Intro
We have completed the first half of Zechariah. Our text today opens the second half. Chapters 1-8 constitute the first half, and chapters 9-14 the second. The style, structure, and tone of the two halves are very different. We have been impressed with the specific dates and context given in Zechariah 1-8. This is absent in the second half. As a result, scholars disagree much more on the timing and contexts in the second half. So much so that the more liberal commentators attribute the second half to an author other than Zechariah and date the messages much later in history.i Therefore, they often refer to them as Zechariah I and Zechariah II.ii
However, the evidence is in favor of one author, Zechariah, who gave the messages in chapters 1-8 early in his life and those in chapters 9-14 late in life.iii The differences in style, structure, and tone are adequately explained by the difference in the gene and purpose. Chapters 9-14 are more apocalyptic and directed at the end of the age. Chapters 1-8 project into the latter days but are also concerned with the immediate context of rebuilding the temple. The messages of chapters 9-14 were given after the temple was complete.
The primary arguments for Zechariah being the sole author of the whole book are:
(1) The inspired introduction in 1:1 presents Zechariah as the author, and nothing is said to indicate that changed later in the second half.
(2) The Jewish compilers of the Old Testament canon always attributed the whole book to Zechariah.
(3) The translators of the Septuagint held to the same position, and
(4) Jesus and the apostles used this Greek translation without questioning Zechariah’s authorship.iv
Quoting W. H. Lowe, Hebrew Student’s Commentary on Zechariah, Baron lists eight internal proofs of this unity agreeing with Lowe’s conclusion that the whole book of Zechariah is “the work of Zechariah, grandson of Iddo.”v
Zechariah received the eight visions in chapters 1-6 on February 15, 519 BC when he began his ministry.vi The question that drives chapters 7-8 came December 7, 518 BC. The prophecies in chapters 9-14 came toward the end of his life. Barker and Walker say those messages came sometime after 480 BC. vii That would make them at least 38 years later. All of this affects the way we interpret our text today.
Zechariah 9:1 begins with this marker: “The burden of the word of the Lord.” That signals a new section in the book. The next section begins in 12:1 with the same statement. Therefore, we know this second half is divided into two parts. The trust of chapters 9-11 is God’s last days dealings with the gentile nations; the focus in chapters 12-14 is God’s preparation of Israel for Christ’s Second Coming. Understanding these inspired divisions, helps us approach the book in a methodical, organized way.
The word translated “burden” in Zechariah 9:1is massa’. It indicates divine utterance or oracle, but its first meaning is “load, burden, judgment.”viii The message Zechariah is giving in chapters 9-11 expresses God’s judgment and defeat of the gentile nations in preparation for Messiah’s millennial reign.
Follow with me as we read or text in Zechariah 9:1-8. “The burden of the word of the Lord Against the land of Hadrach, And Damascus its resting place (For the eyes of men And all the tribes of Israel Are on the Lord); 2 Also against Hamath, which borders on it, And against Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise. 3 For Tyre built herself a tower, Heaped up silver like the dust, And gold like the mire of the streets. 4 Behold, the Lord will cast her out; He will destroy her power in the sea, And she will be devoured by fire. 5 Ashkelon shall see it and fear; Gaza also shall be very sorrowful; And Ekron, for He dried up her expectation. The king shall perish from Gaza, And Ashkelon shall not be inhabited. 6 "A mixed race shall settle in Ashdod, And I will cut off the pride of the Philistines. 7 I will take away the blood from his mouth, And the abominations from between his teeth. But he who remains, even he shall be for our God, And shall be like a leader in Judah, And Ekron like a Jebusite. 8 I will camp around My house Because of the army, Because of him who passes by and him who returns. No more shall an oppressor pass through them, For now I have seen with My eyes.”ix
That passage accurately describes Alexander the Great’s campaign against these nations in 333-332 BC. But that happened over 100 years after Zechariah died. Is it possible that Zechariah could have predicted this so accurately? Since liberal scholars begin with a presupposition that supernatural things like that cannot happen, they need to place the writing of these verses after the event.x That is one reason they reject Zechariah as the author.
But we know God sees the end from the beginning and sometimes gives a prophetic glimpse into the future. In fact, we will see a lot of that in these last six chapters of Zechariah. In Isaiah 46:9-10, God declares, “Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, 'My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure.'”
In our text, Zechariah is prophesying in about 480 BC this event that will occur in 333 BC 332 BC. As often happens in prophecy, the 333 BC eventxi was a harbinger of events that will occur in the last days prior to the Second Coming.xii
The prophecy in our text deals with four groups of people:
(1) The Syrian cities around Damascus (vs 1-2a).
(2) The Phoenician cities of Tyre and Sidon (vs 2b-4).
(3) The Cities of Philistia (vs 5-7)
(4) Israel centered in Jerusalem (vs 8)
This military campaign began after Alexander had defeated Persia at the Battle of Issus. King Darius escaped. Rather than overextending his supply lines by pursuing Darius into the Persian interior, Alexander brilliantly turned south to capture the Persian cities along the coast. His “route followed the precise line stated in our text.”xiii This map of the area will help you envision the campaign.xiv After sparing Jerusalem, Alexander proceeded south to defeat Egypt, then came back up through these territories to confront Darius again. Although vastly outnumbered at the battle site near Gaugamela, Alexander’s military genius won the day and Darius was defeated.xv
We will now follow the events in our text as God works through Alexander to fulfill His will.
I. The SYRIAN cities around Damascus are confronted in verse 1 and 2a:
“The burden of the word of the Lord Against the land of Hadrach, And Damascus its resting place (For the eyes of men And all the tribes of Israel Are on the Lord); 2 Also against Hamath, which borders on it,” Three locations are mentioned here:
(1) The land of Hadrach is the most difficult to identify. It is probably referring to the city of Hatarikka located near Damascus cited in ancient Assyrian texts.xvi Our context tends to support that.
(2) Damascus was the capital of this area.xvii
The phrase, “Damascus its resting place,” means God’s judgment in this oracle would stay on the city until it is fully accomplished.xviii What is the meaning of the sentence: “For the eyes of men And all the tribes of Israel Are on the Lord”? Through these judgments, God had their attention.
With the judgments that will fall during the Tribulation Period, God will have the attention of the whole world. They will hide in caves and say to the mountains and rocks, “"Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Rev. 6:16-17).xix The events recorded in the text are a portent of the greater judgment coming in the last days.xx We will see in verse 8 that Israel’s eyes are on the Lord for deliverance.
(3) Hamath is the third city mentioned in this area. It is just north of Damascus. In his campaign, Alexander himself led the assault on Damascus, sending a subordinate to lead the attack on Hamath.xxi After defeating these Syrian cities, Alexander proceeded south to defeat:
II. The PHOENICIAN cities of Tyre and Sidon as recorded in verses 2b-4.
First the arrogance of these cities is addressed. Verses 2-3 says, “And against Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise. 3 For Tyre built herself a tower [stronghold],xxii Heaped up silver like the dust, And gold like the mire of the streets.”
Through worldly wisdom these Phoenician cities had grown rich to the point that their silver was as abundant as dust and their gold was as plentiful as mud in the streets. “In her day she [Tyre] was the greatest naval and commercial city in the world (Wright).xxiii Tyre had flourished through commercial trade and became very wealthy.
The material self-sufficiency had produced enormous pride. Ezekiel addressed this and predicted their downfall in Ezekiel 28:4-8: “With your wisdom and your understanding You have gained riches for yourself, And gathered gold and silver into your treasuries; 5 By your great wisdom in trade you have increased your riches, And your heart is lifted up because of your riches)," 6 'Therefore thus says the Lord God:" Because you have set your heart as the heart of a god, 7 Behold, therefore, I will bring strangers against you, The most terrible of the nations; And they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom, And defile your splendor. 8 They shall throw you down into the Pit, And you shall die the death of the slain In the midst of the seas.” Ezekiel goes on to use Tyre and particularly their king as symbolic of Lucifer in his fall (Ezek. 28:11-19).xxiv
Tyre felt invincible. It was originally located on the mainland. But to insulate herself more securely, the city was moved to an island about a half mile offshore. Additionally, they built a double wall around it 150 feet high. As verse 3 says, “Tyre built herself a tower [stronghold].” The strength of those fortifications had been tested in the past. The Assyrian Shalmaneser besieged Tyre for five years (ending 622 B.C.) but was unable to take it. Nebuchadnezzar tried for 13 years but also failed (ending 572 B. C.).xxv
Yet God says in Zechariah 9:4, “Behold, the Lord will cast her out; He will destroy her power in the sea, And she will be devoured by fire.” That is precisely what happened. “Sidon surrendered without making any resistance.”xxvi But Tyre confidently resisted Alexander. How did Alexander defeat the city in seven months when both Assyria and Babylon had failed even after years of siege? Alexander used the rubble from the old city to build a causeway from the shore to the island.xxvii As his soldiers attacked on ground, he had also “amassed a great navy from the nearby city states” and attacked by sea.xxviii According to Rawlinson’s account, Alexander killed all the soldiers except those who fled to the temples, then he “ordered the houses to be set on fire.”xxix
People celebrate the military genius of Alexander. But where did it come from. Itt came from God because God had appointed him as His instrument to execute this judgment. Daniel had foreseen the defeat of Persia by Alexander in his vision recorded in Daniel 8. In that vision Persia was represented by the ram with two horns, and Greece was represented by goat with one prominent horn (Alexander) that defeats Persia.xxx
Tyre is representative of anti-God world system that will be destroyed in preparation of the Millennium. That destruction is portrayed in Revelation 17 and 18. But, as I read this text, I was struck with Tyre’s likeness to America. Situated between two great oceans, we have flourished in commerce and become wealthy. Our geographic isolation positioned us well during World War I and II. Has the wealth and security produced a pride and sense of invincibility in our society? I think it has. But all of that will avail nothing if God decides to bring us down. He raised us up, and He can bring us down just like He did Tyre. Tyre’s downfall should serve as a warning for us.
In verses 5-7 we see God’s judgment on:
III. The Cities of PHILISTIA.
Verse 5a records the Philistine reaction to Tyer’s destruction. “Ashkelon shall see it and fear; Gaza also shall be very sorrowful; And Ekron, for He dried up her expectation.” By far, the strongest fortification in the whole region was Tyre. If Alexander could defeat that stronghold, these Philistine city-states would have no chance at all.
Verses 5b-6 adds, “The king shall perish from Gaza, And Ashkelon shall not be inhabited. 6 A mixed race shall settle in Ashdod, And I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.”xxxi
In the historical account of Alexander’s defeat of these cities, we only have a detailed account concerning Gaza. Despite the terror recorded in verse 5, Gaza resisted Alexander for five months before its surrender. The ruler over Gaza at the time of this siege was Batis who enjoyed considerable independence under Persian rule. But our text prophesied, “The king shall perish from Gaza.” Here is how that was fulfilled. When Betis was defeated, he was “bound to a chariot with thongs thrust through the soles of his feet, and dragged through the city.”xxxii Not a very pleasant ending.
There is a positive note in the judgment of Philistia. In verse 7 God says, “I will take away the blood from his mouth, And the abominations from between his teeth. But he who remains, even he shall be for our God, And shall be like a leader in Judah, And Ekron like a Jebusite.”
There are three promises in that verse.
(1) Through this judgment God will deliver them from their idolatry. The blood in the mouth and the abominations between the teeth is a picture of idolators eating meat sacrificed to idols without the blood properly drained including ceremonially unclean animals.xxxiii The process will be aggressive and violent, but God will remove their idolatry. “I will take away the blood from his mouth, And the abominations from between his teeth.”
(2) Those who survive the judgment will be converted to God and will become “like a leader in Judah.” That is an amazing promise. Not only will they be saved and in covenant with God, but they will have an honorable status “like” a leader in Judah. This is a good example of the redemptive nature of God’s judgments. “But he who remains, even he shall be for our God, And shall be like a leader in Judah,”
(3) “And Ekron like a Jebusite.” Ekron was the closest city to Judah and may be representative of Philistines converted to the Lord. The Jebusites were the inhabitants of Jerusalem when David conquered that city. When that happened, these people embraced Yahweh as their God. One outstanding example is Araunah who provided oxen to be sacrificed to the Lord in 2 Samuel 24. The Jebusites are an example of gentiles who joined the Israelites in serving the Lord.xxxiv
This part of the prophecy looks beyond Alexander’s day. Keil comments, “the fulfilment has not yet reached its end, and will not, until the kingdom of Christ shall attain that complete victory over the heathen world which is foretold in vv. 8ff.”xxxv This is one clue that Zechariah’s prophecy, though partially fulfilled in Alexander’s day, will be fully realized in the last days.xxxvi
In Zechariah 9:1-7 we have seen God’s judgment of Israel’s enemies. Now in verse 8 we see God deliverance for:
IV. ISRAEL centered in Jerusalem.
In verse 8 God says, “I will camp around My house Because of the army, Because of him who passes by and him who returns. No more shall an oppressor pass through them, For now I have seen with My eyes.”xxxvii
As we saw in verse 7, there is an end-time fulfillment of this verse that was not completed in Alexander’s day. We know the promise, “No more shall an oppressor pass through them,” was not fulfilled as a result of Alexander’s campaign. There came horrific oppression during the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes around 168 BC, and Rome plundered Jerusalem in 70 AD. Verse 8 will not be fully experienced by Israel until the Millennium.
But there was a partial fulfillment of this prophecy in 332 BC. The amazing story is told by the historian Josephus.xxxviii When Alexander began his campaign against Phoenicia, he sent messengers to Juddua, the high priest in Jerusalem, “demanding aid from the Jews and the payment of the tribute which they used to pay to the King of Persia.”xxxix Not wanting to break his oath to Darius, the high priest refused. So, after he defeated Gaza, Alexander proceeded toward Jerusalem to subjugate them as he had done to the other nations in this campaign.xl
When the high priest knew Alexander was coming, he was alarmed and called the people to prayer for God’s protection. In answer to their prayers, God instructed Juddua in a dream to “adorn the city and open the gates.” He and the priests were to meet Alexander in their priestly garments, and the rest of the people were to all wear white. They were to do this “without the dread of any ill consequences.” This was to be an act of obedient faith. I will now read directly from Josephus’s account.
“And when he [Juddua] understood that he [Alexander] was not far from the city, he went out in procession, with the priests, and the multitude of citizens. The procession was venerable, and the manner of it different from that of other nations. It reached to a place called Sapha; which name, translated into Greek, signifies a prospect, for you have thence a prospect both of Jerusalem and of the temple; and when the Phoenicians and the Chaldeans that followed him [Alexander], thought they should have liberty to plunder the city, and torment the high priest to death, which the king’s displeasure fairly promised them, the very reverse of it happened; for Alexander, when he saw the multitude at a distance, in white garments, while the priests stood clothed with fine linen, and the high priest in purple and scarlet clothing, with his mitre on his head, having the golden plate whereon the name of God was engraved, he approached by himself, and adored that name, and first saluted the high priest. The Jews also did all together, with one voice, salute Alexander, and encompass him about; whereupon the kings of Syria and the rest were surprised at what Alexander had done, and supposed him disordered in his mind. However, Parmenio alone went up to him, and asked him how it came to pass that, when all others adored him, he should adore the high priest of the Jews? To whom he replied, ‘I did not adore him, but that God who hath honored him with his high priesthood; for I saw this very person in a dream, in this very habit [attire], when I was at Dios in Macedonia, who, when I was considering with myself how I might obtain the dominion of Asia, exhorted me to make no delay, but boldly to pass over the sea thither, for that he would conduct my army, and would give me the dominion over the Persians; whence it is, that having seen no other in that habit, and now seeing this person in it, and remembering that vision, and the exhortation which I had in my dream, I believe that I bring this army under the divine conduct, and shall therewith conquer Darius, and destroy the power of the Persians, and that all things will succeed according to what is in my mind."txli
The story proceeds with Alexander going into Jerusalem and sacrificing to Yahweh according to the priest’s instruction. Josephus writes, “And when the book of Daniel was shewed him, wherein Daniel declared that one of the Greeks should destroy the empire of the Persians, he supposed that himself was the person intended; and as he was then glad, he dismissed the multitude for the present, but the next day he called them to him, and bade them ask what favours they pleased of him.” The high priest asked that they might operate in the laws of their forefathers and pay no tribute on the seventh year. All of this Alexander granted.xlii
God’s preservation of His people in the last days will be just as miraculous. We will see some of that in the latter chapters of this book. Let the story encourage you in your own life to trust the Lord no matter what challenges you may be facing. Seek the Lord as these Jews did. Let Him direct you through His word, through godly counsel, or perhaps supernaturally as in this story. Proverbs 29:25 says, “The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.” God knows how to take care of us.xliii
I want to conclude with this question: How did Alexander’s conquests fit into God’s overall plan of redemption? The conquest of the Persians paved the way for the First Advent and the spread of the gospel after Christ’s resurrection. The Greeks taught their culture and language to those under their rule. Even when Rome became the dominate power, the Greek language was the second language of many in the empire. The Jews translated the Old Testament into Greek making the revelation accessible to a broad base of people at the time of Christ. Using this Septuagint version, the early church was able to spread the gospel to the gentiles throughout the known world. So, Alexander’s conquest in our text sets the stage for the event prophesied in the next verse, Zechariah 9:9: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.” That shall be the subject of our next message.xliv
ENDNOTES:
i Some attribute material in Zechariah 9-14 as being much earlier than Zechariah. A misunderstanding of the citation in Matthew 27:9 has contributed to this position. Phillips addresses this confusion as follows: “The key to understanding this is to realize that Matthew is actually citing two passages having to do with Judas’s betrayal. He cites Zechariah 11:12-13, which mentions the thirty pieces of silver, but also alludes to Jeremiah 32:6-9, which adds the detail of the potter’s field. Since Jeremiah is the more prominent of the two prophets, Matthew mentions only his name.” Phillips, Zechariah, 197.
ii Some even extend this Deutero-Zechariah position to a Zechariah III (Trito-Zecharah) by a third author instead of including chapter 12-14 with 9-11. Cf. Hill, 108-109; Phillips, Zechariah, 196-198; Eugene Merrill, 73. Unger traces the origin of this rejection of Zechariah as the author of the whole book back to Hugo Grotius in 1644. Merrill Unger, Zechariah, 12-13.
iii Cf. Feinberg, God Remembers, 117; Baron, 274.
iv Cf. Phillips, 197.
v W. H. Lowe, Hebrew Student’s Commentary on Zechariah, as quoted by David Baron, Zechariah, 280-282.
vi See part 3 in this series entitled “Zechariah’s First Vision.”
vii Kenneth Barker and Larry Walker, “Zechariah,” in NIV Study Bible, Kenneth Barker, gen. ed., (2020), 1589. After commenting on the 518 BC event in 7:1, Wood writes, “A fourth message begins at 9:1 but is undated. It is commonly placed several years later, even after 480 B.C., because it contains a reference to Greece (9:13), and Greece became much more prominent after that time.” Leon J. Wood, The Prophets of Israel (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1979),369-370.
viii Koehler’s New Lexicon as quoted by Leupold, Exposition of Zechariah, 161. Cf. Hill, 204-205Merrill, 222-223.
ix All Scripture quotes are from the New King James Version unless indicated otherwise.
x Cf. Baron, 269.
xi Alexander’s campaign described in our text began in 333 BC but continued into 332 BC. The Battle of Issus was in November 333 BC; the siege of Tyre started in January and ended in July 332 BC. For convenience I am referring to the campaign as a 333 BC event. Grant, "Alexander's Siege of Tyre, 332 BCE." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified August 08, 2011. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/107/alexanders-siege-of-tyre-332-bce/.
xii In our text, God judges the ungodly enemies of Israel, but preserves His own people as they put their trust in Him. This will be happening on a grand scale in the last days. We see it detailed in the Zechariah chapters that follow and in the book of Revelation.
xiii Phillips, 199. Cf. David Levy, 80.
xiv Hill, 42.
xv For a more detailed account of these historical events, see “How Alexander the Great Conquered the Persian Empire,” History. Accessed at How Alexander the Great Conquered the Persian Empire - HISTORY.
xvi This text was in the “annals of Tiglath-Pileser III (745-727 B.C. of Assyria.” James B. Pritchard, ed., Ancient Near Eastern Tests Relating to the Old Testament (Princeton, J.J.: Princeton Univ., 1969), 282-283 as quoted by Merrill, 223. Cf. Hill, 205. For discussion of various other interpretations, see Baron, 287-288; Leupold, 164-165. Professor Rawlinson first discovered the inscriptions. Rawlinson, The Minor Prophets, Vol. II, 394 as quoted by Feinberg, 120.
xvii David Levy, Zechariah, 80.
xviii Cf. Baron, 288.
xix Cf. Rev. 9:20-21.
xx Cf. Baron, 290.
xxi Leupold, 166.
xxii This translation seeks to duplicate the play on words that is in the Hebrew words tsor and matsor.as suggested by C. H. H. Wright. Baron, 291. .
xxiii Feinberg, 122.
xxiv See Lewis S. Chafer, Systematic Theology, Vol. II, 1947 (Dallas, TX: Dallas Seminary Press, 1974) 39-44.
xxv Boda, Haggai, Zechariah, The NIV Application Commentary,412.
xxvi Baron, 293.
xxvii Phillips, 200.
xxviii Unger, Zechariah, 155. “Realising that naval superiority was the key to taking Tyre, he temporarily left the siege and set off for Sidon to fetch his own ships. In addition, he also received vessels from Byblus, Aradus, Rhodes, Lycia, Cilicia and Macedon. The Kings of Cyprus sent another 120 ships to Sidon. In all, Alexander now had roughly 220 ships.” Grant, “Alexander's Siege of Tyre, 332 BCE.” World History Encyclopedia. Last modified August 08, 2011. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/107/alexanders-siege-of-tyre-332-bce/.
xxix George Rawlinson, Phoenicia “The Story of the Nations” Series), 216-236 as quoted by Baron, 294. Cf. Feinberg, 122.
xxx Daniel 8:1-8. Daniel had a similar vision in chapter 7 in which Persia was represented by a bear and Greece was represented as a leopard (Dan. 7:1-6). God sovereignly oversees the movement of history.
xxxi There is debate of the meaning of the Hebrew word mamzer, translated “mixed race” in our text. The word carries the idea of ignoble birth. Commenting the judgment of the Philistines, Duguid (p. 142) says, “Their monarchy will come to an end; instead of their own children inheriting their land, their population will be replaced by ‘the illegitimate’, a word which may refer to people of mixed ethnicity (see Deut. 23:2).”
xxxii Baron, 295. Cf. Unger, 156. A thong is “a narrow strip of leather that is used to fasten something or as a whip.” Oxford Dictionary accessed at thong noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com. The strip (rope) was probably placed between Batis’s ankle bone and the Achilles tendon. The Gaza Strip is often in the news as a location of conflict.
xxxiii Cf. Merrill, 226.
xxxiv In the current age, many gentiles are delivered from idolatry and brought into covenant relationship with God. The passage has application during the church age as we proceed toward the final consummation at the Second Coming of Christ.
xxxv Keil & Delitzch Commentary on the Old Testament, Zech. 9:7, updated ed., PC Study Bible Electronic Data Base. Copyright 1996 by Hindrickson Publishers. Both Keil and Baron (p. 297) accept Koehler’s observation that Zech. 9:7 was not fulfilled during Alexander’s campaign.
xxxvi Merrill’s alternative understanding of this is certainly worth considering. After an analysis of the Hebrew word ‘allup, he understands that to indicate a very small jurisdiction, thus indicating “the Philistine remnant, then, will be so reduced in size as to be like a Judean ‘allup. Similarly, Ekron will be like the Jebusites who, at their historical greatest (cf. 2 Sam. 5:6-10) were an insignificant people. After David’s conquest of their city, Jerusalem, they must have been assimilated by the Israelites until there were virtually none at all left.” This interpretation would fit the context better and perhaps history. If Merrill is correct, this would be further description of their judgment. Merrill, 227.
xxxvii “I will camp around My house Because of the army, Because of him who passes by and him who returns.” This statement assures Israel protection from Alexander’s army as he proceeds south to attack Egypt and when he comes back through the area after he has defeated Egypt on his way north to defeat Darius. This as well as Zech. 2:5 have an end time application. The statement, “For now I have seen with My eyes” is translated in the NIV as, “for I am keeping watch.”
xxxviii Josephus was a credible historian in the first century AD. While more corroboration of his account would increase our confidence in the story, it “agrees with traditions preserved in the Talmud and Midrashic literature.” Baron, 299. Some discount this as legendary, but is that conclusion driven by a presupposition that supernatural events like this cannot happen?
xxxix Baron, 299.
xl Baron, 299-300.
xli Flavius Josephus, Josephus Complete Works, The Antiquities of the Jews, XI, 8, 4-5, trans. by William Whiston, 1867 1867 (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1981) 244.
xlii Flavius Josephus, Josephus Complete Works, The Antiquities of the Jews, XI, 8, 4-5, trans. by William Whiston, 1867 1867 (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1981) 244.
xliii An effective conclusion could be here with encouraging the hearers to cast their cares on the Lord and trust Him with the outcome (1 Pet. 5:7; Phil. 4:6-7).
xliv Just as God was working His plan in Alexander’s day, He is working His plan in the world today and in our individual lives. No matter what you’re going through never forget: He is working all things together for your good (Rom. 8:28).
