Old Testament Reading – Joel 3:1-2, 9-17
New Testament Reading – Revelation 17:7-18
The Future Salvation of Israel
“The Coming Day of the Lord”
Zechariah 9:1-17
Wayne J. Edwards, Pastor
On October 7, 2023, a group of Islamic terrorists attacked the nation of Israel, killing 1400 Jews, and abducting 242 hostages, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war on Gaza.
- While the death toll of this war stands at 1,400 Israeli citizens and over 10,000 Gazans, the Prime Minister says there will be no cease-fire until all of the hostages are released and the major leaders of Hamas are neutralized.
- While the mainstream media, the leaders of the democratic party, the leaders of most of the ecumenical denominations, and around 43% of all Americans agree the brutal actions of Hamas were uncalled for, they are quick to declare the root cause of the constant conflict between Israel and Hamas is Israel’s continued “occupation” of the land of Palestine.
- Israel is a sovereign state that occupies only a tiny percentage of the land God gave to Abraham and his seed.
- Hamas is an Iranian – backed terrorist group that openly seeks the destruction of the Israel and the establishment of the State of Palestine. Their call to arms is: “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free!”
According to Genesis 15:18 and Joshua 1:4, the land God gave to Abraham included everything from the Nile River in Egypt to Lebanon (south to north) and everything from the Mediterranean Sea to the Euphrates River (west to east).
- Today, the land that belongs to Israel includes everything modern-day Israel possesses, plus all of the territory occupied by the Palestinians (the West Bank and Gaza), plus some of Egypt and Syria, plus all of Jordan, plus some of Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
- However, today, the Israelites possess only a fraction of the land God promised them, and they will not inhabit it all until Jesus returns to His earthly homeland.
- God reiterated His promise to Abraham’s son, Isaac, and to Isaac’s son, Jacob, whose name was changed to “Israel.”
- God never made such a promise to Ishmael, Abraham’s son, but through Sarah’s handmaid, Hagar.
- The descendants of Isaac and Jacob became the leaders of the 12 tribes of Israel. The descendants of Ishmael became known as Arabs; they were nomads who lived in the desert.
- According to Deuteronomy 30:45, God told the Israelites that even if they were banished from the land, He would bring them back to the land He had given to their ancestors.
- After being scattered around the world for over 1800 years, the Israelites have returned to the land they have claimed as their home for more than 3700 years.
- Contrary to contemporary thought, no independent Arab or Palestinian state ever existed in the area known as Israel.
Just as the “Jew” is proof that God exists, confirming the Bible as God’s Holy Word, the 9th chapter of Zechariah proves that the Bible is the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy.
- The events described in verses 1-8 happened 2,500 years ago.
- Zechariah said they also describe the events that will happen at the end of the Messianic Age.
- However, they also parallel the events that are now happening in Israel.
- 2500 years ago, God allowed Israel’s enemies to chastise His people for a season, but then He allowed those enemies to be defeated by a pagan warrior named Alexander the Great.
- Zechariah said near the end of the age, those same enemies would attack Israel again, but this time, they would be defeated by the Lord Jesus Christ when He returned as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
“What God did through Alexander the Great was a pledge of what He will do through Jesus Christ when He returns as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!”
In Hebrew, the word “Hadrach” describes a period of time.
- In Hebrew, “Had” means sharp, i.e., painful.
- In Hebrew, “Rach” means soft, i.e., gentle.
- In Zechariah 9:1, the prophet said there would come a time when the Lord Jesus would be “sharp” towards Israel’s enemies but “soft” against Israel.
- Daniel and John refer to that time occurring near the end of the last half of the Great Tribulation.
When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey, He was fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9, albeit in two phases:
- First, “humble, and riding on the foal of a donkey.”
- Then, “Just and Victorious.”
- Zechariah would say, “Just as Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of the beginning of the Messianic Age in His first coming, so He will fulfill the second part of that prophecy when He returns.
The locations of the enemies of Israel in that day are the same as they are today:
- Tyre – a city on the southern coast of Lebanon, just south of Beirut, where the Iranian-backed terror group Hezbollah is located. Hezbollah receives billions of dollars in funding each year from Iran, which they use to manufacture rockets.
- Zechariah said, when Jesus comes again, “Tyre shall be consumed with fire.”
- Ashkelon, Ekron, Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod – modern – day cities located on Israel’s southern Mediterranean Coast. While under Israeli control today, 2500 years ago, they were strongholds of the Philistines, the persistent enemy of Israel.
- Zechariah said, “A king will be lost in Gaza, Ashkelon will not be inhabited, strangers will dwell in Ashdod, and the pride of the Philistines will be cut off.”
- Zechariah said, the day will come when the streets of Gaza would not be used to train children to kill but as a study hall to learn all there is to know about God.
- Yemen – home of the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, who continue to launched missiles against Israel.
- Zechariah said, when Jesus returns, “His arrows shall go forth like lightning, and bring retribution on Yemen.”
- Israel – Zechariah said God will “Restore to you a double promise, I will arouse your children, I will make you as the sword of a mighty man.”
- Zechariah 14:1-5, “Behold, the day of the Lord is coming. Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle. And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east.”
- Zechariah 9:10, “The battle bow shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to the nations; His dominion shall be ‘from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.”
God is arranging the world stage for the final events of this age! Are YOU ready?
Have you received Jesus Christ as your Savior and fully surrendered unto Him as your Lord?
