IN LAST MONTH'S STUDY we examined the prophecy which foretold the victorious campaigns of Alexander the Great in western Asia and of God's protecting His house providentially from the wrath of that great conqueror. Following this forecast in Zechariah 9:8, the prophet gave us a prediction of the two comings of the one Messiah which we shall now attempt to investigate.

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy king cometh unto thee; he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, even upon a colt the foal of an ass. And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off; and he shall speak peace unto the nations: and his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth" (Zech. 9:9,10).

As we have learned from time to time, there are four types of messianic prophecy. The first one focuses attention upon the first coming of Messiah; whereas, the second class deals exclusively with His second coming and the events connected therewith. The third type blends the description of the two comings into a single picture, omitting the Christian Dispensation which separates them. The fourth presents the entire redemptive career of King Messiah, consisting of His first coming, His rejection, His return to glory, and His remaining at the right hand of the Father during the entire Christian Era. At the end of this age, He will return and mount the throne of David. Thus the entire redemptive career of King Messiah is presented in the fourth type of prophecy.

Our prediction falls under the third heading. In verse 9 is a clear forecast of Messiah's going to Jerusalem at the time of His execution. The prophet, foreseeing our Lord's entering the Holy City, called upon its people to rejoice greatly and to shout because her long-expected King was coming. He foretells that this Monarch is just and will have salvation or, as another reading has it, is saved, that is, He is being saved and is being protected by the providential care of God. Moreover, He is lowly very different from earthly monarchs and will be riding upon an ass. This prediction foretold the humble manner in which our Lord would approach the city at His first coming. Matthew quotes this passage in 21:5 and applies it to Christ's public entry into Jerusalem at the last Passover, the one at which He was crucified.

The second coming is foretold in verse 10. My reason for saying this is that the events which are scheduled to occur at the second coming of Christ are here described. For instance, the prophet speaking for the Messiah says; "And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off; and he shall speak peace unto the nations: and his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth." When Christ came nineteen hundred years ago, He did not stop wars from Palestine, to say nothing of causing wars to cease throughout the world. Neither did He speak peace unto men; nor can anyone say that His dominion is from "sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth." From other passages of Scripture we know that Jesus will do these very things when He returns.

It is true that His gospel has been proclaimed throughout the world and that there are believers in Him to be found among all nations. Of course, there are some exceptions; but, when we admit the spread of Christianity here and there in the world, we by no means can see in this spiritual kingdom the fulfillment of this prediction. We are therefore expecting its realization at the second coming of Christ. The statement above being true, we must recognize the fact that the entire Christian Dispensation is passed over in silence between verses 9 and 10. When we come to such passages as this one, let us not conclude that the Christian Dispensation was not foreknown and foretold by Moses and the prophets, for such is contrary to the facts. For instance, in Isaiah 61:1-3, we see the public ministry of our Lord and His foretelling "the year of Jehovah's favor" (the Christian Dispensation), and "the day of vengeance of our God" (the Tribulation). We see the present age and the aggregate of believers (the body) of the present day in such passages as Isaiah 65:1, which reads as follows: "I am inquired of by them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name."

In view of the fact that there are four types of messianic prophecy, as stated above, we must compare scripture with scripture and get the full picture of a given subject as nearly as possible. In our comparing various passages, let us be certain that the ones which we examine and compare are dealing with the same subject. A failure to recognize this fact and to read into a passage something that was not intended by the divine writer is to do violence to the Word of God.

As for thee also, because of the blood of thy covenant I have set free thy prisoners from the pit wherein is no water" (Zech. 9:11). This statement is addressed to the daughter of Zion the Jewish people because the prophet here said, "As for thee ..." (the daughter of Zion). This verse is a special revelation to be given to the Jewish people. In fact, it is the greatest message that can be spoken and must be delivered to them, if we are to be faithful and true to our Lord. To what is reference made by "the blood of thy covenant?" We must understand by the word "covenant" that agreement into which God entered with Abraham and his seed (Gen. 12:1-3). Some little time later He reaffirmed this original covenant and confirmed it in a unique, ceremonial, sacrificial way--(Gen. 15:12-21). The blood here mentioned was simply that of the sacrificed animal. The night on which Israel left Egypt, the passover lamb was slain and the blood was sprinkled upon the doorposts and lintels. Hence God said, "… when I see the blood I will pass over you" (Ex. 12:13). At Sinai, after God had spoken the Ten Commandments (Ex. 19), He delivered to Moses the Book of the Covenant (Ex. 21-23) and ratified this agreement by the blood of a sacrifice (Ex. 24:1-8). On the Day of Atonement the proper sacrifices were offered, which rolled forward the sins of Israel for one year (Lev. 16). The various and sundry offerings and sacrifices that were made at the temple and that involved the shedding of blood of animals could not make atonement for man. None of these could remove the stain of sin and set him free from death and the fear of it. From this standpoint I know that Zechariah was not speaking of the blood slain on Jewish altars. This blood, however, of which the prophets speak, does liberate Israel and free her completely. Evidently it is the blood of the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world, which was typified by the bloody sacrifices of the Levitical system. In view of all the facts, it must be the blood of the silent Sufferer of Isaiah 53 the Lord Jesus Christ to which reference in the verse under consideration is made.

Zechariah in this passage looks forward to a time after the blood of Christ has been shed, calls the attention of Israel to it and emphasizes the thought that there is power in it to liberate and to set free "the prisoners of hope." Who are these "prisoners of hope"? From the connection we see that they are the Jewish people. From this conclusion there can be no escape. But why are they spoken of as being prisoners in a "pit wherein is no water"? When we apply the Golden Rule of Interpretation, which demands that we take every word at its primary, ordinary, usual, literal meaning unless the facts of the context indicate clearly otherwise, and when we see that the Jewish people are not in a literal pit, we understand that this language is figurative. To what, therefore, does it refer? one may ask. In answering this question I wish to call attention to the fact that the Hebrew people are called "the children of Israel," "Jacob," and, "Joseph" (Gen. 32:28; Ex. 1:1-7; Isa. 43:1; Ps. 81:4,5). From the references just given, and many others that might be presented, we see that Israel is called both Jacob and Joseph. Our passage states that the prisoners are in a pit wherein is no water. Since the prophet is speaking of Israel, and since she is not in a literal pit, one comes to the conclusion that he is speaking of the children of Israel in their distress and sorrow at the present day in terms of Joseph's experience when he was cast into the pit by his brothers. In the light of the historical facts, it becomes abundantly evident that this interpretation is the only possible one.

In verse 12 these Israelites, in the pit wherein is no water, are urged, "Turn you to the stronghold, ye prisoners of hope: even today do I declare that I will render double unto thee." Since Israel in her world-wide dispersion is thought of as being in the pit, and since the prophet calls upon her to return to the stronghold, it seems obvious that the prophet is speaking of their return to their own land which, in comparison with the surrounding countries, is a veritable fortress, it being a mountainous country. Thus the local, topographical situation favored the use of this expression.

When we read this verse and think of the prediction found in Ezekiel 37 concerning the gradual return of Israel to her land and finally her national rebirth or resurrection from her graves as Ezekiel presented the imagery, we can see that there is involved in this call Israel's return to her God in the person of her Lord and Savior, her Messiah.

Double is promised to her upon her returning to the stronghold. She is God's first-born. In the Hebrew family the first born received the birthright and a double portion of the inheritance. Israel occupying this position is likewise to have a double portion. She is punished now double for all her sins; at that time she will be blessed doubly, because of her being the first-born through whom God will send out His blessing to the entire world.

Let us pray that Israel may speedily return to the stronghold, which preeminently is the Lord Jesus Christ, and thus receive life eternal and immortal glory.