Deeper Commentary

Zechariah Chapter 12

Zechariah 12:1 An oracle. The word of Yahweh concerning Israel- The previous chapter has stated that the potential unity between Israel and Judah at the restoration had now been broken; that was not to happen at Zechariah's time. But Judah's judgments in the last days would in fact bring about the final fulfilment of God's plans, which He had potentially enabled for fulfilment at Zechariah's time. And so "Israel" is addressed as Jerusalem, capital of Judah (:2), and used as a parallel with "Judah".

Yahweh, who stretches out the heavens, and lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him says- God's ability to stretch out the eretz and the sky above it was a figure understood to refer to His ability to rebuild and restore that land and its people, just as He had stretched out and founded the literal heavens and earth (Is. 40:22; 42:5; 44:24; 45:12 and often). He had promised to place His Spirit in the restored Judah at their return from captivity (Ez. 37). All these Divine capabilities, and therefore human potentials, had been refused by the Judah of Zechariah's day. But they would again become possible in the last days.

Zechariah 12:2 Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of reeling to all the surrounding peoples, and on Judah also will it be in the siege against Jerusalem- As explained on :1, the focus now is specifically upon the latter day, final fulfilment of God's prophetic purpose for Judah and Jerusalem. Babylon is depicted as a latter day entity which gives a cup to others to drink; and that cup is here defined as Jerusalem. There will be a requirement that all within latter day Babylon are somehow associated with Jerusalem, and this will cause their condemnation; for the cup is also a symbol of condemnation. It is their 'taking' of Jerusalem which is the taking of the cup of condemnation. The "surrounding peoples" are the constituents, therefore, of the latter day Babylon which Revelation constructs upon the basis of prophecies such as this. And this is the arena of focus of Bible prophecy- the land promised to Abraham and its immediate neighbours. These "surrounding peoples" are "all the nations of the earth / eretz promised to Abraham" of :3. We notice the increased focus upon Jerusalem in radical Islamist theology. The "siege against Jerusalem" seems to refer to that of the last days and not AD70, for the "surrounding peoples" were not destroyed then as required by :3,4.

Zechariah 12:3 It will happen in that day- Zech. 12:3-11 is a passage which contains seven occurrences of the phrase "In that day...". The passage does not have to be interpreted chronologically; this is a list of events which will occur around the same time, "in that day". They are snapshots of the same scene from different angles. The seals of Rev. 6 and the repeated references to a three and a half year tribulation period can be understood likewise; they do not necessarily refer to chronologically different events, but are giving different aspects of information about the same basic scene. The lack of strict chronological sequence in prophecy is a major feature of the Old Testament; thus a consideration of the phrase “in that day..." in Isaiah reveals that the context 'jumps around' all over the place, from the first coming of Christ to the Babylonian invasion to the Kingdom. There is no reason to think that Revelation is any different.

That I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all the peoples- Babylon's judgment will be to have a stone placed around them and then to be thrown into the sea (Rev. 18:21). But they will themselves have prepared this judgment, by lading themselves with the stone of Jerusalem. "All the peoples" therefore refer to all those within the Babylon confederacy of the last days.

All who trample upon it will be severely wounded, and all the nations of the earth will be gathered together against it- The nations of the eretz promised to Abraham are the "surrounding peoples" of :2. They will be gathered together against it through accepting a radical jihadist theology which focuses upon Jerusalem; and  that theology is clearly now in development. This trampling upon Jerusalem is clear evidence that Jerusalem will fall. Israel and the IDF are not invincible, as some Protestants like to imply. This is the time when Jerusalem is trodden underfoot of the Gentiles during the "times of the Gentiles" [domination of Jerusalem]; see on Lk. 21:24. Those "times" appear to be the 1260 days / 42 months / three and a half years of other prophecies. "Severely wounded" is literally "cut to pieces", and this is the picture of Dan. 2:44; the stone of God's Kingdom shall dash to pieces those who trample upon the stone of Zion.

 

Zechariah 12:4 In that day, says Yahweh, I will strike every horse with terror, and his rider with madness- All the apparently invincible military technology of the latter day invasion will be brought to nothing and revealed as foolishness. To be struck with terror and madness from Yahweh is the very term used of God's judgments upon Israel for their disobedience (Dt. 28:28). All that was done to Israel will be done to their abusers. The confounding of the horse riders is that spoken of in Zech. 10:5, and it is to be achieved by God working through a repentant Jewish remnant.

And I will open My eyes on the house of Judah, and will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness- God's eyes are a metaphor for His Angels. The Angel Michael is described as "standing up" for Israel in the last days (Dan. 12:1); as if Angelic activity on Israel's behalf  revives in the last days. Striking with blindness recalls what the Angels did to the men of Sodom, in order to preserve a tiny remnant of God's people within it. And those events typify the latter day salvation of the remnant from the city called Sodom, which is Jerusalem. The image of blind horses may mean in modern terms that some sensory technology which is used in weaponry will be disabled. We note that horse riders are used to represent the latter day invaders of Israel in Revelation, and also in the prophecy of Gog's invasion (Ez. 38:15).
 
Zechariah 12:5 The chieftains of Judah will say in their heart, ‘The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in Yahweh of Armies their God’- The chieftains or governors of Judah are referred to in Zech. 9:7, where they refer to repentant Jews and Gentiles. These repentant ones who will become the rulers in the restored Kingdom of God will be strengthened by those then dwelling in Jerusalem. And those are "Yahweh of Armies", the Angels with which the Lord Jesus will return to earth, the saviours who appear on mount Zion to deliver her from her latter day abusers (see on Obadiah 21). This shows how Angels will be very much in evidence on earth at the time of Jerusalem's surrounding by armies and Armageddon. : "The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of Hosts (Angels) their God". Who this 'God' refers to is defined in :8: "He that is feeble amongst them (the "inhabitants of Jerusalem") at that day shall be as David, and the house of David shall be as God, as the Angel of the Lord (which will go) before them". This implies that the inhabitants of Jerusalem will have the same power as the hosts of Angels which will have been seen fighting "before them". Thus the Jews will "walk up and down in His Name" (Zech. 10:12) as the Angels are now said to do (Zech. 1:11; Job 1:7).

Zechariah 12:6 In that day I will make the chieftains of Judah like a pan of fire among wood, and like a flaming torch among sheaves; and they will devour all the surrounding peoples, on the right hand and on the left- As explained on 2 Pet. 3:7,12, literal fire will be used to destroy the latter day abusers of God's land and people. And that fire will be directed by the chieftains of Judah, who as explained on :5 refer to the repentant Jewish remnant now directly empowered by the Angels who have returned with Jesus to Zion; and those Angels are made as a flaming fire (Ps. 104:4). We see again how the faithful Jews on earth will be in step with the Angel cherubim above them. The invaders will be as "sheaves" awaiting judgment- the idea of 'Armageddon', cp. Mic. 4:12.

And Jerusalem will yet again dwell in their own place, even in Jerusalem- "Jerusalem" is here put for its people, the daughter of Zion.

Zechariah 12:7 Yahweh also will save- 'Jesus' means in Hebrew 'Yah will save'. His second coming is here in view.

The tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem be not magnified above Judah- This is reflective of how David reigned first over Judah and then later took Jerusalem and all Israel (2 Sam. 5:3). The Lord Jesus as the true Davidic king will act as His forefather. "First" can be as LXX and others, "as in the beginning" or "as in former days". The theme is of the restoration of the Davidic kingdom as God's Kingdom. In the Kingdom to be established, association with any particular place or family line, even David's, will be irrelevant compared to the glory of the Lord Jesus. And this needed to be written, for the generations to come after Zechariah would tend to glory in such things.

 

Zechariah 12:8 In that day Yahweh will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem- I suggested on :5 that this term there referred to the Angels who come to Zion at the Lord's second coming. But here it refers to the human Jews in Zion (see :10); because they will be identified with the Angels, "like the Angel of Yahweh", as this verse goes on to say. This may appear to contradict the command of the Olivet prophecy to flee Jerusalem (Mt. 24:16). We see here an example of God's grace. Those who were commanded to flee, but did not, are still saved- but by grace alone.

He who is feeble among them at that day will be like David- The theme of Zechariah is the restoration of the Davidic king and kingdom; but the final, latter day fulfilment of this is that all God's people shall be as David. "Feeble" is literally 'he who has stumbled' and is often used in a spiritual sense, as it is in Mal. 2:8 of the spiritually stumbled / fallen exiles. But they will then repent, and from their weakness will be made spiritually strong by the gift of the Spirit.

 

And the house of David will be like God- David accepted that his house / family was "not so with God" (2 Sam. 23:5), but in the last days it will be; for the Lord Jesus and His spiritual children are in that sense from the house of David. God's family will be David's family.

Like the angel of Yahweh before them- As often noted, the repentant Jews on earth were to be identified with the Angel cherubim above them. See on :5; Zech. 10:12.

 

Zechariah 12:9 It will happen in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem- These nations are the "surrounding peoples" of :2, who are gathered against Jerusalem by accepting a theology which persuades them that Jerusalem must be taken by them at all costs; see on :3. The Hebrew for "destroy" is used multiple times in Deuteronomy about the destruction of the nations of the eretz so that Israel could inherit that land. And this continues to be the context and frame of reference here.

Zechariah 12:10 I will pour on the house of David, and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication- The restored exiles had been offered a new covenant with God, which would involve His Spirit being put into them, "a new heart" given, and all the blessings of the gift of the Spirit which the New Testament promises to those who accept that same new covenant today. They had then refused it, but now in repentance they will accept it. This spiritual gift will lead them to the acceptance of the crucified Christ now spoken of. The spirit of supplications is GNB "the spirit of prayer". As Paul puts it, we know not what to pray for as we ought (Rom. 8:26), but the gift of the Spirit makes supplication for us. For those open to the Spirit, we are guided what to pray for, and our relationship with God and Jesus in prayer is guided by His Spirit. This will be experienced by the repentant Jews.

 

And they will look to Me whom they have pierced- Simeon had prophesied that a sword would pierce Mary's heart as it also pierced that of Christ her son (Lk. 2:35). This is one reason for thinking that Mary may still have been at the cross when the Lord died. It could be that John took her to his home, arm round her shoulders as she wrestled with the desire to take one last motherly look back, and then returned himself to the cross; and then Mary crept back, almost hot on his heels, or perhaps choosing another route, and hiding somewhere in the crowd where neither her son nor John, her new son, would see her. To me, this has the ring of truth about it. Simeon's prophecy, as that sweet baby in cheap cloths lay cradled in his arms, seems to imply that as the Lord's heart was pierced, so would his mother's be. Are we to conclude from this that there was a heart-piercing groan within her, as she saw the spear head enter and the blood flow out? Each time they called out ‘Come down from the cross!’, her heart must have been in her mouth. Would He? She had learnt the lesson of Cana, not to pressurize Him for convenient miracles; not to catch His eye as if to say ‘Go on, do it, for my sake’. But nonetheless, because she was only human, she would have hoped against hope. But now, the finality of death forced itself upon her. And her heart was pierced in that moment. Yet Yahweh Himself had prophesied, years before: " They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him... and shall be in bitterness for him" (Zech. 12:10 AV). The use of pronouns here seems to mean that God was in Christ on the cross, reconciling the world unto Himself (2 Cor. 5:19). When the Son was pierced, so was the Father. And so at the moment of that sword-thrust, we see the connection of both parents with their suffering Son. As He was pierced, so were the Father and mother. Here we see the wonder and yet the tragedy of the Divine family. We have a very rare insight into the relationship between the Father and Mary. The notion of personal pre-existence and total Deity of Christ destroys this beauty and mystery. Indeed, the whole relationship between the Lord and His mother and Father is surpassingly beautiful, once His nature is correctly understood.

These words are quoted in Rev. 1:7: "Behold, he comes with the clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they that pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over him". This passage from Zechariah appears to be a prophecy of how Israel shall see the Lord at His second coming, and that is the interpretation given here. Those who crucified the Lord had this prophecy come true as they looked upon and gloated over the pierced Lord Jesus on the cross (see on Jn. 19:37). But it shall come true again, when they are resurrected to judgment at the last day, see His enthronement in glory ["he comes with the clouds" is the language of Dan. 7 about this], realize from marks in His body that this is the one whom they crucified, exclaim "Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord!" (Mt. 23:39), but find they are not able to be in His Kingdom. That bitter disappointment at the future they have missed, that they now so want, with all the resulting self-anger, is described as weeping and gnashing of teeth. That will be psychological punishment enough for the rejected. "The tribes of the earth", every eye of them, shall see the Lord in that moment. "The earth" refers to the land, of Israel; all those who looked upon Him upon the cross, "every eye", shall then be resurrected to see Him and mourn bitterly over what they did. The "every eye" is I suggest unpacked and defined by "they that pierced him" and "all the tribes of the land". The "and..." does not have to mean 'in addition to'; it can be a device for defining the term which has gone before it. As if to say 'Yes, even...'.

And they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and will grieve bitterly for him- Men would look upon the pierced (i.e. crucified) Saviour, and mourn in recognition of their own sinfulness. This verse is quoted as having fulfilment both at the crucifixion (Jn. 19:37) and also at the final judgment (Rev. 1:7). There is strong connection between these two events. And so it has been observed that the cross divided men into two categories: The repentant thief and the bitter one; the soldiers who mocked and the Centurion who believed; the Sanhedrin members who believed and those who mocked; the women who lamented but didn't obey His word, and those whose weeping isn't recorded, but who stood and watched and thought; the people who beat their breasts in repentance, and those who mocked as to whether Elijah would come to save the Lord. In coming before the cross we likewise have a foretaste of judgment day.

As one grieves for his firstborn- The idea is of a firstborn who dies in babyhood, with no other children. All the parent had has been lost. This is a window into God's feelings at the loss of His only begotten son; and their mourning would help them know His feelings. And it was the Lord Jesus Himself was "grieved" in His crucifixion sufferings (s.w. Gen. 49:23).

Zechariah 12:11 In that day there will be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon- The historical event in view seems to be the mourning for Josiah in that location, for which Jeremiah wrote special lamentations (2 Chron. 35:22,25).

Zechariah 12:12 The land will mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart- This mourning is that of the last days. We can conclude that David and his son Nathan and their families will be resurrected, the Davidic kingdom will be so fully restored; and will mourn for what their descendants had done to the Lord Jesus, their great descendant. Zerubbabel, the failed potential Davidic king, was in the line of Nathan (1 Chron. 3:5; Lk. 3:27,31) and perhaps the mourning will also be for all the failed potentials.

And their wives apart- The emphasis upon how the wives would mourn separately is to highlight the fact that repentance is deeply personal; religion is not just for men, as it was traditionally. Every man and woman of every family would realize their guilt for having failed to accept Jesus as Christ, and for having thereby sided with His historical persecutors and crucifiers.

Zechariah 12:13 The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of the Shimeites apart, and their wives apart- The idea is that the kingly (:12) and priestly (:13) families would mourn; and this would have been also because of how Joshua had failed to be the priestly king and high priest which he could have been (see on Zech. 3:1; 6:11). Why mention the Shimeites particularly? The LXX gives, "the tribe of Simeon", and after the exile it seems that this tribe was also accepted into the priesthood. "Simeon and Levi" are connected in Gen. 49:5. They were between them particularly responsible for the Lord's death, hence their mourning. They would mourn "apart", i.e. from their own deep sense of personal sin; rather than guilt being as it were elicited from the proximity of others in mourning. All emotional response tends to be influenced by those close to us; but this was and is not to be when it comes to the issues of repentance, which are so essentially personal.

Zechariah 12:14 All the families who remain, every family apart, and their wives apart- Those who "remain" could refer to the very few Jews who remain alive after the traumas of the last days, and who come to repentance. Or it may mean that all the other tribes / families of Israel would likewise mourn.