For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Zech 14:1-7

1 A day of the Lord is coming, Jerusalem, when your possessions will be plundered and divided up within your very walls.

2 I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. 3 Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle. 4 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. 5 You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.

6 On that day there will be neither sunlight nor cold, frosty darkness. 7 It will be a unique day—a day known only to the Lord—with no distinction between day and night. When evening comes, there will be light.

A. Find Out

1. What is Jerusalem warned is coming? v.1
2. Who will do this? v.2
3. But what will the Lord then do? v.3
4. How will He do that? v.4
5. With what effect? v.5
6. What marks that ‘day’ out? v.6.7

B. Think:

1. What disaster appears to be coming first?
2. Yet what incredible act of the Lord will follow?
3. What marks it out as special if not unique?

C. Comment:

The concluding prophecy seems to pick up intensity. First comes a warning of a terrible time for Jerusalem (v.1) when the nations of the world gather against them (v.2) with half of the inhabitants being taken off into exile (again!). But when that happens the Lord will rise up on their behalf against those invaders (v.3).

Now in the description of what follows, whether this will be literal or allegorical is unclear, the Lord stepping down and causing what seems a massive earthquake (v.4) and this will allow the people to flee from all that is going on (v.5). Somehow the weather will be suspended (v.6) and even a suspension of the division between day and night (v.7a) until the end of it when light will come (v.7b).

What follows this is seen in the remainder of this last chapter but for the moment we simply focus on these dramatic events. Reviewing what we have seen, there appears to be come continuation of what was seen in the preceding chapters where Israel is invaded. Now whether what we are considering happens before that invasion mentioned earlier with the destruction of the invading nations, or at a later date, is unclear.  What is obvious, however, is that Jerusalem will suffer but the Lord will step in, in a dramatic way, enabling the inhabitants to escape, by the use of an earthquake and even darkness from a cause not explained. Maybe all this is part of the purging previously described but whatever it is, it is clear it is the work of the Lord who will be there for His people.

D. Application:

1. God’s discipline may involve very difficult circumstances.
2. Even in such circumstances He is there for His people.

Zech 14:8-21

8 On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it east to the Dead Sea and half of it west to the Mediterranean Sea, in summer and in winter.

9 The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name.

10 The whole land, from Geba to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem, will become like the Arabah. But Jerusalem will be raised up high from the Benjamin Gate to the site of the First Gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepresses, and will remain in its place. 11 It will be inhabited; never again will it be destroyed. Jerusalem will be secure.

12 This is the plague with which the Lord will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. 13 On that day people will be stricken by the Lord with great panic. They will seize each other by the hand and attack one another. 14 Judah too will fight at Jerusalem. The wealth of all the surrounding nations will be collected—great quantities of gold and silver and clothing. 15 A similar plague will strike the horses and mules, the camels and donkeys, and all the animals in those camps.

16 Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. 17 If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, they will have no rain. 18 If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain. The Lord will bring on them the plague he inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. 19 This will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles.

20 On that day holy to the Lord will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots in the Lord’s house will be like the sacred bowls in front of the altar. 21 Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the Lord Almighty, and all who come to sacrifice will take some of the pots and cook in them. And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the Lord Almighty.

A. Find Out

1. What life source is next seen? v.8
2. What world change will come v.9
3. What Jerusalem change will come? v.10,11
4. What will God do to the invaders? v.12,13
5. What victory will be given Judah? v.14
6. What further will happen with what outcome? v.15,16
7. What will happen to those who won’t go? v.17-19
8. What further sign/transformation will take place? v.20,21

B. Think:

1. What world changes will be brought about?
2. What changes for Israel will be brought about?  

C. Comment:

As we come to the conclusion of this book, the second half of this chapter is all about transformations. Remember this is a unique day (v.7) and its effect will be the release of water from Jerusalem, east and west (v.8) and so life changing will all this be, that God will be honored all round the world (v.9). Both the Land and Jerusalem will be transformed (v.10), forever secure (v.11).

In order to bring these changes, the Lord will also use plague against the invaders (v.12) as well as against their animals (v.15) causing great panic among them (v.13) resulting in these invaders turning on one another. Judah will fight at Jerusalem and be given great victory (v.14).

The transformation that follows all this appears a heart and mind transformation of the nations who will come to Jerusalem annually to worship the Lord (v.16). Indeed if there are any who refuse to do that, they will find that their lands are smitten with drought and all that follows that, (v.17) which includes more plagues (v.18) and, have no doubt, this will affect all who refuse to bow the knee to Him (v.19).

The transformation will be a recognition that Jerusalem is holy, seen in physical ways in the life of the city (v.20,21), experienced by all who come to the city to worship.

How would this affect the listeners? I suspect they would be overwhelmed by God’s good intentions for them and their future.   

D. Application:

1. In world events, watch for the hands of the Lord.
2. God’s intent remains, to draw all peoples to Him.