Zechariah 14:1-21

     Zechariah 14:1-21 pertains to the day of the Lord, which is a future time when God will intervene in human history to rescue His people and judge the wicked, in order to establish His kingdom on earth. The chapter opens with a description of persecution by Gentile nations upon Jerusalem, in which the city is captured, houses plundered, women ravished, and many taken into exile (Zec 14:1-2). When all seems hopeless, “the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle” (Zec 14:3). This refers to the battle of Armageddon in which Jesus Christ “will stand on the Mount of Olives”, causing the mountain to split in two (Zec 14:4), and clearing the way for His people to flee to safety (Zec 14:5a). Apparently, Jesus will be accompanied by many of His holy angels (Zec 14:5b). This event will be so great, even the stars in the sky will be impacted (Zec 14:6-7). After the battle, there will be a fountain flowing out of Jerusalem that will extend outward to other nations (Zec 14:8), and “the LORD will be king over all the earth; in that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one” (Zec 14:9). The topography of the Middle East will be changed into a plain (Zec 14:10), and “People will live in it, and there will no longer be a curse, for Jerusalem will dwell in security” (Zec 14:11). And God will punish those who attacked Jerusalem with great physical pain (Zec 14:12) and mental confusion, such that “they will seize one another’s hand, and the hand of one will be lifted against the hand of another” (Zec 14:13). Apparently, some within Judah and Jerusalem will fight, and after the enemy is defeated, “the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be gathered, gold and silver and garments in great abundance” (Zec 14:14). The plague which God brought upon Israel’s enemies, will also be upon all the animals in their camp (Zec 14:15), rendering them useless to those who use them in war. After the battle is complete, after God subdues Israel’s enemies, the remaining humbled nations will be required to go to Jerusalem annually “to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths. And it will be that whichever of the families of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, there will be no rain on them” (Zec 14:16-17). This will be the punishment on nations near and far (Zec 14:18-19). It is likely that representatives from the nations of the world will be those who visit Jerusalem annually, as it would seem impossible for every person on the planet to gather there. More so, failure to attend these annual events implies that sin and pride are not completely removed during the millennial kingdom, otherwise there would be no need for God to withhold the blessing of rain upon those nations. Lastly, when Christ establishes His kingdom on earth, common things such as bells on horse (Zec 14:20), cooking pots and dishes, will all “be holy to the LORD of hosts” (Zec 14:21a). “And there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts in that day” (Zec 14:21b), which likely refers to common traders influencing those who worship at the Lord’s temple.