His Arrow Will Go Forth Like Lightning
“Then the LORD will appear over them, and his arrow will go forth like lightning; the Lord GOD will sound the trumpet and will march forth in the whirlwinds of the south.”
The language that we find in Zechariah 9 is so expressive. There are turns of phrases that cause you to stop and ponder. Think about these phrases: “the war horse from Jerusalem” and “the battle bow shall be cut off.” What of: “his rule shall be from sea to sea” or “from the River to the ends of the earth.” How about: “prisoners of hope” or “the Lord will appear over them.” What about: “the whirlwinds from the south” or what about: “they shall be full like a bowl” or“drenched like the corners of the altar.”
What do all these word pictures bring to mind? Just read Zechariah 9 to get a feel for this expressive language. This is how the prophets spoke. Not even our poets today can turn a phrase as the Old Testament prophets did. Why is this? We are losing the ability to express concrete ideas in beautiful language. This is not to say that there are not those poets gifted with the ability to convey ideas with powerful imagery, but we are taking shortcuts with language and it will come back to bite us. Perhaps this is why the major and minor prophets are neglected.
We know some familiar passages, but many are passed over. We also have trouble with Old Testament prophetic language. We read about the sun and moon and instinctively think of the sun and moon when the prophet is in all likelihood referring to the nations in tumult. It takes time to work through hermeneutical principles and how they apply. This is why meditating and studying the Scriptures is crucial, in addition to reading them. So when we read our verse about the Lord sending forth his arrow like lightning, we need to examine the larger context of the passage and then narrow it down. It’s like looking at a large plate of food. You cannot eat it in one bite, but you see it. Only then do you begin to sample the parts that make the whole.
The larger context is Zechariah speaking to the returned exiles about the coming King. In the first 8 chapters, Zechariah focuses on giving various visions and oracles to the nation of Israel. Zechariah began his ministry in 520 B.C., soon after Haggai began his. He is a post-exilic prophet. His ministry was to provide direction, encouragement, and comfort to the exiles so that they would set about the work of rebuilding the temple.
Chapter 9 promises a coming king called the Branch (3:8; 6:12). He is the promised Davidic King. His coming would bring peace and restoration. This is not a future reference to our time but was future for the prophet and his people. That coming occurred in the first century. We know this from Zechariah 9:9, which is the great promise of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Zechariah’s future king will come with salvation. He will be humble and righteous. Zechariah 9:9 is quoted in Matthew 21:5 and John 12:5.
The anticipated rule of Jesus is from sea to sea (vs. 10). It covers the entire world. This is the fulfillment of Psalm 72:8. He will bring peace to the earth as was promised at his birth (Luke 2:14). In Zechariah 9:10 we see this peace spoken of in the removal of weapons of war–chariots, war-horses, and battle bows. This is a day of victory spoken of in terms of war. The war ends with the coming of the king. The language used to convey these ideas is, therefore, highly figurative and symbolic. In the first instance, it is designed to help the exiles. All is not lost after the exile. There is still hope seen by the fact that they are back in the land. Second, these verses point out that hope rests in the King. He is coming. The exile had left the people confused and wondering whether God had forgotten them or not. But God says that he will set the prisoners free from the waterless pit (vs. 11). This was based on the blood of the covenant between them and God (vs. 11).
It is only the Branch who can recover them (10:6; 8–12). Zechariah 12:10 speaks of mercy poured out on the people so that when they look on him whom they have pierced they will mourn for him. This is fulfilled at the death of Jesus (John 19:37). This is also a reference to Zechariah 13:7, about the striking of the shepherd which Jesus quotes to his disciples on the way to Gethsemane (Mark 14:27). The disciples will fall away because the shepherd will be struck.
Zechariah 9:14 points them to the intervention of God. The Lord will appear over the people and his arrow will go forth like lightning. There will be swift action by the Lord in judgment. The Lord is the Divine Warrior, shooting his arrows, sounding the trumpet, and marching forth. Verse 13 indicates that Greece is the enemy. In the context this is, I think, a prediction of the future rise of Greece a century later, and Greece’s domination will last into the second century B.C., as seen in the kings of the north in Daniel 11(this is the Seleucid line which fades in power against the Maccabean revolt and rule (166–142 B.C.)). Not even this enemy can stand against the Lord and his purpose for his people. He is their shepherd and he will shepherd them. It is remarkable that when the Shepherd comes he is so unexpected, both in his person and demeanor. He is humble and riding a donkey (9:9). Zechariah 11:13 indicates that 30 pieces of silver are thrown into the house of the Lord, fulfilled in Matthew 27:9. He will be betrayed and rejected. The shepherd will be struck (13:7).
So interwoven among all this language, which at times is difficult to grasp, is the death of the Messiah. His death is not spoken of in terms of defeat; but, rather it culminates in victory. This is perhaps why we always find reading the prophets difficult. How does it all fit together? Zechariah makes more sense when you try and outline the book. The 8 visions of the prophet in chapters 1 through 8 echo a call to repentance. People need to return to the Lord. As a result of turning, there will be transformation and blessing. These are the themes of the first 8 chapters. But what of the future for God’s people? That’s chapters 9 through 14. In chapters 9–11 the King is coming to Jerusalem to deliver and destroy, but in chapters 12–14, the king is rejected and mourned over, and only then will there be restoration and celebration in victory. Ultimately this is in the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The fact that much prophecy is given in visions and oracles is an important factor in understanding the language of prophecy. We may miss the import of a passage because we see prophecy as merely “history written beforehand” as Milton Terry says (Biblical Hermeneutics, p. 412). When we see it simply as history written ahead of time we tend to see only literal interpretations, which we have to impose on the text to mean literally what they say. Terry cites Genesis 3:15 as a specific example. Here is the first prophecy which was given about the enmity between the serpent and the woman and her seed: “he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel.” This is not about a man stamping on the head of a snake or being bitten in the heel by a snake. That would be a literal interpretation and easily made (some have done it). But that is not what Genesis 3:15 is about at all. It’s a reference to the conflict between the children of light and darkness and their heads (Messiah and Satan – see Terry, p. 412, 413).
Don’t be discouraged by prophecy; rather recognize that the language used is highly figurative mixed with what is straight-forward and literal (see Psalm 22 as an example). Scripture requires thought and meditation. It is like chewing a good piece of steak. It needs to be savored and tasted. So “tolle lege” – take up and read and be satisfied.