Zechariah 9:1-6 - Homiletics

A visitation of judgment.

"The burden of the word of the Lord in the land of Hadrach," etc. Whatever view is taken of the exact time of the fulfilment of the glorious promises with which the last chapter concludes, it was necessarily a time still future when those promises were uttered. Other things of a very different nature were first to occur. On some of these, accordingly, as constituting a kind of "burden" ( Zechariah 9:1 ) on some of the lands and people contiguous to Israel, the tongue of the prophet, in the verses before us, next speaks—something, probably, after the fashion of Luke 19:11 ; 2 Thessalonians 2:3 . Most commentators believe that what he thus predicts was fulfilled in connection with the Syrian conquests of Alexander the Great. Certainly we shall find this predicted "visitation of judgment" to correspond very strikingly with the history of those conquests in three principal ways, viz. in regard

I. THE CIRCUMSTANCES IT CAME IN . It was a time when the "eyes of man," and especially (so Pusey, in loc. ) "of all the tribes of Israel," should be "toward the Lord." This seems to describe, first and generally, a condition of expectation and wonder—perhaps also of fear (see Luke 21:26 ). Secondly, and more particularly, and it may be of the "tribes of Israel" especially, a spirit of trust and reverence (see Psalms 5:3 ; 2 Chronicles 20:12 ; Psalms 145:15 ; Psalms 123:2 ; Isaiah 17:7 , Isaiah 17:8 ). If so, we may find that in the history supposed to be referred to which corresponds in both respects very exactly. How certainly great, for example, was the expectation and wondering fear of the inhabitants of the East at large, after the astounding victory of Alexander at Issus, when he first sent his general and turned his attention to Syria and Damascus! How exceedingly natural, also, that the marvellous speed and completeness of his triumph should remind "the tribes of Israel" of Daniel 8:1-8 , Daniel 8:20 , Daniel 8:21 , and so fix their eyes on their own Jehovah in adoration and trust! This almost certain, indeed, if we believe what Josephus tells us of the prophecies of Daniel being afterwards shown to Alexander.

II. THE PATH WHICH THIS VISITATION FOLLOWED . Three principal stages are mentioned in the prophecy.

1 . Where the " visitation " began; viz. (see verse 1) in the land of Damascus and Hadrach, a principal city, as only lately known (see Pusey), of Syria, towards the northeast.

2 . Where it went next; viz. to Tyrus and Zidon (vote. 2 4), cities of Phoenicia, travelling west.

3 . Where it went last; viz. to the cities of the Philistines (verses 5, 6), travelling south. Three corresponding stages are also traceable in the history referred to. So Pusey writes, "The selection of the places and of the whole line of country corresponds very exactly to the march of Alexander after the battle of Issue, when the capture of Damascus, which Darius had chosen as the strong depository of his wealth, etc; opened Coele-Syria; Zidon surrendered; Tyre was taken; Gaza resisted, was taken, and, it is said, plucked up." Also Eichhorn, as there quoted, "All the chief places, which Alexander, after the battle of Issue, either took possession of or conquered, are named one by one—the land of Hadrach, Damascus and Hamath, Tyre and Zidon, Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and Ashdod."

III. THE MARKS IT LEFT . Here, again, in the prediction, the description is threefold. In the country of Hadrach and Damascus and their neighbouring city Hamath ("Hamath, which bordereth thereby," so some), the great mark was the abiding character of the visitation, or "burden." There judgment was to come first, and them to remain. In the case of Tyrus (Zidon being only mentioned parenthetically), the result, notwithstanding all her wisdom ( Ezekiel 28:2 , Ezekiel 28:3 ), strength, wealth, and power, would be her total overthrow and destruction by fire. In the cities of Philistia the results would be fear, sorrow, disappointment; in one case, the loss of the ruler (verse 5); in another (verse 5), the loss of inhabitants; in all, the abasement of "pride." More briefly still—"subjugated," "ruined," "humbled"—so would this visitation, according to this prediction, leave these three lands. According to the history, we read the same. "The Syrians, not as yet tamed by the losses of war, despised the new empire; but, swiftly subdued, they did obediently what they were commanded" (Q. Curtius, quoted by Pusey). Of Tyre we read, in the pages of history, as to her "stronghold" and her "power on the sea," and wealth, that the inhabitants "determined to resist Alexander, trusting in the strength of the island, and the stores laid up," as also that they "mocked at the king, as though he thought to prevail against Neptune." As to her "wisdom," we read of "unwearied inventiveness of defence," etc. As to the result, that "Alexander, having slain all save those who fled to the temples, ordered the houses to be set on fire." Of Gaza, which had had kings for fifteen hundred years, that Betis, its "king," after a two months' siege, was dragged to death at the chariot wheels of his conqueror (see further Pusey and Wardlaw, in loc .). This passage, thus interpreted, may seem to illustrate, in conclusion:

1 . The imperfection of man ' s knowledge. This city, Hadrach, which turns out to have been most conspicuous and important for many generations, afterwards for many generations is so forgotten that its very name is a riddle. How much beside, therefore, has doubtless been so buried by time that all traces of it are gone!

2 . The perfection of God ' s knowledge. He knows even the future infinitely better than we do the past. Doubtless, on this account, there are some touches in this prediction which we cannot appreciate, but which may, however, have been of peculiar interest to devout Jews at this time.