Zechariah 10

Ask the LORD for rain in the springtime; it is the LORD who sends the thunderstorms. He gives showers of rain to all people, and plants of the field to everyone. Zechariah 10:1

Israel from ancient times and even in the present day has been dependent upon the rains for its abundant agricultural production. Because of a severe and extended drought around the turn of the 21st century, Israel began to build desalination plants along its coastline. The Sea of Galilee today produces only about 20 percent of the nation’s water supply while desalination, reclamation facilities and wells produce the rest.

Of course, in Bible times if it did not rain the people starved. The early rains are usually light and begin around the Feast of Tabernacles in the September/October period. They help prepare the ground for sowing. Regular heavy rains and even snows in the high country usually happen from December through January and even February. The latter rains that are also light showers happen in the spring and thus help the crops of wheat and barley to fill out and mature. Occasionally in both spring and fall, there can be thunderstorms and sometimes even flash floods. From about May to September there are no rains at all.

In ancient times it was important to pray for rain. At Tabernacles, there was the Water-Drawing Festival, which was a dramatized prayer for rain in the coming year. There is the old story of Honi (Choni) the Circle-Maker. The Jews needed rain and Honi, who was reputed to be a miracle-worker, was asked to pray. He did pray but there was no rain. He then drew a circle and told God he would not step out of it until the rain came. Soon it began to drizzle but Honi was not happy with that. Honi said: “That’s not what I asked for. I asked for rains to fill the cisterns, trenches and reservoirs.” Soon the rains began to come in torrents. Honi complained again to God: “That’s not what I asked for. I asked for rains of goodwill, blessing and generosity.” With that, the proper rains began to fall. [1] Still today it is not unusual for Rabbis and other religions folks to gather at the Western Wall and pray for the rains to begin. Feinberg says, “Our God is a bountiful Giver, but he must be entreated and trusted implicitly.” [2]

“The idols speak deceitfully, diviners see visions that lie; they tell dreams that are false, they give comfort in vain. Therefore, the people wander like sheep oppressed for lack of a shepherd” (10:2). Israel indeed had a sad history of depending upon idols for her needs. In times before the Babylonian Captivity, the false god Ba’al was said to be the god of fertility or the storm god. [3] Simply, the people looked to Ba’al to send the necessary rain on their crops and not to the God who alone could produce and send the storm clouds. It was mostly because of their great devotion to Ba’al and the hosts of false gods that the people were finally exiled to Babylon.

Commentators generally feel that the exile cured Israel’s tendency to worship false gods but here there still seems to be some problem. We see a difficulty with leaders or rather the lack of them here and in the next verse. The problem with leaders and idolatry is also indicated after Ezra returned to the land in 458 BC (Ezra 9:1-2).

The Hebrew word for idols is teraphim (cf. Gen. 31:19). Baldwin says of them: “ Teraphim were household gods used in the Judges’ period for divination (Judg. 17:5)…” [4] We must remember that in chapters 9 through 14 we are dealing with a later time than the days of the initial return to the land. Obviously, there was some form of idolatry still going on. Seemingly, there were some false visions and dreams as well and it was apparently the shepherds who were guilty of these offenses. Because the shepherds were divining and speaking falsely the people were left to wander like lost sheep.

The shepherds were going in a sinful way (cf. Ezek. 34:10). We cannot be too hard on them though because we have sheep and sometimes shepherds who are involved in various sorts of spiritism today. Pett mentions “astrology, tarot cards, ouija boards, spirit writing and such like” that still abound in churches and even in the ministry today. [5] We would probably be shocked to find Harry Potter books in some of our own church libraries. These books are entertaining introductions to sorcery for our church children.

“My anger burns against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders; for the LORD Almighty will care for his flock, the people of Judah, and make them like a proud horse in battle” (10:3). How often God himself has had to care for his flock because of unwilling leaders. In Jesus’ ministry we see him showing pity on the scattered sheep and caring for them (Mk. 6:34 and following). There are many scattered, wounded, hungry and helpless sheep today because of lazy, evil shepherds.

The mention of Judah and the proud horse in battle has caused Clarke and others to think that this is the beginning reference to the Maccabean uprising against oppressive Greek rule. The Maccabee rule lasted from 167 to 37 BC. The allusion to overthrowing the horsemen in verse 5 seems to support this since the Greek armies of this age relied heavily upon their cavalry. [6] But when all things are considered, the section seems to be more of a reference to the coming Messiah as we see in the next verse.

“From Judah will come the cornerstone, from him the tent peg, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler” (10:4). Jesus came from the tribe of Judah as prophesied (Gen. 49:10). He came as the Precious Corner Stone (1 Pet. 2:6). Charles Feinberg, a leading authority on Jewish history, says: “The cornerstone, the battle bow, and the nail are figures of the Messiah to represent his qualities of stability, dependability, and strength…the nail refers to a large peg in an Oriental tent on which were hung many valuables…The battle-bow stands for all implements of war and might.” [7] Jesus as the mighty warrior is pictured so aptly in Psalm 45:4-5: “In your majesty ride forth victoriously in the cause of truth, humility and justice; let your right hand achieve awesome deeds. Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies; let the nations fall beneath your feet.”

It is interesting that to the degree our generation has rejected Jesus we have also rejected stability and strength. David Dockery noted “What Francis Schaeffer said about moderns, ‘that they have both feet firmly planted in mid-air,’ is even truer for postmoderns.” [8]

“Together they will be like warriors in battle trampling their enemy into the mud of the streets. They will fight because the LORD is with them, and they will put the enemy horsemen to shame” (10:5). As their Messiah is strong and mighty in battle so will his people be. This picture applies to all the Lord’s people through the ages. This verse would certainly apply to the Maccabees and their struggle since much of it was against enemies on horseback. David once said of his enemies “I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth; I pounded and trampled them like mud in the streets” (2 Sam. 22:43; cf. Mic. 7:10). Baldwin says, “The simile is intended to describe triumphant conquest in the face of overwhelming odds, footmen against cavalry.” [9]

The Restoration Of Zion

I will strengthen Judah and save the tribes of Joseph. I will restore them because I have compassion on them. They will be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the LORD their God and I will answer them. Zechariah 10:6

Here the prophet begins to look beyond his present to the distant future. In that future time, God will strengthen Judah and will restore the tribes of Joseph. These tribes of Joseph had already been in captivity since 722 BC. The restoration of these tribes was seemingly a practical impossibility.

At this point, the first restoration of the Jewish people to their land had taken place. However, the prophets clearly spoke of a second restoration. Isaiah said: “In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush, from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from the islands of the Mediterranean. He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth” (Isa. 11:11-12). While the first restoration was from the east alone and concerned mostly Judah, the one to come would be worldwide, literally from the ends of the earth, and would concern all of Israel.

There is a scarcity and almost a dearth of commentary on this section for several reasons. Some Christian commentators, even the earliest ones, were patently antisemitic. They were not happy with a Jewish Millennium or a Jewish restoration. Some of our older popular commentators came along before the latest restoration of Israel began. Most later ones somehow missed what was without question the most critical and important spiritual movement over the last two hundred years.

The second and present restoration of Israel began in the late 1800s. First, several prophetic voices arose from the Jewish people urging them to return to their land. Among these voices were Moses Hess, Rabbi Zevi-Hirsch Kalischer and Leo Pinsker. Kalischer laid the foundations for the movement known as Houeve Zion (Lovers of Zion). Then Pinsker, whose cries “Now or Never,” electrified those Jews of Houeve Zion and caused many of them as well as others to return to their ancient homeland.

In addition to the prophetic voices, in the 1880s severe persecution arose against the Jews in Russia and other places. Over a million Jews made their exit from Europe and quite a number of these returned to Israel. [10]

Today in Israel a person who makes citizenship is known to have made aliya. The Hebrew aliya means “ascent.” When one lands on the Israeli coastline it is necessary to go up from sea level to the mountainous areas that generally run over 2000 feet (609m.). Those who leave and forsake the country are called yoredim or those who go down. Early spurts of immigration were designated as aliyas or aliyot in Hebrew. Here is a sketch of these movements:

The First Aliya (1882-1903) – Some 25,000, mostly from Eastern Europe, came at this time.

The Second Aliya (1904-1914) – Consisted of about 40,000 and was interrupted by the outbreak of World War I.

The Third Aliya (1919-1923) – Contained many young pioneers. About 35,000 arrived in this period.

The Fourth Aliya (1924-1928) – Totaled some 67,000 with many middle-class immigrants. The bulk of this group was from Poland.

The Fifth Aliya (1929-1939) – There was a total in this group of about 250,000, with many from Nazi Germany.

The Sixth and Seventh Aliyot (1940-1948) – About 100,000 entered the country during this period. Immigration was greatly hindered due to British restrictions.

The mass aliya or ingathering of exiles (1948 and following) – When Israel became a state, all immigration restrictions were removed. For instance, in the years 1948 – 1951, 684,000 immigrants returned home to Israel. [11]

“The Ephraimites will become like warriors, and their hearts will be glad as with wine. Their children will see it and be joyful; their hearts will rejoice in the LORD” (10:7). As we mentioned, the ten tribes of Israel (the Ten Lost Tribes) have been in captivity since 722 BC or over 2700 years. From scripture, we know that some Israelites joined with Judah over the years. In the time of King Asa for instance we see that many from Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon settled among Judah (2 Chron. 15:9). Also in the New Testament, we note that Anna the prophetess was from the tribe of Asher (Lk. 2:36). However, for the most part, the lost tribes of Israel have remained lost until modern times.

I have mentioned that for several years I was the administrator of an outreach program to new immigrants in Israel. Normally at our establishment, there were lines of new immigrants awaiting our gifts of food, bedding, kitchen utensils and other items. Occasionally we welcomed people from the Caspian Sea and other faraway areas who claimed to be a part of the ten tribes. It is of note today that there are organizations in Israel who are focused upon bringing scattered tribes home. Thousands of Ethiopian Jews have returned home as I mentioned in chapter 8. Attention has also been turned to a group calling itself Bnei Menashe or of the tribe of Manasseh in India. Over four thousand from this group have also made aliya to Israel in recent years. No doubt, many of the young men in this party have already become “warriors” in the Israel Defense Forces just like the scattered and regathered of Ephraim.

God Gathers His Children

I will signal for them and gather them in. Surely I will redeem them; they will be as numerous as before. Zechariah 10:8

God himself will signal for them to come home. The Hebrew word for signal is sha-raq and it means to hiss or whistle. [12] During our sixteen years in Israel, we heard several Jewish arrivals say that for some reason they just knew that they needed to return home to the Promised Land. In Isaiah 5:26 it is said of God: “He lifts up a banner for the distant nations, he whistles for those at the ends of the earth. Here they come, swiftly and speedily!” Shortly before the turn of the century, and after the fall of Communism, new immigrants came home at the rate of about 30,000 a month and they are still coming but at about that rate per year. The population of Israel today far surpasses all population estimates in the First Century.

“Though I scatter them among the peoples, yet in distant lands they will remember me. They and their children will survive, and they will return” (10:9). There are many scriptures that speak of the second regathering of Israel (Deut. 30:1-6; Isa. 11:11; 43:5-7; Jer. 3:14; 23:1-8; 31:27-28; 32:37-41; Ezek. 11:16-20; 36:16-28; Hos. 2:23). In Ezekiel 37:13-14, God says he will open the graves and bring his people home. Many thousands who were at the edge of their graves in the Nazi Holocaust were rescued at the war’s end, with many of them fleeing to Israel.

“I will bring them back from Egypt and gather them from Assyria. I will bring them to Gilead and Lebanon, and there will not be room enough for them” (10:10). The Jewish population of Egypt was 80,000 in 1948 but today only 100 Jews remain. They have all gone home. [13] It is thought that the mention of Assyria here might represent all the lands of the north and east where Israel and Judah were first dispersed. [14] Assyria certainly represented the land where the Ten Tribes were first taken. Of course, Judah was dispersed to Babylon in 586 BC. It is interesting that once the nation of Israel was re-established the Jews of that area, 124,000 strong, were flown home in an airlift named “Operation Ezra-Nehemiah.” The remarkable event prompted the President of Israel to declare that the Babylonian captivity had ended. [15]

In the last days, we see that Gilead (in today’s Jordan) and even Lebanon shall be included in the new Israel. However, even with that, Israel will get quite crowded. Isaiah once talked about this: “The children born during your bereavement will yet say in your hearing, ‘This place is too small for us; give us more space to live in’” (Isa. 49:20; cf. 54:1-3). Today Israel’s total land area is 8,630 sq. miles (22,145 sq. km.). The nation is 260 miles (420 km.) in length and 93 miles (150 km.) at its widest area. [16] At one of her busiest and most densely settled points, the nation is only 9 miles wide (14 km.). Israel is about the size of the little US state of New Jersey. Although Israel is not among the world’s most crowded countries it always feels that way. Even a small apartment in crowded Jerusalem can easily be priced at a million dollars.

Today Israel is a mostly restored nation that leads the world in quite a number of important enterprises and endeavors. At this writing, she has a population of close to nine million people with Jerusalem’s population nearing one million. Israel is often called “the miracle on the Mediterranean.” Unfortunately, the miracle of modern Israel has been missed by the bulk of Bible scholars and by most Christians.

“‘They will pass through the sea of trouble; the surging sea will be subdued and all the depths of the Nile will dry up. Assyria’s pride will be brought down and Egypt’s scepter will pass away. I will strengthen them in the LORD and in his name they will live securely,’ declares the LORD” (10:11-12). Zechariah wanted to make plain that the restoration of Israel would not come without much trouble and suffering.

It was the Holocaust where six million Jews died that was the driving force for Israel’s foundation. The historian Paul Johnson remarks about the connection of the Holocaust with the rise of Zion in these words:

The Holocaust and the new Zion were organically connected. The murder of six million Jews was a prime causative factor in the creation of the state of Israel. This was in accordance with an ancient and powerful dynamic of Jewish history: redemption through suffering. [17]

Israel had to pay dearly to repurchase every inch of her Promised Land. Swampland was bought at exorbitant prices and then defended with blood, prayers and tears as they fought against Arab marauders. The Israeli settlers had to endure constant terror attacks and riots. Once the United Nations Partition Plan was approved in late 1947, Israel was attacked from all sides by Arabs terrorists. Then, once Israel declared its independence in May 1948, she was attacked by six Arab armies. Miraculously she survived all these attacks, beat back the armies and regained much of her original territory. However, she lost her mountainous heartland called the West Bank to Jordan. This included most of the ancient biblical cities such as Old Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Hebron and Shechem.

Despite her victory, the terror attacks continued. Israel was attacked again by Arab nations in 1967. In that war, she recovered her heartland of the West Bank (ancient Judea and Samaria) as well as Jerusalem and the Golan Heights (biblical Manasseh). In 1973, Israel was attacked again by the Arabs on her most holy day of Yom Kippur. After much struggle, Israel won this war. It was at the terrible cost of 2, 378 of her soldiers. [18] To this day Israel continues to be plagued by Arab terrorism, which is like a “sea of trouble.” In her wars, Egypt and the ancient territories of Assyria (Iraq and Syria) were devastated and their power was broken according to the prophet’s words.

Israel’s best is yet to come. In Ezekiel 36:24-38, the prophet says that Israel will return to her land in a defiled condition but God will sprinkle clean water upon her and give her a new heart and new spirit. God will save Israel from all her uncleanness and heap blessing upon her (cf. Psa. 14:7; Ezek. 20:41-44; 28:25-26). All Israel will weep and mourn as they look upon the Messiah whom they pierced (Zech. 12;10-14). This of course is Jesus whom they crucified. Through the Messiah, a fountain of cleansing will be opened for them (13:1). Blessings will then flow on the people and the land will then become like the Garden of Eden (Ezek. 36:35).

Footnotes

1. Chabad Organization. https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/448345/jewish/Choni-the-Circle-Maker.htm

2. Charles L. Feinberg, The Minor Prophets (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1990), p. 320.

3. Utley, Free Bible Commentary, v. 10:2.

4. Baldwin, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, p. 171.

5. Pett, Peter Pett’s Commentary on the Bible, v. 10:2.

6. Clarke, Adam Clarke Commentary, vs. 10:3 & 5.

7. Feinberg, The Minor Prophets, p. 322.

8. David S. Dockery, ed. The Challenge of Postmodernism (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1995, p. 328.

9. Baldwin, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, p. 175.

10. Gerrish, Does God Play Favorites?, pp. 111-112.

11. Goeffrey Wigoder, ed., Israel Pocket Library, Immigration and Settlement (Jerusalem: Keter Publishing House Ltd., 1973) pp. 633-635.

12. Brown, Driver & Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament, p. 1056.

13. World Jewish Congress. https://www.worldjewishcongress.org/en/about/communities/EG

14. Baldwin, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, p. 176.

15. Gerrish, Does God Play Favorites?, p. 123.

16. Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. https://mfa.gov.il/MFA/AboutIsrael/Maps/Pages/Israel-Size-and-Dimension.aspx

17. Paul Johnson, A History of the Jews (New York: Harper and Row, 1987), p. 519.

18. Martin Gilbert, The Arab-Israeli Conflict (London: Widenfeld & Nicolson, 1979), p. 93.