1THE BURDEN or oracle (the thing to be lifted up) of the word of the Lord concerning Israel:
On when Zechariah lived:
His prophetical career began in the second year of Darius, king of Persia (B.C. 520), about sixteen years after the return of the first company from their Babylonian exile. He was contemporary with Haggai (Ezra 5:1). (Wikipedia)
Back to Zechariah 12:
2Behold, I am about to make Jerusalem a cup or bowl of reeling to all the peoples round about, and in the siege against Jerusalem will there also be a siege against and upon Judah.
3And in that day I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all peoples; all who lift it or burden themselves with it shall be sorely wounded. And all the nations of the earth shall come and gather together against it.
“I am about to” – would seem to provide a short timeline, no???
Since this is the time period in which the Persians ordered those nations under its control to allow the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls and the Temple, it would be fulfilled at that time.
It would also be fulfilled over and over in the history of Israel. It has been a battle ground for many contending empires…
4In that day, says the Lord, I will smite every horse [of the armies that contend against Jerusalem] with terror and panic and his rider with madness;
Despite God using the nations around Israel to oppress them, due to their lack of faith in and acknowledgment of Him, Israel is still God’s people — and will ultimately be redeemed.
Islam teaches the Mahdi will lead armies to defeat Israel and found an empire in Jerusalem at the Dome of the Rock:
In their book, Al Mahdi and the End of Time, Muhammad ibn Izzat and Muhammad Arif, two well-known Egyptian authors, identify the Mahdi in the Book of Revelation, quoting the hadith narrator Ka’ab al-Ahbar.
In one place, they write,
“I find the Mahdi recorded in the books of the Prophets… For instance, the Book of Revelation says: “And I saw and behold a white horse. He that sat on him […] went forth conquering and to conquer.”
Ibn Izzat and Arif then go on to say:
“It is clear that this man is the Mahdi who will ride the white horse and judge by the Qur’an (with justice) and with whom will be men with marks of prostration (zabiba) on their foreheads.”[44]
Back to Zechariah
6In that day will I make the chiefs of Judah like a big, blazing pot among [sticks of] wood and like a flaming torch among sheaves [of grain], and they shall devour all the peoples round about, on the right hand and on the left; and they of Jerusalem shall yet again dwell and sit securely in their own place, in Jerusalem.
Again, God will redeem Israel from its enemies. At times in prophecy, the “securely” is deemed to last “forever” which would mark the period as the end of time – though not here (so far).
9And it shall be in that day that I will make it My aim to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
The next is a big one – with a big B and O:
10And I will pour out upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace or unmerited favor and supplication. And they shall look [earnestly] upon Me Whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him as one who is in bitterness for his firstborn.
That is a prophecy of Christ!
Which would make these predictions about war against Jerusalem and victory for Israel at least an End Times prophecy too.
It seems when Jesus returns to defeat the nations warring against Israel, many convert out of the house of Israel will be made…
11In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of [the city of] Hadadrimmon in the Valley of Megiddo [over beloved King [b]Josiah].
I’ve read the bible off and on since high school – more consistently the last few years (I’m 41) – and I spent more time in the Old Testament as an adult, because I felt I was not taught as much about it in church.
So, I’ve read these verses before, but it didn’t stick out in my mind that I remember.
But – wow —
If you are a Jew, I would think this would be at least a little confusing:
Up to verse 9, everything is great for them and Israel – God is putting down all their enemies and granting on them unmerited glory.
Then suddenly from verse 10 to the end, what are the Israelis to do? Jump for joy and celebrate? No. They are too mourn individually in great sorrow for not having given God the respect that would have merited their deliverance.
For Christian, however, this is amazing – truly.
For us, Jesus was pierced on the cross when he died for our sins and gave us unmerited salvation!
And in the 1 book of prophecy we have in the NT, this final war God will have with the enemies of His people takes place in – Megiddo!!
It does seem clear: During the End Times, when the Messiah comes (the Christian 2nd coming and the Jewish 1st), many Jews will recognize both their Messiah and that they failed to recognize His first coming…
—-You can read here for my thoughts on the overall value of pouring over the details of prophecy like this.
As far as my faith and salvation goes, it means nothing. It is more of an intellectual and spiritual curiosity.
