Zechariah 12:6
In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.
In that day God makes the leaders of Judah strong against the peoples around them like fire burning through wood and through a sheaf, while Jerusalem is restored and lived in again in its own place. The burning means their enemies are thrown into confusion and destroy one another while God defends the remnant of His people, and the promise looks beyond the return from Babylon to the Messianic King and kingdom and the final restoration at Christ's coming. It was offered as miraculous protection to preserve Jerusalem alive if the Jews had received Christ as their King, with God Himself cutting off the Roman forces against them, but their rejection of Him withdrew that protection and brought the destruction of Jerusalem and all they cherished. Those who held that every national promise of restoration to literal Canaan was completely fulfilled by B.C. 445 when Israel dwelt again in their cities taught that it does not promise a future gathering of scattered Jews to old Jerusalem to re-establish David's throne. In the closing days Jerusalem and the land about it will bear the brunt of the nations' final attack, yet the true Israelites are restored to power and the faithful whom the wicked despised as weak are revealed as strong through their Redeemer and guarded by angels when the wicked who pierced Christ are destroyed by His presence, a work prepared in those who see their own sin in His suffering and who go forth as fiery torches among sheaves to spread light across the earth.
Setting and Imagery
In that day God makes the leaders of Judah powerful against the peoples all around them, like a hearth of fire among wood and like a torch of fire in a sheaf to devour to the right and to the left, while Jerusalem is inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem. The fire describes God's strength and glory working through His people in the final battle over Jerusalem, consuming the surrounding nations. It means those enemies are thrown into confusion and turn against and destroy one another, while God Himself defends the remnant of His people.
Zechariah was a prophet of the restoration, raised up to encourage the rebuilding of the temple and the restoring of Jerusalem. That restoration movement is a type of the last reformation. This prophecy was given in B.C. 487 as the latest prophecy concerning the return of the Jews to the literal land of Canaan.
The later chapters of Zechariah, including this prophecy, look beyond the immediate return from Babylon and the restoration from exile. They look forward to the Messianic King and kingdom and to the final restoration when Christ will come. In that forward view they offer hope to those who truly seek God and grasp the promises of the Spirit, and judgment to those who reject Him.
Conditional Offer to Jerusalem
In that day Jerusalem would have been miraculously protected and preserved and would have continued to live if the Jews had received Christ as their king. The chariots, horses, and weapons to be cut off were Roman forces, since the Jews had no army of their own, and God would have defended them miraculously. Because the nation rejected Christ the promised protection was withdrawn, and rejecting their king instead brought the destruction of Jerusalem and the things they cherished.
The verse does not promise a future gathering of scattered Jews to old Jerusalem to re-establish David's throne and kingdom. It belongs to the latest prophecy concerning the return of the Jews to the literal land of Canaan, given in B.C. 487. Every promise it makes to the Jews as a nation concerning restoration to literal Canaan was completely fulfilled to them as a nation by B.C. 445, forty-two years later, when all Israel dwelt in their cities under the provision opened by Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes.
Final Restoration and Witness
Jerusalem and the surrounding country will bear the brunt of the nations' final attack just before Christ comes. That attack becomes the final battle over Jerusalem in which God's strength and glory work through His people. The governors of Judah are made like fire that consumes the surrounding nations on the right hand and on the left, while Jerusalem is restored to its own place. The fire means the enemies are thrown into confusion and turn against and destroy one another, while God defends the remnant of His people.
The general tenor of the prophecy is the prediction of Christ's kingdom, the great day of the Lord, and the punishment of the wicked on earth. It belongs to the latter part of Zechariah, which looks forward to the final restoration. These closing prophecies offer hope to those who truly seek God and grasp the promises of the Spirit, and they foretell judgment for those who reject Him.
In the closing days of time the true Israelites are restored to power and Jerusalem is again inhabited in her place. When Christ appears He spares His faithful people, whom the wicked had rejected and treated as weak. They are then revealed as strong through their Redeemer and surrounded by the Lord's angels. The wicked see Christ, whom they pierced, and are destroyed by the presence of God.
The prophecy will be fulfilled by people who recognize that their own sin helped cause Christ's suffering. That recognition prepares them to take part in its fulfillment. Those who know the truth are like fiery torches among sheaves that spread light when brought into contact with others. In the last days their witness will bring enlightenment across the earth, and the time for this work has come.