Zechariah 14

Zechariah 14:1

DIvided in the midst of thee] He armeth the godly against the great temptations that should come before they enjoyed this prosperous estate, promised under Christ, that when these dangers should come they might know that they were warned of them before.

Zechariah 14:2

I will gather all nations] That is, the Romanes, Lords of all nations.

and the citie shall be taken] Here the last destruction of Jerusalem is more plainly described then before, when God would execute against her his last judgements for the sinnes of the Jewes, but especially for slaying the chief shepherd, and Authour of life, Christ his Sonne, Act. 2. 22, 23. & 13. 15.

half of the citie shall go forth into captivitie] God shall suffer a great part of his people to be discomfited and subdued.

and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the citie] To wit, they which before the siege went out of the citie, and betook themselves to Pella. See on Chap. 13. 8, 9.

Zechariah 14:3

go forth] God, who before this time had been the keeper of the Jewish nation and their citie, shall now leave his holy places, Temple and citie, and hold it as given over and forsaken: and also get him to another place; namely, unto the enemies besieging the citie. See Josephus seventh book of the warres of the Jews, Chap. 12.

and fight against those nations] Heb. In the middle of, or among those nations gathered against Jerusalem, not as an enemie or adversarie, but as a helper: neither will he sight against the Jews lightly, but earnestly and stoutly, as he did for Gideon, and divers others, Judges 7:22. Isaiah 9:4. & Isaiah 10:26. 2 Kings 19:25.

Zechariah 14:4

upon the mount of Olives] Look in what place some fourtie years before the Jews took Christ, and brought him unto most cruell torments, in the selfe same place God himselfe stood to punish them most sharply, and as they had deserved: that Christ was taken in mount Olivet, see Joh. 18. Matthew 26:30.

a very great valley] So that out of all the parts of the world they shall see Jerusalem, which was before hid with this mountaine: and this he meaneth of the spirituall Jerusalem the Church, according to the prophecie, Isaiah 66:23. which Text sheweth an utter abolishing of Moses ceremonies: seeing all nations cannot come every week to Jerusalem.

Zechariah 14:5

yee shall flee to the the valley] All you beleevers shall runne unto the Church, to be safe from the destruction of the world; which Church shall be extended to place separated formerly merly before the partition wall was broken down: which seemeth to be meant by the word Azal, which signifieth separation. Or, the free entrance into the Church shall be open every where, save onely where Gods election hath not wrought, but hath left men, as it were, sequestred. See Isaiah 4:3.

the mountains] Or, my mountains.

for the valley of the mountains] Or, when he shall touch the valley of the mountains to the place he separated.

ye shall flee like as ye fled] This fleeing is with fear and trembling, like to that wherewith the Jews were stricken of old by reason of the earthquake, the which fell out in the dayes of Uzzias the King, as it is Amos 1:1.

my God shall come] Because they did not credit the Prophets words, he turneth to God, and comforteth himselfe in that that he knew these things should come, and saith, Thou O God, with thine Angels, wilt come to performe this great thing, Jude 1:14.

Zechariah 14:6

clear] Heb. precious.

dark] Heb. thicknesse.

Zechariah 14:7

it shall be &c.] Or, the day shall be one.

one day] Revelation 22:5. To wit, one perpetuall day: Mening, there shall be alwaies light in the Church under the Messiah, though sometimes more dimme and dark then at other times; yet alwayes some light. Or a singular day, to wit, of Christs death, when the Sunne was darkened at noone, Amos 8:9. and so remained three houres, Matthew 27:45.

which shall be] Or, which is. The Lord who from all eternitie knows what shall be in time, will have regard that still light be preserved in his Church in the evening of time, or last age of the world: for so the time of the Messiah is counted. See Hebrews 1:1. 1 Peter 1:20. 1 John 2:18. Or that singular day of Christs death undergoing such changes might signifie the state of the Church after from his going to heaven to his comming to judgement.

evening-time it shall be light] Isaiah 60:19. Revelation 21:23.

Zechariah 14:8

that living waters shall go] Ezekiel 47:1. Joel 3. 18. Revelation 22:1. Namely, the graces and gifts of Gods Spirit in this world, and his glory in the heavenly life, shall be powred out upon his elect for ever.

from Jerusalem] Agreeable to that of Ezr 2:3. for from thence the Gospel came into the world, described under the name of two seas well known to the Jews, whose waters are made wholesome by these living waters: and by a description of divers places of Judea, he signifieth nothing but a generall powring on all sides, and on all men.

former sea] Or, eastern.

in winter shall it be] Those waters shall never be dried up, as your summer streames are. See Job 6:16. 17.

Zechariah 14:9

the LORD shall be king over all the earth] The Sonne of God shall alone be acknowledged and worshipped for everlasting King of the world.

Zechariah 14:10

All the land] Figurative termes, taken from the hilly situation of Judea to signifie, that all worldly height shall be beaten down, and the Church alone shall be glorified, s Isaiah 2:2. Zac 4:7.

turned] Or, compassed.

Gebah to Rimmon] Gebah and Rimmon were two confines of Judah, the one towards the North, and the other towards the South, Joshua 15:32. 57.

inhabited] Or, shall abide.

from Benjamins gate] By a similitude taken from the precinct of the earthly Jerusalem; as Jeremiah 31:38. he doth imply a perfect reestablishment of the Church in all parts of it.

place of the first gate] It seemeth he meaneth the fish-gate, which was over against the second gate, Jeremiah 39:3. Zephaniah 1:10. and so he mentioneth the whole circuit of Jerusalem: Benjamins gate was on the North-east side: from thence going to the corner gate, which was on the North-west side, they went along by the fish-gate: and from Hananiels tower, which was on the same side as Benjamins gate, they went the other compasse, from the South, to the Kings wine-presses, which were on the West side, where these two halfe circles did meet to make up a whole circle or compasse.

unto the corner-gate] See 2 Chronicles 26:9. perhaps there was some tower there to make the corners.

Zechariah 14:11

shall be safely inhabited] Or, shall abide.

Zechariah 14:12

be the plague] It is like that here is a description of the eternall punishment of the wicked.

they stand upon their feet] Though he subsist, and live, and shall not die, yet he shall be tormented everlastingly, still outliving his paine: having no end, that his paine may also be endlesse.

their eyes shall consume away in their holes] Though they be alive, and can see, yet shall they be deprived of light, in infernall darknesse, having neither eyes, nor understanding, but onely to see and judge of their extreme miserie.

their tongue shall consume away] See Luke 16:24.

Zechariah 14:13

in that day] Of Gods victory over his enemies.

they shall lay hold] God shall cause them to fight one against an other as in the battell of Midian, Judges 7:22. against the Philistims sending a sudden fear among them, 1 Samuel 14:15. 20. and Christ foretold the like, Matthew 24:7.

Zechariah 14:14

Judah also shall] Or, thou also, O Judah, shalt. The carnall and unbeleeving Jews shall also be enemies to Christs true Church.

at Jerusalem] Or, against.

gold, and silver] The Church shall plentifully and abundantly be inriched with the spoyles of her enemies; as God made his people wealthy with the spoyls of the Egyptians.

Zechariah 14:15

the plague of the horse] God shall not onely destroy his enemies, vers. 12. but even all the means and instruments they used for to afflict the Church: so hatefull to God and cursed of him are all instruments of idolatry. See Isaiah 30:22.

Zechariah 14:16

that every one] God shall save some among the enemies, whom he shall cause to turn to his true spirituall service, described here as in a shadow, by the ceremoniall service of the Law, as Isaiah 66:23.

to keep the feast of tabernacles] Leviticus 23:34. A figure of the elects gathering together into particular churches in this world: to which every one must reduce himselfe, to partake of the communion of Saints, and of Gods grace. This feast is called John 7:2. Skenopegia, a pitching of tents, or setting up of boothes, Deuteronomy 16:16. which the Jews kept in remembrance of Gods favour to them in the wildernesse, where they dwelt in boothes, Leviticus 23:43. and to shew their thankfulnesse for the fruits of the earth, reaped in this moneth, Deuteronomy 16:13-14. and to figure out the coming of Christ into the world at this time of of the year, to dwell in the abernacle of our flesh, John 1:14.

Zechariah 14:17

upon them shall be no rain] God shall impart none of his blessings to them.

Zechariah 14:18

family of Egypt go not up] Which was the ancientest enemy of the Church which also seemed not to have much reason to feare the foresaid want of rain, because of the yearly overflowing of Nilus: but therefore, in stead of that, it is threatened with everlasting burnings, vers. 12.

that have no] Heb. upon whom there is not.

Zechariah 14:19

punishment] Or, sinne.

the feast of tabernacles] At this feast Solomons Temple (a figure of Christs body, John 2:19. 21.) was dedicated with great solemnity, and the Ark brought into it, 2 Chronicles 5:2-3; 2 Chronicles 5:7. And this feast we keep by belief in Christ that his grace is sufficient for us, and that in all our infirmities the power of Christ resteth upon us (to protect us as a tabernacle) 2 Corinthians 12:9. The first place where Israel encamped after they came out of Egypt, was called Succoth, that is, boothes, Exodus 12:37.

Zechariah 14:20

bells of the horses] Or, bridles. Having spoken of the horses overthrow, and other cattle of the enemies, vers. 15. he addeth, to make up the measure, that all their spoiles, even the very deckings of the furniture, if they were of metall, should be consecrated to God, to make utensils for his service: wherein he seems to have relation to that which Gideon did, Judg. 8. 26. The meaning is, God shall convert to his service in his Church, all such things, as before were employed against him.

the pots in the LORD house] Made of these bosses, or bells. The meaning is, that there shall be frequent sacrifices of thankesgiving, of which, some parts were dressed in the Temple, in the kitchins belonging to it, Ezekiel 46:22-24. for the sacred feasts, 1 Samuel 2:15. And all this must be understood of the spirituall service, which should be in the Christian Church, figured by the ancient Ceremoniall service, as Isaiah 60:7. & Isaiah 66:23. Malac. 1. 11.

bowls before the altar] Which were in very great number, for to receive the bloud of the sacrifices, and to make the sprinklings. See 2 Chronicles 4:8. Ezra 1:9-10.

Zechariah 14:21

every pot in Jerusalem] He seemeth to mean, that the spirituall service shall be every where yeelded to God, even in the most ordinary actions of a Christians life.

shall be no more] God shall cleanse his mysticall Church, composed of true beleevers and elect, from the mixture of all profane persons. See Isaiah 35:8. Joe 3:17.

Canaanite in the house] Isaiah 35:8. Joe 3:17. Revelation 21:27. & Revelation 22:15. Or Merchant: He seemeth to have a speciall relation to the abuse of merchandizing, and selling, which was used in the Temple, Matth. 21 12. John 2:15.