Zechariah 9:1 Commentary and Bible Study

Chapter 9 begins two tiers of prophecy. The first covers the period between 520 BC and AD 1, and the second gives gospel prophecies. The first is called the ‘burden of the Lord’ a term which is generally used in the prophets to indicate a heavy prophecy, a judgment of God, on one or other nation around Israel or on Israel herself. Here is prophesied God’s judgment of Syria which was remarkably fulfilled by the army of Alexander in 332 BC. The burden of the prophecy would, as it were, rest on Damascus, because of the heavy judgment felt by that ancient city. But Alexander would also send forces to Hamath to the north, to Damascus, and would continue south to reach the ancient cities of Tyre and Sidon on the coast, both of them being important trading ports, and originally Phoenician cities. History records that this was the route that Alexander took.The prophecy focuses on the destruction of Tyre just because it was so unexpected and is therefore such strong evidence of the irresistible nature of prophecy. Tyre originally consisted of a city on the mainland, later known as ‘Old Tyre’ and an associated island. Old Tyre was attacked by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC and besieged for 13 years, as prophesied by Ezekiel in chapters 26 to 29. Nebuchadnezzar did not fully take the city but reduced much of Old Tyre to rubble. To escape the effects of this siege, the people of Tyre moved the city to the island which they surrounded with a 150-foot high, 25-foot thick wall built right up to the edge of the sea, and which they considered made the city impregnable. It set itself up as a trading city-state. It was this that Alexander was faced with. The Greeks had no navy, and it seemed impossible for them to take Tyre which could not be cut off from trade. Zechariah predicts that Tyre will fall even though it be very wise, and this probably refers to the strong defensive position it held. It was a city which had enormously enriched itself through its trade, so that gold was as plentiful as the dust of the street. Yet, through the instrumentality of Alexander, God was going to smite Tyre’s power in the sea. Alexander took the rubble from the old ruins as well as dismantling more of Old Tyre and built a causeway out to the island 200 foot wide and half a mile long and attacked the stronghold. He took the city, put to death many inhabitants, and burned it out of anger at the great loss of life incurred by his troops. The city was rebuilt but populated with a different ethnic group. Zechariah backs up the prophecy of Ezekiel given previously and shows the detailed accuracy of Biblical prophecy. Tyre was destroyed and became a place for fishermen to spread and dry their nets (Ezekiel 26:5). How did Judah regard these events? Their eyes were towards the Lord, and he protected them, for he had a purpose to bring the Messiah into the world which could not be overturned. That meant that Israel must be preserved as an intact nation until the appointed time. Josephus records that Alexander had a dream, as did the high priest in Jerusalem at the time, Jaddua. According to Josephus, instead of resisting the Greeks, a procession came out to meet Alexander with refreshments and the city gates were opened. He even reports that Alexander was shown the passage in the Book of Daniel which referred to himself. Alexander spared and blessed Jerusalem and left it until the coming of Messiah. At any rate, we know that Jerusalem was not taken by the Greeks at this time.