4/9/92
July 23, 1994

ZECHARIAH 2

Now we come to Zechariah's third vision. It is short and simple, yet it covers a tremendous amount of ground. The previous vision had warned those who were following the Lord for what was in it for them: their hearts were not in their service.

The next vision was given to the Godly workmen, and covered the promised defeat and destruction of the pagan world powers which were standing against the kingdom of God.

Now this vision in Ch 3 reveals the unlimited, world-wide expansion of the kingdom of God. In this vision, Zechariah saw this man with a measuring line in his hand; it is very similar to Ezekiel's vision of chp. 40. In studying this vision, we must remember Heb 12:22 where the gospel church is called Mount Sion.

Zechariah sees a man with a measuring line in his hand; the man is not the angel who is talking to Zechariah. Zechariah speaks up, and asks what is going on. The response back is that Jerusalem is being measured.

Zechariah's interpreter then goes to enquire of the angel who is going the measuring to find out what he is doing. As the interpreter goes toward the one measuring to find out the meaning of the measuring, another angel comes out to meet the interpreter.

He tells Zechariah's angel to go back and tell Zechariah (v. 4, this young man. Zechariah' was a young man at this time), "Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein: For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her." The measuring angel is the angel of the Lord (Hengstenberg, Keil). He has sent the explanation to the interpreting angel to give to Zechariah.

Vv. 1-5 What does the message mean?

1) v. 2, the city is being measured. This vision of Jerusalem being measured presupposes that the city is already in existence; but it was not at that time. The vision is being given to Zechariah as encouragement for those doing the work of rebuilding the city.

But the message does not stop with simply rebuilding the city under Ezra and Nehemiah. It looks forward to a future city which will far exceed its present boundaries. Remember, the angel is speaking to Zechariah, who is surrounded by the ruins of the city. Zechariah will be speaking to those people living in the midst of the city's ruins. What Zechariah is being told goes just the opposite of what appears in the surrounding ruins.

Thus Zechariah is being told that Jerusalem will prosper and be enlarged beyond anything they can even hope or dream about in the midst of their present rubble. In fact, the city's enlargement will not include walls for protection from her enemies; rather, the Lord Himself will be her protection; the Lord will be unto her a wall of fire round about.

V. 4 And said to him, Run, speak to this {b} young man, saying, {c} Jerusalem shall be inhabited [as] towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle in it: (b) Meaning himself, Zechariah. (c) Signifying the spiritual Jerusalem and Church under Christ, which would be extended by the Gospel through all the world, and would need no material walls, nor trust in any worldly strength, but would be safely preserved and dwell in peace among all their enemies.

V. 4 Furthermore, not only will he be a wall of fire round about the city, but He will be the glory in the midst of the city. This corresponds with Ez 38:11.

"The thought is therefore the following: Jerusalem is in future to resemble an open country covered with unwalled cities and villages; it will no longer be a city closely encircled with walls; hence it will be extra ordinarily enlarged, on account of the multitude of men and cattle with which it will be blessed, (cf. Isa. 49:19, 20; Ez 38:11). Moreover, (2) Jerusalem will then have no protecting wall surrounding it, because it will enjoy a superior protection. Jehovah will be to it a wall of fire round about, that is to say, a defence of fire which will consume everyone who ventures to attack it, (cf. Isa. 4:5; Deut. 4:24). Jehovah will also be the glory in the midst of Jerusalem, that is to say, will fill the city with His glory, (cf. Isa. 60:19). (Keil)"

There can be no mistaking: Zechariah is speaking of the church and its glories under its King as we will see throughout this chapter. Again, this prophecy is being given to a handful of people who are faced with heaps upon heaps of rubble from the old city; they are faced with a seemingly impossible task of raising up a thing of beauty out of the ashes of war and fire.

In the midst of the ruins, Zechariah tells of the future greater glory which awaits the city of the living God, the capital of the nation of the covenant people.

V. 5 For I, saith the LORD, will be to her a wall of {d} fire on every side, and will {e} be the glory in the midst of her. (d) To defend my Church, to strike fear in the enemies, and to destroy them if they approach near. (e) In me they will have their full felicity and glory.

No doubt those who heard and read Zechariah totally expected his prophecy to be literally fulfilled at a future date under the Messiah. But from just v. 5, we see that Zechariah cannot be referring to a literal, physical fulfillment as we would think of a city or nation in the natural realm. V. 5 clearly tells us that the city of the great King will be the church under the care of her King as well as indwelt by His glory.

Note that the Lord protects His church with His fiery vengeance.

The NT passages for these two points, (1.) protector of the church and (2.) indwelling in the midst of the church are well known.

Heb 13:6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord [is] my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. 1 Pe 3:13 And who [is] he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?

1 Cor 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

August 28, 1994

Vv. 6-9

This section contains God's call to those still in Babylon. Because of Israel's sin, she had been scattered everywhere. God used the heathen nations to judge His people's sin. When they moved against Israel, they destroyed everything, and scattered God's people far and wide. Now the Lord is going to judge Babylon, and He calls on His people to get out of her before she falls.

Though Ezra and Nehemiah returned to Palestine with many Jews, far more remained in Babylon than returned to Palestine. They were settled into the system; they had good jobs and security, so they remained in Babylon. Others may have remained in Babylon for fear of returning to Jerusalem. Regardless, those who remained were more interested in self than they were in serving the Lord in the hard work at Mount Zion. Sadly, most of God's people feel the same about the hard work at the New Mount Zion.

Zechariah, though, is looking far past the ones who remained in Babylon, and speaks to the time of the new City of God, the New Jerusalem.

There are several points from this section:

First point: V. 6, the same power that scattered them has the power to restore them.

Second point: V. 7, Zion and daughter of Babylon.

Just as He spoke in 2:4, 5, the Lord now speaks far past Zechariah's time not to the Babylon of his day, but to the Babylon yet to come. Zechariah's people were building a city with strong walls, but the prophecy looks far past that their present effort. It looks past the time of the Messiah's coming to the glorious day of the Church and the Babylon system in which it finds itself.

2:7 continues the thought of 2:4, 5. Vv. 4-5 spoke of the glorious dwelling of the Lord in the midst of His people. One of the results of His dwelling in their midst was going to be and will be His judgment upon the world, the daughter of Babylon.

Some of the New Testament passages which fulfill this:

A) Colossians 1:27, Christ dwelling in the believer.
B) 1 Corinthians 3, we have the New Testament building which God is building, as well as the definition of the temple of God since Christ.

Observe:
First, the New Testament building, Zechariah's temple, is looking forward to is the church which has Christ as its cornerstone, 1 Corinthians 30.
Second, Christ is the protector of the church, Revelation 1:16.
Third, Christ indwells the church, Colossians 1:27.
Forth, the command to separate from the world system, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. This is the command for the child of God to separate himself from the world, Babylon if you please, not in the sense of a Monastic life, but in the sense of forsaking the sinful, worldly practices.

While in VA Beach visiting my sister, we went to the beach. It is amazing how many people want to take their cloths off. I have no doubt that many of those "naked" people there were good Christians at home. The Word of God clearly commands us to not take on the dress and ways of the world around us.

Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed <4832> to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Strong's No. 4832 (GREEK) 4832 summorphos {soom-mor-fos'} from 4862 and 3444; TDNT - 7:787,1102; adj AV - conformed to 1, fashioned like unto 1; 2 1) having the same form as another, similar, conformed to For Synonyms see entry 5873

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed <4964> to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Strong's No. 4964 (GREEK) 4964 suschematizo {soos-khay-mat-id'-zo} from 4862 and a derivative of 4976;; v AV - conform to 1, fashion (one's) self according to 1; 2 1) to conform one's self (i.e. one's mind and character) to another's pattern, (fashion one's self according to) For Synonyms see entry 5873

Synonyms See Definition for summorphos 4832
See Definition for suschematizo 4964
4832 - describes what is the essence in character and thus complete or durable, not merely a form or outline
4964 - to shape one thing like another and describes what is transitory, changeable, and unstable

In other words, Romans 8:29, speaks of strength of the total character, including but not just outside appearances. It refers to inner Christ-like strength that results in outward Christ-like appearances and actions.

On the other hand, Romans 12:2 speaks of maybe having the indwelling Spirit of Christ, but the outside actions and appearances are easily influenced by the world's fashions and patterns.

Fifth, the glorious, triumph of the church in God's good time, 1 Corinthians 15:24-28.
Sixth, a New Testament promise of judgment against the enemies of the church, 2 Thessalonians 1:6.

Third point: v. 6.

God scattered His people abroad to the four winds. Thus v. 6 is the call to God's people to return. As we keep in mind that Zechariah is built upon Jeremiah, the call reminds us of Jeremiah's prophecies, 31:7, 8.

Though the gathering of God's people from throughout the world sounds like He is regathering the Old Testament Hebrew race, it is the gospel call to Christ. It is the command to take the gospel world-wide because God's people are everywhere. God calls his people to return from the places to where they have been scattered, v. 4.

Isaiah 11:10-12 also speaks of this call and gathering; of course, the gathering is around Christ. Hebrews chapter 4 clearly states that the promised land is Christ (and thus the "apple of His eye" is Christ, or those in Christ), and Galatians clearly states that the Church is the New Israel if God. (Those who make that small piece of land in the Middle East the "promised land" that has upon it the protection of God must remove Hebrews four as well as the book of Galatians from their Bibles, and they don't seem above doing that in order to support what they want to believe.) The Spirit uses things everyone can identify with to describe the gathering of the Church to Christ.

Vs 6 & 7 could be a warning to those still dwelling in Babylon to flee from the city, which is the same warning our Lord gave to His covenant people to fee Jerusalem before it was judged, Matthew 24:15-22. Babylon was destroyed and is even today a pile of dust.

Fourth point: V. 8, the warning goes to and beyond the time of the Messiah. Within this though is the judgment upon the nations which have opposed the kingdom of God (Hengstenberg).

[Geneva] V. 8 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the {i} glory hath he sent me to the nations which wasted you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the {k} apple of his eye. (i) Seeing that God had begun to show his grace among you by delivering you, he continues the same still toward you, and therefore sends me his angel and his Christ to defend you from your enemies, so that they will not hurt you, neither along the way nor at home. (k) You are so dear to God, that he can no more allow your enemies to hurt you, than a man can endure to be thrust in the eye; # Ps 17:8. [Ps 17:8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, 9 From the wicked that oppress me, [from] my deadly enemies, [who] compass me about. {oppress: Heb. waste} {my...: Heb. my enemies against the soul}

...for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. We will find this idea of God's vengeance against those who stand against His covenant people of all time first given to Abraham in Genesis 12:3. Not only does the context of Genesis 12:1-1 require that it be understood as Christ and those in Him, but the entire book of Galatians teaches the same thing. (See my commentary on Galatians.) The promise followed through in the New Testament to the church, 2 Thessalonians 1:6.

Seeing [it is] a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;

What he will do for his church shall be an evident proof of God's tender care of it and affection to it: He that touches you touches the apple of his eye. This is a high expression of God's love to his church. By his resentment of the injuries done to her it appears how dear she is to him, how he interests himself in all her interests, and takes what is done against her, not only as done against himself, but as done against the very apple of his eye, the tenderest part, which nature has made very fine, has put a double guard upon, and taught us to be in a special manner careful of, and which the least touch is a great offence to. This encourages the people of God to pray with David (Ps 17:8), Keep me as the apple of thy eye; and engages them to do as Solomon directs (Pr 7:2), to keep his law as the apple of their eye. (Zech. 2:8. Matthew Henry.)

trouble you... you must be defined as the covenant people – that is, the blood bought Christians who suffer for Christ. The wicked who partake in troubling the covenant people face the recompense of a righteous God. Not only do the wicked face this recompense, but so do those of the covenant people who do not separate themselves from the wicked, 1 Corinthians 3:17, Hebrews 10:25-31.

The promise of God's righteous vengeance is against all those who stand against His kingdom. As the covenant people partake of the wicked' deeds, they also will face God's righteous vengeance, recompense, consuming fire, judgment and fiery indignation. Those of the covenant people who are yoked together with the unbelievers will face the physical destruction which the unbelievers face, yet their souls will be saved, I Cor. 5.

Fifth point:
[Geneva] V.9 For, behold, I will shake my hand {l} upon them, and {m} they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath {n} sent me. (l) Upon the heathen your enemies. (m) They will be your servants, as you have been theirs. (n) This must necessarily be understood of Christ, who being God equal with his Father, was sent, as he was Mediator to dwell in his Church and to govern them.

A seventh I will... I personally find tremendous comfort in these "I wills" of the Old Testament. There are three of them in this chapter, five in chapter 3, five in chapter 8, eight in chapter 10 and seven in chapter 12. The liberal use of "I will" is typical of these prophets, in fact, they are found throughout the Old Testament.

I will... God promises to do a certain thing. Most of the "I wills" are based upon a condition of obedience, e.g., Abram, Genesis 12:1-3. God said, "Abram, go to where I will show you, leaving everyone behind. If you will go I will (do these things for you)."

But some of the I wills have no conditions upon them, such as the one here in Zechariah 2:9. Here we see God's promise of His judgment against the ungodly: "I will shake mine hand upon them---." Within this I will judge the wicked is and they shall be a spoil to my servants... Within this judgment is God's promise not only to protect His covenant people, but also His promise to give to them the wealth of the heathens.

Of course, the spoiling by His people will be according to a condition; that is Malachi 3:17 – faithful service to the Father will result in his faithful children: 1) being spared in the judgment against the wicked, and 2) spoiling the heathen. The VERY IMPORTANT POINT here again is this — IT IS GOD'S WORK, NOT MAN'S. (Note Isa. 63:17)

V. 9, I will shake... This shaking is no doubt referred to in Hebrews 12:26-28, where we have two shakings:
The first is referred to in Haggai 2:6, and is talking of the coming of Christ.
The second, vv. 27, 28, is the shaking which is continues among the nations since His coming — the destruction of those things which can be destroyed. Really, it would be Matthew 7:24-29, where our Lord told of the destruction of those things built apart from obedience to the principles of His word. Hebrews 12:28, 29, follows the though, telling us that what is left after this shaking will be in the hands of His faithful servants. V. 29, our God is a consuming fire, and He will consume everything that is not built according to His building instructions, (Ez. 11:21).

This threatened (promised) fire, judgment or shaking against the world system (symbolized by the words, the daughter of Babylon), should cause those dwelling there to flee to the daughter of Zion, because the Lord dwells in the midst of Zion.

This passage in Zechariah saw a fulfillment as the Lord shook Babylon to the very foundation. Babylon fell into a pile of dust, yet Jerusalem rose to prominence once again.

The Maccabees led the nation to great victories, yet this prophecy cannot stop there. This was but a dim shadow of the glory of the new Mt. Zion which will be obtained under the Messiah (see Hebrews 12:22).
Zechariah 2:10 (8:8) is a reference to Leviticus 26:12, which is easily traceable into the New Testament as a reference to the church, 2 Corinthians 6:16, Ephesians 2:19-22.

Vv. 10-13.

A cause for rejoicing and singing.

Again, we have several points.

First, v. 10
The message is to the daughter of Zion. It is not to the OT Zion or Israel, but to the the NT Zion or Israel. The NT Zion came from the OT Zion; therefore, it is called the daughter of Zion.

The Lord's dwelling in the midsts of Zion further confirms that it refers to the Church.

Jer 50 gives the prophecy against Babylon, v. 11. God is going to judge Babylon because of the attitude she had against God's people as she did what God told her to.

Zechariah 2:6-9, God tells his people, "Judgment is coming upon Babylon. You had better get out of her."

Zechariah's call is from the Father to His people, warning them to flee from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His dear Son. See Col. 1:13; Jn. 6:37, 44; chp. 10.

This call issued to his covenant people here in Zech. 2:6 is easily followed throughout the Scriptures. His people have been scattered by sin, called by the Spirit and received by the Son. Because this call has gone out world-wide in Christ, whosoever will may come. Thus a physical location for the city is impossible.

v. 12, Keil:

The remnant, after being gathered out of Babel, will dwell upon holy ground, or in a holy land, as the possession of the Lord. The holy land is the land of Jehovah, (Hos. ix. 3); but this is not to be set down without reserve as identical with Palestine. On the contrary, every place where Jehovah may be is holy ground (cf. Ex. iii. 5); so that even Palestine is only holy when the Lord dwells there. We must not limit the idea of the holy land in this passage to Palestine, because the idea of the people of God will be so expanded by the addition of many nations, that it will not have room enough within the limits of Palestine; and according to verse 4, even Jerusalem will no longer be a city with limited boundaries. The holy land reaches just as far as the nations, which have become the people of Jehovah by attaching themselves to Judah, spread themselves out over the surface of the earth, (Keil).

Thus everywhere believers live, regardless of physical location, is holy land. The future Jerusalem Zechariah is being shown by the Lord is the church. As we consider all of these OT passages, it is amazing how so very much fits within Paul's one short statement given under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Heb. 12:22-24 covers such a vast amount of Bible prophecy that it could never be exhausted.

Second, the necessary condition for the defeat of the world powers (the daughter of Babylon) which are opposed to the kingdom of God is the appearance of the Lord in the midst of His people. Therefore, we have a necessity of building the City of the Great King without walls: it cannot be confined to any particular location, v. 11.

The many nations are going to be joined with God's covenant people. A physical location would make it impossibly restricted.

Zechariah 2:10, 11, I will, the Lord will dwell in the midst. The heathens will see the glory which he brings to the daughter of Zion (the church, Christ will glorify his church with His presence) as He dwells in the midst.

Seeing this glory compared with the "shaking" of the things which are built without Christ, they will humble themselves before the Lord and join themselves with Him, Zech. 2:10-13. "Even in the earlier Jewish commentators, quoted by Jerome, and also in Kimchi and Abarbanel, we find an admission that the prophecy refers to the Messianic time, (Christology, pg. 969)." It refers to the Church age.

V. 11. Dwell in the midst of thee. This is an obvious reference to many NT passages, I Cor. 6:15-20; II Cor. 6:16 and Heb. 12:22,23, etc. One of the major doctrinal points in the NT is this dwelling of God in His people, the church.

See also Zech. chp. 11 and 9:9. Compare 9:9 with Matt. 21:5 and 41. There we see Zech. 9:9 quoted by our Lord, then, in spite of the grandeur of His entrance into the city of Zion, the leaders of the nation rejected Him, vv. 15, 16, 23. In light of this rejection He gives a parable, vv. 33-46.

The kingdom was offered to Israel [and the glories thereof], but they rejected the Kingdom offer, and killed the King. Then the Kingdom was removed from them and given to a new nation, the church, I Pet. 2:9.

Notice what Peter says about this nation; that ye should show forth the praise of him who hath called you--, Zech. 9:9. The King is Jesus. The daughter of Zion, the church. It was immediately fulfilled in Matt. 21:5, yet it is continually being fulfilled through his nation, I Pet. 2:9.