Sermon Tone Analysis

“I Don’t Know”

I Don’t know.

I just need to be honest this last section is filled with what is some of the most difficult sections of the Bible, and I don’t know the exact answers.

Previously we have seen:

Burden against Jerusalem’s enemies (Zec9:1-11:17)

Today we will look at the burden against Jerusalem (Zec12:1-14:21)

Literal, figurative, I don’t know.

Is this to come, has it come, or is it both?

I don’t know for sure.

Aim today: to survey the prophesy, glean from main points then look at some thoughts on it.

I want to give credit where credit is due, Homer Hailey and his commentary, Mark Copeland and his writings as well as Warren Wiersbe and his commentary too.

I think I would draw conclusions that the scripture does not draw if it were not for these men.

The Burden of Israel

As a survey goes, we will read, grab, maybe a little discussion along the way.

The Lord’s care for Jerusalem (Zec12:1-9)

In this section Jerusalem shows to be under attack at some future time by other nations, is this AD70?

Is this some other time?

In this section we can see a term start to be used “in that day” and let that be defined as to identify what follows with what proceeds.

You will see this term used 9 times in our entire passage.

Can you see the Lord of creation (v.1)?

Can you see the Lords intentions for Jerusalem even under the seige, attack to come (v.2)

Can you see the Lord’s promise (v.4)?

I will watch over the house, I will strike every horse

Can you see the promise of destruction in (v.9)

Who is it against?

I will set about to destroy all the nations

Those who come against Jerusalem

Remember theme of the book is “God is Zealous for Jerusalem and Zion.

What we can learn from these verses is “in that day” (v.6, 8, 9) that the Lord will defend Jerusalem, and destroy her enemies.

So can this be AD70?

No, since that is Rome against Jerusalem.

Could this be the fall of Roman empire in 395AD?

Could be, but the scripture does not tell us, so our best answer here is “I Don’t know.” - what we do know is God will protect.

The Lord’s cleansing of Jerusalem (Zec12:10-13:9)

Now in this next section we can see the cleansing of her sins and the pouring out of God’s grace

We will also see more of “in that day” in (12:11, 13:1, 2, 4)

What is the Lord going to pour on and on whom (v.10) and why?

Now in looking at (v.10-11) Could this be a picture of Messiah?

Or maybe a look back at how Israel looked at the death of Josiah (2Chr35:20-25) whom was pierced.

I don’t know.

What we can know is the house of David is noted (v.12) House of Nathan (v.12) House of Levi, and Shimeites, and the wives are listed separately.

Exactly why, I don’t know.

It may be the combination of the royal and priestly families, but it is not explained more so we cannot say for sure.

Now we get to “in that day” again.

In that day (v.1)

what is going to happen?

A fountain will be opened up to deal with sin and impurity.

In that day (v.2) The idols, the false prophets, the unclean spirit will be removed from the land.

Point of reference in the reading on (v.3) it states about the parents condemning the false prophets and saying they are not worthy to live, it is not saying that the parents are going to kill their own children.

The false prophets will be ashamed and won’t even be identified as prophets anymore as seen in (vv.5-6)

And now we can see some refining, testing that happens through the persecution of Jerusalem

Even Jesus references about the striking the shepherd and the sheep will scatter (Mt26:31-32)

The Lord has always used certain testing to refine the people of God, note down (Heb12:3-11) for your notes, it’s a great section of scripture you can look at and consider on your own.

The Lord’s deliverance for Jerusalem (Zec14:1-7)

The day of the Lord here (vv.1-2) could this be a look to AD70?

I Don’t know for that was just the Romans, not every nation against Jerusalem.

What we can know is that there will be a remnant, that is not cut off (end of v.2) And with that, hard to think this would be AD70 since the city was destroyed with not one stone left on another.

What we can know is the Lord will go and the Lord will fight and now read on and see what more the Lord does.

This is another of the “in that day” passages, but it is also a I Don’t know for we cannot with confidence draw a conclusion of it all.

What can we know in looking at (v.4)?

He will have his feet on the Mount of Olives

STOP!

There is a whole portion, major portion of people that from this passage right there believe the return of Christ is noted here and the physical return to the Earth to stand on the Mount of Olives, but there is no reference in the N.T. to this, and what it says in Act1 is contrary, so how is that assumption being made?

I don’t know

What more we can know, is God will make a way of escape to East, West, North and South (vv.4-5)

Is the way of escape provided Jesus as He said “it is finished” on the cross and there was great earthquake?

Or it is just a reference back to Uzziah and the earthquake then?

I don’t know, it would seem the latter not the former, though spiritually speaking the former works too, just not literal.

In that day, what can we know (v.6-7)?

It will be a day of no light, a unique day that is known to the Lord.

On the day of the crucifixion it was dark for 3 hours, is that what this is pointing too?

I don’t know?

The Lord’s glory for Jerusalem (Zec14:8-11)

In that day (v.8)

we can know the living waters that will flow, eternally and the Lord will be king over all the earth.

In that day the Lord will be the only one, and His name the only name.

Does this seem to point to the rivers of living water that came after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit; as noted by Jesus in (Jn7:37-39)

The name in which man must be saved (Act4:12)

It would seem plausible, but we don’t know for sure.

This describes the land from 6mi NE of Jerusalem (Geba) to 35mi SW of Jerusalem (Rimmon) and Jerusalem will be built up, but wait, while some people think this is yet to come, has it always be in the O.T. that no matter where you come from it was always “up to Jerusalem and the house of the Lord?” So, what does this passage tell us for sure, that people will live in and be secure, is this physical Jerusalem, or spiritual?

I don’t know, but it will be or is good.

I lean toward the latter here the spiritual Jerusalem

In that day what is said for Jerusalem enemies (Zec14:12-15)

With limited time left let me read and give quickly

God is going to strike them with plague, cause panic, Judah will fight, the plague will be severe even impacting the animals

In that day what is said about Jerusalem (Zec14:16-21)

There is going to be a change, those left will turn to the King, the Lord of hosts

Holy to the Lord will be on the bells of the animals and the pots in the houses

In that day there will be no Canaanite, is that because all are the same in the Lord, no Jew, no Greek, etc.?

Is this all fulfilled, partially fulfilled, not fulfilled and yet to come?

I don’t know, but what we can do is God is zealous for His people and has made a way for them!

(Prayer) (exit)