Out of Babylon to Zion by Prof. Lucas A. Reed

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Sep 27, 1910

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 37, No. 38.

"Out of Babylon to Zion"

By Prof. Lucas A. Reed

XXV. Power of Jerusalem Restored

Zechariah 12

AFTER having given in clear delineation the terrible mistake of the Jews in their rejection of Christ and their cessation as a nation, in the 12th chapter we have a prophecy of the restoration to power of the true Israelites. In the closing days of time all the nations are to be gathered in the Valley of Jehoshaphat to the battle of Armageddon. Rev. 16:14, 16. At that time Michael will stand up, the great Prince that standeth for the children of His people, and then Jerusalem will become a burdensome stone for all people. Compare Dan. 11:45 with Zech. 12:2, 3. Then it is that Christ's coming shall bring hope to His waiting people. Zech. 12:5. And then it is that the presence of God destroys the wicked. Zech. 12:6. Then Christ will spare those who have been rejected by the wicked and counted as naught; and when Christ appears, the wicked will realize that the victims of their hate, whom they supposed to be feeble, and destined for destruction, are now stronger than David when he slew Goliath and through him the thousands of the Philistines; and the house of David, the church of God, shining with the glory of God, are seen to be as strong as the might of their Redeemer, as powerful as the angels of the Lord that surround them and stand before them. Then it is that the wicked shall look upon Him whom they have pierced, and shall be destroyed. And this work will be upon individuals, each one being judged according to his own works. See verses 11-14.

Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth

In the 13th and 14th chapters of Zechariah we have many prophecies referring to times widely separated. If we try to read them consecutively we shall make mistake. It is interesting for us to remember how Christ divided the Word the day that He spoke at Nazareth, when He claimed Himself to be the fulfilment of the prophecy, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me," etc.; and that as He quoted these words He divided one sentence at the last, leaving off the words "and the day of vengeance of our God." The vengeance of God was not due at the time that He delivered the prophecy, altho all the other parts of this prophecy were then applicable.

Similar to the division of that prophecy that day at Nazareth must be the true teacher's division of the Word of God. He must be able to know by other scriptures exactly where the prophetic Word applies. It is not to be by any private interpretation; it is not to be by any dogmatic assertion of his own, but testing scripture with scripture, spiritual things with spiritual. He is to know just where each part applies. So as we read the first verse of the 13th chapter of Zechariah we know at once that it is a prophecy of Jesus Christ. When He was crucified a fountain was open to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness, and we still sing:

"There is a fountain filled with blood, Drawn from Immanuel's veins; And sinners plunged beneath that flood, Lose all their guilty stains."

And as a result of that cleansing, every evil thing shall be removed from the land that God grants to His people. But there was also to be a removing of prophets before that day. Because of the unfaithfulness of God's people there were no prophets from the time of Malachi until Jesus came; and if one appeared as a prophet it was inevitable that he was a false prophet, and his own father and mother must turn against him; and so the false prophets themselves were often ashamed of their own visions, because they were deceptive, and so they turned away from manifestations of the evil one, and said, "I am no prophet, I am an husbandman; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth."

"And one shall say unto Him, What are these wounds in Thine hands? Then He shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of My friends." Zech. 13:6.

Here suddenly we find a prophecy introduced that manifestly refers to Christ, and to Christ in the future state. It is true that this question is asked during the Gospel age, and that answer is also given. We are all saying, Why was Christ wounded, why was He allowed to suffer? And so the prophecy in a measure is fulfilled in this life; but it seems quite evident that there will be those who are living up to all the light and truth they have had, who have not learned of the crucifixion of Christ. Some of these who lived before that event, and some in heathen lands who have lived since that event, when they see Christ in the better world, will wonder at the prints of the nails in His hands. They will ask the question of this verse, and Christ will give them its answer. Verses 7, 8, and 9 refer evidently to the death of Christ and to results that follow; and the ninth verse brings in the results that were prophesied to come under the new covenant. All are taught of the Lord; all who participate in the covenant come to say, "The Lord is my God."

The Closing Scene

Again we have reference, in the first part of the 14th chapter of Zechariah, to the destruction of Jerusalem, especially at the close of time. No doubt it has some reference to the taking of the city in A.D. 70, but the complete fulfilment as seen by verse 3 can not take place until the great battle of Armageddon. A thousand years after this the events of verses 4 to 11 take place. This is the new earth state. The Mount of Olives becomes a plain, and on this plain the city of God rests. Even at eventide it shall be light in that city, for it has no need of the sun or the moon, since God and the Lamb are its light. In that city shall be the living waters, the River of Life, and the Lord shall be King. Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.

Verse 12 refers back again to those mentioned in the first part of the chapter, in verse 3. This is the great battle of Armageddon, and the terrible plague upon the ministers and the false teachers who have opposed the truth of God. The plague is not only upon men, but upon animals as well. Verse 15.

Verses 16 to 21 are a promise that all that are opposed to God will be destroyed, and that all that survive will come up from year to year to the city of Jerusalem to worship the Lord. In Isaiah we find that this journeying to Jerusalem takes place on the Sabbath and also once a month. The punishment of those who come not up to Jerusalem is not to be visited upon the people in the new earth state, as verses 17 and 18 might seem to teach. The punishment is to be visited upon them when the wicked are punished, for God knows who they are. They are those who have rebelled against His commands all their lives. These are smitten and destroyed in the destruction of the wicked. It is plain from some of the references in verses 16 to 21 that much of this would have been fulfilled in this life, and for the Jews; but they failed to obtain the benefits predicted, and therefore it must be referred now entirely to the new earth state.

Let us remember that the consecration delineated in the 21st verse, the closing verse of the book of Zechariah, is a consecration that must take place in this life, and that is voluntary, each man making that consecration for himself. May we be among those who thus have inscribed upon their lives, not in words merely, but in fact, "Holiness unto the Lord of Hosts." There is to be no Canaanite, no sinner, in the house of the Lord of Hosts. There shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth. "Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the Tree of Life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." "Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in." May we be of those who enjoy the glories of that blessed state.