Zaccaria 10:7 Commento

The scope of this chapter is much the same with that of the foregoing chapter - to encourage the Jews that had returned with hopes that though they had been under divine rebukes for their negligence in rebuilding the temple, and were now surrounded with enemies and dangers, yet God would do them good, and make them prosperous at home and victorious abroad. Now, I. They are here directed to eye the great God in all events that concerned them, and, both in the evils they suffered and in the comforts they desired, to acknowledge his hand (Zac 10:1-4). II. They are encouraged to expect strength and success from him in all their struggles with the enemies of their church and state, and to hope that the issue would be glorious at last (Zac 10:5-12).

INTRODUCTION TO ZECHARIAH 10 This chapter is a prophecy of the conversion of the Jews in the latter day, when the fulness of the Gentiles is brought in, spoken of in the preceding chapter Zac 9:1. It begins with an exhortation to ask rain of the Lord; denounces wrath upon his enemies; and consists of various promises to his people. The exhortation to ask rain is in Zac 10:1 to which encouragement is given from its being of the Lord, from his willingness to grant it, and from the fruitfulness occasioned by it. The vanity of idols, and idolaters, who can not give it, is exposed; and the distress and confusion they were thrown into is observed, Zac 10:2. The anger of the Lord against the principal of them is declared; and his gracious visitation of the people of the Jews, whom he will honour and glorify, is taken notice of, Zac 10:3 from whom the Messiah sprung, than which a greater glory can not be enjoyed, Zac 10:4 and then follow various promises, relating to them; as of victory over their enemies, through the presence of the Lord with them, Zac 10:5 of strength and salvation to them, as owing to his free grace and mercy, Zac 10:6 of inward spiritual joy in them and theirs, Zac 10:7 of their effectual calling and spiritual increase, in consequence of redeeming grace, Zac 10:8 of their having a name and a place in Gospel churches, where they will remember the Lord, and live with their children, being converted, Zac 10:9 which conversion of theirs is represented in terms alluding to their deliverance from Egypt and Babylon, Zac 10:10 and the chapter is concluded with a promise of spiritual strength, so that they shall continue in their profession of faith in Christ, and persevere therein to the end, Zac 10:12.

And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man,.... What remain, and shall be found of the ten tribes, shall be as is said of Judah, or the Jews of the two tribes, Zac 10:5, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: they shall be filled with inward and spiritual joy, through the love of God shed abroad in their heart; and through the Gospel of Christ having a place there; and through the blessings of divine grace, those streams of love, and which flow in the Gospel, and make glad the hearts of God's people; all which are comparable to wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad; they shall see the strength, victory, and salvation of their fathers, and the joy they shall be possessed of, and join with them in it, having a share in the same blessings they are partakers of: their heart shall rejoice in the Lord; in the person and offices of Christ, who will now be known by the spiritual seed and offspring of the church, and in the great salvation wrought out by him, and in all the blessings of grace that accompany it. The Targum is, "their heart shall rejoice in the word of the Lord;'' the essential Word, the Son of God.

(Vers. 6, 7.) And the riders on horses will be put to shame, and I will strengthen the house of Judah and save the house of Joseph. I will restore them because I have compassion on them, and they shall be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the Lord their God and I will answer them. They shall be like mighty warriors of Ephraim, and their hearts shall rejoice as with wine. Their children shall see it and be glad; their hearts shall exult in the Lord. LXX: And the riders on horses will be put to shame, and I will strengthen the house of Judah and save the house of Joseph. I will cause them to dwell, for I have loved them. And they shall be as when I had not cast them off, for I am the Lord their God, and I will hear them: and they shall be as valiant men in battle, and their heart shall rejoice as with wine, and their children shall see it and be glad, and their heart shall rejoice in the Lord. And they have expounded these things twice according to the higher sense, so as to either relate them as already done under the Maccabees, or as about to be transacted under Christ in the last age. And the sense is this: When Judas, who was set as a goodly horse in battle, shall tread down the adversaries as mire, and with the Lord fighting with him shall overcome: then all the horsemen of Greece shall fall, and the house of Juda and the house of Israel shall be saved together, (for he calls that the house of Joseph, that is, of the ten tribes) and I will convert them out of their captivity, wherein they were, and they shall be as they were before, when I had not cast them off: for I am the Lord their God, and I will hear them calling upon me. And Ephraim, who are now held captive, will later be released, and they will come to such great joy that you would think they are drunk with wine. And their children will witness the triumphs of their fathers, and they will rejoice in the Lord, for it is through Him that they have achieved victory. Let us look for the history of when Judah and Israel fought together against the Greeks, or when Ephraim returned from captivity in Assyria, when, according to Ezekiel (Chapter 37), the two rods, that is, Judah and Ephraim, were joined together and united as one staff. Which can be explained according to the tropology. When the Almighty Lord visits his flock, the house of Judah, then the riders of the horses will be confounded, of whom it is written: Let us sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and its rider he has thrown into the sea (Exodus 15:1). It is also sung by the voice of the Psalmist: At your rebuke, O God of Jacob, both rider and horse fell asleep (Psalm 76:7). And the choir of saints repeats: Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will call upon the name of our God. They are bound, and have fallen: but we are risen, and are set upright (Ps. XIX, 8, 9). The Egyptian king relied on this cavalry; and he was thrown into the sea, like lead immersed in the depths (Exod. XV), and by his example he learned that what is written is true: A deceitful horse leads to salvation (Ps. XXXII, 17). We have interpreted these chariots and charioteers as representing the four disturbances that, unless controlled by the good reins, the charioteers are led to precipices. But there is another charioteer, of whom Elisha speaks: 'My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its charioteer' (2 Kings 2:12). Then God says to strengthen the house of Judah and the house of Joseph (1 Kings 12:16), so that, just as they were divided during the reign of Jeroboam, they will be united under the rule of Christ, and there will be one shepherd and one flock. And Judas and Joseph are given different names because they both represent a single understanding of the Savior, since Joseph provided grain to the hungry people in Egypt (Gen. XLII seqq.): and the Lord satisfied the hunger of the world with his presence. And he will convert them and have mercy on them, and they will be one as they were before he cast them out. Take all of this as a lesson in persecution, when, with all hope lost, the Lord heard his servants. And they shall be like the strong ones of Ephraim, who at first were weak and feeble, but later became strong and worthy of their name. For Ephraim means abundance. And their hearts shall rejoice when they drink the wine that is pressed from the vine of Sorec. And their children, of whom the Apostle Paul speaks, my little children, for whom I am in labor again until Christ is formed in you (Galatians 4:19). And Peter, the chief of the apostles, says: As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former ways (1 Peter 1:14). And in the Psalm we read: Come, children, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord (Ps. 33:12). Therefore, these children will rejoice and be glad, and their heart will rejoice in the Lord.

The promise of prosperity and plenty in the close of the preceding chapter leads the prophet to suggest, next, the means of obtaining them; supplication to Jehovah, and not to idols, whose worship had already proved a fertile source of calamities, Zac 10:1-3. The rest of the chapter (like the preceding) promises to the Jews a restoration to their own land under rulers and governors, victory over their enemies, and much increase and prosperity; and this in a manner so miraculous, that it is described, Zac 10:4-12, by allusions to the deliverance from Egypt.

Ephraim shall be like a mighty man - This tribe was always distinguished for its valor.

PRAYER AND PROMISE. (Zac 10:1-12) Ask . . . rain--on which the abundance of "corn" promised by the Lord (Zac 9:17) depends. Jehovah alone can give it, and will give it on being asked (Jer 10:13; Jer 14:22). rain in . . . time of . . . latter rain--that is, the latter rain in its due time, namely, in spring, about February or March (Job 29:23; Joe 2:23). The latter rain ripened the grain, as the former rain in October tended to fructify the seed. Including all temporal blessings; these again being types of spiritual ones. Though God has begun to bless us, we are not to relax our prayers. The former rain of conversion may have been given, but we must also ask for the latter rain of ripened sanctification. Though at Pentecost there was a former rain on the Jewish Church, a latter rain is still to be looked for, when the full harvest of the nation's conversion shall be gathered in to God. The spirit of prayer in the Church is an index at once of her piety, and of the spiritual blessings she may expect from God. When the Church is full of prayer, God pours out a full blessing. bright clouds--rather, "lightnings," the precursors of rain [MAURER]. showers of rain--literally, "rain of heavy rain." In Job 37:6 the same words occur in inverted order [HENDERSON]. grass--a general term, including both corn for men and grass for cattle.

like a mighty man--in the battle with the foe (Zac 10:3, Zac 10:5). rejoice--at their victory over the foe. children shall see it--who are not yet of age to serve. To teach patient waiting for God's promises. If ye do not at present see the fulfilment, your children shall, and their joy shall be complete. rejoice in the Lord--the Giver of such a glorious victory.

Complete Redemption of the People of God. - This chapter contains no new promise, but simply a further expansion of the previous section, the condition on which salvation is to be obtained being mentioned in the introduction (Zac 10:1 and Zac 10:2); whilst subsequently, more especially from Zac 10:6 onwards, the participation of Ephraim in the salvation in prospect is more elaborately treated of. The question in dispute among the commentators, viz., whether Zac 10:1 and Zac 10:2 are to be connected with the previous chapter, so as to form the conclusion, or whether they form the commencement of a new address, or new turn in the address, is to be answered thus: The prayer for rain (Zac 10:1) is indeed occasioned by the concluding thought in Zac 9:17, but it is not to be connected with the preceding chapter as though it were an integral part of it, inasmuch as the second hemistich of Zac 10:2 can only be separated with violence from Zac 10:3. The close connection between Zac 10:2 and Zac 10:3 shows that Zac 10:1 commences a new train of thought, for which preparation is made, however, by Zac 9:17.