Yesterday we studied the kingdom. The day before that we studied the King. Today we are going to study the King's subjects. When this King reigns over the earth, all the nations will be subject to Him, but first and foremost He is Israel's king, so Zechariah tells us what He is going to do for Israel.
"I will bend Judah as I bend My bow and fill it with Ephraim. I will rouse your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece, and make you like a warrior's sword." (Zechariah 9:13) In this verse we find a united Israel. Judah and Benjamin made up the southern kingdom, but since the tribe of Judah was so enormous and the tribe of Benjamin was so small, the kingdom came to be called simply "Judah". Likewise, Ephraim was the largest of the northern ten tribes, so the northern kingdom is often called "Ephraim" in the Old Testament. Here we see all twelve tribes working together, united as one nation quite literally under God.
There is some dissension regarding what is meant by the sons of Zion being roused militarily against the sons of Greece. This may have been partially fulfilled in the days of the Maccabees, during the Jewish revolt against the wicked Antiochus Ephiphanes, one of the kings who arose out of the divided remains of the Greek Empire after the death of Alexander the Great. Those of you who studied the book of Daniel with us will know that Antiochus is the "little Antichrist" of the Old Testament. He harbored an intense spirit of anti-Semitism, banning many of the Jewish religious practices, making possession of a copy of the Torah a capital offense, and even desecrating the temple. Through a series of battles and skirmishes, the Maccabees gained control of Jerusalem and the temple, cleansing the temple so worship could be reinstated. Antiochus sent a large army in reply to this, but he died before his orders could be carried out, and his successor granted the Jews their religious freedom.
There appears, though, to remain a future fulfillment of the prophecy of verse 13 that will occur when the King comes. This verse is related so closely with the kingdom age that there must be more to it than the Maccabean revolt. In the New Testament we often find the word "Greek" used for "Gentiles", meaning all the nations other than Israel. I think a clue to what this prophecy entails may be found in Luke 21:24b where Jesus tells His listeners, "Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled." Though Israel is a sovereign nation in the world today, it cannot be said that she holds control over Jerusalem, and she certainly does not have control over the Temple Mount. Jerusalem began to be trampled on by the Gentiles when the city fell to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and it has been trampled on by the Gentiles ever since. But a day is coming in which this city will once again fully belong to Israel and to her King. In that day when the Gentiles visit it, it will be to worship the King and to extend the hand of friendship to Israel.
Zechariah's prophecy continues, "Then the Lord will appear over them; His arrow will flash like lightning. The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet; He will march in the storms of the south, and the Lord Almighty will shield them." (Zechariah 9:14-15a) I am reminded of what the Lord said to King Jehoshaphat of Judah when a coalition came against him. He was vastly outnumbered. In fact, Israel was vastly outnumbered in many of the battles we find her fighting in the Bible. Her victories were won because her God fought for her, as He did for King Jehoshaphat, saying, "Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not your's, but God's." Zechariah foresees a day when Israel will have no enemies in the world. God will "appear over them", because the Lord "is a sun and shield". (Psalm 84:11a) He is the light of Israel and the protector of Israel.
"They will destroy and overcome with slingstones. They will drink and roar as with wine; they will be full like a bowl used for sprinkling the corners of the altar." (Zechariah 9:15b) There is a great deal of disagreement among Bible scholars over the meaning of this verse. Some ancient armies literally drank the blood of their enemies, although this cannot be the case with Israel, since the eating or drinking of blood is forbidden and is an abomination to God. Some versions of the Bible render this verse as having to do with the abundance of new wine and the prosperity of the kingdom age, but there are some problems with this as well, since the verse clearly has to do with a military victory. I think Zechariah uses this verse as a metaphor for the celebratory attitude of those for whom a battle has been won. Victorious armies in ancient times would go back to their camp and feast and drink and make merry.
I think what is in view here is the type of celebration we find David writing about in Psalm 118 when he thanks the Lord for battles won, "All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down. They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down. They swarmed around me like bees, but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them down. I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation. Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: 'The Lord's right hand has done mighty things! The Lord's right hand is lifted high; the Lord's right hand has done mighty things!'" (Psalm 118:10-16) David paints the picture of a victorious army celebrating in the camp. The victory was won not by the strength of man, but by the strength of God.
Our passage today concludes with this beautiful promise to God's people Israel, "The Lord their God will save His people on that day as a shepherd saves his flock. They will sparkle in His land like jewels in a crown. How attractive and beautiful they will be! Grain will make the young men thrive, and new wine the young women." (Zechariah 9:16-17) In Zechariah's day the people didn't feel very beautiful after coming out of a long season of captivity and correction. The land itself wasn't beautiful, having been reduced to rubble with all its gates and fences broken down and thorns covering the fields. But a day is coming in which God's people will sparkle like diamonds in a royal crown, when the land will be restored to an Eden-like state. When the righteous King rules from David's throne, the people will rejoice like never before. As King Solomon says, "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice." (Proverbs 29:2a) Under the authority of the King of kings and Lord of lords, His subjects will rejoice forever.
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