Zechariah 12:9

And it shall come to pass in that day,.... So often mentioned in this chapter; by which is meant the latter part of the Gospel dispensation, the spiritual reign of Christ: [that] I will seek to

And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

And it shall come to pass; this also shall certainly come to pass. That I; God, the Defender and Saviour of Israel. Will seek: this speaks not any difficulty to God in the work, as with men, who sometimes do seek to do what they cannot do; but this implieth God would thoroughly do it, his right hand should find out these his enemies, he will hunt them ont. To destroy; not to restrain, but to overthrow and destroy. All nations; without partiality, every nation that sets itself to oppress and destroy Jerusalem; God, viii pay them in their own coin: they said, Blot out her name; but God will blot out theirs. Let us, say they, cut them off from being a nation; but this God will turn upon their own heads. That come against; combine, and attempt to destroy her; and this was evidently seen upon those that sought to destroy Jerusalem and the second temple before Christ’ s incarnation; for by the Romans God destroyed the Antiochian power which had often mischiefed the Jews, and destroyed the other kingdoms which had been enemies to the Jews, who were never in danger of being cut off from being a nation, till their horrid murdering of the Lord of life. Jerusalem; literally and historically the city which the captives returned from Babylon did build; but mystically the catholic church, which God will never suffer to be destroyed, he will rather destroy all nations than suffer them to destroy his church.

Zechariah 12:9 And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.Ver. 9. I will seek to destroy] I will make inquisition and diligent scrutiny; I will draw them out of their lurking places to execution; as Saul went to seek David upon the rocks of the wild goats, 1 Samuel 24:2; those high, steep, and craggy rocks, which could not but be very tedious both to himself and to his soldiers to march in; but he was set upon it, and would leave no place unsearched. See his charge to the Ziphites to take knowledge of all the lurking holes where be hid himself, and to bring him word that he might seek him through all the thousands of Judah, 1 Samuel 23:23. The Lord need not do so to find out his enemies; for in him they live, move, and subsist, Colossians 1:17, they are ever under his view, and within his reach. He sitteth upon the circle of the earth, Isaiah 40:22, and can easily shake them out of it, as by a canvas. Yea, he sits in the height of heaven, and wherein they deal proudly, he is above them, Exodus 18:11, disclosing their cabinet counsels, as he did Benhadad’ s, and blasting their designs. To destroy all nations] God stands not upon multitudes; he takes not the tenth man, but destroys all nations, be they never so many of them that come against Jerusalem, that oppose or affront his people, either with their virulent tongues or violent hands. When a rabble of rebels shall set themselves against the Lord, and against his Christ, his mystical Christ, the Church, he will utterly destroy them; the word signifieth he will destroy them, ut nihil reliquum maneat, that there shall be no remainder of them. Woe, therefore, to the Church’ s enemies; for their destruction ever goes with the saints’ salvation, Philippians 1:28-29 Isaiah 8:9 Proverbs 11:8. God’ s jealousy, Zechariah 1:14, and justice, 2 Thessalonians 1:6, will effect it surely, severely, suddenly.

(9) Seek.—This word is only twice used of God, here and in Exodus 4:24, where “He sought to slay Moses”: i.e., He expressed His determination to do so, but for certain reasons did not carry it out. So in this case He would have utterly destroyed the nations: that is, have given the Jews complete victory over them, but for Israel’s sin. (Comp. the case of the Canaanites, Joshua 23:5; Joshua 23:12-13.)

Verse 9. I will seek to destroy all the nations] When this time shall arrive, all nations that "will not receive the faith of our Lord Jesus" shall be destroyed, when the longsuffering of God shall no longer wait upon them. This seems to belong to a period yet very remote.

9. I will seek] i.e. I will make it my aim, upon which I am intent, and which I will carry out. It is true, as Mr Wright points out, that in the only other passage in which this phrase is used of Almighty God, the intention, though “manifested clearly and distinctly,” was abandoned (Exodus 4:24). But it does not follow that “this passage is not an absolute promise of the utter destruction of the nations,” but only a promise conditional upon the future conduct of the Jews. The passage as a whole is quite against such a supposition. The verse would be a strange anti-climax, if after such promises as are contained in Zechariah 12:2-8 it only asserted, “My aim shall be to do all this that I have promised in glowing terms; but all may be frustrated and come to nought through the unfaithfulness of man.”

In that day, I will seek to destroy - Woe indeed to those, whom Almighty God shall “‘seek’ to destroy!” Man may seek earnestly to do, what at last he cannot do. Still it is an earnest seeking.

9. While Jehovah thus equips the inhabitants of Jerusalem for the conflict, his wrath is turned against the nations that plan to attack the city.