Zechariah 10
Zechariah 10:1 Ask the Lord for rain in the season of the late spring rains—the Lord who causes thunderstorms—and he will give everyone showers of rain and green growth in the field.
During the Millennial Kingdom, the former and latter rains will be restored to Israel. Notice that God is the one who sends thunderstorms. This means that all men depend upon Jehovah for the basic essentials of water.
2 For the household gods have spoken wickedness, the soothsayers have seen a lie, and as for the dreamers, they have disclosed emptiness and give comfort in vain. Therefore the people set out like sheep and become scattered because they have no shepherd.
Before the Babylon Captivity, most of the Jews kept household gods in their living rooms. They listened to false prophets. Occultists gave them false dreams. This idolatry caused Israel to be scattered without a shepherd. During the Great Tribulation, Israel will once again fall into this same idolatry system. This idolatry may come through the charismatic churches. Satan could flood the charismatic churches with false prophets, tongue speakers, dreamers, and those who claim to have visions from God. These “words from God” will actually be doctrines of demons. Truth will be mixed with error. This type of activity is already occurring in many of the charismatic churches today.
Note: Charismatics need to study 1 Corinthians 12-14 in the YEBC Study Bible for the Greek exegesis on tongues.
3 I am enraged at the shepherds and will punish the lead-goats. For the Lord who rules over all has brought blessing to his flock, the house of Judah, and will transform them into his majestic warhorse.
The shepherds of Israel were the kings and Levitical priests. They had refused to feed their flock sound Bible doctrine. Therefore, Jehovah will punish the religious and political leaders of Israel. At the end of the Great Tribulation, Jehovah will empower the Jews to withstand the Gentile armies of the Antichrist.
4 From him will come the cornerstone, the wall peg, the battle bow, and every ruler.
The Messiah will be the cornerstone of the Israel of the Millennial Kingdom. The cornerstone was the foundation stone of the temple. The wall peg was a peg nail which was nailed into the main pole of a tent. The most valuable possessions were hung on this pole. The battle bow is the weapon of God. God is the bowman. Judah is the bow. Ephraim is the arrow. All rulers come from God. God appoints the basest of men to be rulers.
5 And they will be like warriors trampling the mud of the streets in battle. They will fight, for the Lord will be with them, and will defeat the enemy cavalry.
At the end of the Great Tribulation, Israel will become an energized army who will fight as one mighty man.
6 “I (says the Lord) will strengthen the kingdom of Judah and deliver the people of Joseph and will bring them back because of my compassion for them. They will be as though I had never rejected them, for I am the Lord their God and therefore I will hear them.
At the end of the Great Tribulation, Jehovah will bring Israel back into her land.
7 The Ephraimites will be like warriors and will rejoice as if they had drunk wine. Their children will see it and rejoice; they will celebrate in the things of the Lord.
The Ephraimites is another name for Israel. At the end of the Great Tribulation, Israel will be energized as a super army. They will rejoice over their victories. The children who are born to the Jews in the Millennial Kingdom will all be saved. They will all celebrate in Jehovah.
8 I will signal for them and gather them, for I have already redeemed them; then they will become as numerous as they were before.
When shepherds call their sheep, they are all mixed together as one big flock. Each shepherd has a distinctive whistle. When the flock hears the whistle of their shepherd, they all follow him. Jehovah will whistle. Israel will recognize the Lord’s voice and call them out of the Great Tribulation and bring them into the Millennial Kingdom. During the Millennial Kingdom, Israel will experience a population explosion. Gentiles will not attempt to perform genocide on them. Gentiles will flock to them and want to learn from them.
9 Though I scatter them among the nations, they will remember in far-off places—they and their children will sprout forth and return.
During the Millennial Kingdom, the Jews will be scattered all over the world. However, it will not be a forced dispersion of judgment. It will be a voluntary dispersion in order to teach the Gentile about God.
10 I will bring them back from Egypt and gather them from Assyria. I will bring them to the lands of Gilead and Lebanon, for there will not be enough room for them in their own land.
At the end of the Great Tribulation, Jehovah will gather many of the Jews from Egypt and Assyria, Israel will become so overcrowded, that many of the Jews will be brought into the land of Gilead and Lebanon. Gilead and Lebanon were two areas of land which Israel never conquered.
11 The Lord will cross the sea of storms and will calm its turbulence. The depths of the Nile will dry up, the pride of Assyria will be humbled, and the domination of Egypt will be no more.
The sea of storms is the Red Sea. The Nile River will dry up. During the Millennial Kingdom, the Jews will leave Egypt, cross over the Red Sea and the dried up Nile River, and return to Israel. During the Millennial Kingdom, Assyria and Egypt will not become world powers who persecute Israel.
12 Thus I will strengthen them by my power, and they will walk about in my name,” says the Lord.
During the Millennial Kingdom, Jehovah will strengthen Israel. All of Israel will be saved.