Zec 11:1 | MHM | STEP | Destruction of the Jewish State This section uses strong and symbolic language to predict the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish nation. The prophecy looks far ahead, describing events that Jesus later spoke about clearly. The images of forests, trees, and fire show how complete and unstoppable this destruction will be. The fall of the leaders and the land is a warning to everyone, especially those who think they are safe. v. 1 : The prophecy begins with a command: Open thy doors, O Lebanon! . Lebanon is told to open its doors, not to welcome a king, but to let in destruction. This could mean the temple, which was built with Lebanon’s cedar trees and was later burned by the Romans. Some stories say that forty years before the temple was destroyed, its gates opened by themselves, which people saw as a sign that Zechariah’s prophecy was coming true: Open thy doors, O Lebanon! that the fire may devour thy cedars . Others think Lebanon here means Jerusalem or even the whole land of Canaan, which would be open to invaders. The “cedars” represent the powerful and important people who will be destroyed.

‏ Zechariah 11:1

Destruction of the Jewish State

This section uses strong and symbolic language to predict the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish nation. The prophecy looks far ahead, describing events that Jesus later spoke about clearly. The images of forests, trees, and fire show how complete and unstoppable this destruction will be. The fall of the leaders and the land is a warning to everyone, especially those who think they are safe.

v. 1: The prophecy begins with a command: Open thy doors, O Lebanon! . Lebanon is told to open its doors, not to welcome a king, but to let in destruction. This could mean the temple, which was built with Lebanon’s cedar trees and was later burned by the Romans. Some stories say that forty years before the temple was destroyed, its gates opened by themselves, which people saw as a sign that Zechariah’s prophecy was coming true: Open thy doors, O Lebanon! that the fire may devour thy cedars . Others think Lebanon here means Jerusalem or even the whole land of Canaan, which would be open to invaders. The “cedars” represent the powerful and important people who will be destroyed.