Zechariah 9:1-17 -- TWO KINGS REVEALED

THE SECOND ACT ONCE MORE BEGINS

WITH SCENES FAR DIFFERENT THAN BEFORE

TWO MIGHTY KINGS APPEAR ON STAGE

ALONG THE ROUTE TO ISRAEL'S SHORE.

THE FIRST LOOKED LIKE A FIERCE-HORNED GOAT

A GRECIAN KING OF YOUTHFUL AGE

DESTROYING EVERYTHING IN SIGHT

WITH UNRELENTING MIGHT AND RAGE.

THE YOUNG COMMANDER ROSE IN STRENGTH

BY CRUSHING PERSIA'S NORTHERN FLANK

THEN SYRIA, TYRE AND SOUTHERN TOWNS

BECAME THE TROPHIES OF HIS RANK.

WHEN ALEXANDER'S FORCES MET

OUTSIDE JERUSALEM'S HOLY LAND

A MIRACLE FROM HISTORY CAME

THE VISION OF GOD'S WARNING HAND.

THE HIGH PRIEST WITH EACH MAN IN WHITE

MARCHED OUT TO MEET THE COMING KING

BUT THROUGH A VISION YAHWEH GAVE

THE LAND WAS SPARED FROM CONQUERING.

YET ISRAEL FAILED TO UNDERSTAND

THE WAY TO FREEDOM WAS MUCH MORE

THAN CASTING OFF THE YOKE OF ROME

BY SOME MESSIAH OF THEIR OWN.

THE PROPHET SAW A SECOND KING

WHO RODE UPON A DONKEY'S COLT

HIS HUMBLE BIRTH FROM DAVID'S LINE

GAVE PROOF HE WAS THE LORD DIVINE.

BUT ISRAEL IN THEIR IGNORANCE THOUGHT

A MILITARY PRINCE WOULD COME

SO WHEN HOSANNA SONGS GAVE PRAISE

THE CRIES OF "CRUCIFY" WERE RAISED.

BUT ZECHARIAH VIEWED A DAY

FULFILLING PROMISES GOD MADE

THAT AFTER "JACOB'S TROUBLED" DAYS

MESSIAH'S KING WOULD COME ABLAZE.

THE BRANCH FROM JUDAH'S PROMISED LINE

WILL REIGN IN REGAL MAJESTY

AND GRAFTED ISRAEL WILL SHINE FORTH

AS HIS CROWNED JEWELS OF ROYALTY.

THEN DESERT LANDS WILL BLOOM AGAIN

AND PEACE THE GIFT FOR EVERY MAN

FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS IS HIS ALONE

WHO SITS AND REIGNS FROM ZION'S THRONE.

--B. PENT

THOUGHT QUESTIONS

1. The word "oracle/burden" means "to bear" and signifies something heavy or burdensome. What may have been some reasons for the use of

this word?

2. The first 8 verses indicate battles and destruction taking place all around Israel and later in verse 13 Greece is mentioned as a part of it. As

you read Daniel 7:6 and 8:5-7 Alexander the Great is described as a four-headed leopard with wings and a strong he-goat. What kind of

picture is conjured up in your mind after reading these verses? what fear may have gripped their hearts as he was nearing Jerusalem?

3. What affect did Alexander's conquests have on the future expansion of the Gospel in the first century?

4. Verses 9-10 describe the coming of another King. Why does Jesus ride into Jerusalem on a colt instead of a horse? Wouldn't that seem

odd in view of Israel's Messianic expectation? What confusion might have entered their minds after reading verse 10?

5. The "blood covenant" mentioned in verse 11 goes back to his unconditional promise made to Abraham and his seed in Genesis 15:1-10.

The rest of this chapter jumps from Greece to the dark, war days of Armageddon (vs.14-15) and the personal return of Christ (vs.16-17).

What comfort or encouragement would this give to this small returned remnant as they faced present and future struggles as a Nation?