SEE, YOUR KING COMES

Passage: Zechariah 9:1-17

Key verse: 9

NIV

Judgment on Israel’s Enemies

9 A prophecy:(A)

The word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrak
    and will come to rest on Damascus(B)—
for the eyes of all people and all the tribes of Israel
    are on the Lord—[a]
2 and on Hamath(C) too, which borders on it,
    and on Tyre(D) and Sidon,(E) though they are very skillful.
3 Tyre has built herself a stronghold;
    she has heaped up silver like dust,
    and gold like the dirt of the streets.(F)
4 But the Lord will take away her possessions
    and destroy(G) her power on the sea,
    and she will be consumed by fire.(H)
5 Ashkelon(I) will see it and fear;
    Gaza will writhe in agony,
    and Ekron too, for her hope will wither.
Gaza will lose her king
    and Ashkelon will be deserted.
6 A mongrel people will occupy Ashdod,
    and I will put an end(J) to the pride of the Philistines.
7 I will take the blood from their mouths,
    the forbidden food from between their teeth.
Those who are left will belong to our God(K)
    and become a clan in Judah,
    and Ekron will be like the Jebusites.(L)
8 But I will encamp(M) at my temple
    to guard it against marauding forces.(N)
Never again will an oppressor overrun my people,
    for now I am keeping watch.(O)

The Coming of Zion’s King

9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!(P)
    Shout,(Q) Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,(R)
    righteous and victorious,(S)
lowly and riding on a donkey,(T)
    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.(U)
10 I will take away the chariots from Ephraim
    and the warhorses from Jerusalem,
    and the battle bow will be broken.(V)
He will proclaim peace(W) to the nations.
    His rule will extend from sea to sea
    and from the River[b] to the ends of the earth.(X)
11 As for you, because of the blood of my covenant(Y) with you,
    I will free your prisoners(Z) from the waterless pit.(AA)
12 Return to your fortress,(AB) you prisoners of hope;
    even now I announce that I will restore twice(AC) as much to you.
13 I will bend Judah as I bend my bow(AD)
    and fill it with Ephraim.(AE)
I will rouse your sons, Zion,
    against your sons, Greece,(AF)
    and make you like a warrior’s sword.(AG)

The Lord Will Appear

14 Then the Lord will appear over them;(AH)
    his arrow will flash like lightning.(AI)
The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet;(AJ)
    he will march in the storms(AK) of the south,
15     and the Lord Almighty will shield(AL) them.
They will destroy
    and overcome with slingstones.(AM)
They will drink and roar as with wine;(AN)
    they will be full like a bowl(AO)
    used for sprinkling[c] the corners(AP) of the altar.
16 The Lord their God will save his people on that day(AQ)
    as a shepherd saves his flock.
They will sparkle in his land
    like jewels in a crown.(AR)
17 How attractive and beautiful they will be!
    Grain will make the young men thrive,
    and new wine the young women.

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Footnotes
  1. Zechariah 9:1 Or Damascus. / For the eye of the Lord is on all people, / as well as on the tribes of Israel,
  2. Zechariah 9:10 That is, the Euphrates
  3. Zechariah 9:15 Or bowl, / like
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Judgment on Israel's Enemies

9 The oracle of the word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrach
    and (A)Damascus is its resting place.
For the Lord has an eye on mankind
    and on all the tribes of Israel,[a]
2 (B)and on Hamath also, which borders on it,
    (C)Tyre and (D)Sidon, though (E)they are very wise.
3 Tyre has built herself (F)a rampart
    and (G)heaped up silver like dust,
    and fine gold like the mud of the streets.
4 But behold, the Lord will strip her of her possessions
    and strike down (H)her power on the sea,
    and (I)she shall be devoured by fire.

5 (J)Ashkelon shall see it, and be afraid;
    Gaza too, and shall writhe in anguish;
    Ekron also, because its hopes are confounded.
The king shall perish from Gaza;
    Ashkelon shall be uninhabited;
6 (K)a mixed people[b] shall dwell in Ashdod,
    and I will cut off the pride of Philistia.
7 I will take away (L)its blood from its mouth,
    and (M)its abominations from between its teeth;
(N)it too shall be a remnant for our God;
    it shall be like (O)a clan in Judah,
    and Ekron shall be like the Jebusites.
8 Then (P)I will encamp at my house as a guard,
    (Q)so that none shall march to and fro;
(R)no oppressor shall again march over them,
    (S)for now I see with my own eyes.

The Coming King of Zion

9 (T)Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
    Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
(U)Behold, (V)your king is coming to you;
    righteous and having salvation is he,
(W)humble and mounted on a donkey,
    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
10 (X)I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
    and (Y)the war horse from Jerusalem;
and the battle bow shall be cut off,
    and (Z)he shall speak peace to the nations;
(AA)his rule shall be from sea to sea,
    and from (AB)the River[c] to the ends of the earth.
11 As for you also, because of (AC)the blood of my covenant with you,
    (AD)I will set your prisoners free from (AE)the waterless pit.
12 Return to your stronghold, O (AF)prisoners of hope;
    today I declare that (AG)I will restore to you double.
13 For (AH)I have bent Judah as my bow;
    I have made Ephraim its arrow.
I will stir up your sons, O Zion,
    against your sons, (AI)O Greece,
    and wield you like a warrior's sword.

The Lord Will Save His People

14 Then the Lord will appear over them,
    and (AJ)his arrow will go forth like lightning;
(AK)the Lord God will sound the trumpet
    and will march forth in (AL)the whirlwinds (AM)of the south.
15 The Lord of hosts (AN)will protect them,
    and (AO)they shall devour, (AP)and tread down the sling stones,
and (AQ)they shall drink and roar as if drunk with wine,
    and be full like a bowl,
    drenched (AR)like the corners of the altar.

16 On that day the Lord their God will save them,
    as (AS)the flock of his people;
for (AT)like the jewels of a crown
    they shall shine on his land.
17 (AU)For how great is his goodness, and how great his beauty!
    (AV)Grain shall make the young men flourish,
    and new wine the young women.

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Footnotes
  1. Zechariah 9:1 Or For the eye of mankind, especially of all the tribes of Israel, is toward the Lord
  2. Zechariah 9:6 Or a foreign people; Hebrew a bastard
  3. Zechariah 9:10 That is, the Euphrates
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Those who are left will belong to God (1-8)

God used Alexander the Great as his instrument of judgment on Israel's enemies. Alexander's march began in the north and Tyre fell to him in 332 B.C. The Philistine cities of Ashkelon, Gaza and Ekron trembled in fear; they would be overrun. The survivors would be absorbed into Judah and become a part of God's people, as had the Jebusites of Jerusalem (7). Jerusalem would be spared.

2. Your King comes (9-17)

The Messiah-king would not be like Alexander. He would be a king of peace. Jesus fulfilled this prophecy more than 4

years later when he made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey. He is the righteous king who brings salvation. He is king of all the nations of the world. His righteous rule alone brings peace. When he comes again to judge the earth, his people will sparkle like jewels in his crown.

Prayer: Lord, rule in my heart; come again to rule and bring peace and order to our confused world.

One Word: Only Jesus is our hope