Zachariah

Zechariah Chapter 13

• Zechariah 13:1 In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

Rejoice rejoice for salvation is to return to the house of Israel. This prophecy was given before the coming of Jesus Christ to die for sins. We can look back now and see that Jesus was the one to provide that fountain that cleanses from sin. The writer of Hebrews writes of the blood of Jesus.

• Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Unfortunately the nation of Israel rejected this and the gospel went to the Gentiles. The time is coming when Israel will receive the gospel. Many Jews have already come to Him. There are Messianic congregations springing up all over the world. Many of them do not use the word church and considering the treatment they got from many claiming to be the so-called church, I can't blame them for avoiding that name but I rejoice to see many come to salvation. Some of them use the Hebrew name for Jesus which is Yeshua.

• Zechariah 13:2 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.

Although idolatry was limited to eastern nations for many years, it is unfortunate to see a revival of witchcraft and idolatry in the west today in modern times. We know better. Forbidding this is part of the original ten commandments.

• Exodus 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
• 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

When I use to read the book of Revelation, I couldn't understand why there was a reference to idolatry when I wasn't aware of any idolatry. Now I realize that it is going on and until the Second coming of Jesus, it probably will get worse. I know some churches use images in their worship but most Christian religions do not practice image worship. Still I do see it revived in a few of them and it makes me cringe for surely we know better and have had the written word for years warning us that idolatry is forbidden in both the Old Testament and the New.

One day though the Lord will cast this out not only in Israel but in the whole world. Judgment begins in the house of God though before it comes upon the world as a whole.

• Zechariah 13:3 And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begot him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the LORD: and his father and his mother that begot him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth.

Verse 3 refers to false prophecies, not the real. Lest we think this is unfair and undemocratic, this is not just referring to someone who believes different and has a different opinion than the bible. This is a deliberate person who prophesies falsely to deceive after being shown the truth. This is strictly forbidden in both Old and New Testaments.

• Deuteronomy 18:20 But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.

After Jesus returns there will be no doubt as to who He is. If someone prophesies falsely, he will have no justification especially in Israel. The antichrist will be revealed as a false prophet and a deceiver. Anyone who still follows him and deceives will incur the death penalty for he endangers the souls of all who believe his deception.

Before the coming of Jesus Christ a second time, we have believers in Jesus who are to spread the gospel only. We are not to set up rule and try to run the government forcing our own doctrines and commandments on people. Because of the failure of those in the past who tried this and ended up torturing and putting to death innocent people, we cannot trust ourselves to rule the world until Jesus Himself returns in person as He promised. We are not to put to death those that disagree with our doctrine. God is the only one capable of such judgments.

Jesus commanded us to preach the gospel of the kingdom. We are to preach repentance from sin and faith in Jesus to save us from sin. We are not to rule and reign over nations or cities before the literal coming of Jesus. "Been there, done that" and failed miserably.

We can only read about the Roman Church ruling during the Middle Ages, Calvin's rule in Geneva Switzerland and the State Church of England's rule in Great Britain to see the harm done in the name of Christ. Europe had the blood of Jews and true Christians running through their land all through the Middle ages and the Protestant Reformation. This of course is depending upon whether or not historians wrote the truth. We must remember also that God always has those that stay true to His word and the gospel. That part is usually not recorded in history.

Apostasy is caused by people not really being born again by God's spirit but just having a religion, whether it is called Christianity, or any other world religion that harms what they think are unbelievers. The gospel of Jesus Christ has been harmed by those that are not really born again believers but professors of the religion of Christianity without any fruit of the spirit.

Hate is not a fruit of a true believer. All of our churches, congregations and denominations need to speak truth, confess and forsake any mistakes it has made in the past and preach the true gospel of Jesus Christ. People are dying and going to hell without God while some of us, not all, goof off and teach everything else but the gospel which will save the soul. 

• Zechariah 13:4 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive:

Nothing reveals false doctrine better than the spirit of God. Just after the tribulation period the false will be revealed as clear as day. All those who previously deceived will be ashamed.

• Zechariah 13:5 But he shall say, I am no prophet, I am a husbandman; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth.

Then it seems that the passage jumps to real prophecy of the future sufferings of Christ although some believe this is still referring to the one who admits he is no prophet but a keeping of the vineyard. We know Jesus was a prophet. Verse 4 and 5 seems to show a contrast between the false and the real prophet or teacher.

• Zechariah 13:6 And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.

Isaiah chapter 53 describes more detail about the suffering of the Messiah that was to come in the future from Isaiah's time in history. We can look back and see that Jesus fulfilled that prophecy. When Jesus returns a second time His wounds will still be visible. They will be able to see the nail prints and see the marks of his suffering. The house of His friends was of course the religious hierarchy of that day who delivered Him to be crucified. Jesus was a Jew. The Jews were His family, His friends but one among them, Judas betrayed Him.

Here is the recording of the visible wounds of Jesus after His resurrection:

• John 20:24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
• 25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
• 26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
• 27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
• 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
• 29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

The sufferings of Christ are foretold also in Isaiah chapter 53 as I stated previously.

• Zechariah 13:7 Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.

Here is another prophecy that Jesus quoted also in Mark but also is found in Matthew 26:31:

• Mark 14:27 And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.
• 28 But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee.

When Jesus was smitten, the sheep were scattered until after His resurrection when He appeared to them and instructed them for about forty days before He ascended back to His Father in Heaven.

• Zechariah 13:8 And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.
• 9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

This is the sad part and yet a good part. I literally cried when I read this. Two thirds of Israel is destroyed and only a remnant remains. A remnant of Israel shall be saved.

• Isaiah 48:10 Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.

They will discover the true Messiah and believe in the way of salvation. They will be reunited with God, the one who called out Abraham from the land of Ur. The promise to Abraham will be fulfilled in full.

Israel received the gospel first. The Jews gave the gospel to the Gentiles. The remaining Jews did not believe. They were cut off from the vine until these last days. As the time of the Gentiles draws to a close, we see the gospel returning to the Jewish people. Jesus is getting ready to return again. Even so come Lord Jesus. In that day this promise to Israel will come to pass: DC

• Jeremiah 30:22 And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

Zechariah Index