Zechariah 9.

Judgment and the coming King. – Hope in God,

Recap,

Intro: PPT Quate about the text.

It is also a greatest hist of Isaha, Jeramiah, Mika, Zephaian, Ezikel, - Lev, Ex, Dut, Kings, Psalm 100:3 72:8. More.

Verse 1. Oracle (Burden or lifted up) section, God speaks about what God will do, this week it will be the judgment of enemies but also the salvation of Gods people and a call to rejoice because God was sending a special king. Even some of Gods enemies are cleansed and become part of Gods people. (Spuring on great hope).

Verse 2. God will explain that he has an eye on all people, and now God will call out and pronounce judgment on some of the peoples, against Hadrach, MAP PPT and Damascus. And Hamath and Tyre (strong hold withstood a 5-year siege, Assyrians, 13 years siege Babylonians, fall to Alex in 5 month.) and Sidon.

Verses 3. They are a wise people they are also rich and have gathered great richesby sea powerful, seems safe in their fortification /city wall. (They have it all wisdom of man riches power and a safe place).

Verse 4. But God was going to take away, the power, riches, wisdom, and safety, and fire will devour it all.

Verse 5. That will make Ashelon afraid, also Gaza, will twist in anguish, server pain, because their hope fails, (power riches, man’s wisdom, fortifications) - the king will die in Gaza. Ashkelon will be empty, mixed people will live in Ashdod, and God will cut of the pride of Philistia. Take away blood, from its teeth, the unclean animals they eat /blood in the meat Idol worship? But then God will make them a remnant and they shall be like a clan in Juda, (So God is saving some of the other people?) Ekron shall be like the Jebusites. (Well, they lived at first, among the people of David).

Verse 8 seems to set up verse 9, that God will the protect his house and his people from oppressors and God will see it with his own eyes. And we read in the next verse that God comes the King comes to his people. And asks them to rejoice greatly, o daughter of Zion, and shout aloud o daughter of Jerusalem. Why? Because as you look up, your king is coming to you, righteous having salvation. – He sits is humble and sits on a donkey. –

Then God in verses 10 brings and end to war, brings peace to Ephrim and Jerusalem, and the King will rule from sea to sea, from the river to the end of the earth. And speak peace to the nations.

Verse 11. God will set prisoners free, because of the promise and covenant that God made with Moses and the people in Ex 24. (Moses throws blood on the people). Joseph’s story – set prisoners free and take them out of the waterless pit.

Verse 12 God calls them to retune to himself at the hope and stronghold is God – opposite Tyre and Sidon that trusted in other things. God calls and say I will restore you double.

Veres 13. God will protect his people and has made the people ready to war against Greece, God will use them as a bow and arrow.

14) God will appear over them and fight for them like an arrow, that is like lightning, and God will sound the trumpet and march forth in a great storm, The Lord of hosts will protect his people and enemies they will destroy and tread down, the slinging stones, the enemies weapons, they shall shout like drunk people and be like the a full bowl, like an offering from the alter. Very graphic image….

The Lord will save them on that day, as the flock of his people shepherd, like jewels they shall shine his land,

Great is Gods goodness and great is his beauty, and God restores them prosperity.

Wow we learn a lot about God. And people.

It the context this is a great hope to he’s people, God will save his people, the great king will come and God will fight the people’s battels. (God is with us let’s do what God said). Put your hope in God, he will save, he will send his king restore the kingdom. He will even save some of our enemies, and judge the others.

Make ready for the king, the warrior that will help us concur, (this is some of what causes the Expectations of the warrior king – not humble king – Jesus first coming). PPT forgotten verse?

This is 500 years before Jesus comes. John and Matthew cites this passage, when Jesus rids in to Jerusalem, humble, righteous having salvation, - kind of a diffent picture of the – God will make peace and his rule shall be from sea to sea, from river to the end of the earth. Jesus came but did not rule as king, so was that why the Jews did not believe him? Could be, and he did not save them from the romans… He was not much of a king at all… To many in Jesus’ time. Expect the ones that knew Jesus and saw and hear him, he did more than any king, won over death, sin, Satan, served and let himself die to set, who ever believes free, form sin and back to God, as his child, a new creation, the king we all needed. To bring peace between God and us. Jesus died and rose again so his enemies could be cleaned and be restored to God. Jesus will regin over much more than a small human kingdom, over all things, as Hebrews, Jesus speaks all things in to being, and upholds it with his breath.

In any case it was at Zacharias time a great hope the messiah the coming king was announced to come. And restore make peace, and keep Gods people safe. (He was also going go restore some enemies, but Zachariah has said that before, Zec 2:11 and Ish 14:1 – gentiles will come to God).

We look at people then and now, if we see what Tyre was know for: Riches, wisdom, sea power, safety, They seemed to have it all. The could repel innovators, they made money in trade like dust, they were very wealthy, and they had great navel power. Money, wisdom, power, safety. And still they had nothing… Just like today, - all that can be gone in the wind in no time. That is not where we can or should put or hope and trust. God took it all away, they forgot to build on the rock.

Obvious question, are we putting our hope and trust love in money? Our own wisdom, or the worlds? In our power position? In our safety? Houses, cars, incurrence, the state, and more. But what are the people asked to do? Hope in God, the promise that God gives. The king is coming, - he came on the donkey, - he is coming back. Next times as the warrior.

God as warrior, God wages war and takes away, is that okay for God to do? In our age? God as warrior is encouraging for the oppressed, the ones that fight their battels, the people of God. We don’t fight against flesh and blood but powers, that is God’s battel. (Eph 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places). God fights his enemies, and winds and then God also, as Jesus shows: offers salvation to people, even people that were enemies of God and his people.

God saving his enemies, after making them clean, the great Goliath people, Philistines will be humbled, cleansed and become a remnant for God… Wow that is great news, that even the greatest enemis, God can clean and redeem and the promise is that they become like a clean in Judah… (Other places in Zachariah? 2:11. Isa). We were all Gods enemies in darkness, - until he save us. Romans 5:10-11.

God protect his people and his house. Do we believe that?

And Sends the king…

We rejoice at easter, and look to what Jesus has done for us…

There is still more to come… Jesus is coming back.

Then Jesus as king is future… more that… 500 years + 2023… God is patient, they cry of the early church and people today is come Lord Jesus, but Peter writes to people God is not slow but patient, that more will be saved.