The Finish of the World – and What Will Come Subsequent

Overview

Now, since that is the ultimate episode of the Zechariah Zone Collection, let’s take a second to overview. The nation of Israel was robust and thriving within the days of King David and King Solomon, however then it started to come back unraveled. Lastly in 587 BC, the Babylonian Empire swept over Israel, slaughtered its armies, deported the survivors, destroyed its capital of Jerusalem, and burned its magnificent temple of the Lord to the bottom. 

The Jews who survived settled down in Babylon, unhappy and bewildered, however the Lord wasn’t completed with them. In 538 B.C.,  Emperor Cyrus issued a decree that the Jews may return to their homeland. About 50,000 individuals did so. Their political chief was Zerubbabel and their excessive priest was named Joshua.

They returned to Jerusalem and received begin at rebuilding the temple. However they bumped into huge opposition and gave up the challenge. For practically 20 years, this Jewish remnant constructed their very own homes and established their very own communities whereas the home of God was uncared for.

Then, in line with the e-book of Ezra, which tells this story, two prophets confirmed up—Haggai and Zechariah. Their preaching induced a revival of the work, and Zerubbabel and Joshua led the individuals to renew constructing the temple, and to finish it, and to dedicate it. We name this the second temple, and it was later enlarged by King Herod. This was the temple the place our Lord was introduced for His dedication; the place He talked to the rabbis at age 12; and the place He taught the individuals because the Son of God.

Zechariah’s sermons motivated a individuals who had been certain up within the ropes of discouragement, and far of what he mentioned can encourage us as properly. He’s the prophet of encouragement. Many occasions I’ve gone to Zechariah after I was discouraged and have discovered inestimable assist.

First, there’s an introductory message initially of chapter 1.

Second, Zechariah has a sequence of eight visions that got here to him in a single night time. These eight visions all describe numerous elements of the way forward for Jerusalem and the individuals of God. They’re recorded for us from the center of chapter 1 to the center of chapter 6.

Within the heart of the e-book is a transitional part that features one motion, which serves as a conclusion to the visionary a part of the e-book; and two chapters with regards to fasting, which serves as an introduction to the ultimate prophetic a part of the e-book. 

Chapters 9-14 are predictive prophecy. Chapters 9, 10, and 11 heart across the Messiah’s first coming and rejection. Chapters 12, 13, and 14 are concerning the Messiah’s coming.

These closing chapters give us the Bible’s most vivid image of what’s going to occur when Jesus returns.

Chapter 12 tells us that throughout the latter days of the Nice Tribulation, the armies of the world below the supreme command of the antichrist will occupy Israel and besiege Jerusalem. At the moment, Jesus will go away Heaven for His descent to earth. The Jewish individuals will see Him whom they’ve pierced and can mourn for Him. 

Chapter 13 says that He’ll open up for them a fountain for the forgiveness of sins, and Israel will lastly and perpetually embrace Her Messiah King. 

Chapter 14 tells us the Messiah’s ft will land on the Mount of Olives, which is able to cut up in two. It will present a method of escape for the trapped residents of Jerusalem. The Coming King will then destroy His enemies and set up His earthly Kingdom. Based mostly on the 1000 yr time length mentioned in Revelation 20, we name this the Millennial Reign of Christ. 

1. The Destruction of Israel’s Enemies

Let’s wrap up our research by studying the ultimate paragraph of the e-book, beginning at Zechariah 14:12 – 

¹² That is the plague with which the Lord will strike all of the nations that fought in opposition to Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot whereas they’re nonetheless standing on their ft, their eyes will rot of their sockets, and their tongues will rot of their mouths. ¹³ On that day individuals will likely be suffering from the Lord with nice panic. They are going to seize one another by the hand and assault each other. ¹⁴ Judah too will struggle at Jerusalem. The wealth of all the encircling nations will likely be collected—nice portions of gold and silver and clothes. ¹⁵ An analogous plague will strike the horses and mules, the camels and donkeys, and all of the animals in these camps.

There are a number of passages within the Bible that describe how the returning Messiah will merely annihilate the evil forces of the antichrist that have been within the strategy of attempting to destroy the nation of Israel and the Jews. The phrasing right here is hanging—their flesh will rot whereas they’re standing on their ft, their eyes will rot of their sockets, and their tongues will rot of their mouths.

It sounds just like the outcomes of a nuclear assault, though Zechariah calls it a plague. In Revelation 19, we’re instructed the nations will likely be annihilated by the sword that comes from the mouth of the Messiah, referring to His pronouncement of doom in opposition to them. And the birds will eat the flesh of the kings, generals, and the mighty and their horses.

Ezekiel 39 provides much more element. Referring to the antichrist and armies of wickedness:

On the mountains of Israel you’ll fall, you and all of your troops and the nations with you. I provides you with as meals to all types of carrion birds and to the wild animals…

Then those that dwell within the cities of Israel will exit and use the weapons for gas and burn them up—the small and enormous shields, the bows and arrows, the conflict golf equipment and spears. For seven years they may use them for gas…

For seven months the Israelites will likely be burying them in an effort to cleanse the land. All of the individuals of the land will bury them, and the day I show my glory will likely be a memorable day for them, declares the Sovereign Lord. Folks will likely be regularly employed in cleaning the land. They are going to unfold out throughout the land and, together with others, they may bury any our bodies which are mendacity on the bottom.

After the seven months they may perform a extra detailed search. As they undergo the land, anybody who sees a human bone will go away a marker beside it till the gravediggers bury it within the Valley of Hamon Gog…. And they also will cleanse the land.

2. The Transformation of the Nations

After the destruction of Israel’s enemies, Zechariah predicts that the Messiah will set up a Kingdom and the nations will likely be remodeled. Have a look at Zechariah 14:16:

¹⁶ Then the survivors from all of the nations which have attacked Jerusalem will go up yr after yr to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and to rejoice the Competition of Tabernacles. ¹⁷ If any of the peoples of the earth don’t go as much as Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, they may haven’t any rain. ¹⁸ If the Egyptian individuals don’t go up and participate, they may haven’t any rain. The Lord will deliver on them the plague he inflicts on the nations that don’t go as much as rejoice the Competition of Tabernacles. ¹⁹ This would be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all of the nations that don’t go as much as rejoice the Competition of Tabernacles.

Among the different prophets spend plenty of ink describing the state of the nations after the return of Christ. For instance, Isaiah, chapter 2, says:

Within the final days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will likely be established as the best of the mountains; will probably be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, “Come, allow us to go as much as the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He’ll train us his methods, in order that we could stroll in his paths.” The regulation will exit from Zion, the phrase of the Lord from Jerusalem. He’ll choose between the nations and can settle disputes for a lot of peoples. They are going to beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation is not going to take up sword in opposition to nation, nor will they prepare for conflict anymore.

3. The Holiness of the Kingdom

The ultimate paragraph of Zechariah describes how holiness will characterize the Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Messiah. Verse 20 says:

²⁰ On that day holy to the Lord will likely be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots within the Lord’s home will likely be just like the sacred bowls in entrance of the altar. ²¹ Each pot in Jerusalem and Judah will likely be holy to the Lord Almighty, and all who come to sacrifice will take a number of the pots and cook dinner in them. And on that day there’ll not be a Canaanite in the home of the Lord Almighty.

Conclusion

Let me wrap up our research with a few summarizing factors. First, the e-book of Zechariah has 4 primary elements. There’s a gap message, adopted by a sequence of eight visions, all of them giving encouragement to the weary temple builders. In the midst of the e-book there’s some transitional materials, and the ultimate chapters, 9 via 14, inform how the Messiah will likely be rejected at His first coming and embraced by Israel at His second coming. All alongside the way in which there are verses we will apply to ourselves. 

Second, like lots of the prophets, Zechariah ends the story with the Millennial Kingdom of Christ, the ultimate 1000 years of world historical past throughout which Jesus will rule on earth from Jerusalem. That is the prelude to eternity, the entrance porch to the everlasting state. I don’t have time to enter it right here, but it surely’s my conviction that you just and I will likely be within the metropolis of New Jerusalem throughout this time, for the Kingdom age on earth is for Israel—the time when God will fulfill all the guarantees He has made to His Jewish nation.

Third, Jesus Christ is the true topic of this e-book. I’m going to offer you a listing of predictions about him. We’re instructed that the Messiah will:

• Come and dwell among the many Jewish individuals (2:11).
• He’ll grow to be a servant who will cleanse individuals from their sins (3:8).
• He’ll take away the sin of the world in a single day (3:9).
• He will likely be referred to as Joshua or Jesus, who will function each King and Priest (6:September 11).
• He will likely be referred to as the Department, sprouted from the stump of Jesse and He’ll sit and rule on His throne (3:8; 6:12-15).
• He’ll come within the wake of Alexander the Nice (9:1-8)
• He’ll enter Jerusalem on a donkey (9:9).
• He will likely be humble of coronary heart (9:9)
• He’ll proclaim peace to the nations (9:10).
• He will likely be a shepherd who saves (9:16).
• He will likely be from the tribe of Judah (10:4).
• He would be the cornerstone (10:4).
• He will likely be a tent peg (10:4)
• He will likely be a warrior (10:4)
• He will likely be betrayed for 30 items of silver (11:12).
• The cash will likely be thrown down within the temple (11:13).
• The cash will likely be paid to the potter (11:13).
• The Shepherd-King will likely be pierced (12:10). 
• His blood will set up a covenant that can set prisoners free (9:11).
• He’ll open a fountain for the cleaning of sin (13:1).
• He’s near God (13:7).
• He will likely be struck and His sheep scattered (13:7).
• Sooner or later, His ft will descend to the Mount of Olives, simply because the nations of the world are attacking Jerusalem within the Final Battle and He’ll save His individuals and set up His kingdom (14).
• He’ll include His holy angels (14:5).
• His coming will precipitate an earthquake, a river, and different topographical modifications in Israel (14:4-9).
• Israel will mourn after they acknowledge Him as Messiah (13:10-14).
• He’ll proclaim peace to the nations (9:10).
• His rule will lengthen from sea to sea and to the ends of the earth (9:10).
• He’ll reign as king over the entire earth (14:9).
• The complete world will come to Jerusalem to worship Him (14:12-21).
• His Kingdom will likely be one in all holiness (14:20).

What individual within the Bible or in human historical past was Jewish, who got here to dwell amongst His personal individuals, who was a servant who, on a single day, would supply cleaning for sin; who is called Joshua or Jesus; who’s each priest and king; who is named the Department and the Cornerstone, who entered Jerusalem on a donkey and proclaimed peace to the nations? Who is that this individual?

He was shepherd who was struck down, betrayed for 30 items of silver that have been thrown onto the temple flooring and used to purchase a subject from a potter? Who is that this Shepherd King who was pierced, whose loss of life opened a fountain for the cleaning of sin?

Who is that this unusual one who will return someday, His ft descending onto the Mount of Olives on the climactic second of a violent battle through which the nations of the world are surrounding Jerusalem. Who will save His individuals, assume His throne, and rule over a Messianic kingdom not like something the world has ever imagined?

This Joshua, this Jew, this servant, this priest, this king, this department, this cornerstone, this shepherd, this martyr, this man whose personal veins present a fountain stuffed with blood – this man of prediction and prophecy is the Lord Jesus Christ, whose start was nonetheless roughly 500 years sooner or later.

Properly, that wraps up our research of the prophet Zechariah. Let me go away you with my favourite verse of the e-book: “‘Not by may nor by energy, however by My Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.”

Thanks for digging into the e-book of Zechariah with me!