Zechariah 9 – Messiah Has Come!

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim And the horse from Jerusalem; 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.’ Zechariah 9:9-10

Israel has long awaited for their Messiah, He was prophesied since the beginning in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:15) He was foretold by Moses in the Law (Deuteronomy 18:18) He has been foretold by the Prophets like Isaiah, Daniel, including here Zechariah. 

The prophet Zechariah, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, gives us exactly the event that will happen when the Messiah will be proclaimed to the world. We as Christians know this day as Palm Sunday, which Jesus fulfilled this prophecy, among over 300 other Messianic prophecies.

Despite Jesus fulfilling these foretold events, exactly as it was prophesied, many still denied him then, while shouting Hosanna at the beginning, by the end of the week shouting Crucify Him! Why? Because Jesus is not the Messiah, the King, Israel wanted. The Son of God didn’t come with military force, He came to die for our sins on the cross (Isaiah 53, Daniel 9) Jesus defeated Sin, Death, Satan, and Hell on Calvary and rose again the 3rd day to give us eternal life 

What is the sign of the Messiah? “Behold Your King is coming to You, riding on a donkey” Do you not remember this was fulfilled by Jesus of Nazareth? Listen to what the Apostle Matthew documented:

This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: / “Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your King comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey Matthew 21:4-5

But why a Donkey? Why would the Messiah ride in Jerusalem on a colt? Because it was foretold since the beginning, in the Torah, in the book of Genesis:

Judah is a lion’s whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people. Binding his donkey to the vine, And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine, He washed his garments in wine, And his clothes in the blood of grapes. Genesis 49:9-11

The scepter, the Messiah, the King, The Lion of Judah (Revelation 5:5) has been prophesied to come on a donkey, a sign of royalty and meekness. There was nothing accidental that happened on Palm Sunday, it was the Messiah being revealed to the world

Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ Hosanna in the highest!” Matthew 21:9

The Jewish crowds in Jerusalem recognized these signs, they shouted Hosanna (Save Us) from Psalm 118, They called him The Son of David, which is another title for Messiah, Blessed Is He who comes in the name of Yahweh, they knew Jesus is the Messiah, all the signs were there, all the prophecies are fulfilled, so why did they reject him? Same reason why do you reject him?

Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!” Matthew 27:22

What shall we do with Jesus who is called The Messiah? Will you submit to the Messiah? The King of Kings and Lord of Lords? Or will you be a child of the devil, and partake in the murder of the Son of God? 

Messiah has Come! Repent and believe the gospel

Zechariah 9- Judgement Coming

The burden of the word of the LORD Against the land of Hadrach, And Damascus its resting place (For the eyes of men And all the tribes of Israel Are on the LORD); Also against Hamath, which borders on it, And against Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise.  Zechariah 9:1-2

Regardless of how much the world hates Israel and wants to destroy them, God has a plan and divine providence over them. This has been demonstrated in the past, and this will be demonstrated in the future, as Christ will return to save Israel (Romans 11)

What is really interesting, most believe these prophetic words are about the Greek conquer Alexander the Great, however its also a foreshadow of Christ!

Notice this Word of The Lord are a burden, this is the judgement of God on all the nations who have come against and persecuted Israel, the wrath of God will be poured out upon them, we see this happening even today!

And the LORD shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be— “The LORD is one,” And His name one. Zechariah 14:9

For Tyre built herself a tower, Heaped up silver like the dust, And gold like the mire of the streets. Behold, the Lord will cast her out; He will destroy her power in the sea, And she will be devoured by fire. Zechariah 9:3-4

As nation rise against nation, as Jesus prophesied, understand God is in complete control. Many great empires and militaries have come and gone, God allowed them as instruments of judgement and to fulfill His plan for salvation and The Kingdom that will reign forever and ever. 

Notice it says “The Lord will cast her out and destroy her power” God is in complete control

For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places Matthew 24:7

Ashkelon shall see it and fear; Gaza also shall be very sorrowful; And Ekron, for He dried up her expectation. The king shall perish from Gaza, And Ashkelon shall not be inhabited. “A mixed race shall settle in Ashdod, And I will cut off the pride of the Philistines. Zechariah 9:5-6

The Philistines, which we most remember from Goliath, were a powerful empire for many years, however God cut them down, just as He did before with a little shepherd boy named David and a stone. Don’t think any nation or empire is too mighty and strong to fall to the power of our Lord, the King of King and Lord of Lords

So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. 1 Samuel 17:50

I will take away the blood from his mouth, And the abominations from between his teeth. But he who remains, even he shall be for our God, And shall be like a leader in Judah, And Ekron like a Jebusite. I will camp around My house Because of the army, Because of him who passes by and him who returns. No more shall an oppressor pass through them, For now I have seen with My eyes Zechariah 9:7-8

The pagan practices and idolatry performed by the Philistines will be judged by God, wake up Church! The reference to “blood from his mouth” is reference to the pagan practice of drinking blood, a ritual still practiced by the evil and elite of this world. “Abominations from his teeth” the eating of sacrifices to idols and demons, all of this evil will be judged by The Lord 

In the end God promises His divine protection to Israel “no more shall an oppressor pass through them” 

In that day the LORD will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the one who is feeble among them in that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the Angel of the LORD before them. Zechariah 12:8