An Oracle Against God's Enemies (Zechariah 9:1-8, Romans 8:31-39)
Rev. William L. Barron, May 14, 2023Part of the Morning Worship at North Greenville Church series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
This section has two oracles or two burdens. These are judgments on nations that are against Israel following their return from exile. This shows us that God is protecting his people, conquering their enemies. The first judgment is against the kingdoms of Phoenicia, which we now know as Lebanon. These being Tyre and Sidon. The second is the judgment against the Philistine nation. Then we see a prophecy of protection for Jerusalem, starting in vs. 8. We might ask, what is the land of Hadrach? The word might mean soft and hard combined, or imbalanced, possibly referring to the Medes and Persians. These peoples were powerful, but they were morally corrupt. Referring to the Medo/Persian empire as Hadrach is like Paul referring to Rome as Babylon. The prophecy came to pass. The Medo/Persian empire was conquered by Alexander. He first attacked Tyre and Sidon. Tyre is an island fortress that Nebuchadnezzar tried to conquer unsuccessfully for 13 years. Alexander destroyed Tyre in seven months. Ezekiel in Chapter 26, prophesied the destruction of Tyre. After conquering Tyre, Alexander moved south, conquering Gaza, Ashkelon, Ekron and Ashdod. Jerusalem refused to support Alexander because it had pledged to support Darius king of Persia for his role in the restoration. Jadus the high priest had been shown to Alexander in a dream; he foretold victory to Alexander in this dream. Upon arriving at Jerusalem, Alexander fell to the ground before Jadus and worshiped God. Alexander then wiped out Persia. This lesson shows us that God works through pagans. This is really a passage about God as sovereign over all things. We remember that he made Nebuchadnezzar crazy and then put him back in power. God will bring judgment. It is the providence of God that Jews encamp at his house. He teaches them (vs. 8), "I will encamp at my house as a guard." In 1 Peter 2: 9 we read that his people proclaim him and know him. That is the same for us.
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Zechariah 9:1–8 (Listen)
9:1 The oracle of the word of the LORD is against the land of Hadrach
and Damascus is its resting place.
For the LORD has an eye on mankind
and on all the tribes of Israel,
2 and on Hamath also, which borders on it,
Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise.
3 Tyre has built herself a rampart
and heaped up silver like dust,
and fine gold like the mud of the streets.
4 But behold, the Lord will strip her of her possessions
and strike down her power on the sea,
and she shall be devoured by fire.
5 Ashkelon shall see it, and be afraid;
Gaza too, and shall writhe in anguish;
Ekron also, because its hopes are confounded.
The king shall perish from Gaza;
Ashkelon shall be uninhabited;
6 a mixed people shall dwell in Ashdod,
and I will cut off the pride of Philistia.
7 I will take away its blood from its mouth,
and its abominations from between its teeth;
it too shall be a remnant for our God;
it shall be like a clan in Judah,
and Ekron shall be like the Jebusites.
8 Then I will encamp at my house as a guard,
so that none shall march to and fro;
no oppressor shall again march over them,
for now I see with my own eyes.
(ESV)
Romans 8:31–39 (Listen)
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(ESV)