Zachariah

Zechariah Chapter 10

• Zechariah 10:1 Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.

Although I would have assumed the opposite because in the west the former would be spring and the latter would be fall but in Israel the former rains comes in the fall and the latter rain in the spring.

In Deuteronomy this is a promise to the faithful of Israel and it was literal.

• Deuteronomy 11:13 And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,
• 14 That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.

There is also a former and latter rain of the Holy Spirit which was poured out at Pentecost and the latter rain is being poured out today and will continue on through to the coming of Jesus Christ.

Joel speaks of this:

• Joel 2:21 Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things.
• 22 Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.
• 23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.

In the same chapter of Joel we read of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit promised: Peter the apostle quoted this passage on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon believers at that time. That would be the former rain. Latter rain would be these modern times which continues until Israel comes to know the Lord Jesus Christ and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit as well. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit will continue until the last days. The nation of Israel will recognize their Messiah who we now know as Jesus our Christ. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit will also be poured out on them. This is a continual fulfillment of the prophecy in Joel. 

• Joel 2:27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.
• 28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
• 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
• 30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
• 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
• 32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

Notice it says to ask of the Lord this latter rain in verse 1 of Zechariah chapter 10. God will not pour out His spirit upon those who do not desire to receive His spirit. If we are content to ignore God and ignore the word written for us to study or preached by His preachers that He calls to preach His word, we will not receive anything. God does not force Himself upon us. He desires that we seek Him. 

The spirit of God will draw and try to get us to come to Him, He will send messengers and teachers to warn but He never forces anything upon us. We must ask, seek and desire His presence in order for us to receive His presence. The Holy Spirit is available but we must seek Him for these good things. 

Before the Holy Spirit could be poured out on all flesh and not just a few called out prophets as in the Old Testament, God had to send a redeemer or one to take away sins first. We cannot receive this Holy Spirit without first repenting of sin and believing in Jesus as savior from sin. He had to come first and make the way of holiness perfect by His own sacrificial death on the cross at Calvary. Those who receive Him as Lord and savior can receive the gift of the Holy Spirit to abide with them forever. James speaks of this also:

• James 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
• 8 Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

The grand final gift from God will be when Jesus returns to gather His people to be with Him for eternity. Before that though we can receive the Holy Spirit which is the earnest of our inheritance. He is given to guide us into all truth and keep us from falling until the return of Jesus the Son of God and our Christ or our physical death on this earth. The gift of eternal life given when one comes to Jesus for salvation and the gift of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is offered to the Gentiles as well as Israel. 

• Zechariah 10:2 For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd.

When a so-called shepherd leads his flock away from the truth and draws that flock after himself (the false shepherd) he is a liar and deceiver. All false religions, false prophets and false teachers will face the judgment of God for deceiving people into believing a lie so that their souls are lost and without God forever. The true religion is one that brings forth good fruit. It is a life of holiness and one that loves truth. Beware of those the undermine the authority of God's word. They are more dangerous than others because they claim to represent Christ but they do not in reality.

There is a false love that will speak only what we want to hear. There is a false love that only loves when one is loved but the love that comes from God speaks truth even when that truth hurts. True love hates lying and false flattery. True religion is kind, compassionate but it also will yield the truth. It will not forsake God's written word. It is unselfish, does not like gossip and will lead people to God, not to self.

False religion tries to substitute a religious experience for the true religion that saves the soul. Any religion that uses rituals as its base or even man-made creeds as its doctrine of salvation depends on keeping that creed or performing the rituals; it is false. True religion changes the inner man. It cleanses from sin and makes a person "born again" by the spirit of God. In other words there is a turning from sin and a genuine turning to God. 

There may be ordinances of obedience such as water baptism or partaking of the Lord's supper that follow a true conversion but the conversion to Christ has already taken place before the ordinances occur. We are saved by the mercy and grace of God that does not depend upon what a man says or does at the time of one's conversion. We turn to God but God does the saving when He sees our faith in Jesus Christ. He does it all, we just simply believe in Him. 

• Zechariah 10:3 Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the LORD of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle.

Ezekiel tells us of God's judgment upon the false shepherds:

• Ezekiel 34:2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
• 3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.
• 4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.
• 5 And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.
• 6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.

It is a very serious offense to God when a shepherd leads people the wrong way instead of what is written in the word. 

• Zechariah 10:4 Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together.
• 5 And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the LORD is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded.

Verse four refers to Eliakim who was to be fastened, that is, confirmed in office. But Shebna was to be removed. This is similar to Christ as the cornerstone and a nail in a sure place that was removed at His death but returns in the latter days. This is one of those double prophecies or prophecy patterns that we often see in the Old Testament where something happens in part more than once until a latter day final fulfillment. 

• Isaiah 22:22 And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.
• 23 And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house.
• 24 And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons.
• 25 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off: for the LORD hath spoken it.

Verse 5 may be referring to the battle of Armageddon in which judgment is poured out upon those that oppose the gospel and have persecuted God's called out people.

• Zechariah 10:6 And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the LORD their God, and will hear them.

This shows that God has never forsaken Israel and will save them from the armies of the antichrist and all nations that come against them in the days ahead foretold in Revelation.

• Jeremiah 3:18 In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.

Also in Ezekiel:

• Ezekiel 37:21 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:

There are many other scriptures that support the re-gathering of Israel. God gives us a great cloud of witnesses. There is no excuse for us to ever remove these promises from Israel and replace them as promises for the church or for individuals unless the passage states clearly that is applies to anyone who believes. 

We have a great inheritance ourselves, we don't need to rob Israel. Notice that many that teach the church replaces Israel and applies all the good stuff to mean the church usually never apply the curses for forsaking the Lord to the church; they leave those verses for Israel. 

• Zechariah 10:7 And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the LORD.
• 8 I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased.
• 9 And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again.

Awesome is our God and His promises to Israel are yes and amen.

• Hosea 2:23 And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.

Deuteronomy chapter 30 explains the blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience.

• Zechariah 10:10 I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them.
• 11 And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the scepter of Egypt shall depart away.
• 12 And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the LORD.

That last verse is really one that can apply to all who believe and trust in Jesus Christ. God promises to strengthen Israel and they will walk up and down in His name. When we walk in obedience and trust in the Lord, we can actually walk with Him daily when we are first saved by His grace and are filled with His Holy Spirit. 

What a promise. This is for us who believe as the book of Acts chapters 1 and 2 tells us that the promise is to all that are afar off and not just those in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. Acts chapter 10 tells us that the salvation and infilling of the Holy Spirit is for the Gentiles as well. 

In the latter days God's judgment is poured out upon the nations that are enemies of Israel and those that oppose born again Christians that are trying to turn many to Jesus Christ. If we persecute someone that is trying to tell us how to be saved and about the coming Kingdom of God, we will be judged by God at His coming.

Israel will come to know the Lord in spirit and in truth. The final latter rain will be when the spirit of God is poured out upon Israel after they acknowledge Jesus as Messiah and repent of their ancestor's rejection of Him as the Messiah. This just may be the true latter rain mentioned in Joel and Zechariah. What we experience now when we are baptized in the Holy Spirit, is just the beginning of this.

The Holy Spirit baptism is to all who believe in Jesus as the one God sent to save us from sin back then, now, and to all that are afar off. The Holy Spirit infilling is available today. We do not have to wait until the tribulation or until Jesus returns. We can be saved and filled with the Holy Spirit today. Ask and it shall be given, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. DC

Zechariah Index