ZECHARIAH: GOD’S PRESENT DIRECTIVES AND FUTURE HOPE

XXII: The Second Advent Of Messiah

(Zechariah 14:1-7)

I. Introduction

A. Zechariah along with Haggai called the returning Hebrews back to rebuilding the temple, and he gave God’s directives and future hope. (Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, “Introduction to the Book of Zechariah,” p. 1310)

B. Zechariah chapters 9-14 present two “burdens” or oracles, with Zechariah 9-11 predicting Messiah’s first advent and rejection by Israel and Zechariah 12-14 foretelling His second advent and acceptance by Israel.

C. Zechariah 14:1-7 predicts Christ’s Second Coming to earth, so we view it for our insight and edification:

II. The Second Advent Of Messiah, Zechariah 14:1-7.

A. The phrase “the day of the Lord cometh” (KJV) in the Hebrew text at Zechariah 14:1a translates literally, “a day is coming – the Lord’s” (yom-ba’ leyahweh) where Zechariah emphasized that this day was “distinctively and pre-eminently His.” (Merrill F. Unger, Zechariah, 1974, p. 240)

B. At this time, the spoil that is taken from Jerusalem by Gentile conquerors “will be distributed among Jerusalem’s conquerors, leisurely and deliberately in the very city itself,” Zechariah 14:1b; Ibid., p. 241. This statement implies that Jerusalem will be dire straits, which in turn become God’s opportunity as described in Zechariah 14:4-8 to deliver Jerusalem with the second advent of Messiah, her Deliverer and Savior, Ibid.

C. At this time, God will assemble all Gentile nations against Jerusalem for battle, the city will be defeated, the houses plundered, the women raped, with half of the city dwellers going into foreign captivity while the rest will not be cut off from the city, Zechariah 14:2; Ibid., p. 242-243.

D. At this time of Israel’s complete defeat, brutalization, and threatened extinction by her enemies along with the seeming collapse of God’s promises to her forefathers about Israel’s Messianic Kingdom, when there will exist the “most gigantic and virulent outburst of demon-inspired anti-Semitism the world has ever seen,” it will all “be irremediably destroyed by the Lord Himself,” Zechariah 14:3; Ibid., p. 244.

E. Christ will descend from heaven in the clouds and His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives east of Jerusalem (fulfilling the prophecies of Mark 14:62b and Acts 1:11), and that mount will be split in its midst from east to west, forming a great valley with half of the mount moving to the north and the other to the south, Zech. 14:4.

F. Through this valley the people of Jerusalem will flee away from Jerusalem like they fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah the king of Judah, and the Lord Who is Zechariah’s God, the God Incarnate Jesus Christ, will come to Jerusalem along with all of His “holy ones,” Zechariah 14:5; Ibid., p. 249.

G. These “holy ones” will include heavenly angels and the glorified Church that will by then have been raptured before the Tribulation Period, Zechariah 14:5; Ibid., p. 247-250. [Since the rapture forever unites Christians with Christ (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:17), the glorified Church will accompany Christ at this His Second Coming to the earth! (Colossians 3:4; Ibid., p. 250)]

H. This advent of Messiah Jesus Christ will be accompanied with great changes in the stellar universe, for at that time, the daylight will apparently be murky and at evening it will be light (Zechariah 14:6-7). The stars will not give their light, the sun will be dark and the moon will not send its light (cf. Isaiah 13:9,10) as these stellar bodies dim in honor of the appearing of the Lord of hosts in His great glory, Isaiah 24:23; Ibid., p. 250-251.

Lesson: At the worst possible time of trouble for the nation Israel in the Great Tribulation, Christ will come with His holy angles and glorified Church in great glory to deliver the godly remnant of Israel and prepare to establish His Messianic Kingdom in fulfillment of His covenant promises to Israel’s forefathers.

Application: (1) The Genesis 12:1-3 Abrahamic Covenant is still applicable, so we must treat Hebrew people well and not be anti-Semitic to avoid God’s punishment and enjoy His blessing. (2) Though we may wonder why God will allow Israel to face the atrocities that are mentioned in this passage, we must recall that God’s purpose in allowing the Great Tribulation to occur is to discipline Israel for her rejection of Messiah Jesus at His first Advent (Zechariah 11:15-17), and to get the Remnant to repent in preparation for accepting their Messiah at His return. Thus, may WE repent and confess our sins lest we ALSO face God’s severe discipline! (3) May we believers in the Church era rejoice in our future hope of returning with Christ in glory to participate in His Messianic Kingdom blessings, and thus may we be devoted to fulfilling the Great Commission of discipling the nations today that more people may be added to the Church before the rapture! (4) May we believers not love this world which is passing away, which will also be destroyed by Christ at His Coming, but love and serve the Lord, 1 John 2:15-17.