CHAPTER 10

(487 B.C.)

NATURAL AND SPIRITUAL RAIN

¹Ask you of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field. (Even though this Chapter has some reference to the Prophets time, and even before, still, its basic and plenary fulfillment awaits the future. Ask you of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain, seems to be a strange thing asking rain in the time of rain. The idea is this:

Because of Israels Spiritual condition during the time of Jeremiah, the promised Latter Rain was withheld and the harvests were, therefore, sparse. Consequently, the Holy Spirit is saying that, had Israel not turned aside to idols, they would have received the early rain and the latter rain and would not have been carried away into captivity.

The phrase, So the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, speaks of the Lord as totally controlling the climatic conditions which either helped or hindered Israels harvests.

To every one grass in the field, speaks of a bountiful harvest, which, in its totality, will take place in the coming Kingdom Age.)

²For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd. (For the idols have spoken vanity, takes Israel back to the cause of her captivity idols. The word vanity means empty nothings. And the diviners have seen a lie, is the second superstition, and speaks of soothsayers, i.e., persons who pretended to predict the future.

And have told false dreams, speaks of a third group, which claims to have dreamed certain things, which speaks of direction, but is actually deceit.

The Scripture bluntly states: They comfort in vain! In other words, the poor dupes who believed this foolishness experienced a little comfort, but it proved to be short-lived.

Therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, refers to being led away into captivity. It was all because they trusted in vain superstitions instead of the Lord.

The Holy Spirit bluntly states: because there was no shepherd, i.e., no one to distinguish between right and wrong, no righteous shepherd.)

JUDAH STRENGTHENED TO FIGHT AT ARMAGEDDON

³My Anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the LORD of Hosts has visited His Flock the House of Judah, and has made them as His goodly Horse in the battle. (My Anger was kindled against the shepherds, has to do with the latter part of Verse 2. This speaks of Judahs last four kings. It was said of the last three of them, he did that which was evil in the Sight of the Lord [II Chron. 36:6, 9, 12].

And I punished the goats, refers to the other countries which overstepped their commission in the punishment of Israel.

For the LORD of Hosts has visited His Flock the House of Judah, refers to their coming Restoration; in fact, the first stages have already begun. The last phrase refers to the Lord giving Israel super strength in the Battle of Armageddon, as they oppose the Antichrist.)

⁴Out of Him came forth the corner, out of Him the nail, out of Him the battle bow, out of Him every oppressor together. (The Messiah is described here. He is the Cornerstone, He is the Tent Pole, He is the Battle Bow, and He is the Ruler. Out of Him every oppressor together, could have been better translated, from Him every expeller of oppression.)

⁵And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the LORD is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded. (The entire Scripture refers to great might given to Israel by the Lord during the Battle of Armageddon.)

JOSEPH AND JUDAH REGATHERED

⁶And I will strengthen the House of Judah, and I will save the House of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the LORD their God, and will hear them. (The introduction of Joseph in this Verse and Ephraim in Verse 7, for they both mean the same and refer to the Northern Kingdom of Israel, decide the futurity of this Prophecy; for they had no existence, as such, in Zechariahs day, nor have they at the present.

The first phrase of the Verse refers to both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms being once again joined and never again separated. This will take place in the coming Kingdom Age.)

⁷And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yes, their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the LORD. (This speaks of the time that Israel will accept Christ as Saviour, Lord, and Messiah. It will be almost immediately after the Second Coming [13:1].)

⁸I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased. (I will hiss for them, and gather them, actually means that the Lord summons them. And they shall increase as they have increased, refers to an explosive increase in population; again, this will take place in the Kingdom Age.)

THE DISPERSING AND REGATHERING OF ISRAEL

⁹And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember Me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again. (And I will sow them among the people, refers to Jews increasing among the nations of the world where they were to be scattered. This scattering took place first of all in the Babylonian Empire, and then, some 500 years later, by Rome.

This one phrase, I will sow, proclaims the Lords watchful Eye over them all of these centuries, even though they were out of Covenant. And they shall remember Me in far countries, means that they will attempt to maintain the Jewish way of worship wherever they may be.

The phrase, And they shall live with their children, simply means that despite all the efforts of Satan to exterminate these ancient people, the Promise is given here that Satan will not be successful. The three words, And turn again, have to do with their ultimate return to the Land of Israel, which, of course, began in 1948 [Isa. 35:10].)

¹⁰I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them. (Egypt and Assyria here represent all of Israels foes; for Egypt was the first and the Assyrian, i.e., Antichrist, will be the last. And place shall not be found for them, simply refers to the large number which will return to Israel in that coming Glad Day.)

¹¹And He shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away. (The idea of this Verse is: He [Messiah] shall pass through the sea of affliction. As Captain of His Peoples Deliverance, He will accompany them through their future affliction, as He led them through the Red Sea and through the Jordan.

And the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, refers to the Antichrist and his defeat at the Battle of Armageddon. And the scepter of Egypt shall depart away, concerns the Times of the Gentiles coming to an end, expressed in this manner.)

¹²And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in His Name, says the LORD. (To be strengthened in the Lord is the greatest strength of all! They shall walk up and down in His Name, means in Gods Beloved Son, and in safety, with dignity, as conquerors.)