Zechariah Part 16: A New Hope

Text: Zech. 9:1-8.

Intro: Continuously giving his people hope, naming nations that have bothered Israel in the past

Vs 1-2a, Syria

vs 1

“For The Yahweh has an eye on mankind and on all the tribes of Israel.”

Alternative “For to Yahweh belongs the eye of man and all the tribes of Israel.”

Isaiah 17:7 ESV

In that day man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will look on the Holy One of Israel.

(Which was also in context against Damascus)

either makes sense; We are all accountable to God or a time will come, when all mankind will abandon their idols and come under the worship and kingship of Yahweh in all the earth.

why bring them up? they haven't done anything recently

Vs 2b-4, Phoenicia

vs 3, Her pride

Pride in her military strength (Self-sufficiency)

“Ramparts” Masor - Stronghold, Siege works (Prevent invasion)

Pride in wealth (Materialism)

vs 4, reversed

what happen to them?

Tyre - Conquered by Alexander the Great (332 BC)

Sidon - Conquered by Esarhaddon (677 BC, After a three year seige)

wealth first, then strength

Luke 12:19–21 ESV

And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” ’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

Vs 5-6, Philistia

vs 5, why bring them up?

Joshua 13:6 ESV

all the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth-maim, even all the Sidonians. I myself will drive them out from before the people of Israel. Only allot the land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have commanded you.

vs 6

mamzer (2x) - Child of incest, bastard child, illegitimate child.

Deuteronomy 23:2 ESV

“No one born of a forbidden union may enter the assembly of the Lord. Even to the tenth generation, none of his descendants may enter the assembly of the Lord.

Vs 7-8, Subverting Expectations

vs 7

take away blood from mouth and abominations between teeth

Eating meat with blood in it for pagan worship

Leviticus 17:10–14 ESV

“If any one of the house of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn among them eats any blood, I will set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life. Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, No person among you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger who sojourns among you eat blood. “Any one also of the people of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among them, who takes in hunting any beast or bird that may be eaten shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth. For the life of every creature is its blood: its blood is its life. Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every creature is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off.

a remnant for our God

unexpected

like a clan of judah

Ekron shall be like the Jebusites

The promise to Abraham being fulfilled

Genesis 12:3 ESV

I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Psalm 82:8 ESV

Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations!

Romans 11:17–18 ESV

But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you.

1 Corinthians 15:25 ESV

For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.

Zechariah 14:9 ESV

And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day the Lord will be one and his name one.

Revelation 11:15 ESV

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”

Gods plan gives me hope

even in the face of Yuval Noah Harari (2014) “Many, maybe most legal systems are based on this idea, this belief, in human rights. but human rights are just like heaven and like God. its just a fictional story that we have invented and spread around. it may be a very nice stroy, it may be a very attractive story and we want to believe it, but its just a story. its not a reality. its not a biological reality. just as jellyfish and woodpeckers, and ostriches have no rights, homosapiens have no rights also. take a human, cut him open, look inside, you find their blood, and you find their heart and lungs and kidneys, but you dont find any rights. the only place you find rights, are in the fictional stories that humans have invented and spread around.

vs 8,

no one will harm his people anymore, because he will have His people come from every tribe, tongue and language.