Minor Prophets 11b - Zechariah 9-14 - The “Minor” Messianic Prophet

Zechariah: The “Minor” Messianic Prophet – Zech 9-14 – Cory Collins

(Sources include The Wiersbe Bible Commentary and the ESV Study Bible.)

Zechariah is the longest of all the Minor Prophets and arguably the most difficult OT book to interpret. It may be called the “Book of Revelation” of the OT. It contains a great frequency of visions, angelic mediation, apocalyptic language, and Messianic predictions. Many speculative and questionable interpretations have arisen from Zech 9-14 (see below). The safest course is to interpret Zech 9-14 based on the passages quoted by Jesus and the NT writers.

In Zech 1-8 the prophet exhorted the people to rebuild the temple. Zech 9 opens much later. The temple has long been finished, but the people have become discouraged. Gentiles have not flocked to the temple as the Jews had hoped, and later Persian rulers have not been so kind and considerate. So the prophet, as an old man, comes forth once more to comfort God’s people.

Zech 9-14 consists of two “burdens” (oracles) that were given to the prophet. The first (chs. 9-11) addresses the heathen enemies of Israel. The second (chs. 12-14) addresses Israel herself. There is some overlap between the two. Both highlight the coming Messiah and His reign.

Theme: The Coming of the King

Outline:

Chs. 9-11   The First Burden: The Nations and the Coming Messiah

The heathen nations would fall, and the Messianic King would come and rule in peace. However, He would be rejected as a shepherd despised and cast away, to be sold for the paltry price of a wounded slave.

9:1-17        The return of the king

9:1-8 The divine warrior comes against Israel’s enemies.

9:9-11        The king enters Jerusalem

The gospels interpret this in reference to Jesus and the triumphal entry (Matt 21:5; John 12:15).

9:12-17 The king’s enemies destroyed and his people redeemed

10:1-12     The shepherds and the flock

10:1-5        Judgment on Judah’s shepherds (cf. Ezek 34:1-16)

10:6-12  The restoration of the flock

11:1-17     The shepherds and one shepherd

11:1-3        Judgment on Judah’s shepherds

11:4-17  An object lesson: the shepherd rescues his flock but is rejected

Zechariah became a shepherd, leading them with staffs called “Favor” and “Union.”  He removed three evil shepherds and rescued his sheep. However, they would not follow him. So he left them to be destroyed, and he broke his “Favor” staff, annulling his covenant. He received his terribly low wages, which he threw to the potter. Then he broke his “union” staff, signifying that Israel and Judah refused to be united under his leadership.

The gospels interpret 11:12-13 in reference to Jesus and the 30 silver coins (Matt 27:3-10).

Chs. 12-14 The Second Burden: Israel and the Coming Messiah

Though the shepherd would be rejected and refused, the kingdom of God would still prevail. The old, antiquated order, seen in the ancient city of Jerusalem, would pass. The new order would take its place, characterized by holiness in all its elements.

12:1-13:6            The restoration and renewal of God’s people

12:1-9        Jerusalem’s triumph and the nations’ doom

12:10-14  Mourning for sin

13:1-6        Cleansing from sin and idolatry

13:7-14:21         Judgment and transformation

13:7-9        The shepherd struck and the flock scattered

Jesus interpreted this in reference to Himself and the apostles (Matt 26:31).

14:1-11 Jerusalem’s judgment, deliverance, and exaltation

14:12-21 The nations humbled and brought into submission

Picture of a great battle, all the nations against Jerusalem. The Lord’s feet stand on the Mount of Olives, which is split in two. The result is an east-west valley in the middle. No light, cold, frost, day or night. Living waters flowing from Jerusalem, half to the Dead Sea and half to the Mediterranean. The nations’ gold, silver, and garments are collected in abundance. Enemies are struck by a plague. Survivors of all nations observe the Jewish Feast of Booths in Jerusalem. All the utensils in the temple are holy, and animal sacrifices continue.

We must not forget the prophets’ symbolic imagery, as some have done. Some have interpreted this passage “literally,” thinking that each item will physically occur at Jesus’ second coming and that He will begin an earthly 1,000-year reign in Jerusalem. They connect this passage with Rev 20:1-6, which they must also understand “literally.” They then explain that, before Jesus can return, all the ethnic Jews must return to Jerusalem to fulfill this passage! So they strongly support Israel as a physical nation to which the Jews can return. They then insist that, before Jesus can come, the Jewish temple must be rebuilt so that Jewish sacrifices can be offered!

However, the old covenant has been superseded by the new. Animal sacrifices have been replaced by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. God’s new “Israel” is the church. Jesus’ return will bring us, not to earth, but to the place in heaven that He has gone to prepare. If these interpreters were right, Jesus’ second coming would take us backwards, from the Christian covenant (open to all nations) to the Mosaic covenant (with the Jews). Zech 14 may simply be an apocalyptic description of God’s victory for His people and triumph over His foes.

Key verses from Zechariah 9-14:

Zech 9:16 On that day the Lord their God will save them, as the flock of his people; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land.

Zec 10:6 “I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back because I have compassion on them, and they shall be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the Lord their God and I will answer them.”