ZECHARIAH CHAPTER 14
Part Three

BY REV. ALLAN MOORHEAD

In chapters 12 and 13 of Zechariah we learned several key points:

1. God will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling and a burdensome stone to all who get involved with her (12:2 and 3).
2. The nations will come against Judah and Jerusalem.
3. God will destroy these nations (12:9).
4. House of David will fight like David did when the angel of the LORD was before him.
5. God pours out his Spirit upon the house of David.
6. The house of David will look to the one whom they had pierced (12:10).
7. House of David will get saved before the Messiah returns.
8. There will be great mourning as one who lost an only son and true repentance will occur (12:11-14).
9. A fountain will be poured out to the house of David to cleanse them (13:1).
10. House of David will follow the laws of God (13:2-5).
11. A reference of Yeshua being equal with God (13:6-7).
12. Two thirds of the inhabitants of Israel will die. One-third will survive as the remnant (13:8-9) that will see the return of the Messiah.

Zechariah 14
Vs1: The time has arrived. The day of the LORD is here. In modern end- time literature, the phrase 'Day of the LORD' is used loosely for all of the end time scenarios including the tribulation period. However, the "Day of the LORD" specifically refers to the final judgment of God on the earth. Even more specifically, it refers to the return of the Messiah Yeshua who will execute the final judgment. The booty of this battle will be divided between the remnants of Israel.

Vs2: It is God who gathers the nations against Judah and Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be taken by the nations. One half of the city will be taken into captivity (exiled as slaves). The houses will be robbed and the women raped. However, the remainder of the inhabitants (one third) will not be cut off (killed).

There are many points to consider here:
1. Who are these nations? Zechariah says that this is "all nations". It indeed could be all the nations of the world. However, the bible is explicit in describing the nations who are involved in the last-days judgment because of their treatment of Israel. Psalms 83 gives us a good list of some of these nations. This Psalm is most likely talking about the final battle because verse 5 tells us that they form a confederate against Israel. Although at one time or another in the past, these nations fought against Israel, they never did so as one group before. These nations are:

Edom (This would be southern Israel and southern Jordan areas. It is very probable that they are the Palestinians of today).
Ishmaelites (This could refer to any of the Arab nations. It is interesting to note that Esau the father of the Edomites married an Ishmaelite.)
Moabites (Jordan)
Hagarenes (They are descendents of Hager. They could represent any of the Arab nations).
Gebal (Located near the Dead Sea, and is most likely part of Edom).
Amalek (This area could be the Sinai peninsula area to the land of Edom. Amalek is from the lineage of Esau.)
Philistines (This area is the western coastline of Israel. In particular, this would be the Gaza area).
Tyre (This area would be southern Lebanon).
Assur (this area would be Assyria. Today, it would represent parts of Turkey, Armenia, Georgia, Syria, Iraq, and Iran).

At least six of the nine areas have a relationship to Edom and or the Palestinians today. God has a lot to say about the Edomites in the last days. Psalms 137:7 says "Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase [it], rase [it, even] to the foundation thereof."

Amos 9:11-15 says "In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up their breaches; and I will raise up its ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, who are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this. Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt. And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine of them; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God."

Israel will possess Edom after the last-days battle. There are many scriptures about Edom and its role in the last days. Read Isaiah 25, Isaiah 34, Isaiah 63, Ezekiel 25, Ezekiel 35, and Obadiah to get a better understanding of the role Edom plays.

There are other scriptures that mention the nations involved in this last great battle. Ezekiel 38 mentions Persia (Iran), Ethiopia, Libya, Gomer (northern and eastern Europe), and Togarmah (Turkey). Also mentioned are Gog, Magog, Tubal, and Meshech, which can represent many nations from Europe, Russia, countries south of Russia, and all the way to China. Involved with these nations will be enormous attacks by evil angels and demons. This will be a war unlike anything ever known to mankind.

2. Zechariah in verse two says that some of the house of David will again be lead again into captivity. This can be difficult to understand but the scriptures do indicate another partial captivity. Amos 9:14-15 says, "And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit [them]; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God".

Jeremiah 33:7-8 says, "And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God. And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me".

Isaiah 51:11 says, "Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away".

Isaiah 11:11 says, "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea".

Many scholars say that when Israel became a nation in 1948, began the return from captivity the second time. This is questionable because the second regathering is consists of great joy and redemption and forgiveness as shown by the previous scriptures. The first gathering occurred when the entire nation was delivered from Egypt with God leading them. The second will be like it with God leading them also. Yet what is happening in Israel today is also God's doing and it doesn't change a thing on how we should feel about Israel. To love Israel and the Jewish people is still very close to the heart of God.

Isaiah 49:21-22 says, "Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been? Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders". When the final regathering occurs, the gentiles will bring the captives back to Israel upon their shoulders.

3. The remainder of Jerusalem will be called the remnant. God will protect this group as we shall see in verse 4 and 5.

Vs3: The LORD goes forth to fight against those nations that attack Israel. This is not the first time the LORD went forth to fight alone for Israel. In Exodus 14:14-31 The LORD said he will fight for Israel and then He drowned the Egyptians in the Red Sea. In 2Chronicles chapter 29 the LORD alone destroyed the armies of Moab, Ammon and Edom.

Vs4: The LORD now comes and stands on the Mount of Olives and the mountain splits in half. The remnant flees to the 'valley of the mountains'. As the LORD made a way for Israel to cross the Red Sea by parting the sea, this time he makes a way for them by parting a mountain. The remnant that is trapped in Jerusalem by the evil forces now will flee through this valley and escape to the 'valley of the mountains'. An assumption is made that the remnant flees through the opening created by the splitting of the Mount of Olives. It is also believed that it is the Messiah himself that stands on the Mount. Remember that Yeshua ascended from the Mount of Olives and will return to the same spot (Acts chapter one).

One has to think for a moment of where this remnant was hiding in Jerusalem. Most likely they were on the temple mount. This would be the best position to be in when fleeing between the halves of the Mountain of Olives.

The term 'valley of the mountains' is an interesting one. Some say it refers to the valley created by Yeshua when he split the Mount of Olives. It could be but no one knows for sure. The 'valley of the mountains' may refer to another location. We know that this valley reaches to a place called Azal. Again no one knows where or what Azal is. Azal means, "he has reserved". The remnant is to flee to Azal and this is where God protects them for a while.

There is a similar event in the Book of Revelation chapter 12. Here Satan, the dragon, is cast to the earth with his angels to make war with the woman (Israel). In verse 14 it says, "And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent". In Exodus 19:4 we learn that God bored Israel on eagle's wings, "Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself". In Jeremiah 48:40 and Jeremiah 49:22 we learn that God often refers to Himself as flying like an eagle and speading his wings. It is God who delivers the woman in Revelation. He is the great eagle.

Stop for a moment and think about the analogy between God's deliverance of the Hebrews in Egypt and God's deliverance from Jerusalem. , God split the sea, and now he splits a mountain. He said he bored Israel on eagle's wings from Pharoah before, and now He bores them on eagle's wings from the Dragon. He fought for Israel before and now He fights for them again. He sent Israel into a wilderness after leaving Egypt, and now He sends them into another wilderness called Azal. The LORD destroyed Pharaoh's army with a flood and in Revelation 12:15-16 Satan tries to destroy the remnant with a flood but God protected them by opening up the earth to swallow the flood. Another analogy to recognize has to do with the city of Jerusalem itself. In Revelation 11:8, Jerusalem is called Sodom and Egypt. So during this period of time Jerusalem is Egypt and the LORD seems to repeat his deliverance as he did the first time.

The Wilderness
Hosea 2:14-15 says, "Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt". God will bring the remnant into the wilderness and be kind to her. It is interesting to note that the "valley of Achor" is in the Dead Sea area. The remnant will sing there as when they sang after their deliverance from Egypt.

Where exactly in the wilderness will this remnant go? Some say that it is Petra (Selah, rock) which is not that far from the Dead Sea. There are some clues that indicate this.

Isaiah 16:1-5 says, "Send ye the lamb to the ruler of the land from Sela (Petra) to the wilderness, unto the mount of the daughter of Zion. For it shall be, that, as a wandering bird cast out of the nest, so the daughters of Moab shall be at the fords of Arnon. Take counsel, execute judgment; make thy shadow as the night in the midst of the noonday; hide the outcasts; bewray (uncover or reveal) not him that wandereth. Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler: for the extortioner is at an end, the spoiler ceaseth, the oppressors are consumed out of the land. And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness".

Isaiah is prophesying saying to Moab to take care of God's people and protect them.
The remnant can be anywhere from Petra, to the mount of the daughter of Zion, which most likely is Mount Sinai, to the wilderness in between.

In Daniel 11:41, the Antichrist is not allowed to conquer Moab, Edom, and Ammon. "He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. Perhaps this is because this is where the remnant is hiding and the LORD will not allow him there.

Shalom, may our God grant us all the wisdom of Yeshua Messiah in these, the last days. If you agree you can say, Amen!

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