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In my last message, the theme was “the foolish shepherd.” I mentioned that this is a prophecy about leaders who would oppose Jesus’ ministry and crucify Him. Today, we enter Zechariah chapter 12. Today’s theme taken from verses 2 and 3, which mentions a “cup of stumbling” and “an immovable stone”. God chose Jerusalem. This was not a human decision. It was God’s choice. No matter how much the Jewish people failed or experienced tragedies such as the exile, God’s choice stays unchanged. God desires that the Jewish people walk as a holy nation and a kingdom of priests.
In Jerusalem, because of foolish leaders, Christ, the Son of God, was crucified, suffered, bore the sins of humanity, and died. However, Jesus Christ was resurrected on the third day. God’s great work of salvation took place here, in Jerusalem itself. Chapter 12 reveals Jerusalem’s election, the cross, and the repentance of the people of Israel. I pray that the people of Israel may receive God’s Word, repent, believe in Jesus Christ, walk steadfastly as a holy nation and a kingdom of priests, and live out a good testimony.
Now let’s take read chapter 12. Verse 1 states a declaration. God’s judgment and salvation are revealed. Verse 2 says, “I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem.” Chapter 12 prophesies that Jerusalem will be besieged and attacked by the surrounding nations. The “cup of stumbling” is a cup filled with the wine of God’s wrath. It is a cup that destroys those who drink it. The nations attacking Jerusalem will abandon the battle as if drunk and be scattered.
Verses 3 says, “On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves.” Jerusalem, chosen by God, will become a heavy rock, and those who try to carry it will be badly injured. Those who seek to harm Jerusalem will, in turn, be harmed. God Himself will protect Jerusalem. We see this in verses 4 and 5. The strength of people of Jerusalem is in the Lord God himself. And verse 6 says that God Himself will “consume all surrounding peoples.” The Jerusalem chosen by God will continue to be protected by Him. This is the promise that Zechariah is conveys to his people.
Let’s recall their situation again. They have laid the foundation of the temple. Now they are about to complete it. In this temple, they will worship God, and obedience to His Word will flourish. God will be pleased with the people of Israel. And God saying to them: If you resolve to walk as a holy nation and a kingdom of priests, I will protect you until the end of days.” Verse 7 says, “The Lord will save the dwellings of Judah first,” and verse 8 says, “On that day the Lord will shield those who live in Jerusalem.” Meanwhile verse 9 states, “On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem.” The Lord Himself promises to accept and protect them. “On that day” expresses prophecies that also apply to the end times.
But what was the reality? About 2,000 years ago, because of their foolish shepherds, the people of Israel crucified Jesus and rejected their Savior. To such people, verse 10 says, “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son..” Because of this Spirit of grace and supplication, their eyes will be opened. Verse 12 says, “The land will mourn, each clan by itself.” This is a prophetic word declaring that the entire people of Israel, and each individual, will experience true repentance. I believe this end-time prophecy can be taken to mean that the people of Israel will one day repent and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, repent—not only individuals but the entire nation.
During the New Testament era, Jesus had conflicts with the Pharisees and the teachers of the law. Many of them could not accept Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God. Shocked by Jesus’ claim that he has existed since the beginning of the world, they were unable to accept Him as the Son of God and crucified Him. However, Jesus resurrected, the Holy Spirit was poured out, and the Church was born. The early Church was made of not only Jesus’ previous disciples but also a large number of Jews who repented. Unfortunately, the leaders of that time could not believe that Jesus was the Christ and persecuted the Church, causing it to scatter across the world. In the year 70 A.D., God’s great judgment fell upon the people, and Jerusalem was destroyed by the Roman army. The Jewish people lost their nation. Yet the New Testament prophesies that the Jewish people will be saved. According to Romans 11:29, “for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.” Let us now look at Paul’s prophecy.
In Romans 11:25–27, it says, “I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: ‘The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.’”
Because the people of Israel did not accept the gospel, God prepared a new way, one in which the gospel was preached to the Gentiles first. This is God’s mysterious plan: first, a part of Israel were hardened; then the Gentiles were saved; and afterward, Israel will be saved.
Verses 28 and 29 say, “As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.” Therefore, we Christians must be humble, share the gospel with the world, live as people of faith, and pray for the Jewish people. The gospel declares this: Romans 10:9–10, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” Verses 12 and 13 continue: “For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” The people of Israel, too, will accept Jesus as their Savior one day. This will happen in the end times.
The Book of Zechariah describes events that will take place in the end times, including the salvation of the people of Israel, judgment of false prophets, a great tribulation, Jesus’ return to the Mount of Olives, the attack on Jerusalem by the nations and Jerusalem’s victory, the worship of the Lord by all nations, and thanksgiving for God’s salvation through the Feast of Tabernacles. We will discuss these topics in my next message.
By the way, elections were held in Israel last week. When I was writing this sermon on October 29, the election results had not yet been announced. But I would like us all to pray for them. That the people of Israel may be saved and that they may become a holy nation and a kingdom of priests. May they also come to believe in the promise found in the Book of Zechariah, that God says, “I will protect you.” And may peace come to the Middle East.
This week, midterm elections will be held in the United States. Many Christians and even pastors are running as candidates in these elections. Let’s pray that they will truly seek God’s will and that peace and God’s will come about our world.
I would like to end by reading from Romans 11:15-24:
For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.
Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!
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