The entire age of the church fits between Zechariah 9: and 9:10, just as it does between Isaiah 9: and 7 and after the comma in Isaiah 61:2. The prophet is now writing about what will happen when Jesus comes to earth to defeat His enemies and establish His kingdom. At His first advent, He rode a humble donkey; but at His second advent, He will ride a white horse and lead the armies of heaven (Rev. 19:11–21).
Messiah will proclaim peace (vv. 10–13). At the beginning of World War I, British author H.G. Wells published a book called The War That Will End War. On November 11, 1918, at the end of the great war, Prime Minister David Lloyd George said to the British Parliament, “At eleven o’clock this morning came to an end the cruelest and most terrible war that has ever scourged mankind. I hope we may say that thus, this fateful morning, came to an end all wars.” But Wells’ title proved wrong and Lloyd George’s wish was never fulfilled, for war is still with us.
However, when Jesus Christ comes again, He will “speak peace” (v. 10) which means “proclaim peace,” for unlike authors and politicians, when Jesus speaks, His words carry authority and things happen (Ps. 33:9). His Word will go forth with power and there will be a general disarmament around the world. Chariots and war horses will be demobilized, every weapon will be destroyed, and “they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Isa. 2:4; see Mic. 4:3). Our Lord’s rule will be universal, from sea to sea and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth (see Ps. 72:8).
Zechariah 12:1–9 teaches that there will be one last battle before Jesus establishes His kingdom, as the Gentile armies attack Jerusalem. But the Lord will use Judah as His bow and Ephraim as His arrow and defeat all His enemies (9:13). He will call all His exiled people back from the many nations to which they’ve been scattered during this age, and they’ll return to their “stronghold,” which can mean both God their Refuge and the stronghold of Mount Zion. In their land, ruled over by their Messiah, the Jews will receive double blessing in return for all their suffering.
Messiah will march in triumph (9:14—10:1). The image here is that of a storm, not unlike what we read in Psalm 18:7–15 and Habakkuk 3:3–15. Messiah will march forth with a voice like thunder and arrows like lightning, and His army will march with Him. He’ll shield them from danger and death and will enable them to defeat their enemies.
In Zechariah 9:15, the image changes from a storm to a feast, and the prophet pictures the soldiers shouting like men who are drunk with wine. (See 10:7.) But instead of being drunk on wine, they’re “drunk” with the blood of their enemies. Each man is “filled to the brim” like the bowls used at the temple to catch the blood of the sacrifices on the altar (Lev. 4:6–7).
Again, the image changes (Zech. 9:16—10:1) and the army is pictured as a flock of sheep that the Messiah saves by His power. Sheep are the last animals you would take to a war, but Israel has always been God’s special flock (Ps. 100:3) and God “the Shepherd of Israel” (80:1). Zechariah will use the “flock” and “shepherd” images again in his prophecy (Zech. 10:2–3; 11:4–16; 13:7).
Once more, the image changes from sheep to precious stones (9:16). When the high priest Joshua was cleansed and clothed, he received the special holy turban that was his crown (3:5), and then he was crowned with a royal diadem that made him king as well as priest (6:9–12). But now it’s God’s people who are like beautiful precious jewels, sparkling in the land and revealing the beauty of their God.
This section ends with a brief description of the land and the changes God will make for the joy of His people (9:17—10:1). There will be plenty of grain in the fields and fruit in the vineyards because the Lord will provide the rain in its time. How often in their history the Jews turned for help to Baal, the god of storms, instead of turning to the Lord who alone can send the rain. (See 1 Kings 18.) During the Kingdom Age, the land of Palestine will be fruitful and beautiful as God provides the rain that is so necessary for anything to grow.
The promise of rain given in Zechariah 10: may have a spiritual meaning behind it, because the Holy Spirit is spoken of in terms of rain (Isa. 32:15; 44:3; Ezek. 29:39; Hos. 6:3; Joel 2:23–32). God promises to pour out His Spirit on Israel (Zech. 12:10) and bring them to repentance and faith in Christ.
Messiah will strengthen His people (vv. 2–12). Once again the prophet uses the image of the flock, this time a flock led by evil shepherds who cause them to wander and go astray (Matt. 9:36). The Jews were commanded to obey the priests, who would tell them God’s will (Ex. 28:30; Lev. 8:8; Ezra 2:63), but too often the leaders turned to diviners and seers and used idolatrous divination devices which were forbidden by the law (Deut. 18:10–12). Israel in the latter days will be like wandering sheep because their leaders will follow lies instead of God’s truth (see Ezek. 34).
But Messiah will turn the “sheep” into warhorses (v. 3)! He will punish the evil shepherds (leaders) and give victory to His people. Several striking images of Messiah are given in verse 4. The cornerstone speaks of Christ the foundation for His people, the keystone that joins the walls. (See 3: and references to the Stone.) The tent peg refers to Messiah as one on whom burdens may be placed with confidence (see Isa. 22:20–24), and as the battle bow, He is the victorious Warrior who never loses a battle (Ps. 45:5; Isa. 63:2–4). Note that Messiah comes “from Judah” (Zech. 10:4), for God gave the messianic promise to Judah in Genesis 49:10. Every ruler of the nation since David came from the tribe of Judah, for it was with David that God made His covenant (2 Sam. 7).
The emphasis in the rest of the paragraph is on “strength” and “mighty men” (Zech. 10:5–7, 12). Because the Lord will be with the Jews, they will trample their enemies down like mud in the streets, and they will go from victory to victory in the strength of the Lord. God will also call His scattered sheep back home from the many countries where they’ve been scattered. Just as a shepherd can whistle or play a tune on a pipe and call his flock together, so the Lord will gather His people. It will be like a second “exodus” when they pass through the “sea of affliction” to return to the Lord and to their land.
What a day of victory! God’s people Israel will be regathered, redeemed, reunited as one nation, and rejoicing in the strength of the Lord! But this same God can give the same blessings to His church today. We’re a scattered people, divided and sometimes distant from each other, but the Lord can unite us in Christ and bring us together. We’re fighting battles against the enemy, but the Lord can strengthen us and turn His helpless sheep into victorious war horses. How much He is willing to do for us, if only we would admit our failures and unbelief and turn to Him for help.