INTRODUCTION TO ZECHARIAH 14 This chapter treats of the coming of Christ with all his saints, and his personal appearance among them; and of the signs of the times before that; and of what shall befall the enemies of the church, both open and secret; and of the happy state and condition of the chur... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, THE DAY OF THE LORD COMETH,.... Or the day when the Lord will come, both in his spiritual and personal reign; for this is not to be understood of his first coming in the flesh, at which time none of the things after mentioned happened; nor of his coming to take vengeance on the Jews; but rat... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR I WILL GATHER ALL NATIONS AGAINST JERUSALEM TO BATTLE,.... Meaning not the Romans, in the time of Vespasian, for they were not all nations; nor did a part of the city only go into captivity then, but the whole; nor did any remain in it: it seems right to refer it to the gathering of the kings of... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SHALL THE LORD GO FORTH,.... Out of his place in heaven, either in person, or by the display of his power; that is, the Lord Jesus Christ; whose name is called the Word of God, and is the King of kings, and Lord of lords, described as a mighty warrior, Revelation 19:11, c.: AND FIGHT AGAINST... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HIS FEET SHALL STAND IN THAT DAY UPON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES,.... Where he often was in the days of his flesh, and from whence he ascended to heaven, Luke 21:37 but here he did not appear at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem; wherefore this must refer to a time to come; and seeing it is cert... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YE SHALL FLEE [TO] THE VALLEY OF THE MOUNTAINS,.... To seek for shelter and safety in them, for fear of the Lord, and the glory of his majesty, whom every eye shall see, Isaiah 2:19: FOR THE VALLEY OF THE MOUNTAINS SHALL REACH UNTO AZAL; a name of a place not known; it may be thought to be at s... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THAT DAY,.... Which shall precede the coming of Christ, both his spiritual and personal reign; for what follows will not agree with either state: [THAT] THE LIGHT SHALL NOT BE CLEAR [NOR] DARK; before the latter day glory it will be a darkish dispensation; not "clear",... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IT SHALL BE ONE DAY,.... A very singular, remarkable, and uncommon one; and it will be but one day; things will not continue long in such a position: WHICH SHALL BE KNOWN TO THE LORD; all times and seasons are known unto the Lord, but this will come under his special notice and observation, and... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL BE IN THAT DAY, [THAT] LIVING WATERS SHALL GO OUT FROM JERUSALEM,.... When it shall be light; and this is one of the things which will make it so; for by "living waters" are meant the Gospel, and the doctrines of it; compared to running "waters" for the sound of them, which will then go... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SHALL BE KING OVER ALL THE EARTH,.... This refers to the spiritual reign of Christ in the latter day; upon the success of the Gospel everywhere, there will be great conversions in all places; Gospel churches will be set up and ordinances administered everywhere; the earth will be filled... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE LAND SHALL BE TURNED AS A PLAIN,.... That is, all the land of Israel round about Jerusalem, which was encompassed with mountains, Psalms 125:2 but now these mountains shall become a plain, that that may be seen; since it follows, FROM GEBA TO RIMMON SOUTH OF JERUSALEM; Geba was a city in th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND [MEN] SHALL DWELL IN IT,.... In great numbers, in much peace and safety, and from generation to generation: Aben Ezra says, Messiah the son of David will now come: AND THERE SHALL BE NO MORE UTTER DESTRUCTION; no wars, nor desolations by them, in a civil sense; there shall be no more killing, a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THIS SHALL BE THE PLAGUES,.... This respects one or more, or all, of the seven plagues, which will be inflicted on the antichristian states, mentioned in Revelation 15:1: WHEREWITH THE LORD WILL SMITE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE FOUGHT AGAINST JERUSALEM; who have been the enemies and persecutors o... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THAT DAY,.... When the vials are pouring out: [THAT] A GREAT TUMULT FROM THE LORD SHALL BE AMONG THEM; the Targum renders it, a great tumult, or noise of killing; and the Septuagint, an ecstasy: it refers to the earthquake, and the slaughter of seven thousand men of nam... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JUDAH ALSO SHALL FIGHT AT JERUSALEM,.... These are the professing people of Christ, the armies in heaven, the chosen, called, and faithful, who will follow the Lamb, and attend him when he goes forth to make war with the antichristian princes, and shall overcome them, Revelation 17:14: AND THE... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SO SHALL BE THE PLAGUE OF THE HORSE, OF THE MULE, OF THE CAMEL, AND OF THE ASS,.... The flesh of the horse is said to be eaten, Revelation 19:18: AND OF ALL THE BEASTS THAT SHALL BE IN THESE TENTS, AS THIS PLAGUE, their beasts shall perish in like manner as themselves.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS,.... After the plague on man and beast is over: [THAT] EVERYONE THAT IS LEFT OF ALL THE NATIONS WHICH COME AGAINST JERUSALEM; these are the remnant, according to the election of grace, who will have been among the enemies of Christ and his people, but preserved when others... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL BE, [THAT] WHOSOEVER WILL NOT COME UP,.... This, though it follows upon the former account, must be understood of times preceding the spiritual reign of Christ; for the rain of the Gospel will be upon all the earth in the latter day glory; and all nations will then serve and worship the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF THE FAMILY OF EGYPT GO NOT UP, AND COME NOT,.... To Jerusalem, the church of God; do not go thither to worship the Lord, attend his ordinances, and keep them in their purity; nor walk as becomes the people of God: by "the family of Egypt" are meant the Papists, so called for their tyranny, cr... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS SHALL BE THE PUNISHMENT OF EGYPT,.... Or "sin" d, as in the original text: rightly is the word rendered "punishment", as it is by the Targum: AND THE PUNISHMENT OF ALL NATIONS THAT COME NOT UP TO KEEP THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES; which will be one and the same; they shall have no rain, or what an... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THAT DAY,.... After the destruction of antichrist and all the antichristian party, and a new state of things will take place, either the spiritual or personal reign of Christ: SHALL THERE BE UPON THE BELLS OF THE HORSES, HOLINESS TO THE LORD; as was upon the mitre of the high priest, Exodus 28:3... [ Continue Reading ]
YEA, EVERY POT IN JERUSALEM AND IN JUDAH SHALL BE HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD OF HOSTS,.... Such will be the number of sacrifices and sacrificers, that the pots in the Lord's house will not be sufficient; wherefore every pot, in city or country, shall be sanctified and devoted to holy uses: AND ALL THEY... [ Continue Reading ]