Promises of a Messiah: Zechariah 9

It was obviously a significant day for Jesus.  Was this the day that Gabriel spoke of to Daniel so many years ago, when the Messiah would come as Prince to Jerusalem?

He had come – in the midst of a shouting, worshipping crowd.  He road a young donkey, and the whole city was talking – who is this?

Don’t you know?  It’s the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee!

Jesus proceeded to the temple.  He threw out those who were buying and selling, accusing them of turning the house of prayer into a robber’s den.

Then people began to bring the blind and lame to Him, and he healed them.

Was this the King coming to claim His kingdom?  If so, there was a problem – the "keepers of the kingdom" started to confront Him.

The religious leaders, who should have been the first to recognize and accept the Messiah, began to confront Him, question Him, oppose Him.  Jesus confronted them full strength – accusing them of rejecting God’s messenger, just as Israel had always done in the past, by killing and rejecting God’s prophets.

He taught them.  He warned them.  He finally silenced them, as you may remember, by talking about Psalm 110.

Then he proceeded to warn His disciples about the hypocrisy of the religious leaders of the day.  And finally, He warned of the judgement that would be upon them:

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it!  How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!  See, your house is left to you desolate.  For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’
(Mat 23:37-39)

It was an important day for Jerusalem, and her leaders.  But they hadn’t recognized it.  Instead of leading their people to the Messiah’s feet, they had tried to hinder them.  Now, as was predicted by the prophet Daniel, destruction was coming.  And the next time the Messiah came, it would be very different.

Then Jesus began to tell His disciples about the future, what was to come.  Appropriate for this, a turning point in history, as it had been in Daniel’s day, at the end of the captivity.

But we’re talking about promises of a Messiah – what was the promise?  For this we need to go back five and a half centuries, soon after the death of Daniel.  The Jews had arrived back in Jerusalem, and another prophet was bringing news of the coming anointed Prince.

Zechariah’s message from God in chapter 9 concerned first the nations around Israel – many of whom currently threatened Israel.  God was going to bring a new era to Jerusalem – He would protect her from her enemies.  He would save Israel and make her a blessing (Zech 8:13).

And who would rule in this new era?

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!  Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!  Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.
(Zec 9:9-10)

Once again, the prophecy looks at what began at Jesus’ first coming and what would continue until final fulfilment.  He did bring salvation – and His rule will never end.  The best is yet to come.

The ancient Jews sometimes recognized this paradox of the two comings of Christ.  In the Babylonian Talmud, the idea was that He would come in one manner or another depending on the people:

it is written, And behold, one like the son of man coming with the clouds of heaven (Dan 7:13); whilst [elsewhere] it is written, [behold, thy king cometh unto thee…] lowly and riding upon an ass! (Zech 9:7) — If they are meritorious, [he will come] with the clouds of heaven (Dan 7:13); if not, lowly and riding upon an ass (Zech 9:9).

Rabbi Hersh Goldwurm wrote something similar on the commentary of Daniel.

But what if the Messiah was to come twice?  Jesus Himself spoke of this one that day of His entry into Jerusalem.  This was only part 1.

Finally, in the day that is coming, the Lord will punish the leaders that did not properly shepherd His people (Zech 10:3).  He will come in power and save His people (Zech 9:14-17).  That which began at His first coming will be completed at His second.

On that day the LORD their God will save them, as the flock of his people; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land. (Zec 9:16)