B. The Protection by God (v. 
1. In the days of Alexander (v. 8a)
“I will encamp about mine house because of the army, because of him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth.”
Having conquered Philistia, Alexander’s next stop was Jerusalem. But God promised that He would protect His dwelling place. The first part of verse 8 precisely describes Alexander’s advance against Jerusalem as recorded in Antiquities of the Jews (11.8.3-5) by Josephus, the ancient Jewish historian. Alexander would never conquer Jerusalem because God would encamp around it and protect it.
Alexander sent word to Jaddua, the high priest at that time, to pay tribute to him. But the nation was already paying tribute to the king of Persia, and Jaddua refused to break his allegiance to that nation. Alexander became enraged and planned to destroy Jerusalem when he had finished his conquest of the Philistine cities. The high priest called the people of Jerusalem to sacrifice to God and pray for deliverance. According to Josephus, God gave the high priest a dream, instructing him to welcome Alexander outside the city when he arrived.
So when Alexander and his army were marching to the city, the high priest, arrayed in purple and scarlet with a miter on his head and carrying a gold plate with God’s name engraved on it, led a procession of priests dressed in white. When the conqueror saw this, he saluted the high priest and honored the name of God, saying he had seen a person like the high priest in a dream while in Macedonia. Therefore he treated Jerusalem with kindness and headed on to Egypt. And as Zechariah prophesied, he returned through Palestine without harming Jerusalem or its inhabitants. Alexander judged the nations but he honored the city of Jerusalem through the intervention of God. If God can use a pagan king in such a miraculous way to judge the ungodly and to preserve His people, imagine what He can do with a divine King whose judgment will be all the greater, and who will actually deliver His people! This King of the future will be Christ.
2. At the return of Christ (v. 8b)
“No oppressor shall pass through them any more; for now I have seen with mine eyes.”
Here Zechariah prophesies a supernatural and lasting protection that can refer only to the protection provided at the second coming of Christ. All of a sudden the Holy Spirit takes us from Alexander to Jesus Christ. When Christ returns to judge the nations and deliver His people, no nation will ever oppress them again. “I have seen with mine eyes” tells us that God has witnessed all the affliction Israel has encountered, and promises peace through the Messiah, the Prince of Peace.
So we see the human conqueror Alexander was a signpost to keep our eyes on the greater fulfillment yet to come. Christ will come again and judge the nations in a way infinitely beyond anything Alexander ever dreamed of, with might and power beyond the conception of any man. As the whole earth falls under His judgment, God will preserve His people, as Alexander spared them in his day. But He will go far beyond that human conqueror to restore Israel and give them their long-awaited Kingdom.
Focusing on the Facts
1. Why must the Messiah return (see p. 1)?
2.What is the battle of Armageddon (see p. 1)?
3.What does Zechariah 9-14 foretell (see p. 2)?
4.Why did God need to encourage the Jewish remnant of Zechariah’s day? How did He do that (see p. 2)?
5.How is the focus of Zechariah’s message in chapter 9-14 different from the preceding chapters? What theme connects both parts of the book (see p. 2)?
6.Explain what God’s promise of a temporal restoration of Jerusalem was a pledge of (see p. 3).
7. Give an example of a prophecy with a short-term fulfillment that has a greater fulfillment yet future (see p. 3).
8.Identify the two conquerors in view in chapter 9. Who is the first one an historical illustration of (see p. 3)?
9.What did Alexander’s defeat of the Persian army at Issus lead to (see p. 4)?
10. In what way were the people seeing the Lord in the conquests of Alexander (vv. 1, 4; see p. 4-5)?
11.What did Tyre assume about itself? Why (see p. 5)?
12.Identify the source of evil behind the prince of Tyre. Support your answer with Scripture (see p. 6).
13.How did God execute judgment on the seemingly invincible city of Tyre? What is that an historical illustration of (see p. 6)?
14.How was Zechariah’s prophecy concerning Gath’s sorrow and her king precisely fulfilled (v. 5; see p. 7)?
15.In breaking the pride of the Philistines, how did God then demonstrate his grace (see p. 7)?
16.Explain the significance of a faithful Philistine being treated like a Jebusite (see p. 8)?
17.What prophecy did Zechariah give concerning Jerusalem (vv. 7-8; see p. 8)?
18.Knowing that oppressors did pass through Jerusalem after Alexander, what does the promise of the second half of verse 8 have to refer to (see p. 9)?
19.Explain how Christ’s judgment of the nations and dealings with Israel will be different from Alexander’s (see p. 9)?
Pondering the Principles
1.Prophecy has the practical effect of increasing our faith and giving us hope. Its fulfillment demonstrates the faithfulness of God and shows He can be trusted in other areas. Imagine the increased confidence in God the inhabitants of Jerusalem must have had when they realized that their lives had been preserved in fulfillment of a prophecy given a couple hundred years before! Consider the hope they would have experienced when they understood that meant a glorious future awaited them. Are you letting fulfilled prophecy build your faith in God and hope in the future? Several books have been written that discuss how biblical prophecies have been specifically fulfilled (one popular one is Josh McDowell’s Evidence That Demands a Verdict, [San Bernardino, Calif.: Here's Life, 1979]). You might read one of them or use a conservative commentary to study a specific prophecy such as Daniel 9:24-27. Praise God for His faithfulness and thank Him for the hope He has provided for those who know and love Him.
2.It is easy to assume that people who worship other gods are past the point of repentance. But that is a false assumption. God led the pagan city of Nineveh to repent through the preaching of Jonah. Zechariah told us about the faithful remnant of Philistines who would be respected by the Jewish people. Read the short prophecy of Jonah, meditating on God’s grace. Endeavor to be an instrument of His mercy toward undeserving people.
“This article originally appeared here at Bible Bulletin Board.”
