translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: ZEC

label: NET study note

text: The eschatological day of the Lord described here (and through v. 8 ) is considered by many interpreters to refer to the period known as the great tribulation, a seven year time of great suffering by God’s (Jewish) people culminating in the establishing of the millennial reign of the Lord (vv. 9-21 ). For other OT and NT references to this aspect of the day of the Lord see Amos 9:8-15 ; Joel 1:15 –2:11; Isa 1:24-31; 2:2-4; 4:2-6; 26:16 –27:6; 33:13-24; 59:1 –60:22; 65:13-25 ; Jer 30:7-11; 32:36-44 ; Ezek 20:33-44 ; Dan 11:40; 12:1 ; Matt 24:21, 29; 25:31-46 ; Rev 19:11-16 .


text: The statement the Lord will go to battle introduces the conflict known elsewhere as the “battle of Armageddon,” a battle in which the Lord delivers his people and establishes his millennial reign (cf. Joel 3:12, 15-16 ; –39; Rev 16:12-21; 19:19-21 ).


text: This seismic activity provides a means of escape from Jerusalem so that the Messiah (the Lord ), whose feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, may destroy the wicked nations in the Kidron Valley (the v. of Jehoshaphat, or of “judgment of the Lord ”) without harming the inhabitants of the city.


text: Azal is a place otherwise unknown.


text: The earthquake in the days of King Uzziah , also mentioned in Amos 1:1 , is apparently the one attested to at Hazor in 760 b.c .


text: In the evening there will be light . The normal pattern is that light breaks through in the morning ( Gen 1:3 ) but in the day of the Lord in judgment it would do so in the evening. In a sense the universe will be “de-created” in order to be “recreated.”


text: Living waters will flow out from Jerusalem . Ezekiel sees this same phenomenon in conjunction with the inauguration of the messianic age (; cf. Rev 22:1-5 ; also John 7:38 ).


text: The eastern sea is a reference to the Dead Sea (cf. NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT).


text: The western sea is a reference to the Mediterranean Sea (cf. NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT).


text: The expression the Lord will be seen as one with a single name is an unmistakable reference to the so-called Shema , the crystallized statement of faith in the Lord as the covenant God of Israel (cf. Deut 6:4-5 ). Zechariah, however, universalizes the extent of the Lord ’s dominion – he will be “king over all the earth.”


text: The expression from Geba to Rimmon is a way of indicating the extent of all Judah from north ( 2 Kgs 23:8 ) to south ( Job 15:32; 19:7 ). Since Geba (Heb. גֶּבַע ) means “hill” and Rimmon resembles the word for height (Heb. רָמָה , ramah ), this could be a play on words suggesting that all the high country will be made low, like the great Arabah valley.


text: From the Benjamin Gate…on to the Corner Gate marks the northern wall of the city of Jerusalem from east to west.


text: From the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepresses indicates the extent of Jerusalem from north to south.


text: Having imposed his sovereignty over the earth following the Battle of Armageddon, the Lord will receive homage and tribute from all who survive from all the nations . The Feast of Tabernacles was especially associated with covenant institution and renewal so it will be appropriate for all people to acknowledge that they are vassals to the Lord at that time (cf. Deut 31:9-13 ; Neh 8:12-18; 9:1-38 ).


text: The reference to any…who refuse to go up to Jerusalem makes clear the fact that the nations are by no means “converted” to the Lord but are under his compulsory domination.


text: In the glory of the messianic age there will be no differences between the sacred ( the bowls before the altar ) and the profane ( the cooking pots in the Lord ’s temple ) – all will be dedicated to his use.