Zechariah 9
Zechariah 9-14 - Prophecies of A Coming Messiah And Future for Israel
The prophecies of Zechariah have to some extent been fulfilled, but they still await a greater fulfillment. This will take place when Jesus Christ returns to conquer all enemies and establish his universal rule of peace and joy. In Zechariah, the time factor therefore has little meaning. Events that cover many years, or perhaps are separated by centuries, may be condensed into one verse. Much shorter periods may be dealt with at length.
Zechariah’s prophecies are not descriptions of historical events that he happens to have written in advance. They are a revelation of God’s purposes given to instruct, warn, encourage, guide and inform his people. Their fulfillment may take different forms in different eras. In some cases, the fulfillment may be closely related to events belonging to the time from Alexander to the Maccabees; in others it may be more concerned with the greater events of Christ’s life and work; and in yet others it may relate more fully to the future events of the return of Christ and the age to come. - Don Fleming
The prophet, in this section, has entered another realm of thought and perspective, much as did Isaiah in the latter part (chaps. 40-66) of his work. . . . The perspective . . . is primarily eschatological, it lacks any indisputable connection to contemporary persons or events, and it is dominated by cryptic allusions to cosmic, redemptive, and messianic themes that have no accompanying interpretation, contrary to the case in Zechariah 1-8. In short, the prophet has broken free of the mold in which he cast the material of the first part and has created a new form in which to express the grand and glorious ideas that permeate his thinking in the second part. - Merrill
Obscure though it is, in places, chapters 9-14 are the most quoted section of the prophets in the passion narratives of the Gospels and, next to Ezekiel, Zechariah has influenced the author of Revelation more than any other Old Testament writer. - Baldwin
Zechariah 9
A Pronouncement of Judgment and a Promise of Salvation
This chapter reveals the destruction of nations, the preservation of Zion, the advent of Messiah, and the deliverance and blessing of Israel. The phrase "on that day" occurs 18 times and points to the distant future. - Thomas Constable
The Word of The Lord Against The Land
Pronouncement
Vs. 1 - A pronouncement: The word of the Lord is against the land
Most commentators note that these predictions of destruction found their near fulfillment in the conquests of Alexander the Great after he defeated the Persian emperor Darius for control of Syria and then moved south towards Egypt.
This section is a prophetic description of Yahweh’s march from the north, using Alexander the Great as His instrument, destroying Gentile nations but preserving the Jews. Zechariah later predicted the coming Roman Empire (Zechariah 11:4-14) and the kingdom of Messiah (Zechariah 12-14). - Thomas Constable
As history shows, the agent of the Lord’s judgment was Alexander the Great. After defeating the Persians (333 B.C.), Alexander moved swiftly toward Egypt. On his march he toppled the cities in the Aramean (Syrian) interior, as well as those on the Mediterranean coast. Yet, on coming to Jerusalem, he refused to destroy it. - Barker
Preservation
Vs. 8 - I will encamp at my house as a guard, against those who march back and forth, and no oppressor will march against them again, for now I have seen with my own eyes.
As Zechariah prophesied, Jerusalem was spared from the devastation of Alexander’s assault. It was Josephus’ opinion that the king preserved the city in response to a dream (Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews).
Rejoice! Your King Is Coming!
Humble and Riding
Vs. 9 - Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout in triumph, Daughter Jerusalem! Look, your King is coming to you;
God used Alexander’s armies to bring His judgment on the Persian empire, but most commentators, and the apostles themselves, noted a later Messianic fulfillment in this prophesied “King.”
Vs. 9 - he is righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
The apostles found direct fulfillment of this prophecy in Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem one week before His crucifixion.
Matthew 21:4-5 - This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled: Tell Daughter Zion, “See, your King is coming to you, gentle, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
John 12:14-15 - Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written: Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion. Look, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt.
In Palestine, the ass was not a despised beast, but a noble one. When a king went to war he rode on a horse, when he came in peace he rode on an ass. It was a conqueror's welcome they sought to give to Jesus, but they never dreamed of the kind of conqueror he wished to be. - William Barclay
As the messianic king, the son of David, Jesus then entered his royal city of Zion. He came not riding a horse as a conquering warlord, but sitting on a donkey as a king of peace, as the Scriptures foretold (see Zechariah 9:9). - Don Fleming
Salvation and Peace
Vs. 10 - he will proclaim peace to the nations. His dominion will extend from sea to sea
Vs. 16 - The Lord their God will save them on that day
The Gospel writers believed Jesus was the coming King, but they said He fulfilled only Zechariah 9:9, not Zechariah 9:10, during His past earthly ministry. - Thomas Constable
Admittedly, exegesis of the passage apart from NT considerations would never uncover the distinction just suggested between the verses. - Merrill
An interesting note from commentators is that, apart from the apostles' teachings, it would be impossible to decipher the vast distance and difference in the donkey and the dominion of the coming King. The nature of prophecy is such that the span of time between two predicted events can be hundreds or thousands of years, even when the prophecies are contained in the same sentence. It’s not difficult to see how many Jews, and other students of prophecy, have struggled to see Jesus, the suffering Servant, as the complete fulfillment of the prophets’ grand visions of salvation and restoration.
Restoration and Blessing
Vs. 10 - The bow of war will be removed, and he will proclaim peace to the nations.
Vs. 12 - today I declare that I will restore double to you.
“On that day,” God will rescue and restore His people. Like all prophecy, there are many interpretive camps for when and how God will accomplish this restoration, but many commentators note a near fulfillment in the Maccabean Revolt of 164 BC and a far fulfillment in the future kingdom of God on earth.
Vs. 13 - I will rouse your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece. I will make you like a warrior’s sword.
This was partially fulfilled in the days of the Maccabees, when God raised up Jews to fight against the successors of Alexander’s Empire. Nevertheless, it seems that the ultimate fulfillment of this promise is yet to come. - David Guzik
Maccabean Revolt
In the year 164 BC, we have what has been called in history the Maccabean revolt. The Maccabean revolt came to pass when a man, a Jewish believer by the name of Mattathias, who had five sons, rose up in protest against the policies of Antiochus and sought to fight a rearguard guerilla warfare-type of insurrection against the Antiochan invaders.
Well, in the beginning of this period, very shortly after the revolt broke out, Mattathias died, and so the leadership of the revolt fell to his third oldest son, whose name was Judas. He assumed or received the name Judas Maccabeus, which means “Judas the Hammerer.” He became a national hero and remains a national hero in Jewish tradition because of his daring and bold raids and forays against the invaders. And he was able to win certain concessions from the rulers in the year 164, which included religious freedom being restored to the Jewish people and the temple being opened once again for the celebration of Jewish worship.
And so, in that year, the Jewish temple was rededicated, and a great feast and celebration ensued, which is celebrated to this very day. The reopening and rededication of the temple took place in the month of December and is celebrated to this day under the feast of Hanukkah. We’re all familiar with the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah, which is a celebration of the victory of Judas Maccabeus in this period of revolt.
In 142, the Jews, under the Maccabees, were able to gain their full freedom from foreign domination, and their liberation and freedom lasted from the year 142 until the year 63 BC, when Palestine was once again conquered. - Ligonier.org
