GOD’S WORK THROUGH ALEXANDER – Zechariah 9:1-8

Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on July 13, 2011 under PM Bible Study |

PM Home Bible Study Group; July 13, 2011

Zechariah 9:1-8
Theme: The Future of the World Powers, Israel, and the Kingdom of Messiah

(Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are taken from The Holy Bible, New King James Version; copyright 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc.)

IV. The Future of the World Powers, Israel, and the Kingdom of Messiah (9:1-14:21).

A. The First Burden (9:1-11:17).

1. Judgment on the Land of Hadrach (9:1-8).

1 The burden^[a] of the word of the LORD

Against the land of Hadrach,

And Damascus its resting place

(For the eyes of men

And all the tribes of Israel

Are on the LORD);

2 Also against Hamath, which borders on it,

And against Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise.

3 For Tyre built herself a tower,

Heaped up silver like the dust,

And gold like the mire of the streets.

4 Behold, the Lord will cast her out;

He will destroy her power in the sea,

And she will be devoured by fire.

5 Ashkelon shall see it and fear;

Gaza also shall be very sorrowful;

And Ekron, for He dried up her expectation.

The king shall perish from Gaza,

And Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.

6 “A mixed race shall settle in Ashdod,

And I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.

7 I will take away the blood from his mouth,

And the abominations from between his teeth.

But he who remains, even he shall be for our God,

And shall be like a leader in Judah,

And Ekron like a Jebusite.

8 I will camp around My house

Because of the army,

Because of him who passes by and him who returns.

No more shall an oppressor pass through them,

For now I have seen with My eyes.

Footnotes:

^a. Zechariah 9:1; Or oracle

This evening, we begin studying a new section of Zechariah’s book. The remaining six chapters detail two different “burdens”—that is, “oracles” or “heavy words” from the Lord. The first “burden” runs from chapters 9-11; and it details the ways that God will deal with the enemy nations that surround His people Israel. This first burden centers on the first coming of the Messiah (see 9:9-10). The second runs from chapters 12-14; and details the ways that God will deal with the disobedient hearts of His own people. This second oracle centers on the second coming of the Messiah (see 12:10-14).

At the beginning of this first oracle, we see how God will conquer the nations that oppress His people; and how He will do so through the human instrumentality of none other than Alexander the Great—nearly 150 years after the words of Zechariah were written (see v. 13).

I. ALEXANDER AGAINST THE LAND OF HADRACH (vv. 1-2a).

A. In 333 B.C., Alexander—the mighty Macedonian king—conquered the Persian king and thus opened up the way for him to move down the coast of the Mediterranean and toward Egypt. Though his was one of the most brilliant military minds in all of history, the secret to his remarkable success was not ultimately to be found in him. Rather, it was because he was the sovereign God’s chosen instrument for the purpose of punishing the ungodly nations around His people.

B. This section begins with the words, “The burden of the word of the LORD against the land of Hadrach . . .” (v. 1). The name Hadrach had mystified scholars for years; but in recent times, it has been discovered to be an archaic name that identified the regions of formerly Assyrian occupied territory near Damascus.¹ Note that the “burden” finds its “resting place” on Damascus—the capital of Syria. With the conquest of this area, the Persian empire could no longer resist Alexander. He thus proves to be one of the “craftsman” that Zechariah mentioned in 1:21 who cast out one of the “horns” (Persia) that had scattered Judah. His conquest also included “Hamath which borders on” Damascus (v. 2).

C. We’re told in verse 1 that “the eyes of men and all the tribes of Israel are on the LORD”. Jeremiah 32:19 says of the Lord, “You are great in counsel and mighty in work, for Your eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, to give everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings.” And here, we’re told that even though the people of the world and of Israel had been keeping their eyes on the activities of Alexander, they were really seeing the Lord at work; because Alexander was merely a tool in the hand of the sovereign God.

II. ALEXANDER AGAINST TYRE AND SIDON (vv. 2b-4).

A. After Syria, Alexander then turned his attention to the upper-coastal regions of Phoenicia. This “burden” also fell on the chief coast land cites of Tyre and Sidon, “though they are very wise” (v. 2). The reference to the “wisdom” of these cities was an example of divine sarcasm; for they merely “thought” that they were wise. The arrogance of their claim—and the judgment of God that came as a result—is described for us in terrible detail in Ezekiel 28:1-10:

The word of the LORD came to me again, saying, “Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD:

“Because your heart is lifted up,

And you say, ‘I am a god,

I sit in the seat of gods,

In the midst of the seas,’

Yet you are a man, and not a god,

Though you set your heart as the heart of a god

(Behold, you are wiser than Daniel!

There is no secret that can be hidden from you!

With your wisdom and your understanding

You have gained riches for yourself,

And gathered gold and silver into your treasuries;

By your great wisdom in trade you have increased your riches,

And your heart is lifted up because of your riches),”

‘Therefore thus says the Lord GOD:

“Because you have set your heart as the heart of a god,

Behold, therefore, I will bring strangers against you,

The most terrible of the nations;

And they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom,

And defile your splendor.

They shall throw you down into the Pit,

And you shall die the death of the slain

In the midst of the seas.

“Will you still say before him who slays you,

‘I am a god’?

But you shall be a man, and not a god,

In the hand of him who slays you.

You shall die the death of the uncircumcised

By the hand of aliens;

For I have spoken,” says the Lord GOD’” (Ezekiel 28:1-10).

B. The story of Alexander’s conquest of Tyre is a fascinating one. Tyre had moved its fortifications from the mainland to an island about a half a mile off the coast. It had build a wall around itself; and though small in size, it seemed unconquerable. It had successfully resisted the Assyrian king for five years, and the king of Babylon for thirteen years. It smugly boasted that it was safe. But it didn’t know of God’s judgment upon it for its pride over its wealth (described in Isaiah 23:1-3)—nor did it know of God’s plan to use Alexander against it. Tyre had “built herself a tower, heaped up silver like the dust, and gold like the mire of the streets” (v. 3), but the LORD was about to “cast her out” and “destroy her power in the sea” so that she would “be devoured by fire” (v. 4).

C. Alexander had enough of Tyre’s defiance. He told them that they boasted that they were an unconquerable island; but that he would show them that they are a continent. And so, he had his soldiers use the rubble of the old city of Tyre on the coast land to build a man-made land bridge from the coast to the island fortification. It only took him seven months to conquer Tyre—doing what no one else was able to do, because he was the instrument of God’s judgment. (Today, Tyre is no longer an island. The land bridge that Alexander built has been covered over with over two-thousand years of the sands of the Mediterranean coast; so that it truly is a part of the continent even today.)

III. ALEXANDER AGAINST PHILISTIA (vv. 5-7).

A. The conquest of Tyre by Alexander brought fear upon the southern regions of Philistia. We’re told how the major cities of the Philistines—long-time oppressors of the people of Israel— would respond: “Ashkelon shall see it and fear; Gaza also shall be very sorrowful; and Ekron, for He dried up her expectation. The king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited (v. 5). Note carefully that it is not Alexander who dried up the expectations of the Philistian people, but God Himself—because Alexander was simply God’s tool.

B. The prospects of Philistia were not bright. A “mixed race” (that is, an illegitimate one, or a person of low birth) shall “settle in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines” (v. 6). God promises to “take away the blood from his mouth, and the abominations from between his teeth” (v. 7a). This is generally understood by scholars as a reference to Philistia’s paganism. “But he who remains, even he shall be for our God, and shall be like a leader in Judah, and Ekron like a Jebusite” (v. 7b). Those who remained would no longer be an oppressor of God’s people. Rather, they would align themselves with them.

IV. ALEXANDER PASSING BY JERUSALEM (v. 8).

A. What’s most fascinating about this prophetic chronicle of Alexander’s conquests—a century and a half before they even happen—is how it is promised that he would act toward Israel. Even though Alexander conquered all the nations around Jerusalem, God promises, “I will camp around My house because of the army, because of him who passes by and him who returns” (v. 8a).

B. The details of this amazing story are given to us through the ancient Jewish historian Josephus. It’s worth reading in detail:

So Alexander came into Syria, and took Damascus, and when he had obtained Sidon, he besieged Tyre, when he sent an epistle to the Jewish high priest, to send him some auxiliaries, and to supply his army with provisions; and that what presents he formerly sent to Darius he would now send to him, and choose the friendship of the Macedonians, and that he should never repent of so doing; but the high priest answered the messengers, that he had given his oath to Darius not to bear arms against him and he said that he would not transgress this while Darius was in the land of the living. Upon hearing this answer, Alexander was very angry; and though he determined not to leave Tyre, which was just ready to be taken, yet, as soon as he had taken it, he threatened that he would make an expedition against the Jewish high priest, and through him teach all men to whom they must keep their oaths.

. . . Now Alexander, when he had taken Gaza, made haste to go up to Jerusalem; and Jaddua the high priest, when he heard that, was in an agony, and under terror, as not knowing how he should meet the Macedonians, since the king was displeased at his foregoing disobedience. He therefore ordained that the people should make supplications, and should join with him in offering sacrifices to God, whom he besought to protect that nation, and to deliver them from the perils that were coming upon them; whereupon God warned him in a dream, which came upon him after he had offered sacrifice, that he should take courage, and adorn the city, and open the gates; that the rest appear in white garments, but that he and the priests should meet the king in the habits proper to their order, without the dread of any ill consequences, which the providence of God would prevent. Upon which, when he rose from his sleep, he greatly rejoiced; and declared to all the warning he had received from God according to which dream he acted entirely, and so waited for the coming of the king.

And when he understood that he was not far from the city, he went out in procession, with the priests and the multitude of the citizens. The procession was venerable, and the manner of it different from that of other nations. It reached to a place called Sapha; which name, translated into Greek, signifies a prospect, for you have thence a prospect both of Jerusalem and of the temple; and when the Phoenicians and the Chaldeans that followed him, thought they should have liberty to plunder the city, and torment the high priest to death, which the king’s displeasure fairly promised them, the very reverse of it happened; for Alexander, when he saw the multitude at a distance, in white garments, while the priests stood clothed with fine linen, and the high priest in purple and scarlet clothing, with his mitre on his head having the golden plate on which the name of God was engraved, he approached by himself, and adored that name, and first saluted the high priest. The Jews also did all together, with one voice, salute Alexander, and encompass him about: whereupon the kings of Syria and the rest were surprised at what Alexander had done, and supposed him disordered in his mind.

However, Parmenio alone went up to him, and asked him how it came to pass, that when all others adored him, he should adore the high priest of the Jews? To whom he replied, “I did not adore him, but that God who hath honored him with that high priesthood; for I saw this very person in a dream, in this very habit, when I was at Dios, in Macedonia, who, when I was considering with myself how I might obtain the dominion of Asia, exhorted me to make no delay, but boldly to pass over the sea thither, for that he would conduct my army, and would give me the dominion over the Persians; whence it is, that having seen no other in that habit, and now seeing this person in it, and remembering that vision and the exhortation which I had in my dream, I believe that I bring this army under the divine conduct, and shall therewith conquer Darius, and destroy the power of the Persians, and that all things will succeed according to what is in my own mind.”

And when he had said this to Parmenio, and had given the high priest his right hand, the priests ran along by him, and he came into the city; and when he went up into the temple, he offered sacrifice to God, according to the high priest’s direction, and magnificently treated both the high priest and the priests. And when the book of Daniel was showed him, wherein Daniel declared that one of the Greeks should destroy the empire of the Persians², he supposed that himself was the person intended; and as he was then glad, he dismissed the multitude for the present, but the next day he called them to him, and bade them ask what favors they pleased of him: whereupon the high priest desired that they might enjoy the laws of their forefathers, and might pay no tribute on the seventh year. He granted all they desired: and when they entreated him that he would permit the Jews in Babylon and Media to enjoy their own laws also, he willingly promised to do hereafter what they desired: and when he said to the multitude, that if any of them would enlist themselves in his army on this condition, that they should continue under the law of their forefathers, and live according to them, he was willing to take them with him, many were ready to accompany him in his wars.³

B. The point of all of this seems to be given to us in the latter half of verse 8. It looks ahead to the time when the Messiah would come and reign over His people: “No more shall an oppressor pass through them, for now I have seen with My eyes” (v. 8b). The guarantee that God will secure such a promising hope for His people then is the way that He defended them in history. What a great God we serve! He truly is sovereign over the nations!

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Merrill F. Unger, Zechariah: Prophet of Messiah’s Glory (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1978), p. 153.

Probably from Daniel 7:6; 8:3-8, 20-22; 11:3

Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, 11, 8, 3.