Zechariah 12:7

Zechariah 12:7 says, The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah.  God said that He would save those who lived in tents in Judah first.  These were the poorer, less powerful people of God.  Then He would save the people of Jerusalem, who were more powerful and protected physically.  God said He would save the people of Judah first so that the people of Jerusalem would have no ability to look down on them.  God will always look out for the weakest first.   As we grow stronger spiritually, we still will never have a reason to feel superior to any other Christian.  Verse eight declares, In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them.  God said that He was going to defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and that even when they felt feeble that He would make them as strong as David had been.  God also said His angel would protect them.  When we feel our weakest, if we put our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, God will be with us to strengthen and protect us.  Verse nine adds, And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.  God said that in that day, either the day that Jesus Christ first came or when He returns, that God would destroy all the nations that came against Jerusalem.  Spiritually they were defeated when Jesus first came, and physically and spiritually they will be defeated when He returns.  As followers of Christ, we are winners either way.  Verse ten states,cAnd I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.  God said that one day the inhabitants of Jerusalem would mourn the fact that they had crucified Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God.  Whether they do that before the return of Christ or not will make all the difference.  Verse eleven adds, In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.  God said that in the day that Christ returns there will be great mourning in Jerusalem.  They would mourn like people had for King Josiah, because they would realize that their sins had kept them from receiving the gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.  One day, all those who have not accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord will go away to everlasting mourning.  Verse twelve states, And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart;  Verse thirteen adds,The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart;  Verse fourteen concludes,  All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.  God said all the people of Israel who had rejected Jesus Christ would mourn, and so will every person throughout history and in the world when Christ returns who has not accepted His salvation. 

Zechariah 12:1

Zechariah 12:1 says, The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.  The God of all creation, the only true God, said he was burdened for Israel.  God does not allow people to go to hell without being grieved, which is why He sent His only begotten Son to die so the people could avoid that fate.  Still, it is up to each individual to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord personally.  Verse two states,  Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. God said that He would protect Judah and Jerusalem, His chosen people when they were obedient to their covenant with Him,and anyone who attacked it would be left trembling.  Verse three adds, And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.  God said that even if all the people in the world were gathered against Jerusalem, that they would not be successful in defeating God's people who lived there.  Likewise, if all the lost people of the world today unite against God's church, those people who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, they will not defeat it.  Verse four says, In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness.  God said that He would strike down anyone who came against Jerusalem, and this is still true for those who are at war w8th the church today.  God has secured our victory already.   Verse five adds, And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the LORD of hosts their God.  God also said that those in Jerusalem would say in their hearts that their strength was in the LORD, and not in their own power or abilities.  We need to give God credit for our victory over sin in the world today.  We can not be victorious over sin by our own strength and abilities.  Verse six declares, In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.  God said in that day, when He restored Jerusalem, that no one could stand against them, because God was with them. As long as we are following God's will as Christians, no one will ever defeat us spiritually. 

Zechariah 11:9

 Zechariah 11:9 says, Then said I, I will not feed you: that that dieth, let it die; and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another.  God said He was no longer going to protect the people of Judah and provide for their needs.  This also applies to all who rejected or will reject the Messiah, Jesus Christ.  Verse ten adds, And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people.  God said that when the people who had entered into a covenant relationship with Him failed to keep their part of the covenant with them, He no longer was going to keep His covenant with them.  We have to realize that God is in charge, and we do not determine the conditions of our covenant with Him.  Verse eleven adds, And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the LORD.  The rich and powerful did not understand God's covenant, but the poor and lowly did.  This does not mean that someone must be poor to obey God's commandments and keep His covenant, but too often the rich and powerful put their faith in the things of this world instead of putting their faith in God.  Verse twelve continues, And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.  God said that He told the people of Judah that if they thought of Him as being good, then they should pay Him what He asked for His blessings.  If they didn't think God was worth His wages, then they could pay Him what they wanted and He would be on His way.  They paid Him thirty pieces of silver, the sum paid to Judas to betray Jesus and a slaves wage.  Now, we really cannot buy God's good graces, but the question really is how much do we value God's gift of salvation.   Do we only look to God for blessings and send Him away if we get what we want?  Verse thirteen declares, And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.  God instructed Zechariah to give the thirty pieces of silver to the potter.  If God's people value their relationship with God so little as to attempt to buy Him with the price of a slave, He says they might as well give what they were offering Him to the potter.  It was of no use to God, and if we attempt to give as little as possible to God today, we will see that it is unacceptable to Him.  God expects us to give Him our best and our all if we have accepted salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse fourteen adds, Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.  God said He had already broken His staff called Beauty, and now He broke the one called Bands.  The first had denoted their ruin of the church by polluting their covenant with God and the second denoted the breaking of the brotherhood between God's people.  If we allow sin to rule our lives, we break our covenant relationship with God and with our fellow believers.   Verse fifteen states, And the LORD said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd.  God told Zechariah to take away the instruments of the foolish shepherds, and if we fail to use the gifts that God has given to us today for His glory, He may take them away from us.  Verse sixteen adds, For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces.  God said that He would set a harsh shepherd over them who would make life almost unbearable.  If God's shepherds do not follow His will, they will put unnecessary burdens and restrictions on His people, as the scribes and Pharisees did in Jesus day.  God did not instruct them to do these things, but He did allow them the free will to do so.  Verse seventeen concludes,  Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.  God pronounced woe on the false shepherds, and those today who claim to be God's shepherds who do not even put their faith in Him will one day feel the woe of the judgment of God. 

Zechariah 11;1

 Zechariah 11:1 says, Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars.  This is a call from God for people to get ready for destruction.  Matthew Henry says one interpretation of this is that it is a warning of the destruction of the temple, which was built of the cedars of Lebanon and was burned by the Roman's.  Others see it as the Jerusalem falling, and the cedars representing the great men of the Jews.  We do know that both occurred, so God's prophesy was fulfilled.  Verse two adds, Howl, fir tree; for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are spoiled: howl, O ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come down.  If the mighty cedars had fallen, what hope was there for the weaker trees.  If the mighty men had fallen, having given in to the temptation of sin, what hope was there for weaker men if they followed them into sin.  They should howl at the fall of the mighty men.  If the mighty men of the country today, those who are in power, fall under the power of sin, we who are less powerful in the eyes of the world should cry out against their sin and coming destruction, but we should never follow them into their sinful ways.  Verse three continues, There is a voice of the howling of the shepherds; for their glory is spoiled: a voice of the roaring of young lions; for the pride of Jordan is spoiled.  Matthew Henry says this refers to the leaders who were to be shepherds to the flock, God's chosen people.  Instead, they had relied on their own strength and went their own way without concern for protecting them.  Some people in power today are more concerned with themselves than they are with doing what God wants or even about what is best for those who are less powerful, but we need to make sure that this isn't true in the church, or even in our own life as followers of Christ.  Verse four declares, Thus saith the LORD my God; Feed the flock of the slaughter;  Then verse five adds, Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they that sell them say, Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not.  God calls on those who are supposed to be shepherds to begin acting like true shepherds.  They are to have compassion for the flock entrusted to them, instead of bragging about their own riches which they attribute to God's blessing them.  Instead of doing what was best for all of God's people, the rulers had become concerned only with what enriched themselves.  We cannot use our status as Christians to be viewed as a way to enrich ourselves with no concern for the less fortunate, especially if we are a leader in the church.  Verse six continues, For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD: but, lo, I will deliver the men every one into his neighbour’s hand, and into the hand of his king: and they shall smite the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them.  God said that He would no longer have pity on those who were supposed to be His people, and He would no longer deliver, or protect, them.  If anyone refuses to accept God's gift of salvation today, then He will not protect them, but will give them up to everlasting punishment when Christ returns.  Verse seven states, And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock.  God said that since the shepherds had failed in their responsibility to care for His flock, that He would take over their care Himself.  God said that Jesus Christ was coming to take care of both the spiritual and material needs of those who put their faith in Him.  When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, our spiritual need is met immediately, as our sins are forgiven, and we have the promise of God that He will meet our material needs as well as long as we are being obedient to Him through faith.  Verse eight adds, Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me.  God said He was going to cut off those false shepherds who had claimed to be following God's guidance in leading His sheep.  When Jesus Christ came to redeem mankind, the religious leaders of the people of Israel were cut off, because they refused to obey God's word.  If those who profess to be leaders of God's people today but who have not accepted Jesus Christ and do not listen to and heed God's word, then one day, when God's final judgment comes, they will be cut off from the kingdom of God. 

Zechariah 10:5

 Zechariah 10:5 says,  And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the LORD is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded.  God said that there would be mighty men fighting for Judah because the LORD was with them.  We really don't need to look to how powerful we are militarily if we are not on God's side.  It is not whether God is on our side, but whether we are on His.  Verse six adds, And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the LORD their God, and will hear them.  This was God's promise to Judah.  He would strengthen and save them, because He had mercy on them.  God saves us and strengthens us spiritually today because He has mercy on us.  Just as the people of Judah could not save themselves, neither can we.  God said He was not going to cast them off, because He was their God and would hear them.  As followers of Christ, God is our God and He will never cast us off and will always hear our prayers.  Verse seven states, And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the LORD. God said that He would strengthen them and that they would rejoice in the LORD once more.  As Christians, our faith should strengthen us in the world today and we should always rejoice in the LORD.  Verse eight adds, I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased.  God made it clear that He was the One responsible for their success.  He would gather those who put their faith in Him because He had redeemed them.  One day, God is going to gather all those who put their faith in Jesus Christ to their everlasting home,because God has redeemed them.  Verse nine adds, And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again.  God said that those who had been scattered to the far countries would hear His word and return to Him.  God's kingdom was going to expand to all the world and His word was going out to all the people of the world.  This is our responsibility today, to share the gospel with all the world.  Verse ten declares, I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them.  God said He was going to gather them, and He still gathers those today who put their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.  Verse eleven continues, And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away.  God said that He would defeat all the enemies of His people when they lived by faith in Him.  This promise still applies to us today.   Verse twelve concludes, And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the LORD.  God said when He strengthened them that they would go everywhere in His name.  As followers of Christ today, wherever we go and whatever we are doing should be done so that God's name will be magnified in the world and His kingdom advanced. 

Zechariah 10:1

 Zechariah 10:1 says, Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field. God said that if they prayed for rain with faith in Him that He would send rain so that the crops would grow.  God did not say that He would rain down riches from heaven though.  Even then, the prayer was to be in accordance with God's will.  This call to pray for rain also followed God's promise to bless them with an abundant harvest.  God has promised us everlasting life and that He will meet our needs, but we still need to be in prayer daily that we will know and do His will for us individually.  Verse two declares,  For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd.   God said that those who had put their faith in idols and those who had called on them to do so were left without a shepherd.  These false prophets had spoken lies, and there are many people today who would have us follow after false gods, but if we do, we will one day realize how empty their promises are, and if we continue to follow them instead of following Jesus Christ, we will be left without a Shepherd to save us.  Verse three adds, Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the LORD of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle.  God said His anger was kindled against the false shepherds and that He had punished the goats, those who professed to be the sheep of His pasture, but were not what they professed to be.  We may claim to be the sheep of God's pasture, but if we are following after false gods and worshipping idols, we are goats instead.  Verse four states, Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together.  God said that He was the cornerstone of the redemption and that He would secure those that believed in Him and lived by faith in Him.  Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of our salvation and we must put our faith in Him if we are to be saved, and once we do, we must reject all the false gods in the world and never be guilty of worshipping any idol.  If we put our faith in anything other than Jesus Christ, then we are worshipping a false God or idol.  Once we put our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, He secures us to the heavenly Father forever. 

Zechariah 9:9

 Zechariah 9:9 says, Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.  The people of Israel were called on to rejoice because the Redeemer was coming.  He would come in a lowly estate, not as a regal King, though He was the King of glory.  They were told that their King would come on the foal of an ass, and Jesus Christ fulfilled this prophesy.  Verse ten adds, And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.  The coming King, the Messiah, would establish His kingdom, not by military might, but by bringing spiritual peace to those who put their faith in Him, even the heathen if they put their faith in Him.  God does not call us to us to convert people by military might, but by spreading the gospel of Christ, which is based on the love of God.  Verse eleven states, As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water.  God said the coming Messiah would bring hope where there had been no hope.  Whether they realize it or not, until people accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, they are without hope.  Verse twelve adds, Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee;  God called on people come to His stronghold where they would where they would be prisoners of hope.  God also said He would bless them with double blessings, and He stands ready to do so today.  Verse thirteen declares, When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man.  God said He would be with the people of Judah and give them victory over their enemies.  Through our faith in Jesus Christ, we have victory over all the forces of the world that work against us today.  Verse fourteen adds, And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord GOD shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.  God's people were not to be victorious because of their own ability, but because God was going to give them the victory.  We today will not be victorious over sin because of our own abilities, but because Jesus Christ has given us the victory.  Verse fifteen continues, The LORD of hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour, and subdue with sling stones; and they shall drink, and make a noise as through wine; and they shall be filled like bowls, and as the corners of the altar.  God said that His people would be able to eat in peace and make a joyful noise to Him.  We today as followers of Christ should eat in peace no matter what is going on in the world because God is our protector and we should therefore rejoice in the Lord.  Verse sixteen states, And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land.  Zechariah said that the LORD their God would save them in that day.  As Christians, we know the day is coming when God will bring His judgment on the world, and as followers of Christ we will be as stones in the crown of Christ.  Verse seventeen concludes, For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids.  We need to always proclaim the goodness of God, just as the His people were called on to do then.