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ZECHARIAH CHAPTER 10
I) MESSIAH WILL DESTROY THE FALSE SHEPHERDS AT HIS COMING
A) INTRODUCTION
[Matthew Henry's Commentary]:
"The scope of this chapter is much the same with that of the foregoing chapter--to encourage the Jews that had returned with hopes that though they had been under divine rebukes for their negligence in rebuilding the temple, and were now surrounded with enemies and dangers, yet God would do them good, and make them prosperous at home and victorious abroad.
Now,
I. They are here directed to eye the great God in all events that concerned them, and, both in the evils they suffered and in the comforts they desired, to acknowledge his hand, ver. 1-4.
II. They are encouraged to expect strength and success from him in all their struggles with the enemies of their church and state, and to hope that the issue would be glorious at last, ver. 5-12."
A) [Zech 10:1-5]:
(v. 1) '''Ask the LORD for rain in the springtime; it is the LORD who makes the storm clouds. He gives showers of rain to men, and plants of the field to everyone.
(v. 2) The idols speak deceit, diviners see visions that lie; they tell dreams that are false, they give comfort in vain. Therefore the people wander like sheep oppressed for lack of a shepherd.
(v. 3) "My anger burns against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders; for the LORD Almighty will care for his flock, the house of Judah, and make them like a proud horse in battle.
(v. 4) From Judah will come the cornerstone, from him the tent peg, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler.
(v. 5) Together they will be like mighty men trampling the muddy streets in battle. Because the LORD is with them, they will fight and overthrow the horsemen." '''
1) THE SOURCE OF NATURAL BLESSINGS IS THE LORD
(v. 1) '''Ask the LORD for rain in the springtime; it is the LORD who makes the storm clouds. He gives showers of rain to men, and plants of the field to everyone.''' =
a) [Compare Joel 2:23-24]:
(v. 23) "Be glad, O people of Zion, rejoice in the LORD your God, for He has given you the autumn rains in righteousness. He sends you abundant showers, but autumn and spring rains, as before.
(v. 24) The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil."
2) IDOLATROUS AND DECEPTIVE FALSE SHEPHERDS CAUSE THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL TO WANDER LIKE SHEEP
(v. 2) "The idols speak deceit, diviners see visions that lie; they tell dreams that are false, they give comfort in vain. Therefore the people wander like sheep oppressed for lack of a shepherd. (v. 3) My anger burns against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders; for the LORD Almighty will care for his flock, the house of Judah, and make them like a proud horse in battle." =
[The Bible Knowledge Commentary, OT, Walvoord & Zuck, Eds., Victor Books, USA, 1988, p. 1564]:
"The exhortation in verse 1 is transitional, indicating that the source of natural blessings (rain and plants of the field) is the LORD, not idolatrous and deceptive false shepherds (vv. 2-3). As a result of the deception by the false (and apparently foreign) prophets and diviners, God's people wander like sheep. Therefore God announced that He would bring wrath and judgment on the false shepherds and victory to His flock."
a) [Compare Micah 5:4]:
"He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth."
3) THE REMEDY FOR ISRAEL'S DECEPTION FOCUSES ON THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH: THE CORNERSTONE, THE TENT PEG, THE BATTLE BOW AND THE RULER
(v. 4) "From Judah will come the cornerstone, from him the tent peg, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler." =
a) INTRODUCTION
[The New Scofield Study Bible, NIV, C.I. Scofield, D.D., Editor, Oxford Univ. Press, New York, 1967, p. 952]:
"The tense if future, 'From Judah will come the cornerstone from him the tent peg, from him the battle bow,' etc. The whole scene is of the events which cluster around the deliverance of Israel at the time of the invasion of Palestine from the north (Ezek 38-39) and the final liberation which will be completely efffected by the return of the Lord, (Rev 19:11-21); but previously He strengthens the hard-pressed Israelites (Mic 4:13; Zech 9:13-15; 10:5-7; 12:2-6; 14:14). There there may have been a fulfillment in the Maccabean victories can neither be affirmed nor denied from Scripture, but the ultimate fulfillment, when Christ comes again is certain"
[BKC, cont.]:
"The remedy for the nation's deception focuses on the coming of the Messiah Who is described in a fourfold way as the Cornerstone... the Tent Peg...the Battle Bow, and the Ruler."
b) Christ The Cornerstone
[Scofield, op. cit., p. 1296 footnote]:
"Christ is the Rock (or Stone):
(1) stricken that the Spirit of life may flow from Him to all who will drink."
i) [Ex 17:5-6]:
(v. 5) '''The LORD answered Moses, "Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.
(v. 6) I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.'''
ii) [1 Cor 10:1-4]:
(v. 1) "For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea.
(v. 2) They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.
(v. 3) They all ate the same spiritual food
(v. 4) and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ."
iii) [Compare Jn 4:13-14]:
(v. 13) '''Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,
(v. 14) but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." '''
iv) [Compare Jn 7:37-39]:
(v. 37) '''On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.
(v. 38) Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."
(v. 39)
By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to
receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had
not yet been glorified." '''
b cont.) Christ The Cornerstone, cont.
[Scofield, cont.]:
"(2) to the Church, the foundation and chief Cornerstone.
v) [Compare Eph 2:19-20]:
(v. 19) "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, (v. 20) built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone."
b cont.) Christ The Cornerstone, cont.
[Scofield,
cont.]:
to the Jews at His first coming, a stumbling stone'
v) [Compare Ro 9:31-33]:
(v. 31) '''but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it.
(v. 32) Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the "stumbling stone."
(v. 33) As it is written: "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." '''
vi) [Compare Isa 28:16]:
"See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed."
31 but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the "stumbling stone." 33 As it is written: "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."
vii) [Compare 1 Cor 1:23]:
(v. 23) "but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles."
a cont.) Christ The Cornerstone, cont.
[Scofield, cont.]:
"(4) to Israel at His Second Coming, the 'capstone' of the corner."
viii) [Compare Zech 4:7]:
"What are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of 'God bless it! God bless it!' "
b cont.) Christ The Cornerstone, cont.
[Scofield, cont.]:
'''(5) to the Gentile world power, the smiting 'rock cut out, but not by human hands'.'''
ix) [Compare Dan 2:34]:
(v. 34) While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them."
b cont.) Christ The Cornerstone, cont.
[Scofield, cont.]:
"(6) in the divine purpose, the Stone which, after the destruction of Gentile world power, is to grow and fill the earth."
x) [Compare Dan 2:35]:
"Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were broken to pieces at the same time and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth."
b cont.) Christ The Cornerstone, cont.
[Scofield, cont.]:
"(7) to unbelievers, the crushing Stone of judgment that will grind those, upon whom it falls, to powder."
xi) [Mt 21:43-44]:
(v. 43) "Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.
(v. 44) He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed."
3 cont.) THE REMEDY FOR ISRAEL'S DECEPTION FOCUSES ON THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH: THE CORNERSTONE, THE TENT PEG, THE BATTLE BOW AND THE RULER, cont.
c) Jesus Christ as the Battle Bow
i) [Ps 45:5]:
"Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king's enemies; let the nations fall beneath your feet."
d) Jesus Christ as the Ruler
i) [Gen 49:10]:
"The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is His."
ii) [Micah 5:2]:
"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. "
[BKC, cont.]:
"These terms emphasize the strong, stable, victorious, and trustworthy nature of the Messiah's rule. The Lord will not do all the fighting but will empower His people to conquer like mighty men. His presence (He will be with them) will enable them to be vistorious."
II) MESSIAH WILL REGATHER ALL ISRAEL (10:6-12)
(v. 6) "I will strengthen the house of Judah [southern two tribes] and save the house of Joseph [northern ten tribes]. I will restore them because I have compassion on them. They will be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the LORD their God and I will answer them.
(v. 7) The Ephraimites [northern tribes] will become like mighty men, and their hearts will be glad as with wine. Their children will see it and be joyful; their hearts will rejoice in the LORD.
(v. 8) I will signal for them and gather them in. Surely I will redeem them; they will be as numerous as before.
(v. 9) Though I scatter them among the peoples, yet in distant lands they will remember me. They and their children will survive, and they will return.
(v. 10) I will bring them back from Egypt and gather them from Assyria. I will bring them to Gilead and Lebanon, and there will not be room enough for them.
(v. 11) They will pass through the sea of trouble; the surging sea will be subdued and all the depths of the Nile will dry up. Assyria's pride will be brought down and Egypt's scepter will pass away.
(v. 12) I will strengthen them in the LORD and in his name they will walk," declares the LORD.'''
[BKC, cont.]:
"Messiah will regather all Israel (10:6-12). The worldwide scope of this prophecy relating to both Israel and Judah and God's activity on behalf of His Chosen Peole indicate that the final regathering of Israel just before the Second Advent of the Messiah is in view."
A) [Zech 10:6-7]:
(v. 6) "I will strengthen the house of Judah and save the house of Joseph. I will restore them because I have compassion on them. They will be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the LORD their God and I will answer them.
(v. 7) The Ephraimites will become like mighty men, and their hearts will be glad as with wine. Their children will see it and be joyful; their hearts will rejoice in the LORD.
1) GOD ANNOUNCED THAT HE WILL STRENGTHEN AND DELIVER ALL ISRAEL
[BKC, cont.]:
"God announced that He will strengthen (cf. v. 12) and deliver all Israel (Joseph was the father of two major Northern tribes, Ephraim and Manasseh). Because of His compassion they will be restored and reunited."
a) [Compare Hosea 1:11]:
"The people of Judah and the people of Israel will be reunited, and they will appoint one leader and will come up out of the land, for great will be the day of Jezreel."
[BKC, cont.]:
"with their sins forgiven and forgotten - as though I had not rejected them, enjoying comminion with God I will answer them). The name of the northern tribe of Ephraim was sometimes used for the Northern Kingdom."
[Hosea 10:6; 11:8, 12]:
(v. 10:6) "It will be carried to Assyria as tribute for the great king. Ephraim will be disgraced; Israel will be ashamed of its wooden idols.
(v. 11:8) "How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.
(v. 11:12) Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, the house of Israel with deceit. And Judah is unruly against God, even against the faithful Holy One."
[BKC, cont.]:
"Israelites will be glad and joyful and will rejoice in the LORD because of God's blessing on them."
B) [Zech 10:8-10]:
(v. 8) "I will signal for them and gather them in. Surely I will redeem them; they will be as numerous as before.
(v. 9) Though I scatter them among the peoples, yet in distant lands they will remember me. They and their children will survive, and they will return.
(v. 10) I will bring them back from Egypt and gather them from Assyria. I will bring them to Gilead and Lebanon, and there will not be room enough for them."
1) ISRAEL WILL BE REGATHERED FROM PRESENT WORLDWIDE DISPERSION
[BKC, cont.]:
"Israel will be regathered from persent worldwide dispersion. God announced, I will signal for them. The term 'signal' means 'whistle' (as in gathering a swarm of insects)"
a) [Compare Isa 7:18]:
"In that day the LORD will whistle for flies from the distant streams of Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria."
[BKC, cont.]:
"or 'pipe' (as a shepherd using a reed pope to gather his flocks."
b) [Compare Jude 5:16]:
"Why did you stay among the campfires to hear the whistling for the flocks? In the districts of Reuben there was much searching of heart."
[BKC, cont.]:
"The latter meaning seems more appropriate in view of the shepherd/sheep imagery in the general context (Zech 9:16; 10:2-3; 11:4-16; 13:7). Their regathering will be accompanied by redemption and multiplication."
c) [Zech 10:8]:
"I will signal for them and gather them in. Surely I will redeem them; they will be as numerous as before."
d) [Compare Hosea 1:10]:
"Yet the Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted. In the place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called 'sons of the living God.' "
[BKC, cont.]:
"On the human side their return will involve the fact that they will remember God. On the divine side God said, I will bring them back. Egype and Assyria are repreentative of all the countries of Israel's dispersion."
e) [Hosea 11:11]:
''' "They will come trembling like birds from Egypt, like doves from Assyria. I will settle them in their homes," declares the LORD.'''
f) [Zech 10:11]:
"They will pass through the sea of trouble; the surging sea will be subdued and all the depths of the Nile will dry up. Assyria's pride will be brought down and Egypt's scepter will pass away."
[BKC]:
"Egypt and Assyria are representative of all the countries of Israel's dispersion."
g) [Compare Hosea 11:11]:
''' "They will come trembling like birds from Egypt, like doves from Assyria. I will settle them in their homes," declares the LORD.'''
h) [Compare Zech 10:11]:
"They will pass through the sea of trouble; the surging sea will be subdued and all the depths of the Nile will dry up. Assyria's pride will be brought down and Egypt's scepter will pass away."
[BKC]:
"Gilead and Lebanon are probably named to indicate the northern and eastern extents of Israel's occupancy of hte land promised to Abraham."
i) [Compare Gen 15:18]:
'''On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates" '''
j) [Compare Deut 30:1-5]:
(v. 1) "When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come upon you and you take them to heart wherever the LORD your God disperses you among the nations,
(v. 2) and when you and your children return to the LORD your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today,
(v. 3) then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you.
(v. 4) Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the LORD your God will gather you and bring you back.
(v. 5) He will bring you to the land that belonged to your fathers, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers."
C) [Zech 10:11-12]:
(v. 10) ''' "They will pass through the sea of trouble; the surging sea will be subdued and all the depths of the Nile will dry up. Assyria's pride will be brought down and Egypt's scepter will pass away.
(v. 12) I will strengthen them in the LORD and in his name they will walk," declares the LORD.'''
1) IN REGATHERING ISRAEL TO THE LAND, GOD WILL REMOVE EVERY OBSTACLE
[BKC, cont.]:
"In regathering Israel to the land, God will remove every obstacle to restoration, pictured in terms of the ancient deliverance when He brought Israel through the sea on dry land. Again Assyria and Egypt were mentioned to represent all Israel's enemies (cf. v. 10). The prophecy closes with its opening phrase, I will strengthen them, so that Israel's behavior (walk) will be in His name (i.e., she will glorify Him by obeying Him)."