Zechariah 12:5

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. 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. "Shall say" - namely, when they see the foe divinely smitten with "madness." JUDAH ... JERUSALEM - here distinguished as the country and the metropolis. Judah recognizes her "strength" to be "Jerusalem and its inhabitants" as the instrument, and "Yahweh of hosts their God" (dwelling especially there) as the author of all power (). My strength is the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who have the Lord their God as their help. The repulse of the foe by the metropolis shall assure the Jews of the country that the same divine aid shall save th...

He still continues the same subject — that however small and feeble the flock of God would be, it would yet have sufficient strength; for the Lord would stand on the side of those who fled to him. Though then Jerusalem was not as yet filled with citizens, and though there was but one city, yet Zechariah testifies that its strength would be invincible; but he speaks of the chiefs of Judah comparatively. Formerly, we know, it had a great number of men, and great armies were raised from that one tribe and the half tribe of Benjamin. Though then there were formerly many provinces, though the country was full of populous towns, yet almost Jerusalem alone had then begun to be inhabited: but the Prophet says here, that though the whole Church was gathered within the narrow bounds of one city, it would yet have sufficient strength to resist all the attacks of enemies. _Say _then _shall the chief...

1-8 Here is a Divine prediction, which will be a heavy burden to all the enemies of the church. But it is for Israel; for their comfort and benefit. It is promised that God will make foolish the counsels, and weaken the courage of the enemies of the church. The exact meaning is not clear; but God often begins by calling the poor and despised; and in that day even the feeblest will resemble David, and be as eminent in courage and every thing good. Desirable indeed is it that the examples and labours of Christians should render them as fire among wood, as a torch in a sheaf, to kindle the flame of Divine love, to spread religion on the right hand and on the left....

Verse Zechariah 12:5. _THE GOVERNORS OF JUDAH_] This supposes a _union_ between the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah....

AND THE PRINCES OF JUDAH - He pictures the onemindedness of the Church. No one shall assume anything to himself; each shall exalt the strength which the other was to him; but all, “in the Lord. The princes of Judah” shall say “in their heart,” not outwardly or politically, but in inward conviction, “strength to me” (all speak as one) “are the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the Lord of hosts their God.” The highest in human estimation acknowledge that their strength is in those who are of no account in this world; as, in fact the hearts of the poor are evermore the strength of the Church; but that, “in the Lord of hosts;” in Him, in whose hands are the powers of heaven and earth, over against the petty turmoil on earth. God had chosen Jerusalem Zechariah 1:17; Zechariah 2:12;

EXPOSITION VERSE 1-14:21 B. THE SECOND BURDEN. ZECHARIAH 12:1 § 1. The prophet proceeds to announce Israel's conflict with heathen powers. _Hostile nations gather together against Jerusalem, but shall themselves be overthrown; for the people and their leaders, trusting in the Lord, overcome all opposition._ ZECHARIAH 12:1 THE BURDEN OF THE WORD OF THE LORD FOR (_concerning_) ISRAEL. This is the title of the second oracle, corresponding to that at the head of Zechariah 9:1. Though the literal Israel has been rejected, a

AND THE GOVERNORS OF JUDAH SHALL SAY IN THEIR HEART,.... The governors of the rest of the cities in Judea, besides Jerusalem, when they shall observe the armies of the people, their horses and their riders, smitten by the Lord, as above, shall take heart, and be of good courage: and secretly say within themselves, THE INHABITANTS OF JERUSALEM [SHALL BE] MY STRENGTH IN THE LORD OF HOSTS THEIR GOD; that is, they, in the strength of the Lord, shall overcome their enemies, and so be the means of preserving and securing the other cities of Judah from destruction: the governors do not place their strength and confidence in the inhabitants of Jerusalem, but as they are strengthened in and by the Lord their God, from whom all strength, safety, and salvation come. In this and the following verse Zechariah 12:6, by "the governors of Judah" are not meant Judas Maccab

12:1. _The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heaven, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him._ Note how this chapter begins: «The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel,» not against Israel. The gospel is always, to the true preacher of it, the burden of the Lord, but, to those who receive it, it is a burden of blessing, a load of mercy. To those who reject it, it will become a burdensome stone, crushing them to their eternal ruin. God grant, in his infinite mercy, that none of us may belong to the last class! Zechariah 12:2. _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._ This is a promise of God's abounding mercy to his chosen people Is

II. THE SECOND BURDEN OF ZECHARIAH (12-14) CHAPTER 12 _ 1. Jerusalem's conflict and victory (Zechariah 12:1) _ 2. The vision of the pierced One and its results (Zechariah 12:10) Zechariah 12:1. The second burden begins with this chapter. It is wholly unfulfilled with the exception of the prophecy at the end of chapter 13 concerning the Shepherd who was smitten. The great future events recorded in these closing Chapter s of Zechariah are the following: The victory of Jerusalem, the overthrow of the hostile nations from the west (the nations which constitute the revived Roman Empire), the outpouring of the Spirit upon the remnant, the appearing and the vision of the Pierced O

STRENGTH. See note on Zechariah 6:3. THE LORD OF HOSTS. See note on Zechariah 1:3. GOD. Hebrew. _Elohim_. App-4....