What Zechariah 14:1-8 teaches about God and His ways
Zech 14:1-8
Few passages baffled commentators quite as much as Zechariah 14 but, as I explained in my previous post, our best approach is to remember that prophecy is not primarily prediction but a form of preaching which may have a future aspect to it. Its aim is to challenge or encourage so that we might learn about God’s character and will. If we apply this principle to Zechariah, we can immediately see why the prophet focused on ‘that day’ (a phrase repeated seven times in the chapter).[1] Zechariah’s postexilic context was a mixture of hope and discouragement. God has given the people a new start with the return, but life in the land was hard with enemies a-plenty, drought and failing harvest (Hag 1:6, 10-11), and God’s restoration work going at snail’s pace (Ezra 4:4-5; 5:1-2). Who would not lose heart under such conditions?
The cost of being God’s people
Zechariah consistently raises the people’s eyes to God in his prophecies. What he describes of the future is both sobering but also gives perspective. We have already seen the repeated reference of the nations gathering for battle against Jerusalem. God’s people must remember that those who are against God will not tolerate those who belong to Him. Whether this will take the form of traditional warfare or not is open to question, but conflict is inevitable. Earlier the battle was seen from the perspective of God using His people as His instruments of judgment (Zech 9:13) and by showing how those who will try to hurt them will end up hurting themselves (Zech 12:3). But this is not all. The conflict will take its toll on God’s people, but it will be for refining and testing (Zech 13:9). Our current chapter describes the terrible cost through the gruesome imagery of siege warfare where the vulnerable do not escape rape and plunder (Zech 14:2). It is a reminder that the Lord does not exempt His own from the hurt caused by evil even if at present we in the West are largely cushioned from it. It was true when Israel was enslaved in Egypt, and it is true today in many countries where Christians are persecuted.
God’s provision
Much as this might shake us, the prophet explains that God does come to the rescue and does not leave us without resources. Like at Sinai, His presence brings a different reality to a situation that can be as cataclysmic as an earthquake (Exod 19:18; Zech 14:4). There is a path through suffering because God opens a way whether it is through dividing the sea (as in the exodus; Exod 14:21-22) or splitting a mountain for escape (Zech 14:5). The Lord is sovereign, and His will indeed moves mountains. Moreover, those who belong to Him have resources available in the form of light and living waters (Zech 14:7-8). While the description looks forward to a new creation reminiscent of day one (Gen 1:3-5), Jesus already promises to be the Light for those who follow Him (John 8:12). Living waters are fresh (i.e. not tepid and not salt water) and are essential in a dry land for survival. Jerusalem relied mainly on the Gihon Spring for water (on the south-eastern side of the city), but its flow was intermittent, and the supply could be affected by drought. A constant stream plentiful enough to divide into two (v.8) and available equally in the dry and wet seasons speaks of an abundant provision. Once again, the ultimate reality seems to be in the future, but Jesus promises living water to those who come to Him, a symbol for the Holy Spirit (John 7:37-39).
Trust in the Lord
Even if we cannot fully imagine what shape the future will take, Zechariah’s prophecy affirms that even in suffering the Lord provides. We are not promised immunity and some of what we may have to go through in life feels brutal, but we are not abandoned. The Lord is sovereign, and He is not caught by surprise when His enemies attack His own. He is also faithful to give a means to endure and overcome. When we raise our eyes to Him in trust, we will not be disappointed.
[1] Apart from the slightly different initial ‘a day is coming for the LORD when…’ (Zech 14:1), ‘on/in that day’ occurs in Zech 14:4, 6, 8, 9, 13, 20, 21.
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