Zechariah 9:1-8
1 The pronouncement of the word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrach, with Damascus as its resting place (for the eyes of mankind, especially of all the tribes of Israel, are toward the Lord),
2 And Hamath also, which borders on it;
Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise.
3 For Tyre built herself a fortress,
And piled up silver like dust,
And gold like the mud of the streets.
4 Behold, the Lord will dispossess her
And throw her wealth into the sea;
And she will be consumed with fire.
5 Ashkelon will see it and be afraid.
Gaza too will writhe in great pain;
Also Ekron, because her hope has been ruined.
Moreover, the king will perish from Gaza,
And Ashkelon will not be inhabited.
6 And a people of mixed origins will live in Ashdod,
And I will eliminate the pride of the Philistines.
7 And I will remove their blood from their mouth
And their detestable things from between their teeth.
Then they also will be a remnant for our God,
And be like a clan in Judah,
And Ekron will be like a Jebusite.
8 But I will camp around My house because of an army,
Because of him who passes by and returns;
And no oppressor will pass over them anymore,
For now I have seen with My eyes.
The Conquests of Alexander the Great’s (1)
Two prophetic oracles
Chapters 9-14 consist of two “oracles.” While chapters 1-8 that we have studied so far contained only a few prophecies concerning the end times, chapters 9-14, which we are about to study, are filled with end-time prophecies. In other words, the theme is the judgment and blessing that accompany the coming of the Messiah. With today’s passage, the first “oracle” begins. Its content is the prophecy that Alexander the Great would conquer the enemies of Israel. Alexander the Great would become the executor (agent) of the Lord’s judgment. He defeated the Persian army (333 BC), and in the following year advanced toward Egypt while overthrowing the cities along the Mediterranean coast and the cities of Syria. The cities conquered by him are then listed.
The conquered cities
(1) Hadrach was a city in Syria, and Damascus was the capital of Syria. The declaration of the Lord rests there. In other words, Alexander the Great would attack that place. (2) It says, “For the eyes of mankind, especially of all the tribes of Israel, are toward the Lord” (v 1b). This is a parenthetical statement. Israel at that time knew that the Lord rules over history. In other words, they were waiting expectantly for deliverance from the Lord. The one who would carry this out was Alexander the Great. (3) “Hamath” was a fortified city located at the northern border of Israel, but it too would be destroyed. (4) As it says, “Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise” (v 2b), the Lord’s judgment would also extend to Tyre and Sidon. These two cities were coastal cities of Phoenicia (present-day Lebanon). The phrase “very wise” reflects the human viewpoint, not God’s viewpoint. They boasted of themselves as being wise. Tyre in particular had become arrogant because it had built an impregnable fortress on an island facing the sea (Isa. 23:4). These two cities were destroyed in 332 BC. This judgment had also been prophesied in Isaiah 23, Ezekiel 28, and Amos 1:9-10. “Behold, the Lord will dispossess her and throw her wealth into the sea; and she will be consumed with fire” (v 4). Exactly as prophesied, these things took place. All the wealth they had accumulated was taken away, the inhabitants were killed, the survivors were sold as slaves, and finally the city was burned with fire. The end of those who boast in their own wisdom is emptiness. Let us walk not in a life that opposes God, but in a life that trusts in Him.
Today's prayer
O God of Israel, help me to live a life that fears You alone and walks trusting in You alone. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.