Zechariah 14:16 Commentary and Bible Study

Again the prophecy switches with bewildering speed. Now the enemies who have been attacking Jerusalem are coming up to worship. What is this? There are those who have been judged by the Lord and consumed by plagues, but there are others who are left and do not die. It is clear that these are not necessarily literal plagues (though they might be in some cases), but they represent the judgment of God on unbelief. They go hand in hand with God’s purpose to call out a people from all nations of the world, and to bring them to salvation through the preaching of the gospel. These are pictured as coming up to Jerusalem for each of the annual Jewish feasts. The literal nature of this language should not confuse anyone. It is ruled out by New Testament teaching: ‘Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: ¹⁷ Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ’ (Colossians 2:16-17). There are no Jewish feasts kept in the church and so this is not the literal keeping of feasts by Gentile believers. But neither does New Testament worship involve pilgrimage to Jerusalem. ‘Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father … ²³ But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth’ (John 4:21-23).