Verses 1-21

The Messiah's kingdom (14:1-21)

In the final section of his book, Zechariah outlines briefly the worldwide triumph of the Messiah. Since those for whom he writes are familiar only with the region around Palestine, he limits the geographical details to that area. Other pictures are likewise taken from the way of life familiar to the Jews.

The scene opens with the enemies of God mistakenly thinking that at last they have conquered his people (Jerusalem). Confident that they have achieved victory, they sit down in the middle of the city to divide the plunder, while the Jews are either led away captive or imprisoned in the city (14:1-2). Suddenly God acts in supernatural judgment. As he once divided the Red Sea to give his people a way of escape from the Egyptians, so he divides the mountains east of Jerusalem to give his people a way of escape from the enemy-occupied city (3-5).

God gives his people satisfaction and provision by altering the course of nature for their benefit. They lack nothing (6-8). God now establishes his throne in a restored and repopulated Jerusalem, from where he rules over all the earth. Mountains around the city are flattened so that Jerusalem is lifted up in the eyes of all nations and Israel's God is worshipped worldwide (9-11).

Enemies are destroyed in a terrifying judgment, and Israel is compensated for all that it previously lost to plundering armies (12-15). Survivors among the nations are required to come to Jerusalem to worship God. This ingathering of nations is likened to Israel's ingathering of harvest fruits at the Feast of Tabernacles (Festival of Shelters) at the end of each agricultural year (16-19).

No longer is there a difference between sacred and non-sacred articles. Everything is holy and fit for the service of God, even household pots and pans and bells on the necks of horses. Since all things are holy, traders are no longer needed in the temple to exchange non-sacred for sacred goods. True holiness will at last be established in the world (20-21).