Original Meaning
Transforming Judah (10:1–5)
WITH THE PICTURESQUE SCENE of Jewish youth enjoying the plenteous fruit of the land still vividly in the reader’s mind (9:17), 10:1 calls the community to trust God for this abundant harvest by asking him for the rain necessary for crops to flourish. Whether one should add with the LXX the word for “autumn rains” is a matter of debate,5 but by mentioning the rains of spring (Deut. 11:13–17; Jer. 5:24), the storm clouds (Job 28:25–26; 38:25; Ps. 135:7; Jer. 10:13), and the “showers of rain” (Job 37:6) the prophet is referring to the main water sources for agricultural activity in Canaan.
In Deuteronomy, Moses told the Israelites that an essential distinction between Canaan and Egypt lay in the source of water (Deut. 11:10–12). Rather than using the consistent flow of a great river like the Nile, God’s care comes in the form of rain and results in abundant crops of all types (11:14–15). This care, however, is linked to the faithfulness of the Israelites to his covenant demands (11:13), and they are warned specifically about the temptation “to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them” (11:16), behavior that will result in God’s wrath and discipline expressed through withholding rain and fertility (11:17).
The temptation to serve other gods was especially strong in matters related to agricultural activity. Members of the pantheons of each of the ancient Near Eastern religions were responsible for the provision of rain. In Canaan, this function was delegated to Baal, who is called “the rider on the clouds.” This fact explains why Baal religion was so alluring to the Israelites throughout their history.6
This connection between rain and idolatry is made explicit in Zech. 10:2. Instead of asking God for rain (10:1),7 the leaders of the community have been looking to other gods for help.8 The Hebrew term for “idols” here (terapim) refers to images representing household gods or possibly images used for ancestral worship.9 This is the term used of the cultic items that Rachel stole from her father Laban (Gen. 31:34), Micah made for his personal shrine (Judg. 17:5; 18:14, 17, 20), and Michal used to fool Saul’s men (1 Sam. 19:13). Such idols were used to ask the spirit world for decisions (Ezek. 21:21; cf. Hos. 3:4; 1 Sam. 15:23)10 and were condemned in the renewal of King Josiah (2 Kings 23:24).
Zechariah 10:2 likewise refers to the cultic personnel responsible for inquiring (diviners) and the means by which messages were received (visions, dreams). Diviners were forbidden by Yahweh (Deut. 18:10, 14; 1 Sam. 15:23), although the Israelites did use them (1 Sam. 12:8; 2 Kings 17:17), as did their neighbors (Num. 22:7; 1 Sam. 6:2; cf. Josh. 13:22). Although the messages received from these idols were, not surprisingly, messages of “comfort,” each of them is given a negative evaluation here: “deceit . . . lie . . . false . . . in vain,” making explicit the inappropriateness of such inquiries.
Many have noted striking similarities between the vocabulary of Zechariah 10:1–2 and Jeremiah 14:1–15:4,11 which is a prophetic liturgy from a period of drought in the closing days of the kingdom of Judah.12 Jeremiah enters into this liturgy as the prophetic mediator for a people crying for salvation from God. The answer they receive is not positive. Instead, it entails the condemnation of a community that has sought answers through inappropriate means. By alluding to such vocabulary, Zechariah is drawing a link between the Babylonian period community that experienced judgment and the Persian period community who is following the same path. By seeking a message from these sources rather than from Yahweh, both communities cut themselves off from their source of truth and hope. Therefore, the people of Zechariah’s day are likened to sheep without a shepherd, a community without guidance from their God.
The image of the shepherd and his flock is common in the literature of the ancient Near East in descriptions of the relationship between a king and his people.13 Psalm 78:70–72 makes this link explicit by tracing David’s rise from “tending the sheep” to become “shepherd of his people Jacob.” Like David, Yahweh is a shepherd who cares for his flock (Ps. 23:1; Isa. 40:10–11). This pastoral imagery stresses the vulnerability of the community. As domestic sheep are unable to travel or protect themselves without their shepherd, so the people “wander” and are “oppressed” (cf. Judg. 19:24; Ps. 116:10; 119:67). This image in Zechariah 10:2 stands in stark contrast to the picture in Psalm 78:52, which uses the same combination of words to describe God’s leadership of his sheep as they escaped from Egypt.
Shepherd imagery appears at regular intervals throughout Zechariah 9–14 as a description of both divine (9:16; 10:2) and human leadership (10:3; 11:3–17; 13:7). This reference to the absence of God’s shepherding in 10:2 diverges considerably from the idyllic scene of blessing in 9:16. God’s desire is to shepherd his flock, but they have abandoned his leadership. God thus addresses the human shepherds who have led the community astray (10:3).
At the beginning of 10:3 the text switches briefly into the first person as God bursts out in violent judgment against the “shepherds” and “leaders” of his flock. The term “leaders” (ʾattud) is used elsewhere for “male goats” (e.g., Gen. 31:10, 12), which apparently were mixed into the flock in ancient times to help guide the sheep (Jer. 50:8). Therefore, shepherds and male goats (“leaders”) represent the leadership caste, who have led the people into idolatry.14
More details about the identity of these leaders, however, elude us. The subtle hope for restoration of Davidic rule expressed in Zech. 9:9–10, a hope that was dashed by the resignation of a Davidic shepherd in 11:4–16, reveals that the most we can say about these inappropriate leaders in 10:1–3a is that they are likely not Davidic. We have associated this section on the shepherds with the period after the tenure of Zerubbabel as governor of Yehud. Thus, it is a leadership group who wrested control of the community after him. The connection to idolatry noted here seems to disqualify the Zadokite priesthood as a candidate, considering it was their purity from idolatry that elevated their status after the Exile (see Ezek. 44).15
The Hebrew word for both “punish” and “care” in Zech. 10:3 (paqad) refers to a person who attends to someone else, either for ill or good. Through God’s punishing of the leaders he shows his intention to shepherd and care for his flock. The flock is identified as the “house of Judah,” a reference to the Jewish community within Yehud, for whom God had great hopes. In God’s care, they will be transformed from an aimless and defenseless community (“flock”) into a majestic and mighty force (“horse”).
The “proud horse in battle” renders the Hebrew phrase that reads literally: “as the horse of his splendor in battle.” The antecedent of “his” is most likely the same as “his flock” in verse 3, that is, the Lord Almighty, not the house of Judah, which is referred to as “them.” Thus, Judah is pictured as the Lord’s majestic steed on which he rides into battle.16
This reference to the Lord’s war horse signals a transition from pastoral to military imagery. In verse 4 a series of staccato bursts reveals God’s provision for his people. The Hebrew text simply reads:
From him, the corner;
From him, the peg;
From him, the battle bow;
From him, going forth, every ruler together.
As with the final line of 10:3, so here the antecedent of “him” is most likely the Lord Almighty.17 Therefore, each unit identifies the Lord as the source of the various components, each of which symbolizes the leadership of the community.
The first term (pinnah; NIV “cornerstone”) refers in the Old Testament to the corner of a structure (e.g., Ex. 27:2; Job 1:19).18 But this image also applies to leadership in the community (Judg. 20:2; 1 Sam. 14:38; Isa. 19:13). The connection between the corner and leadership is not clear but may be linked to the role of the corner towers in the defense of a city.19
A “tent peg” is what secures a tent to the ground and thus lends stability to its structure (e.g., Isa. 54:2). However, this term is also used for a wall peg, from which heavy items could be hung (Isa. 22:23, 25). Although the first sense may be in view here and is thus similar to the term “corner,” the reference to future leadership in Isaiah 22 tips the scales in favor of the wall peg as representative of leadership.20
The image of the “battle bow” was used in Zech. 9:13 to refer to the tribe of Judah. Of the four symbols this is the one with the least connection to leadership. Although some see here simply an image of the military ability of this community,21 there is evidence that the bow was symbolic of royal power in the ancient Near East.22
The final line in the Hebrew text actually contains the verb that the NIV supplies at the outset of this verse (“will come”) and provides the verb for each of the previous phrases.23 This line should read: “From him [they] will come, every ruler together.” In the Hebrew text the word “together” is found at the end of Zech. 10:4, not the beginning of 10:5 (cf. NIV text note).24 It is a term that speaks of a concerted effort by several participants and thus shows that the final phrase (“every ruler together”) is a summary of the three images introduced in 10:4. The term “ruler” usually carries negative connotations in the Old Testament, describing the oppressive actions of foreigners against Israel (e.g., Ex. 5:6, 10, 13, 14) as well as those of the rich against the poor (Isa. 58:3). In Isaiah 60:17, however, this term can be used in a positive sense of just rule. God will replace the idolatrous leadership of the shepherds and male goats of Zechariah 10:3 with a new leadership caste for Judah, who will work together.
Verse 5 confirms that the previous verse refers to a group of leaders rather than just one because “they will be like mighty men.” “Mighty men” (gibborim) often refers to skilled warriors in the Old Testament (e.g., Josh. 10:2, 7)25; combined here with the verb “trampled” (bus; Ps. 44:5; 60:12; 108:13; Isa. 14:19, 25; 63:6, 18) and the phrase “muddy streets” (2 Sam. 22:43; Ps. 18:43; Mic. 7:10), it connotes triumphant military conquest. So powerful is this force that they will not only defeat their enemy but humiliate their strongest forces, the cavalry.26
The identity of this new leadership caste from Judah is not specified. From our preceding discussion it most likely involves royal leadership, which has led many to see here a reference to a future messianic figure.27 However, it is also clear that it speaks of a group rather than an individual (as in Zech. 9:9–10), which has led others to the conclusion that this refers to a new royal status for Judah as a tribe.28 The tension between these two interpretations can be resolved if one identifies this as a reference to the emergence of a royal court, raised up by God to lead his people to victory.
Such victory is linked here to the presence of Yahweh, who is “with them.” This is a reminder of the truth already encountered in Zech. 9:14 and indicative of the theology of divine war in the Old Testament.29 Israel does not gain victory because of superior military tactics or weaponry but rather because of the Lord’s overpowering presence. God may secure victory without the participation of Israel’s military forces (Ex. 14–15). But there are also instances where God granted victory as Israel fought in the battle (Ex. 17:8–16; 2 Sam. 5:22–25). The key to victory, however, in both scenarios is God’s presence with his people.
Bridging Contexts
THE IDENTITY OF the remnant rescued from the nations has long been a point of contention within the church. Most acknowledge that the books of Ezra and Nehemiah describe the return of several waves of this remnant. However, this is usually identified as the return of a limited portion of the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi, leaving unfulfilled the return of the northern tribes. These northern tribes, often referred to as “the lost tribes of Israel,” have been linked to various ethnic groups around the globe. Although the most prevalent theory connects them with the Anglo-Saxon/Celtic peoples of Britain and America,46 others have associated them with aboriginal tribes of North America,47 the Mizos from the Indo-Burma border,48 and even the Japanese.49 Some see these tribes as Jewish communities spread across the globe to this day who have returned, are returning, and/or will return to the land of Israel.50 Finally, a prevalent view within the church is that this remnant is the community of Christ, the church.51
Our conclusion on this issue will have a great impact on the implications we draw from this text. It will determine whether this passage has any relevance for the church today or is merely an announcement of God’s design for history.
Remnant. We have already argued in detail in the commentary introduction that the New Testament appropriates the Old Testament hope of a purified remnant for its description of Christ and the early church. On one level Jesus is presented as the obedient remnant who escapes Egypt (Matt. 2:13–15, 19–21), survives exile (Matt. 2:16–18), and assumes a penitential posture (Matt. 3:13–17). This Jesus then gathers around him twelve disciples as representative of Israel, through whom he gathers a remnant from the nations (Acts 2). In New Testament perspective, in other words, the hoped-for remnant of Zechariah 10 is ultimately fulfilled in the church.
That this remnant is not restricted to those of Jewish lineage is made clear in several passages of the New Testament. (1) In Matthew’s description of the encounter between Jesus and the Gentile centurion, Jesus declares:
I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. 8:10b–11)
As already demonstrated in Zechariah 8:7–8, the language of the many who “come from the east and the west” is language connected with the return of the remnant (cf. Ps. 107:3; Isa. 59:19).52 In Matthew 8, however, this remnant is not restricted to those of Jewish lineage but is extended to all nations.
(2) According to Paul, this expansion of the remnant hope to include Gentiles is evident in Old Testament theology (see comments on Zech. 2:11; 8:20–23). As Paul provides the foundation for his ministry among the Gentiles in Romans 15:8–9, 12, he cites three Old Testament passages that describe the praise of God among the Gentiles (in order: 2 Sam. 22:50//Ps. 18:49; Deut. 32:43; Ps. 117:1). Then he paraphrases Isaiah 11:10:
The Root of Jesse will spring up,
one who will arise to rule over the nations;
the Gentiles will hope in him.
Paul’s vision of the church is one drawn from a passage that introduces a future Davidic ruler who will raise a banner to draw nations (Zech. 11:10), an action linked to the reclamation of the remnant of the exiles, both from Ephraim and Judah. Here Paul identifies Christ as this Davidic ruler, who has reclaimed the remnant and is extending his rule to the nations.
(3) This view of the fulfillment of the remnant motif of the prophets informs the foundational narrative of the New Testament community.53 Acts 2 begins this process as the birth of the church is equated with the return of the remnant from the nations. The experience of Pentecost becomes the fulfillment of the hope of Joel 2:28–32. Joel envisioned the return of a remnant from the nations to Jerusalem.
Acts 2 is a key transition point in a story that begins with Israel and ultimately extends to the entire world. Acts as a whole reveals how this remnant community, gathered in Jerusalem at Pentecost, extends God’s kingdom to Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (1:8; cf. ch. 28). Along the way, James cites Amos 9:11–12 in Acts 15:14–21, revealing that Christ came to restore David’s tent, resulting in the fulfillment of the remnant promise and the regeneration of the Gentiles.
The restoration and transformation of the tribes in Zechariah 10 are fulfilled, therefore, in the church, which now assumes the status of the “new Israel.”
Twelve tribes. The province of Yehud was clearly dominated by those who traced their roots to the tribe of Judah. This prophetic message begins by addressing this community, chiding their leadership and offering the hope of a glorious and triumphant future. But this message does not end at Zech. 10:5. The first line of 10:6 summarizes the gracious actions of God toward Judah in 10:3–5 only as a transition into a section accenting God’s salvation of the house of Joseph in 10:6–12. In other words, God’s action for Judah is for the sake of Joseph, who remains in exile.
As already noted in our discussion of Zechariah 9, this focus on the northern tribes is surprising in light of the animosity evident among significant members of the province of Yehud. Zechariah 10 outlines God’s plan for all Israel, a plan in which Judah will play a vital role, especially through its royal house. This hope for “all Israel,” gathered around the Davidic king of Judah, is a major theme in another Persian period book: 1–2 Chronicles. Not only does the Chronicler begin his book with genealogies of most of the tribes of Israel (1 Chron. 1–9), but throughout his presentation of Israel’s history he constantly refers to “all Israel” (1 Chron. 9:1; 11:1, 10; 12:38; 14:8; 15:3, 28; 18:14; 2 Chron. 1:2; 7:8; 9:30; 10:3, 16; 12:1; 13:4, 15; 18:16; 24:5). Although the focus of the story is on the southern kingdom (i.e., the kingdom of the Davidic kings), many episodes show “all Israel” gathered around that king in Jerusalem (e.g., 1 Chron. 11:1, 10; 2 Chron. 1:1–2; 30:5–14, 25). Both Chronicles and Zechariah 9–10 reveal the hope in the Persian period of the renewal of the united kingdom under a Davidic ruler.
This hope of the restoration of all the tribes continues throughout the Second Temple period as the Diaspora is a continuing reality for the Jews. Clearly, Paul’s reference to the “twelve tribes” in his address to Agrippa in Acts 26:7 is meant as a reference to the entire Jewish community. However, there are indications in New Testament theology that the church is the fulfillment of this hope of the return of all the tribes.
As already mentioned, Christ’s choice of twelve apostles is clearly an allusion to the twelve tribes of Israel and suggests that Christ considers the community that comes from him as the new Israel (see commentary introduction, Bridging Contexts section). This approach is evident also in one of Christ’s key speeches. As he describes the “renewal of all things,” Jesus claims that the apostles will rule with him on thrones over the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt. 19:28; Luke 22:30). These are the same apostles who are considered the foundation of the church (Eph. 2:20). It is not odd, then, for the writer of James to address the churches who received his document as the “twelve tribes scattered among the nations” (James 1:1).
This connection between the twelve tribes and the church is confirmed in Revelation. In Revelation 21:12–14 the names of the twelve tribes of Israel are written on the gates of the holy city, the new Jerusalem. So also the twelve foundations contain the names of the twelve apostles. This city is “the bride, the wife of the Lamb” (21:9), a reference to the church. Again we see an intermixing of the language of the tribes and that of the church founded on the apostolic community that followed Jesus.54 Revelation 7:4–8 describes a group of 144,000 drawn from each of the twelve tribes of Israel. Immediately following this John sees a group of God’s people from all tribes and nations (7:9). The close association of these two groups suggests that they are the same group. Crucial to the emergence of this new community in Revelation, however, is Jesus the slain Lamb, who is described as the lion of Judah, the Root of David (5:5).
We conclude, therefore, the biblical theology of “all Israel,” of the hope of the reunification of the tribes, is fulfilled in the church. Zechariah 10, addressing a community that has little room for these northern tribes in their future plans, is an important reminder to us of the value of unity within our faith communities.
Therefore, on one level, Zechariah 10 is fulfilled in Christ and the establishment of the church. The abusive shepherds of the community are judged by God, who provides his own pastoral care of his people through Christ. Also through Jesus of Judah, God raises up leadership from David. He rescues his remnant through the transformation of their lives in order that they may fully realize God’s kingdom as a community. Transported back to the Persian period community through this redemptive-historical perspective, we listen afresh to Zechariah 10 as the remnant community that trusts in the same God and longs to avoid the mistakes of the community of the past and experience fully the promises of this chapter.
Contemporary Significance
GOD’S DEMAND OF EXCLUSIVE TRUST. This is not the first time Zechariah 9–14 has highlighted inappropriate idolatrous practices. In 9:7 God cleansed the idolatrous practices of the Philistines before incorporating them into Israel. The difference in 10:1–2 is that these inappropriate spiritual practices have made their way into God’s community, encouraged by the leadership and tolerated, if not embraced, by the people. Both of these passages speak strongly against our postmodern spiritual melange. They reveal that the medium is as important as the message; that is, our spiritual sources and practices do matter to God.
God’s call to the Christian community today is a call to purity in our practices of listening to his voice. Down the road from my home is a New Age bookstore, which offers certain spiritual services for those within our community: paraphernalia like tarot cards and horoscopes, personnel like palm readers and psychics. These are the diviners of our generation, and people uncertain about their present and future flock to them for advice. Obviously, 10:1–2 prohibits Christians from availing themselves of these resources.
But there are more subtle voices that may have more impact on the church today than the New Age hawkers. It is surprising how often we draw our wisdom from the sources of Wall Street and Harvard Business School. Seeking to insulate ourselves from recession in terms of finances or from downsizing in terms of church growth, we have filled our minds with the advice of a secular world rather than the wisdom of God. By this I am not suggesting that secular sources are devoid of wisdom; as I was taught in college, “All truth is God’s truth.” However, it is surprising to me how often the church, corporately and individually, treats wisdom from secular sources like “plug-’n’-play” components of a computer, rather than taking the time to reflect Christianly about these sources and configure them according to biblical sensibilities.
This demands wisdom from God, and that wisdom must begin with a mind and a heart filled with the claims and contents of Scripture. By this I do not mean a collection of isolated texts, but rather the foundational and longitudinal themes that shape a Christian perspective on all of life and spirituality. This is as important for the Christian preacher as it is for the Christian carpenter, teacher, and banker. All need spiritual wisdom to walk prudently in this present age.
The connection between the source and shape of our wisdom and the issue of trust is not readily apparent to many of us. But as we face challenges and decisions in life, the one to whom we turn for wisdom and direction and the way in which we process that enlightenment are indicators of whom we ultimately trust. Whether those challenges are uncertain conditions of agricultural enterprise as the community in Zechariah 10 or fluctuating fortunes of financial markets and unpredictable changes in one’s physical condition, we must trust God’s perspective on these issues, seek counsel from mature Christians, and reflect deeply on God’s Word.
God’s provision of leadership. Zechariah 10 spoke to a generation led by shepherds who had severed the community from the Lord. God’s compassion breaks through in the speech as he promises to punish those shepherds and provide caring guidance for his people. At first this provision is described as God’s personal intervention in their circumstances, but as the passage progresses, the Lord reveals that this will be accomplished through leadership he will raise up from Judah, which will not only affect their own tribe but also the northern tribes still in exile.
It is fascinating that in Jesus Christ we see the intertwining of these two aspects of leadership in Zechariah 10. As God, Christ came to care for his flock as the gentle shepherd (John 10), and yet as a child from the royal line of the tribe of Judah he came to reinstate Davidic kingship in Israel (Rom. 1:3).
The future Judahite royal leadership is described here with the images of war. These images are echoed in the description of the redemption of Joseph in the latter half of the chapter. Similarly, Christ’s work on the cross is described as a battle against the forces of evil. But this is certainly an irony of monumental proportions: Christ does battle through dying on one of the greatest symbols of oppression, the Roman cross. Isaiah 52–53 also envisions the suffering of the Messiah as representative of the exilic community in terms of the victory of God. Isaiah 52:7–10 describes how a messenger declares a victory of God won through the baring of his holy arm. In 53:1, however, the prophet declares his shock as he views this “arm of the LORD.” Rather than a mighty armed force, he sees a suffering and dying individual. To this passage the early church turned again and again as they interpreted the cross in light of God’s victory presented in Isaiah 52–53. God’s victory is accomplished in ways never expected in Zechariah 10.
Zechariah 10, therefore, prompts us to praise God for the victory he accomplished through his messianic leader and shepherd, Jesus, of the line of David and the tribe of Judah. This is the central event of the Christian faith, foreshadowed here in Zechariah 10. God’s victory through the cross, however, is not the end. We look for the final consummation of this victory as we await Jesus’ second coming (Rev. 19).
In light of these past and future events, we live in the present as those empowered by God to function as Christ-ones who extend this victory incrementally across this globe and within all layers of culture. This is why the royal/messianic promises attached to the line of David can be related so easily by the apostle Paul to the church of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 6:18). As the body of Christ, we are his incarnation between his two advents as we proclaim and extend his victory. This victory, however, is accomplished through the same kind of suffering that Christ modeled for us (1 Peter 2:13–25; 3:8–18).
God’s purposes for all Israel. The theme of the reunification of the tribes of Israel in the Promised Land drives home the prophetic hope of unity for a community that lived in discord for the bulk of its history. It is only through the messianic leadership of the Davidic ruler Jesus that this unity can be realized as he rescues both Jew and Gentile from the kingdom of darkness and delivers them into his kingdom of light. In doing so he creates a community of love and peace, who are united by allegiance to the Father, redemption through Jesus Christ, and empowerment by the Holy Spirit. As the church we can “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” because there is “one body and one Spirit . . . one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Eph. 4:3–6).
God’s passion for redemption after discipline. In Zechariah 10 we catch a glimpse of God’s passionate love for his people. It is first expressed in his promise to care for his flock, the house of Judah (10:3), the image of a shepherd’s intimate protection of his flock. As he turns his attention to the house of Joseph, we learn of God’s desire to restore, have compassion, answer, gather, and redeem his people. All of these terms are built up to express the action of God, whose heart is filled with “compassion” for his people. After years in exile this message from his heart brings an incredible comfort for these communities of faith. When one considers the final phases of both the southern and northern kingdoms (2 Kings 17; 25) and the way in which they treated their God with contempt, ignoring the pleas of his prophets and the justice expressed in his law, the promises here are remarkable indeed, highlighting God’s grace beyond measure.
In expressing his love, however, God does not conceal his discipline. In the present his anger burns against deceptive shepherds who lead his people astray. In the past he disciplined his people, scattering them abroad. That discipline is not incongruous with his love but is an essential part of his loving plan for them. It is easy to juxtapose these aspects of God’s character and action. It is not either the God of love or the God of discipline, but rather the God of loving discipline. His love was expressed to us through Jesus, who took on himself the discipline of the cross. Resting secure in his love through Christ, Christians should expect to be disciplined by their loving God (Heb. 12:7–11).
The compassionate grace that God extends to his people in Zechariah 10 is linked to the cry of the people as God answers them (10:6) and as they “remember” him in distant lands (10:9). These subtle allusions to repentance by the people remind us of our constant need for penitent hearts as we walk with God. This chapter encourages us, then, to experience authentic and consistent relationship with our covenant God. As we are lovingly disciplined, we must cry to him in penitential response, confident that he has promised to answer us—that is, to return to us as we return to him.
God’s plan for blessing and joy. Such disciplined love expressed in response to penitence results in a breadth and depth of blessing. (1) God promises a population explosion in this faith community that exceeds all expectations. (2) This blessing is signaled by a depth of gladness and joy as the people revel in the presence and blessing of the Lord. These are images of delight as the people join together from all nations with an abundance of children to celebrate God’s salvation and blessing.
The fulfillment of this ingathering is foreshadowed in Acts 2. There the tribes of Israel gather from around the world to attend the Feast of Pentecost. There the Spirit of joy falls on his people, and the restoration community begins its life. But this is just the beginning, and the book of Revelation anticipates an even greater party in the last days as people gather from every tribe and nation to celebrate the salvation of God (Rev. 7:9).
The church needs to be shaped by this vision of the community in Zechariah 10 in the present. The church must be a community open to the kind of growth God envisions for his people. It is easy to become complacent in our church communities, to place priority on those with whom we have fellowshipped over decades, and to become closed to new relationships.
The founding pastor of one of the churches in which I served once told me a story that he said indicated his church was on the verge of a new phase of ministry. The church had grown to a healthy size in its first decade as people were drawn to the relevant preaching, dynamic programs, and warm fellowship. But the test came one Sunday as a tough biker and a few of his friends showed up at the invitation of someone in the church. At the end of the service the founding pastor was distracted by a parishioner with a crisis. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed one of his conservative elders making a beeline for the bikers and waited with baited breath for what would happen. Within moments of their meeting face-to-face, the pastor watched with surprise as the elder embraced the lead biker. This kind of openness to people outside of the community is a core value of the prophetic message in Zechariah 10 as God uses the remnant already saved from exile to extend salvation to those still living among the nations.
Not only is this community known by its openness as they welcome God’s redeemed into their midst, but it is also known by a depth of gladness and joy that arises from this community, reveling in God’s presence and blessing. Such authentic gladness and joy are communicated through individual and corporate avenues by people who know and experience God’s presence in their own lives and express this delight to their friends and neighbors. In this way evangelism is not a presentation of cold facts but the natural expression of one’s life, the joyous overflow of one who has experienced the salvation and blessing of God.
I remember when I was involved in an evangelistic program several years ago that the power of the presentation we were taught lay not only in the theological points and Scripture verses, but also in the expression of our own experience with God. This kind of expression need not be restricted to experiences of gladness and joy, for how God sustains us through difficult circumstances is also an important expression. Such experiences form a powerful avenue for communicating and embodying the gospel to those around us.55
This is also true on the corporate level. The gospel is proclaimed through communal experiences that facilitate the expression of gladness and joy as we revel in God’s presence and blessing. We often view worship as an activity for the saints alone. However, the initial worship experience of the church on Pentecost, in which God’s people declared “the wonders of God” in many foreign tongues, led to three thousand baptisms. Furthermore, Paul speaks of unbelievers coming to worship services and through this experience declaring “God is really among you!” (1 Cor. 14:23–25). The expression of gladness and joy in God and his redemptive blessings is a powerful avenue for the salvation of pre-Christians seeking for God.
God’s call to dominion in his strength. One key element of the blessing received by the house of Joseph is the return to dominion over their land. The verb used in Zech. 10:12 brings to mind Abraham’s demarcation and Joshua’s subjugation of the Promised Land. As already noted, this verb denotes a breadth of activity as the people extend their influence and authority over all land. For a community living under Persian rulers, this vision was far beyond their greatest dreams. It was the same for the disciples as Christ proclaimed the coming of the long-awaited kingdom, and it is the same today for those of us who live between Christ’s first and second advents. God delivers us to execute his dominion over the land. In our world and culture we share a similar calling. God summons us to exercise dominion in all spheres of life on this planet even as we extend his kingdom to all nations and classes, throughout all creation and culture.
Such dominion, however, is only discharged as we are “strengthened in the LORD” (cf. Zech. 10:6, 12) and walk “in his name” (10:12). It is only a reality “because the LORD is with [us]” (10:5). This means that we go not in our strength or power but rather by the Spirit’s empowerment in our lives in order to advance his kingdom in this world. He is the One who transforms us as a community from aimless and defenseless sheep into a mighty army. We also go in God’s name and for his glory, to build his kingdom and not our own.
Zechariah 10 thus calls us to deeper reliance on God, who graciously offers his Spirit to us for life and ministry. The importance of this strength is stressed consistently through the experience of the early church (Acts) and the teachings of the apostles (the letters).
In our technological world we have become far too reliant on and optimistic of the ability of humans to control their environment. This was driven home to many of us in Canada when in January 1998 freezing rain dropped for four days without stop, wiping out electrical power to the populations of more than half of Quebec and 15 percent of Ontario. People were left in the dark and died of hypothermia while food and fuel shortages were widespread. This kind of experience should not only remind us of how vulnerable we are as humans but should force us into a posture of deeper trust in our God of grace and power. It is only through his strength and the power of the Spirit that we can accomplish anything for the kingdom.
Original Meaning
Restoring Joseph (10:6–12)
ZECHARIAH 10:6 MARKS the transition in the passage from the transformation of Judah to the restoration of Joseph. Up to this point the community in view has been the “house of Judah,” the faithful remnant in the Persian province of Yehud. Both the community (10:3b) and its leadership (10:4–5) will be transformed into a powerful fighting force. This transformation is highlighted quickly at the outset of verse 6, using a verb (“strengthen,” gabar) that echoes the noun “mighty men” (gibborim) in verse 5. As God now breaks into the prophetic speech with first-person speech (“I will strengthen”), he emphasizes that the transformation of the house of Judah is linked to the restoration of Joseph, which will be the focus of the latter half of this chapter.
The “house of Joseph” refers to those tribes from the northern kingdom who were taken into exile when Samaria, their capital, fell to the Assyrians in the late eighth century B.C. God here promises to “save” this community and “restore” them to their former state (“they will be as though I had not rejected them”), echoing the promises of several earlier prophets (Isa. 11:11–16; Jer. 3:11–18; 31:1–22; Ezek. 37:15–22).30
This promise links God’s answer to an assumed cry from the exilic community: “I will answer them.” In Zech. 10:9 we are told that “in distant lands they will remember me.” This kind of remembering is more than just a cerebral exercise, since it involves the religious affections of the community. Deuteronomy 8:18–20 speaks of remembering and forgetting God in terms of covenant fidelity and infidelity. Forgetting God is not just forgetting his great deeds but serving other gods. Therefore, remembering is a covenantal term, indicating a turning to God and a returning to his land (Jer. 51:50). Such penitential cries to God are encouraged in the foundational documents of Israel (Lev. 26:40–45; 1 Kings 8:46–51) and are apparent in the record of the exilic community (Ezra 9, Neh. 1; 9; Lam. 1–5; Dan. 9).31
God’s restorative action is based on a double foundation: his compassion and his covenant. (1) He will restore this community because of his deep affection for them as his people. Verse 6 reminds us of the declaration of Yahweh’s character to Moses following the golden calf incident in Exodus 33:19, where he said: “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” It points to God’s affection for his people, an attribute linked to his promise in Deuteronomy 30:3: “Then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you” (italics added in both references).
(2) The writer of 2 Kings links this compassion of God for his people to the covenant he made with Israel: “But the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy them or banish them from his presence” (italics added). Similarly, Zechariah 10:6 links the compassionate salvation of God to the covenant made with this people through the phrase “for I am the LORD their God” (Ex. 20:2; 29:46; Lev. 26:44–45). God’s character of compassion expressed through his commitment of covenant forms the basis of this liberation.
For the exiled community of the northern tribes, referred to by the leading tribe of Ephraim in Zech. 10:7 (see comments on 9:10), God’s redemption will entail a reversal of their present condition. This defeated, depressed, and decimated people will become skilled warriors (like Judah’s leaders in 10:5), who are giddy with joy alongside a new generation. This reversal is expressed in 10:8 through the Hebrew construction translated as “signal for them.” This phrase is used in Isaiah 5:26 and 7:18 for God’s audible signal (contrast the banner, which is a visual signal) for the nations of Assyria and Egypt to discipline Israel. Now God signals Israel from these same nations (see Zech. 10:10).32 He will “gather” and “redeem” this community, actions highlighted regularly in the Old Testament in contexts speaking of the restoration.33
Following the Hebrew and Greek text, the word “scatter” in Zech. 10:9 should be translated “planted.”34 This is an appropriate word for the experience of the northern tribes, whose long exile resulted in deep roots in their respective locales.35
A consistent theme throughout Zech. 10:7–10 is the expected increase in the size of the community (“their children . . . will be as numerous as before”; “there will not be room enough for them”36). Meyers and Meyers have noted that this hope of “extreme demographic growth,” which they link to Jeremiah 23:3 and Ezekiel 36:11, evokes the creation and patriarchal promises of fruitfulness and multiplication throughout Genesis.37
Recent research on the province of Yehud has confirmed what the biblical text has long asserted, namely, that the population of Yehud was not significant (see Neh. 7; 11).38 This is expected for a community that has experienced much hardship during the Babylonian period, not least of which was seeing its leadership carted off into exile. If this was true of the southern kingdom of Judah, how much more for the northern tribes, who have endured a far longer exile. These northern tribes will survive and return with children.
We have already noted the indebtedness of Zech. 10:10 to Isaiah 7:18 for the mention of Egypt and Assyria. These two nations are often linked in Old Testament literature as they represent the two major threats to Israel’s freedom, the former approaching from the south and the latter from the north (Isa. 19:23–25).39 Although it is most likely that these two nations are representative of the spread of the exiles throughout the world (Mic. 7:12), the image would have had great impact because of the presence of Jewish communities in exile in both Assyria and Egypt (Isa. 11:11; 27:13; Hos. 7:11; 11:5, 11).40
These geographical names of Assyria and Egypt are matched by two others, Gilead (on the east side of the Jordan, between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea) and Lebanon (on the northern border of Israel), which are the destination of the return. The choice of these two areas as settlement areas is probably related to the lack of room because of the abundance of people.41 These northern territories are mentioned because they lie along the boundaries of the land occupied by the northern tribes, who are returning to the land.
In Zech. 10:11 the return of the northern tribes is compared to the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt, but with an interesting twist.42 God, rather than the Israelites, “will pass through the sea of trouble,” striking the “surging seas” (lit., “sea of waves”).43 Whether the imagery here has been stretched beyond that of the Exodus tradition so that the sea is now equated with the Nile, whether the reference to the drying up of “the Nile” denotes the destruction of Egypt’s prosperity as a result of the Exodus, or whether the word here refers to a water body other than the Nile44 does not matter. In the end God smashes the pride and rule of the nations who held his people captive, which in turn results in liberation for the exiles.
Verse 12 brings closure to this section on the salvation of the northern tribes. Using the same verb with which he introduced the section in verse 6 (“strengthen”), God now promises the same benefits that the house of Judah enjoyed: to be strengthened by God. This strength will enable them to walk in his name. Although the term here for “walk” (Hithpael of halak) can be used of generic walking (Gen. 3:8) or of walking in relationship with God (5:22, 24; 6:9; 17:1 etc.), because it is preceded here by a reference to God’s strengthening of the Israelites, this word probably refers to the “exercise of dominion over an area” (cf. Gen. 13:17; Josh. 18:4, 8; Job 2:2; Zech. 1:10, 11; 6:7).45 The restored community will regain control over their land.
Bridging Contexts
THE IDENTITY OF the remnant rescued from the nations has long been a point of contention within the church. Most acknowledge that the books of Ezra and Nehemiah describe the return of several waves of this remnant. However, this is usually identified as the return of a limited portion of the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi, leaving unfulfilled the return of the northern tribes. These northern tribes, often referred to as “the lost tribes of Israel,” have been linked to various ethnic groups around the globe. Although the most prevalent theory connects them with the Anglo-Saxon/Celtic peoples of Britain and America,46 others have associated them with aboriginal tribes of North America,47 the Mizos from the Indo-Burma border,48 and even the Japanese.49 Some see these tribes as Jewish communities spread across the globe to this day who have returned, are returning, and/or will return to the land of Israel.50 Finally, a prevalent view within the church is that this remnant is the community of Christ, the church.51
Our conclusion on this issue will have a great impact on the implications we draw from this text. It will determine whether this passage has any relevance for the church today or is merely an announcement of God’s design for history.
Remnant. We have already argued in detail in the commentary introduction that the New Testament appropriates the Old Testament hope of a purified remnant for its description of Christ and the early church. On one level Jesus is presented as the obedient remnant who escapes Egypt (Matt. 2:13–15, 19–21), survives exile (Matt. 2:16–18), and assumes a penitential posture (Matt. 3:13–17). This Jesus then gathers around him twelve disciples as representative of Israel, through whom he gathers a remnant from the nations (Acts 2). In New Testament perspective, in other words, the hoped-for remnant of Zechariah 10 is ultimately fulfilled in the church.
That this remnant is not restricted to those of Jewish lineage is made clear in several passages of the New Testament. (1) In Matthew’s description of the encounter between Jesus and the Gentile centurion, Jesus declares:
I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. 8:10b–11)
As already demonstrated in Zechariah 8:7–8, the language of the many who “come from the east and the west” is language connected with the return of the remnant (cf. Ps. 107:3; Isa. 59:19).52 In Matthew 8, however, this remnant is not restricted to those of Jewish lineage but is extended to all nations.
(2) According to Paul, this expansion of the remnant hope to include Gentiles is evident in Old Testament theology (see comments on Zech. 2:11; 8:20–23). As Paul provides the foundation for his ministry among the Gentiles in Romans 15:8–9, 12, he cites three Old Testament passages that describe the praise of God among the Gentiles (in order: 2 Sam. 22:50//Ps. 18:49; Deut. 32:43; Ps. 117:1). Then he paraphrases Isaiah 11:10:
The Root of Jesse will spring up,
one who will arise to rule over the nations;
the Gentiles will hope in him.
Paul’s vision of the church is one drawn from a passage that introduces a future Davidic ruler who will raise a banner to draw nations (Zech. 11:10), an action linked to the reclamation of the remnant of the exiles, both from Ephraim and Judah. Here Paul identifies Christ as this Davidic ruler, who has reclaimed the remnant and is extending his rule to the nations.
(3) This view of the fulfillment of the remnant motif of the prophets informs the foundational narrative of the New Testament community.53 Acts 2 begins this process as the birth of the church is equated with the return of the remnant from the nations. The experience of Pentecost becomes the fulfillment of the hope of Joel 2:28–32. Joel envisioned the return of a remnant from the nations to Jerusalem.
Acts 2 is a key transition point in a story that begins with Israel and ultimately extends to the entire world. Acts as a whole reveals how this remnant community, gathered in Jerusalem at Pentecost, extends God’s kingdom to Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (1:8; cf. ch. 28). Along the way, James cites Amos 9:11–12 in Acts 15:14–21, revealing that Christ came to restore David’s tent, resulting in the fulfillment of the remnant promise and the regeneration of the Gentiles.
The restoration and transformation of the tribes in Zechariah 10 are fulfilled, therefore, in the church, which now assumes the status of the “new Israel.”
Twelve tribes. The province of Yehud was clearly dominated by those who traced their roots to the tribe of Judah. This prophetic message begins by addressing this community, chiding their leadership and offering the hope of a glorious and triumphant future. But this message does not end at Zech. 10:5. The first line of 10:6 summarizes the gracious actions of God toward Judah in 10:3–5 only as a transition into a section accenting God’s salvation of the house of Joseph in 10:6–12. In other words, God’s action for Judah is for the sake of Joseph, who remains in exile.
As already noted in our discussion of Zechariah 9, this focus on the northern tribes is surprising in light of the animosity evident among significant members of the province of Yehud. Zechariah 10 outlines God’s plan for all Israel, a plan in which Judah will play a vital role, especially through its royal house. This hope for “all Israel,” gathered around the Davidic king of Judah, is a major theme in another Persian period book: 1–2 Chronicles. Not only does the Chronicler begin his book with genealogies of most of the tribes of Israel (1 Chron. 1–9), but throughout his presentation of Israel’s history he constantly refers to “all Israel” (1 Chron. 9:1; 11:1, 10; 12:38; 14:8; 15:3, 28; 18:14; 2 Chron. 1:2; 7:8; 9:30; 10:3, 16; 12:1; 13:4, 15; 18:16; 24:5). Although the focus of the story is on the southern kingdom (i.e., the kingdom of the Davidic kings), many episodes show “all Israel” gathered around that king in Jerusalem (e.g., 1 Chron. 11:1, 10; 2 Chron. 1:1–2; 30:5–14, 25). Both Chronicles and Zechariah 9–10 reveal the hope in the Persian period of the renewal of the united kingdom under a Davidic ruler.
This hope of the restoration of all the tribes continues throughout the Second Temple period as the Diaspora is a continuing reality for the Jews. Clearly, Paul’s reference to the “twelve tribes” in his address to Agrippa in Acts 26:7 is meant as a reference to the entire Jewish community. However, there are indications in New Testament theology that the church is the fulfillment of this hope of the return of all the tribes.
As already mentioned, Christ’s choice of twelve apostles is clearly an allusion to the twelve tribes of Israel and suggests that Christ considers the community that comes from him as the new Israel (see commentary introduction, Bridging Contexts section). This approach is evident also in one of Christ’s key speeches. As he describes the “renewal of all things,” Jesus claims that the apostles will rule with him on thrones over the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt. 19:28; Luke 22:30). These are the same apostles who are considered the foundation of the church (Eph. 2:20). It is not odd, then, for the writer of James to address the churches who received his document as the “twelve tribes scattered among the nations” (James 1:1).
This connection between the twelve tribes and the church is confirmed in Revelation. In Revelation 21:12–14 the names of the twelve tribes of Israel are written on the gates of the holy city, the new Jerusalem. So also the twelve foundations contain the names of the twelve apostles. This city is “the bride, the wife of the Lamb” (21:9), a reference to the church. Again we see an intermixing of the language of the tribes and that of the church founded on the apostolic community that followed Jesus.54 Revelation 7:4–8 describes a group of 144,000 drawn from each of the twelve tribes of Israel. Immediately following this John sees a group of God’s people from all tribes and nations (7:9). The close association of these two groups suggests that they are the same group. Crucial to the emergence of this new community in Revelation, however, is Jesus the slain Lamb, who is described as the lion of Judah, the Root of David (5:5).
We conclude, therefore, the biblical theology of “all Israel,” of the hope of the reunification of the tribes, is fulfilled in the church. Zechariah 10, addressing a community that has little room for these northern tribes in their future plans, is an important reminder to us of the value of unity within our faith communities.
Therefore, on one level, Zechariah 10 is fulfilled in Christ and the establishment of the church. The abusive shepherds of the community are judged by God, who provides his own pastoral care of his people through Christ. Also through Jesus of Judah, God raises up leadership from David. He rescues his remnant through the transformation of their lives in order that they may fully realize God’s kingdom as a community. Transported back to the Persian period community through this redemptive-historical perspective, we listen afresh to Zechariah 10 as the remnant community that trusts in the same God and longs to avoid the mistakes of the community of the past and experience fully the promises of this chapter.
Contemporary Significance
GOD’S DEMAND OF EXCLUSIVE TRUST. This is not the first time Zechariah 9–14 has highlighted inappropriate idolatrous practices. In 9:7 God cleansed the idolatrous practices of the Philistines before incorporating them into Israel. The difference in 10:1–2 is that these inappropriate spiritual practices have made their way into God’s community, encouraged by the leadership and tolerated, if not embraced, by the people. Both of these passages speak strongly against our postmodern spiritual melange. They reveal that the medium is as important as the message; that is, our spiritual sources and practices do matter to God.
God’s call to the Christian community today is a call to purity in our practices of listening to his voice. Down the road from my home is a New Age bookstore, which offers certain spiritual services for those within our community: paraphernalia like tarot cards and horoscopes, personnel like palm readers and psychics. These are the diviners of our generation, and people uncertain about their present and future flock to them for advice. Obviously, 10:1–2 prohibits Christians from availing themselves of these resources.
But there are more subtle voices that may have more impact on the church today than the New Age hawkers. It is surprising how often we draw our wisdom from the sources of Wall Street and Harvard Business School. Seeking to insulate ourselves from recession in terms of finances or from downsizing in terms of church growth, we have filled our minds with the advice of a secular world rather than the wisdom of God. By this I am not suggesting that secular sources are devoid of wisdom; as I was taught in college, “All truth is God’s truth.” However, it is surprising to me how often the church, corporately and individually, treats wisdom from secular sources like “plug-’n’-play” components of a computer, rather than taking the time to reflect Christianly about these sources and configure them according to biblical sensibilities.
This demands wisdom from God, and that wisdom must begin with a mind and a heart filled with the claims and contents of Scripture. By this I do not mean a collection of isolated texts, but rather the foundational and longitudinal themes that shape a Christian perspective on all of life and spirituality. This is as important for the Christian preacher as it is for the Christian carpenter, teacher, and banker. All need spiritual wisdom to walk prudently in this present age.
The connection between the source and shape of our wisdom and the issue of trust is not readily apparent to many of us. But as we face challenges and decisions in life, the one to whom we turn for wisdom and direction and the way in which we process that enlightenment are indicators of whom we ultimately trust. Whether those challenges are uncertain conditions of agricultural enterprise as the community in Zechariah 10 or fluctuating fortunes of financial markets and unpredictable changes in one’s physical condition, we must trust God’s perspective on these issues, seek counsel from mature Christians, and reflect deeply on God’s Word.
God’s provision of leadership. Zechariah 10 spoke to a generation led by shepherds who had severed the community from the Lord. God’s compassion breaks through in the speech as he promises to punish those shepherds and provide caring guidance for his people. At first this provision is described as God’s personal intervention in their circumstances, but as the passage progresses, the Lord reveals that this will be accomplished through leadership he will raise up from Judah, which will not only affect their own tribe but also the northern tribes still in exile.
It is fascinating that in Jesus Christ we see the intertwining of these two aspects of leadership in Zechariah 10. As God, Christ came to care for his flock as the gentle shepherd (John 10), and yet as a child from the royal line of the tribe of Judah he came to reinstate Davidic kingship in Israel (Rom. 1:3).
The future Judahite royal leadership is described here with the images of war. These images are echoed in the description of the redemption of Joseph in the latter half of the chapter. Similarly, Christ’s work on the cross is described as a battle against the forces of evil. But this is certainly an irony of monumental proportions: Christ does battle through dying on one of the greatest symbols of oppression, the Roman cross. Isaiah 52–53 also envisions the suffering of the Messiah as representative of the exilic community in terms of the victory of God. Isaiah 52:7–10 describes how a messenger declares a victory of God won through the baring of his holy arm. In 53:1, however, the prophet declares his shock as he views this “arm of the LORD.” Rather than a mighty armed force, he sees a suffering and dying individual. To this passage the early church turned again and again as they interpreted the cross in light of God’s victory presented in Isaiah 52–53. God’s victory is accomplished in ways never expected in Zechariah 10.
Zechariah 10, therefore, prompts us to praise God for the victory he accomplished through his messianic leader and shepherd, Jesus, of the line of David and the tribe of Judah. This is the central event of the Christian faith, foreshadowed here in Zechariah 10. God’s victory through the cross, however, is not the end. We look for the final consummation of this victory as we await Jesus’ second coming (Rev. 19).
In light of these past and future events, we live in the present as those empowered by God to function as Christ-ones who extend this victory incrementally across this globe and within all layers of culture. This is why the royal/messianic promises attached to the line of David can be related so easily by the apostle Paul to the church of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 6:18). As the body of Christ, we are his incarnation between his two advents as we proclaim and extend his victory. This victory, however, is accomplished through the same kind of suffering that Christ modeled for us (1 Peter 2:13–25; 3:8–18).
God’s purposes for all Israel. The theme of the reunification of the tribes of Israel in the Promised Land drives home the prophetic hope of unity for a community that lived in discord for the bulk of its history. It is only through the messianic leadership of the Davidic ruler Jesus that this unity can be realized as he rescues both Jew and Gentile from the kingdom of darkness and delivers them into his kingdom of light. In doing so he creates a community of love and peace, who are united by allegiance to the Father, redemption through Jesus Christ, and empowerment by the Holy Spirit. As the church we can “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” because there is “one body and one Spirit . . . one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Eph. 4:3–6).
God’s passion for redemption after discipline. In Zechariah 10 we catch a glimpse of God’s passionate love for his people. It is first expressed in his promise to care for his flock, the house of Judah (10:3), the image of a shepherd’s intimate protection of his flock. As he turns his attention to the house of Joseph, we learn of God’s desire to restore, have compassion, answer, gather, and redeem his people. All of these terms are built up to express the action of God, whose heart is filled with “compassion” for his people. After years in exile this message from his heart brings an incredible comfort for these communities of faith. When one considers the final phases of both the southern and northern kingdoms (2 Kings 17; 25) and the way in which they treated their God with contempt, ignoring the pleas of his prophets and the justice expressed in his law, the promises here are remarkable indeed, highlighting God’s grace beyond measure.
In expressing his love, however, God does not conceal his discipline. In the present his anger burns against deceptive shepherds who lead his people astray. In the past he disciplined his people, scattering them abroad. That discipline is not incongruous with his love but is an essential part of his loving plan for them. It is easy to juxtapose these aspects of God’s character and action. It is not either the God of love or the God of discipline, but rather the God of loving discipline. His love was expressed to us through Jesus, who took on himself the discipline of the cross. Resting secure in his love through Christ, Christians should expect to be disciplined by their loving God (Heb. 12:7–11).
The compassionate grace that God extends to his people in Zechariah 10 is linked to the cry of the people as God answers them (10:6) and as they “remember” him in distant lands (10:9). These subtle allusions to repentance by the people remind us of our constant need for penitent hearts as we walk with God. This chapter encourages us, then, to experience authentic and consistent relationship with our covenant God. As we are lovingly disciplined, we must cry to him in penitential response, confident that he has promised to answer us—that is, to return to us as we return to him.
God’s plan for blessing and joy. Such disciplined love expressed in response to penitence results in a breadth and depth of blessing. (1) God promises a population explosion in this faith community that exceeds all expectations. (2) This blessing is signaled by a depth of gladness and joy as the people revel in the presence and blessing of the Lord. These are images of delight as the people join together from all nations with an abundance of children to celebrate God’s salvation and blessing.
The fulfillment of this ingathering is foreshadowed in Acts 2. There the tribes of Israel gather from around the world to attend the Feast of Pentecost. There the Spirit of joy falls on his people, and the restoration community begins its life. But this is just the beginning, and the book of Revelation anticipates an even greater party in the last days as people gather from every tribe and nation to celebrate the salvation of God (Rev. 7:9).
The church needs to be shaped by this vision of the community in Zechariah 10 in the present. The church must be a community open to the kind of growth God envisions for his people. It is easy to become complacent in our church communities, to place priority on those with whom we have fellowshipped over decades, and to become closed to new relationships.
The founding pastor of one of the churches in which I served once told me a story that he said indicated his church was on the verge of a new phase of ministry. The church had grown to a healthy size in its first decade as people were drawn to the relevant preaching, dynamic programs, and warm fellowship. But the test came one Sunday as a tough biker and a few of his friends showed up at the invitation of someone in the church. At the end of the service the founding pastor was distracted by a parishioner with a crisis. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed one of his conservative elders making a beeline for the bikers and waited with baited breath for what would happen. Within moments of their meeting face-to-face, the pastor watched with surprise as the elder embraced the lead biker. This kind of openness to people outside of the community is a core value of the prophetic message in Zechariah 10 as God uses the remnant already saved from exile to extend salvation to those still living among the nations.
Not only is this community known by its openness as they welcome God’s redeemed into their midst, but it is also known by a depth of gladness and joy that arises from this community, reveling in God’s presence and blessing. Such authentic gladness and joy are communicated through individual and corporate avenues by people who know and experience God’s presence in their own lives and express this delight to their friends and neighbors. In this way evangelism is not a presentation of cold facts but the natural expression of one’s life, the joyous overflow of one who has experienced the salvation and blessing of God.
I remember when I was involved in an evangelistic program several years ago that the power of the presentation we were taught lay not only in the theological points and Scripture verses, but also in the expression of our own experience with God. This kind of expression need not be restricted to experiences of gladness and joy, for how God sustains us through difficult circumstances is also an important expression. Such experiences form a powerful avenue for communicating and embodying the gospel to those around us.55
This is also true on the corporate level. The gospel is proclaimed through communal experiences that facilitate the expression of gladness and joy as we revel in God’s presence and blessing. We often view worship as an activity for the saints alone. However, the initial worship experience of the church on Pentecost, in which God’s people declared “the wonders of God” in many foreign tongues, led to three thousand baptisms. Furthermore, Paul speaks of unbelievers coming to worship services and through this experience declaring “God is really among you!” (1 Cor. 14:23–25). The expression of gladness and joy in God and his redemptive blessings is a powerful avenue for the salvation of pre-Christians seeking for God.
God’s call to dominion in his strength. One key element of the blessing received by the house of Joseph is the return to dominion over their land. The verb used in Zech. 10:12 brings to mind Abraham’s demarcation and Joshua’s subjugation of the Promised Land. As already noted, this verb denotes a breadth of activity as the people extend their influence and authority over all land. For a community living under Persian rulers, this vision was far beyond their greatest dreams. It was the same for the disciples as Christ proclaimed the coming of the long-awaited kingdom, and it is the same today for those of us who live between Christ’s first and second advents. God delivers us to execute his dominion over the land. In our world and culture we share a similar calling. God summons us to exercise dominion in all spheres of life on this planet even as we extend his kingdom to all nations and classes, throughout all creation and culture.
Such dominion, however, is only discharged as we are “strengthened in the LORD” (cf. Zech. 10:6, 12) and walk “in his name” (10:12). It is only a reality “because the LORD is with [us]” (10:5). This means that we go not in our strength or power but rather by the Spirit’s empowerment in our lives in order to advance his kingdom in this world. He is the One who transforms us as a community from aimless and defenseless sheep into a mighty army. We also go in God’s name and for his glory, to build his kingdom and not our own.
Zechariah 10 thus calls us to deeper reliance on God, who graciously offers his Spirit to us for life and ministry. The importance of this strength is stressed consistently through the experience of the early church (Acts) and the teachings of the apostles (the letters).
In our technological world we have become far too reliant on and optimistic of the ability of humans to control their environment. This was driven home to many of us in Canada when in January 1998 freezing rain dropped for four days without stop, wiping out electrical power to the populations of more than half of Quebec and 15 percent of Ontario. People were left in the dark and died of hypothermia while food and fuel shortages were widespread. This kind of experience should not only remind us of how vulnerable we are as humans but should force us into a posture of deeper trust in our God of grace and power. It is only through his strength and the power of the Spirit that we can accomplish anything for the kingdom.