THE DAY OF THE LORD COMETH ZECHARIAH 14:1-21

http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 1 Commentary by Charles Box Questions by John C. Sewell THE DAY OF THE LORD COMETH ZECHARIAH 14:1-21

http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 2 Text: Zechariah 12:1-14, The Day of the Lord Cometh Commentary By Charles Box 1. The revelation of the word of the Lord concerning Israel: The Lord he who stretches out the heavens and lays the foundations of the earth, who forms the human spirit within a person says, 2. I am about to make Jerusalem a cup that brings dizziness to all the surrounding nations; indeed, Judah will also be included when Jerusalem is besieged. 3. Moreover, on that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy burden for all the nations, and all who try to carry it will be seriously injured; yet all the peoples of the earth will be assembled against it. 4. On that day, says the Lord, I will strike every horse with confusion and its rider with madness. I will pay close attention to the house of Judah, but will strike all the horses of the nations with blindness. 5. Then the leaders of Judah will say to themselves, The inhabitants of Jerusalem are a means of strength to us through their God, the Lord who rules over all. 6. On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like an igniter among sticks and a burning torch among sheaves, and they will

http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 3 burn up all the surrounding nations right and left. Then the people of Jerusalem will settle once more in their place, the city of Jerusalem. 7. The Lord also will deliver the homes of Judah first, so that the splendor of the kingship of David and of the people of Jerusalem may not exceed that of Judah. 8. On that day the Lord himself will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the weakest among them will be like mighty David, and the dynasty of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord before them. 9. So on that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. 10. I will pour out on the kingship of David and the population of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication so that they will look to me, the one they have pierced. They will lament for him as one laments for an only son, and there will be a bitter cry for him like the bitter cry for a firstborn. 11. On that day the lamentation in Jerusalem will be as great as the lamentation at Hadad-Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. 12. The land will mourn, clan by clan the clan of the royal household of David by itself and their wives by themselves; the clan of the family of Nathan by itself and their wives by themselves; 13. the clan of the descendants of Levi by itself and their wives by themselves; and the clan of the Shimeites by itself and their wives by themselves 14. all the clans that remain, each separately with their wives. (NET)

http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 4 Introduction: I. In Zechariah fourteen we observe that the day of the Lord is coming against Jerusalem. A. These verses are referring to physical Jerusalem. 1. This fact is based on the description found in Zechariah 14:2. a. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 2. These are the things that took place in 70 A.D. when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem. 3. When Jesus spoke of the destruction of Jerusalem, He showed that the remnant would be saved by fleeing from Jerusalem and running to the mountains. a. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains : Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. (Matthew 24:15-18) B. The expression in that day is found five times in this chapter.

http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 5 1. That expression refers to the last days or the days of the Messiah. II. The Lord would fight against the Roman nation. A. He would later judge Rome and destroy that wicked nation and give victory to His people. 1. This is the theme of the Book of Revelation. 2. Luke described the destruction of Jerusalem saying, Men s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. (Luke 21:26-27) 3. God s judgment is always tempered with the idea of redemption. B. Matthew 24 and Luke 21 should be studied in careful detail along with Zechariah 14 as the words and thoughts are so similar. 1. Zechariah 14:7 says, But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light. a. Notice that he points to one day. 2. Jesus said, But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. (Matthew 24:36) a. When these words of prophesy were spoken by Jesus He sat upon the mount of Olives. (Matthew 24:3)

http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 6 b. This is certainly a tie of Matthew 24 to the teachings of Zechariah 14. C. Later Christians are called the New Jerusalem and they will dwell in safety without fear of destruction. Commentary: 1. God s people would enjoy safety, but there would be a plague against the enemies of His people. a. Christians must worship Him faithfully or they will face certain punishment. b. Holiness to the Lord must be the goal of every Christian. c. The only way that we can be a part of God s spiritual Jerusalem is to be holy. The Day of The Lord Comes Zechariah 14:1-2, A day of the LORD is about to come when your possessions will be divided as plunder in your midst. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to wage war; the city will be taken, its houses plundered, and the women raped. Then half of the city will go into exile, but the remainder of the people will not be taken away. (NET) I. Dispensationalists is a term that you need to become familiar with in studying this great chapter. A. Dispensationalists believe that the nation of Israel is distinct from the church. B. They do not believe that the Lord s kingdom is the church.

http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 7 C. The dispensationalists believe that God has made promises to Israel that are yet to be fulfilled. D. They say that these promises include the land promises, which in the future will result in a millennial kingdom in which Christ, upon His return, will rule the world from Jerusalem on a literal throne for a thousand years. 1. They say His kingdom will be a political kingdom. 2. Somehow they feel that Zechariah 14 gives proof to this doctrine. E. They see in this: (1) the destruction of Israel s enemies, (2) salvation of Jerusalem, and (3) the millennial reign of the Messiah. 1. This theory teaches that this chapter provides a description of the approaching battle of Armageddon. 2. They say this will happen soon when Christ descends upon the Mount of Olives. II. Please observe that we have already shown that Zechariah 14 is a reference to the same destruction of Jerusalem as described in Matthew 24 and Luke 21. A. Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans, but the gospel will triumph over all the enemies of the Lord. The Lord Fights Against the Nations Zechariah 14:3-9, Then the LORD will go to battle and fight against those nations, just as he fought battles in ancient days. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives which lies to the east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in half from east to west, leaving a great valley. Half the mountain will move northward and the other half southward. Then you will escape through my

http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 8 mountain valley, for the mountains will extend to Azal. Indeed, you will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come with all his holy ones with him. On that day there will be no light the sources of light in the heavens will congeal. It will happen in one day (a day known to the LORD); not in the day or the night, but in the evening there will be light. Moreover, on that day living waters will flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea; it will happen both in summer and in winter. The LORD will then be king over all the earth. In that day the LORD will be seen as one with a single name. (NET) I. Zechariah 14 does not and could not have reference to a millennial reign of Christ upon the earth. A. The second coming of the Lord will end all earthly life as this world will be burned up. 1. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. (2 Peter 3:10) II. Zechariah 14 cannot refer to the literal return of Christ. A. In the events of Zechariah 14, some would flee to the valley of the mountains. B. When Christ comes again the wicked will be destroyed with an eternal hell of fire. 1. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9, and to you who are being afflicted to give rest together with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels. With flaming fire he will mete out punishment on those who do

http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 9 not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will undergo the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his strength, (NET) C. The righteous will be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. 1. 1 Thessalonians 4:17, Then we who are alive, who are left, will be suddenly caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. (NET) III. Who else could this be that could flee to the mountains? A. The conclusion must be that this cannot refer to the second coming of Christ. B. The fight that the Lord would bring against these people would be with the sword of the Spirit. 1. Ephesians 6:7, Obey with enthusiasm, as though serving the Lord and not people, (NET) C. Jesus will come back in the last day to receive His own, but not to set up a kingdom. 1. His kingdom is the church and it already exists. 2. When the gospel was preached and later when Jerusalem was destroyed it caused a spiritual commotion like the physical things described here. 3. The Gospel light or the living water would go forth from Jerusalem in summer and winter. a. Summer and winter will end when the Lord returns.

http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 10 i. Genesis 8:22, While the earth continues to exist, planting time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night will not cease. (NET) 4. Therefore, the events of Zechariah 14 would be concluded then, not just begin with the Lord s return. God Fights Against Jerusalem s Enemies Zechariah 14:10-19, All the land will change and become like the Arabah from Geba to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem; and Jerusalem will be raised up and will stay in its own place from the Benjamin Gate to the site of the First Gate and on to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepresses. And people will settle there, and there will no longer be the threat of divine extermination Jerusalem will dwell in security. But this will be the nature of the plague with which the LORD will strike all the nations that have fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will decay while they stand on their feet, their eyes will rot away in their sockets, and their tongues will dissolve in their mouths. On that day there will be great confusion from the LORD among them; they will seize each other and attack one another violently. Moreover, Judah will fight at Jerusalem, and the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be gathered up gold, silver, and clothing in great abundance. This is the kind of plague that will devastate horses, mules, camels, donkeys, and all the other animals in those camps. Then all who survive from all the nations that came to attack Jerusalem will go up annually to worship the King, the LORD who rules over all, and to observe the Feast of Temporary Shelters. But if any of the nations anywhere on earth refuse to go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD who rules over all, they will get no rain. If the Egyptians will not do so, they will get no rain instead there will be the kind of plague which the LORD inflicts on any nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. This will be the punishment of

http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 11 Egypt and of all nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. (NET) I. Again, in this portion of Zechariah 14, it becomes obvious that the reference cannot be to the Lord s second coming. A. Here the Lord is pictured as being in their midst with dead bodies at His feet. 1. However, at the second coming, All that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5-28:29) 2. But some say at that time animals will again be sacrificed and the Feast of Tabernacles will again be kept. a. The events of the Feast of Tabernacles are described in Numbers 29:12-38, On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you are to have a holy assembly; you must do no ordinary work, and you must keep a festival to the LORD for seven days. You must offer a burnt offering, an offering made by fire as a pleasing aroma to the LORD: thirteen young bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs each one year old, all of them without blemish. Their grain offering must be of finely ground flour mixed with olive oil, threetenths of an ephah for each of the thirteen bulls, two-tenths of an ephah for each of the two rams, and one-tenth for each of the fourteen lambs, along with one male goat for a purification offering, in addition to the continual burnt offering with its grain offering and its drink offering. On the second day you must offer twelve young bulls, two rams, fourteen lambs one year old, all without blemish,

http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 12 and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number as prescribed, along with one male goat for a purification offering, in addition to the continual burnt offering with its grain offering and their drink offerings. On the third day you must offer eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen lambs one year old, all without blemish, and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number as prescribed, along with one male goat for a purification offering, in addition to the continual burnt offering with its grain offering and its drink offering. On the fourth day you must offer ten bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs one year old, all without blemish, and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number as prescribed, along with one male goat for a purification offering, in addition to the continual burnt offering with its grain offering and its drink offering. On the fifth day you must offer nine bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs one year old, all without blemish, and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number as prescribed, along with one male goat for a purification offering, in addition to the continual burnt offering with its grain offering and its drink offering. On the sixth day you must offer eight bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs one year old, all without blemish, and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number as prescribed, along with one male goat for a purification offering, in addition to the continual

http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 13 burnt offering with its grain offering and its drink offering. On the seventh day you must offer seven bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs one year old, all without blemish, and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number as prescribed, along with one male goat for a purification offering, in addition to the continual burnt offering with its grain offering and its drink offering. On the eighth day you are to have a holy assembly; you must do no ordinary work on it. But you must offer a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, as a pleasing aroma to the LORD, one bull, one ram, seven lambs one year old, all of them without blemish, and with their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bull, for the ram, and for the lambs, according to their number as prescribed, along with one male goat for a purification offering, in addition to the continual burnt offering with its grain offering and its drink offering. (NET) b. During the Feast of Tabernacles a goat was offered as a sin offering. 3. We know that Jesus is our sin offering. a. Shall we go back to offering a goat as our sin offering and reject the sacrifice of Jesus? 4. With the death of Jesus, the Old Testament Law was abolished completely and forever. a. Colossians 2:14, He has destroyed what was against us, a certificate of indebtedness expressed in decrees opposed to us. He has taken it away by nailing it to the cross. (NET)

http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 14 5. After the captivity in Babylon, Jerusalem was resettled and it became the beginning place for the kingdom of Christ. a. Isaiah 2:3 said, And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. b. God s truth will be victorious over all error! c. Nothing can or will prevent the spread of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. d. Many who at first opposed Christianity would be converted and they would look to Jerusalem for the model of true worship. e. If anyone refuses the gospel that issued forth from Jerusalem they will be rejected by the Lord. Holiness Unto the Lord Zechariah 14:20-21, On that day the bells of the horses will bear the inscription HOLY TO THE LORD. The cooking pots in the LORD s temple will be as holy as the bowls in front of the altar. Every cooking pot in Jerusalem and Judah will become holy in the sight of the LORD who rules over all, so that all who offer sacrifices may come and use some of them to boil their sacrifices in them. On that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD who rules over all. (NET) I. We are involved in a spiritual warfare and our lives must focus around the thought, Holiness unto the Lord.

http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 15 A. Only those who have submitted unto the Lord will be in His house. B. The church has been purchased by Jesus and redeemed by His blood. 1. Christians are called unto holiness. 2. We have been called from bondage in a world of idolatry and sin to be free in Christ. 3. Our watchword and our song must be, Holiness unto the Lord. a. Holiness is that quality or state of being pure or godly. b. In the New Testament, the word holiness means that one is: (1) physically pure, (2) morally blameless, and (3) religiously set aside for the service of God. c. The very essence of the nature of God is holiness. i. Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. ii. Isaiah 6:1-3, In the year of King Uzziah s death, I saw the sovereign master seated on a high, elevated throne. The hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs stood over him; each one had six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and they used the remaining two to fly. They called out to one another, Holy, holy, holy is the LORD who commands armies! His majestic splendor fills the entire earth! (NET)

http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 16 Conclusion: iii. God told Israel, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy. (Leviticus 19:2) iv. Then in the New Testament we read, But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. (1 Peter 1:15-16) d. Please submit to God s loving call and receiving the fountain of living waters that makes holy and brings eternal life! I. God expects sincere worship and moral living from people today. A. Zechariah told us that the fountain has been opened for the cleansing of our sins. 1. In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness. (Zechariah 13:1) B. This fountain that is opened to all is filled with the blood of Jesus.

http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 17 Questions By John C. Sewell Zechariah 14:1-21 (Questions based on NIV text) 1. Identify the day of the Lord mentioned in verse 1. 2. What would occur on that day of the Lord? 3. When would all the nations be gathered to Jerusalem to fight against it? (See verse 2.) 4. At that time the city would be, the, and the.

http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 18 of the will go into, but the of the will not be taken from the. 5. When did or will the Lord go out and fight against those nations? Name those nations. (See verse 3.) 6. When did or will the Lord s feet stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem? (See verse 4.) 7. When did or will the Mount of Olives split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south? (See verse 4.) 8. Is the language used in verse 4 literal or figurative? Give reasons for your answer.

http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 19 9. Define dispensationalism and premillenialism as used in this lesson. What are the major beliefs of dispensationalism and premillenialism? 10. Locate Azel. Who would flee by the Lord s mountain valley? When will or did this happen? (See verse 5) 11. Give historical information about the people s fleeing from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah King of Judah. 12. When will or did the Lord come with all the holy ones?

http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 20 13. How will that day be unique? Explain verses 6 and 7. What does It will be a day known to the Lord mean? 14. When did or will living water flow out of Jerusalem? Living water would flow east and west in summer and winter. What is the significance, meaning of this fact? (See verse 8.) 15. When did or will the Lord become king over the whole earth? (See verse 9) 16. Locate Geba and Rimmon? How were they to become like the Arabah? (See verse 10.)

http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 21 17. In contrast, what would happen to Jerusalem? 18. Where in Jerusalem were the Benjamin Gate, The First Gate, the Corner Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the royal winepresses located? (See verse 10.) 19. What is the author saying by the use of these Jerusalem landmarks? What is his point? 20. When was or will verse 10 be fulfilled? 21. Is Jerusalem as used in verse 11 to be understood figuratively or literally? If figuratively, to what does it refer? If literally, when was or will this verse be fulfilled?

http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 22 22. According to verse 12, what will happen to all the nations that fought against Jerusalem? When did or will these things happen? 23. On what day, according to verse 13, will men be stricken by the Lord with great panic? 24. Each will the of, and they will each. (NIV) 25. too will at. The of all the -will be - of and and. 26. When was or will verse 14 be fulfilled?

http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 23 27. On that day, what will happen to the animals? Be specific. 28. What will the survivors of this great conflict do? 29. What did the Feast of Tabernacles commemorate? 30. What happened or will happen to those nations that do not worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and keep the Feast of Tabernacles? (See verse 17-19.) 31. When were or will verses 17-19 be fulfilled?

http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 24 32. According to verse 20, what happened or will happen on that day? when did or will these things happen? 33. What are the Lord s house and altar as used in verse 20? Are the Lord s house and altar as used in verse 20 to be understood literally or figuratively? 34. According to verse 21, what did Zechariah prophesy? What is the meaning of verse 21? 35. Verses 17-19 specify that all the nations would go to Jerusalem to worship the King and then keep the Feast of Tabernacles while verse 21 says, there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the Lord Almighty. Reconcile, explain these verses.

http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 25