Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Lets continue in this study....

Verse 1

OK, an oracle is a kind of prophecy, a discourse of sorts if you will.

It is the word of the Lord , and it is said that the Lord is against the land of Hadrach.

Hadrach is a part of Syria, near Damascus, It was an area that was enclosed by the mountains… Some refer to Hadrach as the symbolic name of Persia

This area and Damascus, is its resting place, the place where the burden of the Lord will rest, the wrath of the Lord.

It will stay there permanently until Syria is dropped it its knees...

The end of verse 1 tells us that the Lord has his eyes on mankind, more especially his own people.

He will punish the ungodly and will protect his own.

And with His eye on mankind, those who come to power, do so by the Lord’s own hand.

Verse 2

Verse 2, tells us who else was the Lord was set to punish

Hamath is a Syrian kingdom, with the capital of the same name, it lay north of Damascus…

And those whose borders lay close, or namely bordered the land would be held in punishment as well.

Laying in the conquerors way would be the areas of Tyre and Sidon as they lay in route to the Mediterranean sea all the way to the land of Egypt.

-19 tells of the oracle of Tyre, and speaks of its future state.

Now one thing we haven’t talked about, who is the conqueror, the one the Lord is using?

Cyrus and Darius would loose their kingdoms to who?

Alexander the great, the Greek Kingdom that would control he world before Rome takes over the world.

speaks of the kingdoms

Babylon, Medo Perisa, Greek and then Roman...

Now verse 3

The name Tyre, is TSUR, in Hebrew and it literally means the word Rock.

Now apparently there was a old Tyre and a new Tyre in history,

Tyre had the greatest confidence owing to her insular position and fortifications, and the abundant stores she had prepared.”

New Tyre was on an island seven hundred paces from the shore.

As Isaiah’s and Ezekiel’s (Ez 27:1–36) prophecies were directed against Old Tyre on the mainland and were fulfilled by Nebuchadnezzar, so Zechariah’s are against New Tyre, which was made seemingly impregnable by a double wall one hundred fifty feet high, as well as the sea on all sides.

The heathen historian, DIODORUS SICULUS [17.40], confirms this.

“Tyre had the greatest confidence owing to her insular position and fortifications, and the abundant stores she had prepared.”

New Tyre was on an island seven hundred paces from the shore.

As Isaiah’s and Ezekiel’s (Ez 27:1–36) prophecies were directed against Old Tyre on the mainland and were fulfilled by Nebuchadnezzar, so Zechariah’s are against New Tyre, which was made seemingly impregnable by a double wall one hundred fifty feet high, as well as the sea on all sides.

Now verse 4

Now listen to the message the Lord says of Tyre in Ezekiel 26:4

Ezek 26:4

Alexander will cast here inhabitants into exile, We know that she was a strong city with its people, after a 7 mon seige, they took the city and killed 8K by the sword, 13K were enslaved and 2k were crucified and the city was set on fire just as it was foretold by the Lord.

So we see more of that was told to Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar, is coming to pass.

Now verses 5-6

The cities of Philistia were terrified at the swiftness with which Alexander the Great’s army was able to conquer Tyre, Then Alexander, marched South, conquering all these Philistines cities and killing their national pride.

So all this is the literal fulfillment of the Lord’s prophecy,

We know historically, 10K of Gaza’s inhabitants were killed, the rest were sold as slaves

The mixed people of verse 6 are literally called bastards in the old texts, They will always be aliens never to enter the house of the Lord.

Verse 7

Verse 7

Zech

Blood from its mouth is a reminder that blood is a forbidden food.

and the phrase abominations speaks to the things sacrificed to idols, and then partaken of by worshipers,

The judgement that is put on the Philistines, will remove idolatry from their mouth, they shall then in turn “return” to the Lord God of Israel and worship Him alone.

So the image is one who worships the idols and have been even eating those things sacrificed t idols, but they are converted to the worship of God, like the Jebusites who David conquered, they assimilated into the life of Jerusalem and the Worship in YHWH

Verse 8

The word encamp is important one, listen to this passage...

The house refers not only to the temple, but the people as well., reassuring the Jews engaged in building, who might otherwise fear their work would be undone by the conqueror.

God will protect them as he promised and what is important is the truth that in protecting them, the son of David would make his way into the world at the right time.

One thing we know is that after moving into Egypt, when he returned Alexander did not bother Jerusalem, the Lord protected them as He has promised.

Verse 9-10

Verse 9 begins with a call to rejoice!

There is another king coming!

The phrase the daughter of Jerusalem or Zion, The people of God are called to rejoice for the King, the “True King” the Messiah is coming, and he is coming to you, not for his own pleasure or gain, as earthly kings come, bu for the sake of his people.

And when you think about the rest of verse 9, you see even more the prophetic call, he comes with salvation and righteousness, on a donkey the foul of a colt.

The Hebrew is reflexive in sense, “showing Himself a Saviour; … having salvation in Himself” for us.

Endowed with a salvation which He bestows as a king.

The Hebrew is reflexive in sense, “showing Himself a Saviour; … having salvation in Himself” for us.

Endowed with a salvation which He bestows as a king.

The colt speaks to a young donkey, one that has never been ridden, and it was reserved exclusively for the Lord from the beginning of time.

We see all of this was fulfilled on Palm Sunday

Verse 10

All Israel will be restored, those from the 10 tribes and Benjamin and Judah, in that day, he will receive all them

From the sea to the rivers there, the will have dominion over all...

So we see the boundaries of Abraham will be expanded to the earth.

Verse 11

The you here pushes back again to the daughter of Zion, or Jerusalem, the reminder is again it is a theocracy, a God rule in the land.

Not only cutting off war, he will deliver her people from the exiled and their foreign captivity.

It has been promised by a blood covenant, for the OT, it was on the covenant God entered into with the the people on Mount Sinai.

for the New Testament it is Jesus and the cross, he mentions it in the upper room just hours before…

The pits of water, were dungeons where water and more were often present and we know Jeremiah was in such places

Now verses 12-13

The Lord, the Messiah is the one encamped around his people, The people have hope now.

made Judah as it were My bow, and “filled” it “with Ephraim,” as My arrow, wherewith to overcome the successor of the Grecian Alexander, Antiochus Epiphanes (compare Notes, see on Da 8:9; Da 11:32; 1 Maccabees 1:62 2:41–43), the oppressor of Judah.

Having spoken (Zec 9:1–8) of Alexander’s victories, after the parenthesis (Zec 9:9, 10) as to Messiah the infinitely greater King coming, he passes to the victories which

Verses 14-15

So verse 14, The Lord will be seen, manifesting his power over those who are on the earth, and he fights for his people, both jew and gentile alike.

Remember how the Lord appeared as fire and blocked the armies of Pharoah from reaching the Israelites as they left Egypt.

Remember how he was a cloud over them to protect them.

The arrow as lightening, instant destruction against his foe,

The blow of the trumpet is to summon and incite his people for battle for the destruction of the foe.

And in verse 15, he will devour the flesh of his foes.

consume them.

What the foe threw at them those stones, are now being tread upon Again it is a picture of utter defeat because the Lord has fought for them.

like David beat Goliath so their enemies will fall.

Now verses 16-17

Abundant prosperity, such as the world has never seen, this results in excessive rejoicing and praise, the Lord their God saves his people.

Jew and gentile in the future.