Lest We Forget - GOD Still Destroys His Enemies

The Minor Prophets Speak To Today

The Eyes of Humanity Are on The Lord

Zechariah 9:1-7a NLT

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9 This is the message from the Lord against the land of Aram and the city of Damascus, for the eyes of humanity, including all the tribes of Israel, are on the Lord.

2 

Doom is certain for Hamath,

    near Damascus,

and for the cities of Tyre and Sidon,

    though they are so clever.

3 

Tyre has built a strong fortress

    and has made silver and gold

    as plentiful as dust in the streets!

4 

But now the Lord will strip away Tyre’s possessions

    and hurl its fortifications into the sea,

    and it will be burned to the ground.

5 

The city of Ashkelon will see Tyre fall

    and will be filled with fear.

Gaza will shake with terror,

    as will Ekron, for their hopes will be dashed.

Gaza’s king will be killed,

    and Ashkelon will be deserted.

6 

Foreigners will occupy the city of Ashdod.

    I will destroy the pride of the Philistines.

7 

I will grab the bloody meat from their mouths

    and snatch the detestable sacrifices from their teeth.
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MIXING THE OLD WITH THE NEW

Every city but one that is named in this passage still exists today. The exception is the city of Ekron over whose location there remains a controversy. Many people find it easy to read this prophecy and apply it to today though that may or may not have legitimacy. We may have to wait till Christ's return to find the true answer.

All the existing cities have been given new politicized histories. Not many westerners realize that the Palestinians refer to themselves as Philistines. "Refer to" provides an honest look. No actual pure genetic or historic connection exists, but the title suggests a historic right to opposing and fighting against the modern nation of Israel.

A parallel word play is used to imply a historic right to the city of Jerusalem. The Bible and other historic texts verify that Jerusalem belonged to the Jebusites until King David took the city by stealth and made it his capital. Some Palestinians claim to be Jebusites which then would legitimise their having a prior claim to Jerusalem as their capital (ie., belonging to them),

Genetic studies tie the Palestinians to populations that have pre-Arab origins perhaps even back to pre-Canaanite people. But we do not have credible DNA from those centuries. So the best that can be said is, that like the names used, the people of Palestine are a mixing of the old with the new.

THE PROPHECY STILL SPEAKS TO TODAY

The prophecy of Zechariah speaks to today in much the same way - a mix of the old and the new. His message can be seen throughout history and unfolding among the current nations throughout the world.

That message:

Cleverness, fortification, and wealth

do not ensure continuation as a nation

or freedom from destruction.

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May all the powers of the world

take note

and

the people of the world

watch  with open understanding,

especially believers.

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Photo Credits: 
two guys in hippodrome seats by Steven Damron, some rights reserved @ flickr.com
Ecosystem Wellbeing Index by Columbia University, @ creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/