Zechariah 9:1

 Zechariah 9:1 says, The burden of the word of the LORD in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be the rest thereof: when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the LORD.  Syria had been a burden to the people of Israel, but now they were going to face the burden of the LORD.  This was to happen when the people of Israel looked to God in faith.  The world today may burden us down as followers of Christ, but if we look to God in faith, He will always give us relief spiritually, and one day He will deliver us from all oppression and suffering.  Verse two states, And Hamath also shall border thereby; Tyrus, and Zidon, though it be very wise.  Next, Tyrus and Zidon were added to those that God was going to punish, even though they thought themselves to be very wise and above God's punishment.  Some countries today think of themselves as being too wise to believe in God, but one day they will realize just how foolish they really were.  Verse three adds, And Tyrus did build herself a strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.  Tyrus had built itself up as a strong and rich city, thinking these things would keep them safe without God's protection and even in defiance to Him.  Too many people today put their faith in material things to keep them safe and ignore or even defy God.  Verse four declares, Behold, the Lord will cast her out, and he will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire.  Zechariah said that the LORD was going to destroy Tyrus, in spite of the people there thinking that they were above His punishment.  They did not really believe in God or His power, but that did not remove them from His judgment.  Just because someone, or even some nation, today claims there is no God, one day they will find out how wrong they are.  Verse five states, Ashkelon shall see it, and fear; Gaza also shall see it, and be very sorrowful, and Ekron; for her expectation shall be ashamed; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.  God next pronounced judgment on the Philistines.  God said their king would perish and their cities uninhabited.  Veree six adds, And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.  A foreigner was to rule over the land of the Philistines, someone who was not of the royal family.  Matthew Henry says this prophesy was fulfilled when Alexander the Great conquered most of the known world.  Verse seven states, And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth: but he that remaineth, even he, shall be for our God, and he shall be as a governor in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.  God said that those of the Philistines who put their faith in Him would be saved by His power.  We may be in the camp of the enemy as followers of Christ, but if we remain true to Him, we have an everlasting victory.  Verse eight adds, And I will encamp about mine house because of the army, because of him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth: and no oppressor shall pass through them any more: for now have I seen with mine eyes.  God said that He would protect His people, those that put their faith in Him, from all enemies, and He still does today.  No matter what happens in this life, as long as we continue to put our faith in God, He secures us to Him forever.  God has already won the victory for us.