Zec 12:6-8 | KingComments | STEP | The believing remnant for which God stands up against their enemies, has two groups. There is a group in Jerusalem and a group outside Jerusalem. Just before the coming of the Lord Jesus, the believing remnant in Judah, who fled to the mountains, will be encouraged by the faithfulness and perseverance of the remnant in Jerusalem. In Micah 5 we also see that the LORD will use people to gain victory over the enemy ( ). They will drive out of the land the siege force left behind by the Assyrians there – while the main force has gone further to Egypt ( ). Along with destroying the strength of the opponents as described in the previous verses, God will forcefully gird His people to resist and defeat the enemy ( ). Before the Lord Jesus personally appears, He will support the remnant. That is the situation here. The appointed leaders of the fleeing remnant ( ) will be strengthened by the remnant in Jerusalem, which in turn will be strengthened by the LORD. They act together, while each express their personal conviction, “my strength is for us”, as it says literally, in the encouragement of their brothers in Jerusalem. They express their personal conviction that the LORD their God is the source of their strength. The LORD is “the LORD of hosts”. This means that He controls all hosts, including those of the enemy. The remnant has two enemies. There is an enemy outside the land, the king of the north with his allies, who invades the land. There is also an enemy inside the land, the antichrist with his followers, the wicked peers. What happens in these verses not only takes place at the coming of the Lord, but continues after His coming on earth. Before Jerusalem is liberated, the remnant of Judah will drive out the enemy, the Assyrians, with the help of the LORD ( ). God turns the remnant into a company that judges anything that is contrary to His holiness ( ). After that, Jerusalem will be liberated. Jerusalem will then be given rest in the place where it is located.

‏ Zechariah 12:6-8

God Gives Strength to His People

The believing remnant for which God stands up against their enemies, has two groups. There is a group in Jerusalem and a group outside Jerusalem. Just before the coming of the Lord Jesus, the believing remnant in Judah, who fled to the mountains, will be encouraged by the faithfulness and perseverance of the remnant in Jerusalem. In Micah 5 we also see that the LORD will use people to gain victory over the enemy (Mic 5:4-8). They will drive out of the land the siege force left behind by the Assyrians there – while the main force has gone further to Egypt (Dan 11:40-43).

Along with destroying the strength of the opponents as described in the previous verses, God will forcefully gird His people to resist and defeat the enemy (Zec 12:5). Before the Lord Jesus personally appears, He will support the remnant. That is the situation here. The appointed leaders of the fleeing remnant (Mic 5:4) will be strengthened by the remnant in Jerusalem, which in turn will be strengthened by the LORD.

They act together, while each express their personal conviction, “my strength is for us”, as it says literally, in the encouragement of their brothers in Jerusalem. They express their personal conviction that the LORD their God is the source of their strength. The LORD is “the LORD of hosts”. This means that He controls all hosts, including those of the enemy.

The remnant has two enemies. There is an enemy outside the land, the king of the north with his allies, who invades the land. There is also an enemy inside the land, the antichrist with his followers, the wicked peers.

What happens in these verses not only takes place at the coming of the Lord, but continues after His coming on earth. Before Jerusalem is liberated, the remnant of Judah will drive out the enemy, the Assyrians, with the help of the LORD (Zec 12:6). God turns the remnant into a company that judges anything that is contrary to His holiness (Isa 11:14). After that, Jerusalem will be liberated. Jerusalem will then be given rest in the place where it is located.

The LORD Saves, Defends and Destroys

The LORD saves (Zec 12:7), defends (Zec 12:8) and destroys (Zec 12:9). First He saves “the tents of Judah” (Zec 12:7). “Tents” contrast with the fortified city of Jerusalem. This emphasizes the defenselessness of Judah, that it is exposed to the anger of the enemy outside the protective walls of Jerusalem. God, in the salvation of His people, gives priority to what is without protection and weak, so that there is no reason for man to boast of himself.

Judah is liberated first and then Jerusalem. So there is equality there as well. It prevents Jerusalem from boasting of its privileged position. It is about exalting only in the Lord (Jer 9:24; 1Cor 1:31; 2Cor 10:17). In both cases the liberation has been worked by the LORD.

Also Jerusalem has in itself no power to chase away the enemy. God makes the weak inhabitants of Jerusalem as David, the war hero and invincible king (2Sam 17:8 ; 2Sam 18:3). It is like Paul boasting about his weaknesses so that the power of Christ dwells in him (2Cor 12:9). The people will experience that they can do everything only in Him Who strengthens him (Phil 4:13).

The house of David ultimately refers to the Messiah, or to the prince who will reign on earth as a substitute for the Messiah. In the realm of peace the Lord Jesus will not continually be seen on earth. It will be a situation similar to the situation after His resurrection. Then He appeared here and there and was no longer bound to a certain place.

In the conflict with the heathen peoples, the LORD will provide the inhabitants of Jerusalem with great strength with which they will overcome all their enemies. The people of Jerusalem are weak in themselves. There are among them who are staggering, inhabitants who do not stand firm on their feet, but stumble. They will become like David, the brave hero of Israel (cf. 1Sam 2:4; 2Sam 17:8).

Also David has no strength in himself. His power is a superhuman force. He owes it to God. Therefore he is “like God, like the angel of the LORD”. The point of comparison lies in power and strength, not in moral similarity with God. “The angel of the LORD before them” refers to Christ, Who is at the head of his people before them, as their Commander (Mic 2:13), from Whom they derive their power.

The Lord Jesus Himself will make the final judgment on all heathen peoples (Zec 12:9). The coming heathen peoples are those who advance against Jerusalem under the leadership of the king of the north, the leader of the Assyrian armies. They will first besiege Jerusalem, capture it, and then move on to the south, Egypt, to submit to it (Dan 11:42-43). But when they hear rumors from the north and east, they return to Jerusalem. Then the Western European armies have also arrived in Har-magedon (Rev 16:16). There the LORD will destroy them (Dan 11:44-45).