days when Syria to the north, Phoenicia to the west,
• And Philistia to the south-west would be overcome by the enemy.
• Zechariah predicted that Jerusalem would be preserved,
• When all around her would be conquered.
Ill:
• This prophecy was to a large extent fulfilled by the coming of Alexander the Great.
• In 333 BC he captured Damascus & Sidon.
• And then after a siege of seven months he captured the ‘impregnable’ city of Tyre.
• He then marched against Gaza and razed it to the ground.
• In the course of this campaign he passed Jerusalem more than once,
• Although he threatened it, he never attacked it.
• Thus according to the prophecy of Zechariah,
• The city was preserved for the coming of the true king.
(2). Inauguration (verses 9-10):
• If the events of chapter 9 were chronological, the next two verses (9&10),
• Would be out of order.
• Chronologically verses 11-17 should be next,
• Where we read of the Maccabean revolt against the Greek armies.
But the order here is theological, not chronological:
• After prophecy about a great king (Alexander),
• Zechariah draws our attention to an even greater coming king – Zion’s king!
• These two verses are some of the most well known verses of prophecy,
• Quoted in the New Testament (Matthew ch 21 vs 4; John ch12 vs 14)
• And the New Testament writers had no hesitation in saying;
• Identifying Zion’s king, he is Jesus the Christ.
These verses have a near and distant fulfilment:
• Verse 9 was fulfilled when Jesus rode into Jerusalem (the triumphal entry).
• Verse 10 will not be fulfilled until he returns and sets up his earthly kingdom.
3 THINGS WE LEARN REGARDING GOD’S KING:
(1). The majesty of the king.
“Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion!
Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and having salvation,”
(a)> The majesty of his righteousness.
“See, your king comes to you,
righteous and having salvation,”
• We live in a world of repressive governments and tyrannical heads of state,
• Their record concerning human rights is both shameful and appalling.
• I guess most of us long to see a righteousness and justice reign.
• Zechariah tells us one day it will.
• It will one day be enacted and enforced,
• But only when Jesus Christ reigns on the throne of the universe.
Ill: Isaiah also echoed this same theme (chapter 9 verses 6-7):
”For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7His ever expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule forever with righteousness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David. The passionate commitment of the LORD Almighty will guarantee this!”
• There will never be any strong or lasting peace apart from his justice,
• When he the righteous king will reign.
(b). The majesty of his gentleness:
“See, your king comes to you,
righteous and having salvation,
gentle and riding on a donkey,”
• This verse speaks of his meekness and humility.
• The opposite of most ancient kings.
Ill:
• Kings like Alexandra the Great.
• Came in their pageantry and pride.
• In contrast the Messiah comes;
• ‘Riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey’:
Ill:
• Only once did Jesus actually describe his inner character
• That description is found in Matthew chapter 11 verse 28-29:
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am GENTLE and HUMBLE in heart, and you will find rest for your souls".
• Two words: "Gentle and humble" or “Meek and lowly”,
• We have pictured a king who comes amongst us as one who serves.
(2). The mastery of the king
“See, your king comes to you,
righteous and having salvation,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
• A king riding on a donkey was a symbol of gentleness and humility,
• We tend to think of a donkey as a lowly animal:
• But to the Jew it was a beast fit for a king.
• ill: King David (1 Kings chapter 1 verses 33-34).
• In war, kings would ride horses.
• But in peace, they would enter the city riding on a donkey.
From the gospel account of Palm Sunday we see again and again the control that the king exercised.
• In preparation:
• The disciples enter the village:
• And find the donkey just as Jesus had said they would,
• They were even given the very words to explain there actions: “The Lord needs it”
• As Lord and master of the universe;
• He is able to command and controlled the colt.
Ill:
• Apparently it takes at least eight weeks to break in a colt,
• And another eight weeks or longer to train the young animal to behave in a crowd.
Yet at his instructions:
• This animal submits to its creator,
• And in the middle of crowd hysteria,
• With great rejoicing, singing and shouting all around him,
• King Jesus rode that colt into the city.
• What a picture of mastery,
• A picture of total control.
(3). The ministry of the king:
“See, your king comes to you,
righteous and having salvation,”
• The foremost purpose for which the Lord Jesus Christ came into the world,
• Was to bring salvation to men and women.
Quote: Matthew chapter 1 verse 21:
1And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus,
for he will save his people from their sins.”
Quote:
“This world of ours, with all of its tumult, division and injustice, needs not more education, reformation or litigation, but God’s salvation.”
• The great tragedy is that Jerusalem, the city of peace,
• Should reject Jesus, the Prince of Peace!
Verse 10:
• Tells us of the final victories of the Messiah,
• This will result in war being abolished, and peace extended to the ends of the earth.
