Zechariah 12:1-5 - The Lord is their God

Chapter 12-14 form one complete oracle. The focus is the final siege of Jerusalem and the salvation of Israel. It is a very apocalyptic passage in places. There are also references to Christ as well. It states clearly in verse 1 that this concerns Israel, and the whole oracle just has to have some relevance for the nation of Israel. As I have said before, notions that Israel as a nation no longer has any place in God’s plans just seem to make a nonsense of so much of the Bible. It is only in Christ that Israel will find salvation, as this chapter makes clear, and in Christ Jews and Gentiles are united by their union with Christ, as Paul makes clear in Ephesians.

We are reminded, first of all, who God is. When we look at life, whether on the parochial level of our own day to day experiences, or on a national or international scale, we will never understand or see things properly unless we remember who God is. He is the one who created all things and keeps all things going. And He is is the one who forms the spirit of man within him, He is the one who gives life.

Jerusalem is going to be a cup that sends all the nations reeling. All the world will be affected by this. But note how it will happen, Jerusalem will be besieged. But she will be an immovable rock and all the nations will injure themselves on her. This gathering of the kings of the earth is referred to in Revelation as Armageddon. Nations will all gather against Israel but they will be defeated. Today we see that most nations on earth are opposed to Israel.

Why would they be defeated? Because the Lord would strike the attacking armies. The Lord would be watching over the people of Judah. Then Judah would recognise that the people of Jerusalem are strong because the Lord is their God. If only Israel had realised this long ago how much pain and suffering she would have avoided! In our own lives, we need to recognise that it is the Lord who makes us strong. 

Note also that all the nations fought against Jerusalem, yet failed and were defeated. We often wish that this thing or that thing would not happen to us, but our true hope and strength is in knowing the Lord. When He is for us it does not matter who or what is against us. Everything can be against us, but if the Lord is for us we cannot be defeated.