Day 1047: Known to the Lord - Zechariah 14 vs 1 - 7

1-2 Behold, a day is coming for the Lord, when the spoil taken from you will be divided in your midst. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women raped. Half of the city shall go out into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city.

3-4 Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northwards, and the other half southwards. 5 And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.

6-7 On that day there shall be no light, cold, or frost. And there shall be a unique day, which is known to the Lord, neither day nor night, but at evening time there shall be light. Zechariah 14:1-7 English Standard Version

The last chapter of Zechariah is much like large sections of the New Testament book called Revelation. It speaks of things which some Christians take literally, and others see as pictures of the ultimate victory God gives to His people. What’s the important thing said in vs 6-7 about the 'unique day' that should make Christians tread with humility when we share our thoughts on difficult parts of Scripture?

The exact meaning and time of such things are 'known to the Lord'. When the disciples asked the risen Saviour just before He ascended to heaven: “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”, He replied: “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.” (Acts 1:6-7)

God revealed to Zechariah that there was a day coming when He Himself would gather nations against Jerusalem, and the city would be plundered. Jesus also spoke of such terrible destruction that would fall on the city, and, indeed, the city suffered such a fate in 70 AD. Jesus said it was because of “all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.” (Matthew 23:35)

But Zechariah was also told how God would go out and fight against the nations, and of how a way of escape would be made for His people by means of splitting the Mount of Olives so that a valley was created, and they would find safety in that valley. This would happen when the Lord's feet ‘stand on the Mount of Olives’.

If this was meant to be taken in a figurative way, the picture could be of the conflict that followed the day when God's Kingdom was set up in Christ, who indeed stood on the Mount of Olives. Certainly many believers did escape from Jerusalem before it fell, and there has been an ongoing warfare ever since as the nations continue to attack God's people.

Many Christians, however, say the words should be seen as literal, and that this section is speaking of the time when Jesus returns to the world. They say that the physical city of Jerusalem will be brutally attacked by many nations, but at the height of the destruction Jesus will return on the Mount of Olives, and a valley of escape will be provided. When we move on to the verses which follow we will see why many hold such a view. But whatever view one takes, we need to walk with humility. There are things that only God knows for sure.

But all believers can take encouragement from Zechariah's words that “The Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with Him.” There is indeed such a day in store for Christians. It’s a day known to God.