A Cup of Trembling and a Burdensome Stone Zechariah 12: 1-3 Presented by: James G. Austin, Jr., PhD, D.Min 1
I. Introduction and Agenda A. A cup of trembling and a burdensome stone are two metaphors that capture the future miraculous victory that God will give Jerusalem (and ultimately Israel). B. The prophecy of Zechariah was written approximately 2500 years ago predicting a future day when the world s focus would be on Jerusalem. 2
Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. [Zech. 12: 2-3] 3
C. God is the guardian of Jerusalem and Israel and He will defend the nation against all violence, even though it is surrounded by those who hate her. D. However inferior the nation of Israel might appear to be in the eyes of her enemies, the power of God alone is sufficient to defend and keep Israel. 4
Outline The Battle for Jerusalem History of Jerusalem Jerusalem The Prize of War Who Owns Jerusalem? Attempts to Divide the Indivisible 5
II. The Battle for Jerusalem A. Attempt after attempt have been made to bring peace to the Middle East (specifically Israel and the Palestinians). Each attempt has come to a standstill because of Jerusalem. B. Jerusalem is a city with no natural resources and no geo-strategic political significance. However, the very existence of the city and the Jewish people is a constant burden to its surrounding neighbors. So what is about Jerusalem that causes so much unrest? Consider this: 6
C. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has very strongly declared to the Obama Administration that Jerusalem is not a settlement, it is our Capital! D. Israel stands as a symbol to the entire world that the Word of God is the truth. As each day passes and Jerusalem becomes more and more the center of the world s attention, it will become increasingly difficult for anyone to dispute the accuracy of the ancient prophecies concerning Israel. 7
E. The words to Israel s national anthem, HaTiKvah (The Hope) written in 1886 by Naphtali Herz Imber (an English poet originally from Bohemia) expresses the powerful emotion and God-given desire of the Jewish people, and the deep longing of the Jewish heart while living in exile among the nations. 8
The Jewish National Anthem HaTiKvah ( The Hope ) As long as the Jewish spirit is yearning deep in the heart. With eyes turned toward the East, looking toward Zion. This our hope the two-thousand-year-old hope-will not be lost. To be a free people in our land. The land of Zion and Jerusalem. 9
F. Praying, they faced Jerusalem and the Jewish people never gave up hope for their promised return as prophesied in the Word of God (Isa. 11:11-12; Jer. 31:7-10; Ezk. 36:8-11; 37:21-22; 38:8). 10
III. The History of Jerusalem A. Jerusalem s earliest history ties it to the Spirit of God and is first mentioned in Genesis 14:18-20 where we find Melchizedek, king of Salem who was the priest of the most high God. B. Salem means Peace and it was the ancient name for Jerusalem. 11
C. Jerusalem was at one time home of the Jebusites and the children of Judah (Judges 1:8) fought against the Jebusites. Joshua 15:63 and Judges 1:21 informs us that the children of Israel could not drive them out so the Jebusites dwelled with the children of Benjamin in the land. The city that would become Jerusalem was then called Jebus. 12
D. However, under the reign of King David of Israel, in 2 Samuel 5:6-8 and 1 Chron. 11:4-7 David and his troops defeated the Jebusites and 1000 years before the birth of Christ, David established the City of David (Jerusalem) as his Capital. 13
IV. Jerusalem The Prize of War A. Jerusalem (Israel) sits in the middle of a land bridge between Asia, Africa and Europe. Anyone hoping to combine all three must conquer Jerusalem. B. The battle for Jerusalem has been a long one. During its long history the city has been fought over 16X, besieged 23X, attacked 52X, and captured and recaptured 44X. The siege of conquest has included: 14
A Cup of Trembling and Burdensome Stone Muslims (Palestine 638-1099) Assyrians Hittites Babylonians Persians Greeks Romans British Empire (captured the region of Palestine from the Ottoman Empire in 1917 and controlled today s Israel the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Jordan.) 15
The Dome of the Rock The 35 acre parcel on which the Temple Mount sits convinces the Arabs that they were cheated out of the land.
V. Who Owns Jerusalem? A. The Islamic belief is that Muhammad flew to the temple mount on his horse and they ascended into heaven from the rock were Abraham sacrificed his son Isaac. B. Therefore, for the Muslims, they believe that they rightfully own Jerusalem and to give up their belief and not fight would be to admit that the Quran and hadith is wrong. 17
C. In 1917 the [British] Balfour Declaration, read in part: His Majesty s government views with favor the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish People. D. On May 14, 1948 Israel was officially recognized as a nation. U.S. President Harry Truman s administration made the announcement: The United States recognizes the provisional government as the de-factor authority of the new State of Israel. E. On International Radio, David Ben Gurion declared that the name of the new Jewish homeland was Jerusalem. 18
F. Israel has endured struggle after struggle for its existence to include: 1. Sinai Campaign of 1956 2. The Six Day War June 1967 3. Yam Kippur War October 1973 4. War with Lebanon 1986 5. Gaza War - 2008 19
G. On May 19, 2011 President Barack Obama issued a statement calling for Israel to give the Palestinians and their terrorist allies all the land that Israel had won in 1967, in the Six Day War. H. The following day (May 20, 2011) a confrontation occurred in the White House between Israel s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu and President Obama, in which Netanyahu rejected the plan outlined by Obama that would use the borders before the 1967 war as the starting point for negotiations. 20
I. Prime Minister Netanyahu said that doing so would risk Israel s security and force it to negotiate with a Palestinian version of Al Qaeda (Los Angeles Times, Saturday, May 21, 2011, p. A1). So we raise the Question, Who Owns Jerusalem? 21
Biblical Fact: God founded and therefore He Owns Jerusalem (Psalm 87:1-3). Not only that but God gave title deed to Israel as its occupant! The Jewish people cannot and will not give up Jerusalem, just as the captives in Babylonian exile in the song of the Exiles (Psalm 137) would never forget Jerusalem. [Ps. 137:5-6] 22
If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy. Psalm 137:5-6 23
VI. Attempts to Divide the Indivisible A. The Islamic community, the nations surrounding Israel (Psalm 83:3-8), the international community, and the Vatican, all have a different goal in mind for Jerusalem. B. They would remove all Jewish control over Jerusalem and erase the (miraculous) Jewish victory of the Six Day War in June 1967 and either divide the city, or attempt ((if they could)) to completely cut them (the Jewish people) off from being a nation, that the name of Israel be no more in remembrance. [Psalm 83:4] 24
VII. Jerusalem A Cup of Trembling and a Burdensome Stone A. In Zech 12:1, the word burden means a weighty prophetic message and this prophecy describes the future siege of Jerusalem by the nations in Zech. 14:1-5. This message is revealed through the word of the Lord who is identified as the great Preserver of His Creation, portrayed in Zech. 12:1 as He who stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth,.. 25
B. Zech. 12:2-3 The text suggest two different conflicts. 1. The first will produce a drunken disorientation to the invaders laying siege against Jerusalem and Judah (all of Israel) drinking from the chalice of God. 2. During the Second conflict, the invaders will meet with physical destruction. 26
C. Zech. 12:3 Notice the phrase that day. It is mentioned five times in vss 3-4, 6, 8-9, three times in Chap. 13 [vss 1-2, 4], and seven times in Chap. 14 [vss 4, 6, 8-9, 13, 20-21]. D. That day refers to the future Battle of Armageddon, in which the nations armies will gather against Jerusalem (cf. Zech. 14:1-3; Rev. 16:16; 19:19). 27
E. Zechariah uses two metaphors to describe how God will use Jerusalem as a foil to destroy the nations. 1. Jerusalem will be a cup of trembling (reeling) [Zech. 12:2]. 2. Jerusalem will become a burdensome stone (i.e, an immovable rock) [Zech. 12:3]. 28
The defeat of the Armageddon armies is thus likened to a man who drinks more than he can hold, or tries to move a weight heavier than he can lift. As a result, those who attack Jerusalem will do so to their own ruin and destruction. 29
VIII. Summary A. Jerusalem will indeed become a cup of trembling and a burdensome stone. She will one day be under full-scale attach but the Lord will put impediments everywhere which will hinder and prevent the assaults of her enemies. B. Jerusalem will be under the divine protection of Almighty God and she will be safe and secure. God will not only be the guardian of Jerusalem alone but also the whole land of Israel. In the mean time, let us Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem. 30
Contact Information Dr. James G. Austin, Jr. My Email address: james.austin@solidrock-cc.org. For additional ministry information, please visit the following website: www.solidrock-cc.org. For those in the local area, you can listen to the radio broadcast The Voice of the Rock on the following stations (Please check local listings for broadcast times): 1. WITK AM 1550, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA. 2. WYYC AM 1250, York-Harrisburg-Lancster, PA 3. WINB (Shortwave) Red Lion, PA Or visit the website and click on SRCC Broadcasting and under this, scroll down and click on Sermons on Demand and Teachable Moments.