Well, we want to say shalom and welcome everyone, dear brothers and sisters and dear friends to the Bible classes of the Holy Scriptures in Israel. We are studying together the book of Zechariah. Hopefully you can open your Bible. If you have your Bible in your hands, please open the Word of God to Zechariah chapter 10 and Zechariah chapter 10 has 12 verses and I would read all these 12 verses to us all and please follow me as we are reading these 12 verses so Zechariah chapter 10 and verse 1 the Lord is speaking of course to the remnant of Israel that returned through the prophet Zechariah sometime at about between 520 BC to 487 BC and he continued to encourage them concerning the promises of God for the restoration of Israel and he's saying through Zechariah to the remnant of Israel in verse 1 ask of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain so the Lord shall make bright clouds and give them showers of rain to everyone grass in the field.

For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie and have told false dreams. They comfort in vain, therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled because there was no shepherd. Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats, for the Lord of hosts has visited his flock, the house of Judah, and has made them as his goodly horse in the battle. Out of him came forth the corner. Out of him the nail. Out of him the battle bow. Out of him every oppressor together. And they shall be as mighty men which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle.

And they shall fight because the Lord is with them. And the riders of horses shall be confounded, and I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Yosef, and I will bring them again to place them, for I have mercy upon them, and they shall be as though I had not cast them off, for I am the Lord their God, and I will hear them. And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine, yea, their children shall see it and be glad, their heart shall rejoice in the Lord. I will hiss for them and gather them, for I have redeemed them, and they shall increase as they have increased.

And I will sow them among the people, and they shall remember me in far countries, and they shall live with their children, and turn again. Verse 10, And I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria, and I will bring them into the land of Gilad and Lebanon, And place shall not be found for them. And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the depths of the river shall dry up, and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the scepter of Egypt shall depart away.

And finally, in verse 12 of Zechariah chapter 10, And I will strengthen them in the Lord, and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the Lord. And I am stopping here with the reading of these 12 verses of Zechariah chapter 10. Remember, beloved brothers and sisters, that the study of the prophecy of Zechariah is one of these studies that we began quite a while ago as we are looking through the whole prophecy of Zechariah, and we have learned that this prophecy of Zechariah, that Zechariah the prophet was raised by God to minister God's promises to the return remnant, those that returned from Babylon after the 70 years of the captivity in the land of Babel.

Now to remind you that when Zechariah was ministering to the return remnant, they had gone through some difficult days already. They had opposition from the neighboring nations, They have a conflict from within and it didn't take too long time that they were already were discouraged and needed encouragement. They needed correction and they needed the promises of God to restore Israel ultimately back to himself and to fulfill the promises that he gave to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. A kingdom a messianic kingdom that will ultimately come to pass now of course the church was not formed as yet in fact the church was a mystery hid in God according to Ephesians chapter 3 and about 520 to about 487 when Zechariah ministered to his people he was encouraging them to continue on to follow after the Lord and he ultimately assured them with the promises of God so in the prophecy of Zechariah Zechariah received in chapter 1 to chapter 6 eight visions we have covered these eight visions together beloved brothers and sisters already then in chapter 7 and chapter 8 there was a question concerning fasting and God had challenged Israel challenged the return remnant asking them will or did you really fast for me or did you fast for yourself and that's we have covered in chapter 7 and chapter 8 now in chapter 9 all the way to the end of the book of Zechariah to chapter 14 there are two burdens that the Lord through Zechariah.

Presents before Israel burden number one is in chapter 9 10 and 11 this is the first burden of Jehovah and the first burden of Jehovah is in connection with the restoration of Israel and connection with the people around the nation how God ultimately will restore Israel from and deliver them out of the hands of their enemies. Then we have the second burden of Jehovah in chapter 12 verse 1 to chapter 14 verse 21 and in that second burden we have the tribulation days the campaign of the Armageddon and also eventually the spiritual deliverance of the nation of Israel in chapter 9 where we have already covered in our previous meetings together in this chapter 9 already Zechariah spoke about the coming of the Messiah And if you remember specifically, he wrote about the first coming of the Messiah in chapter 9 and verse 9.

You remember he says, Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Yerushalayim! Behold, thy king cometh unto thee. He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding upon an ass and upon a cold, the fall of an ass. He was speaking about the coming of the Messiah, who is the king. And he's speaking to the daughter of Jerusalem, to the daughter of Zion. That is the expression that speaks about the whole nation of Israel, promising that the Messiah will come. He's a king. He's coming in humility in order to provide redemption, salvation. And we know from other passages that it's applying to the person of the Lord Jesus, the Lord Yeshua the Messiah, who came from heaven to pay for the sin of this world.

And he indeed was riding on a donkey and ultimately have gone to the cross where he paid for the sin of Israel and the sin of the whole world. But he is coming again. And in chapter 9 of Zechariah in verse 10, the Lord continues through Zechariah to say to Israel, I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem and the battle ball shall be cut off and he shall speak shalom, shall speak peace unto the heathen and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea and from the river even unto the end of the earth. This speaking about the second coming of the Messiah.

The very same king that was once rejected coming in his first coming riding on a donkey is coming again in a future day. And that has to do with a future day when a Messiah will come at the end of the tribulation period. He, according to verse 10, he will speak shalom. He will have dominion from sea even to sea and from river even to the end of the earth. Well the Lord Jesus the Lord Yeshua this King Messiah is not yet reigning and so that takes us all the way to the future day to the second coming of the Messiah. When he will come Israel will be so thankful Israel will be a restored nation and we read at the end of chapter 9 it says in verse 17 for how great is this is how great is God's goodness and how great is his beauty in other words Israel will recognize the goodness of God and the beauty of the one that came to redeem the nation and so in chapter 10 as part of the first burden Zechariah continue by the word of the Lord to speak of the restoration of Israel through the Lord's strength in other words it's not only that God will redeem Israel spiritually speaking Israel will be born again as a nation but he will also help Israel to defeat their enemies and Israel will ultimately receive the.

Blessing of the Lord when the Lord will help them to defeat their enemies and so here in this 10th chapter we have three points that Zechariah presents before Israel the first point is in verses 1 to 4 Israel will be healed on the basis of the person and the work of the Messiah of whom we read in chapter 9 and verse 9 the king Messiah that came in his humility. Secondly in verses 5 to 7 Israel will be victorious over her enemies because God will ultimately help the people of Israel to defeat their enemies. You remember what we read, not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord.

We read in Scripture, he that keepeth Israel neither slumbers nor sleep. We read in the word of God that God will protect his people, both spiritually, but also physically. He will deliver them from the hands of their enemies. This is verses 5, 6, and 7. And thirdly, in verses 8 to 12, Israel will be fully restored in the future day. And that takes us all the way to the end of the tribulation and to the Messianic kingdom. Well, I don't have to tell you, beloved brothers and sisters and dear friends, that obviously it didn't happen as yet. Our people of Israel, even today as we speak, are going through a war.

Israel as a nation is still not a regenerated nation. Israel as a nation still have opposition. Israel as a nation still is scattered, although there are many Jewish people back in the land, but there are still many more of the nation of Israel who are still scattered among the nations of the world. So Zechariah is speaking to the restored remnant sometime at about 487 BC, and he's taking them all the way to the future day. In fact, for us as believers who are part of the church today, he's taking us, he's taking them over the church age, including the church age, all the way after the rapture of the church to the tribulation days and beyond to the messianic kingdom to the millennial age it's known to be the thousand years reign of the Messiah so notice that zechiah basically what he does here in his first burden chapter 9 10 and 11 he zechiah continues to point to Israel's blessing because of the Messiah that have come and that will come again at his second coming so notice the first four verses Israel will be healed on the basis of what the Messiah has done and that Messiah again is the one that came in humility the king that came chapter 9 verse 9 riding on a donkey on an as lowly he came having salvation the word having salvation simply means that he have Yeshua he came to provide salvation you shall call his name Yeshua Jesus for he shall save his people.

Form their sins and therefore he came riding on a donkey in humility in order to provide salvation he is the one that was born to the virgin Miriam Isaiah 7 and verse 14 the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Emmanuel he is the one that is the mighty God the everlasting Father, the Father of Eternity, according to Isaiah chapter 9, the Prince of Peace, Sar Shalom. He is the one that in his humility, though he was equal with God, he counted not robbery to be equal with God, but he made himself of no reputation. He humbled himself, according to what Shaul Paul wrote in Philippians chapter 2 that he came down he humbled himself became a man became a servant and became obedient even unto death and that is the death of the cross this is the Messiah that was promised by the prophets of Israel and so notice God through Zechariah continued to speak about Israel healing spiritual healing in a future day and he says in verse 1 he says ask of the Lord ask ye of the Lord in the time of the latter rain so the Lord shall make bright cloud and give them showers of rain to every one grass in the field another one he's saying to Israel in verse 1, ask of Jehovah, ask of the Lord for rain.

Now, you notice he's speaking here, of course, to the people of Judah in the land of Israel some 2,500 years ago, and he's asking, he's telling. Them to pray for rain. In the Bible, in the Word of God, in the history of Israel, rain represents the showers of God's blessing for his people not only spiritual blessing but also physical blessing to remind you that the Jewish people were farmers in days of old they were living in the land they were working the ground they were not like today lawyers and doctors and businessmen and so on No, in days of old, the people of Israel worked the ground, and the rain was so important for the people of Israel.

So Zechariah is saying to them, ask ye the Lord for rain, notice, in the time of the latter rain. The Hebrew word for the latter rain is malkosh, and the latter rain usually come in March and April. Why it is called the latter rain? Because it is the final rain that comes, and a lot of rain coming in order that there will be products, there will be produce, will grow in the field of the land of Canaan, the land of Israel. So, ask the Lord for rain in the time of the latter rain, and the Lord shall make bright clouds and give them showers, notice that, showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.

Zechariah is encouraging the Jewish remnant who are there discouraged and dismayed and much opposition, and although the temple was rebuilt already, but there was constant opposition from the Samaritans and from those around the nation, and so he's encouraging them to pray, to ask for blessing from the Lord. And I just want to read you a verse in the book of Deuteronomy. Just turn with me to Deuteronomy chapter 11 and you will see how important the reign for the land of Canaan, for the land of Israel. And in Deuteronomy chapter 11, from verse 10 to 17, we do read, listen to this. I'll read these verses just to have it before us.

For the land whither thou goest, God is saying to the people of Israel who just came out of Egypt 40 years earlier. They are now anticipating to enter into the promised land. They are on the shores of the promised land. And he says, the land whither thou goest to possess it is not as the land of Egypt from whence he came out, where thou sowed thy seed and watered it with thy foot as the garden of herbs. But the land which ye go to possess is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain from heaven. This is the land that you are going into.

In verse 12, it is a land which the Lord thy God cares for. The eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it. From the beginning of the year, even unto the end of the year. And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently to my commandment, which I commend you this day, to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, listen to verse 14, that I will give you the rain of your land in his due season. The first rain, verse 14a, and the latter rain. The first rain called Yoreh in Hebrew, and the latter rain called Malkosh in Hebrew.

Hayore vehammalkosh. The first rain and the last, the latter rain. And to remind you that the first rain is really coming in the fall, in October, September, October. And the latter rain is coming in March, April, at the end of the, just before the summer began. And he said, I will give you the rain of your land in his due season. The first rain and the latter rain. That thou may gather in thy corn and thy wine and thine oil and I will send grass in thy field for thy cattle. That thou mayest eat and be full. Israel depended upon the rain. And the rain in one way speaks about material blessing so crop will grow in the land.

But the rain also speaks about spiritual blessing. You and I often pray for the Lord to rain upon us, blessing, spiritual blessing, so we will grow to appreciate God and the Messiah, the Lord Jesus, the Messiah himself. So, here we have the encouragement to pray for rain from the Lord, beloved brothers and sisters, and that in the context of our chapter is initially the physical rain, so there will be crop in the land, in the land of Israel. In Joel chapter 2 and verse 28 he is speaking about the spiritual blessing that is connected with the rain it says in verse 28 of Joel chapter 2 and it shall come to pass after afterward that i will pour out my spirit on all on all flesh and your your sons and your daughters shall prophesy your old men shall dream dreams your young men shall see vision and also upon the servant and upon the handmaid in those days will I pour out my spirit this is the pouring out in a future day of the spiritual blessing upon the nation of Israel and so the Chariah in verses 1 to 4 challenging Israel and asking them to pray to communicate with God to be restored to God to have fellowship with God that was he saying to them here beloved brothers and sisters in the first verse of Zechariah chapter 10 he continued now listen to this and in verse 2 Jehovah the Lord is pointing to those that were false gods, idols, and their doings.

And he shows the contrast. Between him and his idols that the people around followed after, and that Israel, when they were not in a right relationship with God they follow after the gods the small g gods of the nations of the world notice what he's saying in verse 2 he says for the idols have spoken vanity and the diviners have seen a lie and have told false dreams they comfort in vain therefore they went their way as a flock and they were troubled because there was no shepherd see now he began to remind Israel here that when Israel had no shepherd and when Israel didn't follow the true shepherd of Israel which was the Lord himself you remember David says in the Psalm the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want God was the shepherd of Israel and in the person of the Messiah of whom we read in chapter 9 and verse 9 the king that come, that would come that the just one that will bring salvation he is the true shepherd of Israel but when Israel had followed after other shepherds, other gods.

He's saying, you know, the idols they have spoken vanity he's saying to Judah to Israel the diviners these are the the ones that they played with the occult these are the the witches those that played with with the the the occult he says really they whatever they did they have seen a lie they were claiming to give to provide and to bless Israel but they were really seeing a lie and providing a lie to the nation of Israel these idols in the Hebrew word is called terafim terafim these are small idols that you place in your home and they used to have them the pagan world have them in their own home and they were praying to these little idols, what you call home gods.

It reminds us of Rachel and Leah. You remember when they left their father, Lavan, and they ran away with Yaakov. You remember that Rachel stole her father's teraphim, these little idols. And imagine when her father was coming to look and Jacob said, I didn't steal your idols, that Rachel sat on that idol. Can you imagine sitting on her God, so-called, and claiming that she didn't have it? And you see, that is the teraphim. The teraphim is simply idols, man-made idols. They can never provide anything. They spoke vanity. The diviners have seen a lie and have told false dreams. They comfort in vain. They do not give any comfort.

God says to Israel, I will provide comfort for you. I will ultimately restore you. Not the idols, not the diviners. I will be the one that will bless you and restore you, Israel. Don't follow any other gods. Don't have any other gods before me. In fact, the first commandment that we have in Exodus chapter 20, where the Lord said in verse 2, I am the Lord thy God, which I brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods, small g, before me. And here you can see that Zechariah, by the word of the Lord, is warning Israel, is promising to Israel that the true God of Israel, Jehovah, the Lord himself, He is the one that will bless them and will pour upon them the showers of both rain and spiritual blessing of restoration.

And so, all these idols, when you were following after them, they didn't help you. All the diviners, they are called kosmim, they are magicians, they did not help you. They made promises, but they lied. But God is true to his word, and he will fulfill his promises to Israel. And so it says in verse 3 that the Lord was angry against these false shepherds of Israel. You know, brothers and sisters, in every generation, in the history of God's people, including in the history of the church age. They are the true shepherds and they are the false shepherds. They are those that truly feed the flock and they are those that abuse the flock of God.

And here you can see that Zechariah is expressing to the Jewish remnant in the land of Israel that the Lord of hosts was angry with the false shepherds of Israel. It says in verse 3, Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds. These are the false shepherds. And I punish the goats, for the Lord of hosts has visited His flock, the house of Judah, and has made them as his goodly horse in the battle. So the Lord was angry against the false shepherd. And those false shepherds were those that were not leading Israel in the right way. These false shepherds were leading the nation of Israel astray.

They were leading them after these idols. They were leading them after those diviners. They were not pleasing to the Lord and the Lord had to punish them. Notice that it's interesting here in verse 3 that he says, I punish the goats. Notice he doesn't say, I punish the sheep, but I punish the goats. You remember in Matthew chapter 25, in the future day, there will be the judgment of the sheep and the goats. The sheep are the true children of God. The goats are those that claim to belong to God, and they were not. And so here you can see how already in the days of Zechariah, that those that didn't follow God, those that were turning away others in Israel to the false God, they are reckoned to be goats.

They are the ones that really do not belong to the Lord, and they are the ones that the Lord will punish. I punish the goats, for the Lord of hosts has visited his flock, the house of Judah. In other words, God would visit his own people and will remove the goats, those that are falsely, those that have led Israel astray, and yet God will restore Israel back to himself. He visited his flock. He will be the one that will make Judah ready for a battle to defeat their enemies. It says at the end of verse 3, he says, I have visited the flock of the house of Judah and have made them as a goodly horse in the battle.

He prepared them to defeat their enemies, those that belong unto him. Just to make a connection here, beloved brothers and sisters, we read in John chapter 10, the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, is the Good Shepherd. In John 10, he said, and I just want to read this verse, beautiful verse, that the Lord was sharing with his people, with Israel, when he came at his first coming. He said verily verily i said to you i am the door of the sheep and then notice again in verse 11 i am the good shepherd the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep in other words he he's a true shepherd of Israel he's the good shepherd who laid down his life but there were those false shepherd which Zechariah is pointing to us here in this 10th chapter in verse 3.

I want to read another verse if you may if I may please turn with me to Ezekiel chapter 34. God have already warn the false shepherd of Israel in days of old in the days of Ezekiel we do read in chapter 34 of the prophet Ezekiel verse 1 the word of the Lord came unto me saying son of man prophesied against the shepherds of Israel prophesied and said to them thus says the Lord God unto the shepherds. Listen to this. Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves. Should not a shepherd feed the flocks? Yea, ye eat the fat, ye clothe you with wool, ye kill them that are fed, but ye feed not the flock.

Verse 4. The disease have ye not strengthened. Neither have ye healed that which was sick. Neither have ye bound up that which is broken. Neither have ye brought again that which was driven away. Neither have ye sought that which was lost. But with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. He says in verse 5, And they were scattered because there is no shepherd. And they became meat for all the beasts of the field when they were scattered. You see, God desires the shepherds of Israel to be faithful to him and to lead his people in a way that will be pleasing to him, to meet their need to feed them with spiritual food and to assist them but you see Zechariah reminded the restored remnant of Israel and he's saying to them notice it says in verse a three mine anger was kindled against the shepherd and I punished the goat for the Lord of horse has visited his flock the house of Judah and has made them his goodly horse in the battle In fact, what we see here, beloved brothers and sisters, Zechariah, by the word of the Lord, looking all the way to the future day, when ultimately he will restore the nation of Israel and prepare them to defeat their enemies and ultimately to bring them into a place of blessing in a future day.

But a false shepherd those that did not lead God's people in God's way and cause them to be scattered he will punish and by application in the church age in which you and I live in today it is very similar there are those that are false teachers false shepherds and they do not lead God's people in the ways of the Lord. That's why there is a warning by the apostles to warn the people of God concerning those that will rise and falsely lead God's people astray. Peter said in 2 Peter 2, we read in this verse, 2 Peter 2 and verse 1, but they were false shepherds also among the people.

This is the people of Israel. And he now saying, even as there will be false teachers among you who privately shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the law that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways by reason of whom the way of the truth shall be evil spoken of. This is in 2 Peter 2 verses 1 and 2. You see, beloved brothers and sisters, in every dispensation, there were always those who would rise and will be the false shepherd, false teachers, and they will lead God's people astray. And that's what happened in Israel's history. Just as it's happened in church history.

And the Lord is not pleased with that. And so Zechariah, by the word of the Lord, is speaking about the anger of the Lord against the false shepherds in the history of Israel. But you notice what he does. He is now saying in verse 4 that Israel will ultimately be cured from the false shepherd through the Messiah himself God will ultimately will deliver Israel through the person of the Messiah and you notice how beautiful i love this verse 4 of Zechariah chapter 10 notice he's speaking about him and the him of course is God And the him in verse 4 is the Messiah himself, God, the man. And he says in verse 4, out of him, that is out of God, out of him came forth the corner.

He continues in verse 4b, out of him the nail. Thirdly, out of him the battle bow. Fourthly, out of him every oppressor together. Four times he used that word, out of him. Out of him. Out of him the corner. Out of him the nail. Out of him the battle ball. Out of him every oppressor together. In Hebrew, it is read like this. It's very beautiful. It says out of him who is that him well that him in verse 4 is God himself In the person of the Messiah, the Son, of whom we read in chapter 9 and verses 9 and 10, Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion. Shout, O daughter of Yerushalayim.

Behold, thy king cometh unto thee. He, this is him, he is just and having salvation, lowly and riding upon an ass and upon a cold fall of an ass. He continued in verse 10, And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and a horse from Yerushalayim, And a battle bow shall be cut off, and he, that same him, he shall speak shalom, shall speak peace unto the heathen. And his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the rivers even to the end of the earth. You see, beloved brothers and sisters, the contrast between the false shepherds of Israel and the true shepherd of Israel.

It is all of him. And you know there's four things we read about him. Out of him comes the corner. Out of him comes the nail. Out of him the battle ball. And out of him every oppressor together. Now what we know about him is the cornerstone. You know what we read? If you turn with me for a moment to Isaiah chapter 28. Turn there for a moment. In Isaiah chapter 28, Isaiah is speaking about the Messiah that will come. And he says in Isaiah chapter 28, and there we read, beloved brothers and sisters, in verse 16, Therefore, thus says the Lord God, behold, I lay in Zion a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious, listen, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation.

He that believeth shall not be haste shall not make haste notice that when he's speaking about the corner he's speaking about the cornerstone this is the Messiah Jesus the Messiah Yeshua the chief cornerstone he's the one of whom we read out of him came forth the corner you see beloved brothers and sisters Israel the nation can only be restored based upon the corner stone only upon the person of the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah It is interesting because Peter himself mentioned that in his epistle, also concerning the Lord Jesus the Messiah in 1 Peter chapter 2, and I read this verse as well concerning the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah.

It says in 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 7, But unto you therefore which believe, he is precious. And unto them which disobedient, the stone which the builders disallow, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling block, and a rock of offense. He is the cornerstone, beloved brothers and sisters. He is the one that the church itself is built upon him. In Ephesians, we also read, beloved brothers and sisters, in chapter 2, verse 20 and 21. I'll read this as well for us today. Ephesians 2 and verse 20. Ye are built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophet Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, himself being the chief cornerstone in whom all the buildings fitly build together.

You see, the way whereby anyone, whether Israel, the nation, the earthly people of God, or whether the assembly, the church, the ecclesia can ever be built and restored, is always based upon the one that came from heaven. The Messiah himself and he came from God he came from heaven the son of God came he came forced to become the cornerstone the chief cornerstone in contrast to the false shepherd in verse 4b it said out of him the nail the word nail in Hebrew is yeted and that word here for yeted it has to do like with a nail with a yeted, with a peg that you put a tent over.

In other words any building is built, any tent is built upon the yeted the nail one of the messianic names and titles of the Messiah is not only the cornerstone but he is the nail the nail that came out from God is the nail that we can hang upon him we can be held because of him that's the one that the Lord is directing through Zechariah the remnant of Israel to the future Messiah that will come and thirdly it says here out of him the battle bow the battle bow in Hebrew is it's a bow that is moving forward to defeat others in a war.

And so he's called here also the battle bow and he's the one that equipped his people to win a victory against their enemy and finally out of him every oppressor together all those that oppress God's people all those that turn against God all the enemies of God out of him God's people will be successful in defeating God's enemies and so beloved brothers and sisters in verse 1 pray to Jehovah and ask for rain in verse 2 the false prophets could not the false gods could not help you and the false prophets could not assist you they led you astray in verse 3 of chapter 12 of chapter 10 of Zechariah God was angry with the false shepherds but in verse 4 he is presenting the true shepherd the true shepherd is the cornerstone the true shepherd the Messiah is the nail the true shepherd the Messiah is the one that becoming the battle ball that through him we can defeat our enemy and the true shepherd he's the one that out of him every oppressor will ultimately be defeated and that's what.

The Lord is presenting through Zechariah to the remnant of Israel who returned back from Babylon and so now after he covered verses 1 to 4 that Israel will be ultimately healed on the basis of the Messiah, who is the cornerstone, the nail, the battle bow, and the one that will defeat every oppressor, then in verses 5, 6, and 7, Israel will be victorious ultimately over their enemies, and he is pointing this out in his next three verses. Jehovah promised to be with his people Israel, according to verse 5. They shall be as mighty men which tread down their enemies notice the word enemies here they tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle and they shall fight notice because the Lord is with them and the riders on horses shall be confounded all the enemies that will come to oppose the nation of Israel will ultimately be defeated.

Why? Because the Lord is with them. The Lord is with his people. You remember we read in Psalm 121 He that keepeth Israel neither slumbers nor sleep. The Lord Jesus the Messiah said to his own people I will never leave you nor forsake you. I will be with you all the way to the end of the air of the earth he says at the end of the gospel of Matthew he always promised to be with his people and therefore the enemies of God will ultimately be defeated why because the Lord is with them the Lord is with his people you see you and I don't have to fight here physical battle we have spiritual battles and as long as we are occupied with the glorified Messiah with Christ, with the Mashiach we are able to defeat the enemies we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers against these dark powers in the heavenlies and because we are to be occupied with the Lord we can defeat our enemies well Israel in the same way Israel will be enabled by God to defeat their enemies as they are trusting him as they are following him as they are allowing him to lead it they shall be as mighty men which.

Tread down their enemies to remind you that Israel as well in a future day will have to ultimately defeat their enemies. Just like when Israel came into the promised land, God blessed Israel with physical land, also with spiritual blessing as well. And Joshua led Israel to possess the land. Israel had to go through battles. And as long as Israel were occupied with the Lord, they could occupy and possess their land. And when they did not follow the Lord, they were ultimately defeated. And so here in verse 5, Jehovah promised in a future day, specifically during the tribulation day, to be with his people and to help his people.

I want you for a moment to turn with me to Revelation chapter 16, just to read that verse there, Revelation chapter 16. Revelation chapter 16 takes us to the second half of the tribulation period. It says in verse Revelation chapter 16 and verse 12, we read, And the sixth angel poured out his vials upon the great river of Euphrates. And the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the Kings of the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs, and out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophets. For they are the spirits of demons, walking miracles, which go forth unto the Kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty.

There is a future battle that is coming in a future day when the nations will gather against Israel during the tribulation period. And so we read in verse 15, Behold, I come as a thief, not as dead. Blessed is he that watches and keepeth his garment, lest he walk naked and they see his shame. And he gathered them, listen to verse 16, he gathered them together unto the place that is called in the Hebrew tongue, Armageddon. There will be a battle in the tribulation period that the nations will gather against the people of Israel. And ultimately, of course, the Lord will assist His people to defeat these nations.

And so He is telling them in verse 5, The Lord is with them, and the riders on the horses shall be confounded. The enemies of Israel will ultimately be defeated. And so now notice this, and I'm going to close with verses 6 and 7. Israel will ultimately be victorious over their enemies in a future day, and will ultimately enter into the blessings of the Messianic kingdom. Jehovah promised to strengthen both Judah, Yosef, and Ephraim. And it is very interesting that you have here the mention of both the northern kingdom and the southern kingdom. The so-called ten lost tribes, which are not lost at all to God. And God ultimately promised to strengthen them.

Notice in verse 6, he will strengthen, he will save, he will restore, and he will have mercy on Israel. I'm reading verse 6. And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Yosef. By the way, notice, Judah has to do the house of Judah with the southern tribes. You see, Israel was divided into two kingdoms. The northern kingdom, the ten tribes of Israel. The southern kingdom, the two tribes of Israel. That took place when the son of Shlomo, Solomon, Rehobaham, the kingdom was taken away from him because of his father's disobedience. And Rehobaham lost the kingdom of Israel and the kingdom was divided into two.

Jerobaham became the king of the north, the king of Israel. Rechovam remained to be the king of Yehudah, the two tribes, Judah and Benjamin. But here we see how the Lord is ultimately going to restore Israel in a future day. And he's saying, listen to verse 6 and 7. I will strengthen the house of Judah and I will save the house of Yosef. Yoshef representing Israel, Yosef's son is a faim, and Menashe and a faim became the tribe that was the ruling, the leading tribe of the northern kingdom. I will bring them again to place them, and for I have mercy upon them, and they shall be as though I had not cast them off.

For I am the Lord their God, and I will heal them. You see, this is a beautiful expression, beloved brothers and sisters. Four things. I will strengthen them. I will save them. I will bring them again to the place, and I will have mercy upon them. Look at the promises, unconditional promises of God that he's speaking to Israel, to the remnant of Israel through Zechariah the prophet about a future day. Remember, beloved brothers and sisters, that Zechariah and Israel have no knowledge of the church age. It was a mystery hid in God. The church was born some 500 years later, after the Messiah came and was rejected by the nation of Israel at his first coming, and the unfolding of this mystery of Jew and Gentile united together in the body of Christ of this present age, of the dispensation of the church age.

But Zechariah do not know about the church age, and he's speaking about the future restoration of Israel. And how wonderful it is, beloved brothers and sisters, listen to that. I will strengthen the house of Judah. And I will save the house of Yosef. And I will bring them again to place them. I'm going to restore them. And I will place them there in the promised land. Why? Because I have mercy upon them. You see, it is of the Lord's mercy that Israel is not consumed. It is of the Lord's mercy that Israel is sustained. It is of the Lord's wisdom and plan and purpose that Israel and the Jewish people are being sustained.

Because God has a promise, a blessing for them, that through them a blessing will come to this world. And already blessing came to the world through the nation of Israel at the first coming of the Messiah when the Lord Jesus came and was born here into this world to the Virgin Miriam and died for the sin of this world and became the Lamb of God which took upon himself the sin of this world. But he's coming again. When God will restore His people Israel at the end of the tribulation period. Now notice this beautiful expression in verse 6 at the end. And notice it says, And they shall be as though, listen to this, as though I have not cast them off.

They shall be as though I have not cast them off, for I am the Lord, their God, and I will hear them. You remember in our study together of the book of Romans, in Romans chapter 11, the Apostle Paul said to the Roman believers, In verse 1, I say that has God cast away his people? God forbid. You see, they shall be as though I had not cast them off. God had to discipline his earthly people Israel many times. And he allowed them to be scattered. The northern kingdom he allowed the Assyrian to take them and to scatter them all over the southern kingdom he allowed the Babylonian to come and to scatter them in Babylon but as God cast away his people he promising to restore them and to bless them because he will strengthen the house of Judah he will save the house of Yosef he will bring them again to place them and to place them in the promised land and he will show mercy unto his own people of Israel by the way many people say that God has finished with the Jews and that the 10 tribes are lost and never to be found it anymore.

But if you read Revelation chapter 7, you discover very quickly that the 12 tribes of Israel will appear and will be restored, and there will be 144,000 Hebrews that will be marked to be the preachers doing the tribulation period to the whole world, when the church, when we are all going to be in the presence of the Lord in heaven, when the church will be raptured. There will be 144,000 Hebrews descendants of Joseph and descendants of Judah whom the Lord will raise to preach the gospel of the kingdom during their tribulation days. And it will be as though I had not cast them off. Wonderful to read it. I am the Lord.

I am the God. I will hear them. Just let me conclude with this in verse 7. Ephraim will be strengthened and rejoice in Jehovah. Ephraim? Who is Ephraim? Ephraim is the son of Yosef. Menashe and Ephraim. And Ephraim became the leader of the northern kingdom. He is representing the ten tribes of Israel. And they of a farm shall be like a mighty man, verse 7. And their hearts shall rejoice as though or as through wine. Yeah, he says, their children shall see it and be glad, and their hearts shall rejoice in the Lord. What we learn from here, beloved brothers and sisters, and I have to stop with this.

What we learn from these beloved brothers and sisters that the ten tribes of Israel that some consider them to be lost will ultimately be restored. And Ephraim, the leader tribe that represents the ten tribes, he, notice what he says, he shall be like a mighty man and their hearts shall rejoice through wine, you know. When one is drunk with wine, or wine speaking of joy, and he will be as one that has been, as it says here, as though through wine. But it will not be through wine, it will be through the Spirit of God that will ultimately restore the Ephraim and the ten tribes of Israel, plus Judah and Benjamin, the whole house of Israel in the future day.

Their children shall see it and be glad. Their hearts shall rejoice in the Lord. That takes us to the future messianic kingdom. Well, I was hoping to finish the whole chapter here, chapter 10, but time is passing by so quickly, and we have covered the first seven verses. Israel will be healed on the basis of the person and the work of the Messiah, the king that came in humility. He is the one that we read, the cornerstone, the nail, the battle bow, and the one that every oppressor will be judged by him. And then secondly, Israel will be victorious over their enemies. And here we read that the whole nation of Israel, including all the 12 tribes, will ultimately be strengthened, will be saved, will be coming back to the land.

And because all this is because God has mercy upon his people, Israel, and he will ultimately restore them back to himself. What a day is awaiting, beloved brothers and sisters. Well, my apology, I didn't finish the whole 10th chapter. And in the will of the Lord, we will continue next time from chapter 10, verse 8, and conclude with this 10th chapter. So let's pray together. Let's give thanks to the Lord. And then we will conclude with this meeting. Our God and our Father, thank you so much for your word. Thank you for the promises that you promised to restore Israel to yourself. What a day is awaiting the nation of Israel.

We pray for one another. Thank you that we, as believers, are part of the Ekklesia today. What a blessing to be saved, to be redeemed, to be forgiven, to be part of the called out one, even during this present day. Abba Father, bless your word. We pray, for we ask it in Yeshua's name. Amen and Amen. God bless you, my friend. Have a good day. Until the next time, we say shalom, shalom. Bye-bye.