16 Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. 17 If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, they will have no rain. 18 If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain. The Lord will bring on them the plague he inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. 19 This will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles.
Again we are faced with some chronological problems. We have just witnessed a portrait of the New Heavens and New Earth and if we read Zechariah 14 with wooden literalism it becomes challenging to assume that nations will come and worship in Jerusalem, but some will not. Keil and Delitzsch warn us to this when they write: "We must not infer from the way in which this is carried out in Zechariah 14:17-19, that at the time of the completion of the kingdom of God there will still be heathen, who will abstain from the worship of the true God." McComiskey is helpful here as to providing the trajectory of this passage. He categorizes this type of prophecy as a hypothetical allusion:
"The hypothetical allusion here envisions the end of all rebellion against God. No such nations will exist in this time, of course, but, by the way of example, should such rebellion arise it will not continue to exist in God's eternal kingdom . . . again the prophet's allusion affirms the absolute rule of God. [1]
So why the Festival of Tabernacles or Booths? "The reason Tabernacles (or Booths) will be selected as the festival for representatives of the various Gentile nations is that "it was the last and greatest festival of the Jewish year, gathering up into itself, as it were, the year's worship." [2] This appears to represent symbolically the great universal call of the Gospel that sounded around the world following Pentecost that last and final Feast in Acts 2. It is here that the Gospel invitation went out to the Gentiles.
The point is that this passage affirms that saved Gentiles will share in God's kingdom and worship Him in obedience. This call to the Gentiles that started with the pagan, idol-worshiping Abram and was exemplified in the King of Jerusalem, Melchizedek, is also seen in the call of Abimelech (Genesis 21:22), Rahab (Joshua 2:11), Ruth (1:16) or Naaman (2 Kings 5:15). Similarly, it is observed in the worship of the Magi (Matthew 2:1–12), centurions (Matt 8:5–13; Mark 15:39; Acts 10), or even the Syro-Phoenician woman (Mark 7:26–30), let alone the multitude of Gentile converts mentioned in Acts.
Father, as a Gentile worshiper, I am amazed at Your grace from before time began, that You would seek to build the House of David through the inclusion of Gentiles. Every tongue, every tribe, every nation in Your Kingdom, to the praise of Your glorious grace. Thank you for Your mercy. The fullness of Your Kingdom has not come because the fullness of the Gentiles is not in the Door. Continue to save Your elect. Grant Your Church amazing opportunities to preach and invite others to Your Christ and our Savior. Amen and amen!
"The hypothetical allusion here envisions the end of all rebellion against God. No such nations will exist in this time, of course, but, by the way of example, should such rebellion arise it will not continue to exist in God's eternal kingdom . . . again the prophet's allusion affirms the absolute rule of God. [1]
So why the Festival of Tabernacles or Booths? "The reason Tabernacles (or Booths) will be selected as the festival for representatives of the various Gentile nations is that "it was the last and greatest festival of the Jewish year, gathering up into itself, as it were, the year's worship." [2] This appears to represent symbolically the great universal call of the Gospel that sounded around the world following Pentecost that last and final Feast in Acts 2. It is here that the Gospel invitation went out to the Gentiles.
The point is that this passage affirms that saved Gentiles will share in God's kingdom and worship Him in obedience. This call to the Gentiles that started with the pagan, idol-worshiping Abram and was exemplified in the King of Jerusalem, Melchizedek, is also seen in the call of Abimelech (Genesis 21:22), Rahab (Joshua 2:11), Ruth (1:16) or Naaman (2 Kings 5:15). Similarly, it is observed in the worship of the Magi (Matthew 2:1–12), centurions (Matt 8:5–13; Mark 15:39; Acts 10), or even the Syro-Phoenician woman (Mark 7:26–30), let alone the multitude of Gentile converts mentioned in Acts.
Father, as a Gentile worshiper, I am amazed at Your grace from before time began, that You would seek to build the House of David through the inclusion of Gentiles. Every tongue, every tribe, every nation in Your Kingdom, to the praise of Your glorious grace. Thank you for Your mercy. The fullness of Your Kingdom has not come because the fullness of the Gentiles is not in the Door. Continue to save Your elect. Grant Your Church amazing opportunities to preach and invite others to Your Christ and our Savior. Amen and amen!
_____________________________________
1. Zechariah, Thomas Edward McComiskey, The Minor Prophets, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, Mich., USA, 1998, Page 1233
2. Expositor's Bible Commentary, The, Pradis CD-ROM:Zechariah/Exposition of Zechariah/V. Two Prophetic Oracles: The Great Messianic Future and the Full Realization of the Theocracy (9:1-14:21)/B. The Second Oracle: The Advent and Reception of the Messiah (12:1-14:21)/2. The Messiah's return and his kingdom (14:1-21)/e. The universal worship of the King (14:16-19), Book Version: 4.0.2
2. Expositor's Bible Commentary, The, Pradis CD-ROM:Zechariah/Exposition of Zechariah/V. Two Prophetic Oracles: The Great Messianic Future and the Full Realization of the Theocracy (9:1-14:21)/B. The Second Oracle: The Advent and Reception of the Messiah (12:1-14:21)/2. The Messiah's return and his kingdom (14:1-21)/e. The universal worship of the King (14:16-19), Book Version: 4.0.2
No comments:
Post a Comment