09/20/2025
GOD'S PROPHETIC CLOCK
Zechariah 12:10
Easy English Bible
They will weep for the man that they killed
10 I will cause the family of David and the people in Jerusalem to think seriously about me. Then they will know that I am kind to them. And they will want to pray to me. They will look at me whom they pierced (made holes in). They will weep about him as those that weep after the death of their only son. They will cry aloud as if their only son was dead.
The passage promises that the Lord will defend the city, causing confusion and defeat among the attackers, while the people of Judah and Jerusalem will be protected and strengthened by God's presence.
The prophecies given by God to Zechariah present the familiar theme of Israel's salvation and ultimate deliverance at the end of time. Unlike the initial judgment, the prophet will now encourage God's covenant people with a description of their restoration and blessing in the millennial kingdom, in keeping with God's character and honoring the meaning of the name "Zechariah," which is, "The Lord remembers."
Why does world history align with God's purposes? When we ignore God's purpose in creating the world, we misinterpret God's perspective.
God created the world for a purpose that includes His own glory and the well-being of creatures. Through creation, God intended for humans to glorify Him, enjoy Him, establish relationships, work in harmony, and exercise dominion over the Earth. Although this original purpose was affected by sin, God has continued to fulfill His plan so that the Earth will ultimately be a paradise inhabited by people who live in harmony and enjoy eternal life.
For His own glory: God created all things to manifest His glory, His holy name, and His power.
What happens in Jerusalem and its surrounding nations is not foreign to the biblical narrative. The Middle East is not only the epicenter of many of the world's current conflicts. It is also the beating heart of biblical prophecy. From the time of Abraham to John's visions on the Isle of Patmos, the Scriptures show us that the nations surrounding Israel have been and will continue to be key players in the fulfillment of God's plan.
It is no coincidence that names like Israel, Persia, Damascus, Tyre, Sidon, Gaza, and Babylon appear again and again in the Bible. These regions, today represented by countries like Israel, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, and Iraq, are central players in the events of the end, according to the biblical eschatological perspective.
Israel – The Prophetic Epicenter
Biblical Names: Israel / Judah / Jerusalem
Key Prophecies:
1. Ezekiel 36–37: National and Spiritual Restoration
2. Zechariah 12:2–3: Jerusalem Will Be a Stumbling Block to the Nations
3. Matthew 24:15–16: The Abomination of Desolation in the Temple
4. Zechariah 14:4: The Messiah Will Return to the Mount of Olives
Israel is more than a nation; it is God's prophetic clock. From its election in Abraham, through exile and dispersion, to its modern restoration in 1948, Israel's history has been the stage where God's plan for humanity unfolds.
In the future, it will also be the stage for:
1. The Great Tribulation
2. The final battle against the nations
3. The glorious return of our Lord
Praying for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6) is not simply a gesture of goodwill. It is aligning oneself with God's heart. Being attentive to events in Israel is part of discerning the times in which we live (Matthew 24:32–33).
IRAN – The Enemy from the North
Biblical Name: Persia
Key Prophecies:
1. Ezekiel 38:5: Persia as an ally in Gog's attack against Israel
2. Daniel 10:13, 20: The "Prince of Persia," a spiritual figure of opposition
Iran is a nation that, both spiritually and politically, represents an opposing force to God's people. According to Ezekiel, it will be part of a coalition that will invade Israel in the end times. This ancient nation, once used by God, will take on a different role in the eschatological outcome. That is, a nation that in the past served a purpose of restoration, will play a completely opposite role in the future.
The spiritual and geopolitical opposition toward Israel is neither new nor accidental. Behind the nations are invisible forces (Daniel 10) that act according to God's purposes or against them. This calls us to intercede in everything that is happening.
SYRIA – The Prophecy Against Damascus
Biblical Names: Syria / Damascus
Key Prophecies:
1. Isaiah 17:1: "Damascus will cease to be a city"
2. Jeremiah 49:23–27: Oracle of Judgment Against Damascus
Isaiah prophesies the total destruction of Damascus, one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world. This word has not yet been fully fulfilled, reminding us that there are still pending prophecies. Some Bible interpreters believe this could occur shortly before or during the events of the Great Tribulation.
Not everything has been fulfilled yet. God continues to write history, and not one of His words falls to the ground or returns to Him empty-handed. We live in times of fulfillment, and that should keep us alert
LEBANON – Pride, Idolatry, and Judgment
Biblical Names: Tyre, Sidon, Lebanon
Prophetic Key:
1. Ezekiel 26-28: Judgment against Tyre
2. Isaiah 23: Judgment on Sidon
3. Mark 7:24-30: Jesus ministers in that region
Tyre and Sidon were influential commercial and political centers. Their fall was not only political but also spiritual: they symbolize pride, unfair trade, and idolatry. Ezekiel 28 compares the king of Tyre to a figure evoking the fall of Lucifer, revealing the spiritual background of these empires.
The spirit of Babylon is not just a city; it's an attitude and a system. Lebanon reminds us that God judges arrogance, corruption, and self-sufficiency. He overthrows every throne that opposes His.
GAZA – Land of Perpetual Conflict
Biblical Names: Gaza / Philistia
Key Prophecies:
1. Joel 3:4–8: Judgment against Gaza for enslaving God's people
2. Amos 1:6–8: Judgment for its persistent violence
Gaza has been a zone of conflict with Israel since ancient times. The Philistine spirit represents a systematic resistance to God's covenant. In the days of Samson and David, and even today, this opposition persists. The prophecies show us that God is not indifferent to violence against His people. Goliath and other Philistine giants surely came from the region that includes Gaza. Although the Bible does not specifically say that Goliath was born in Gaza, he was a Philistine, and Gaza was one of the five major cities of the Philistines.
We must pray not only for Israel, but also for the peoples of the region living in the midst of conflict. God's purpose is not destruction in itself, but redemption. But in the meantime, we must be aware of the underlying spiritual conflict.
IRAQ – Babylon: The Fall of the World System
Biblical Name: Babylon
Key Prophecies:
1. Isaiah 13-14: Fall of Babylon
2. Revelation 17-18: Babylon as a Religious and Economic System
Babylon was a literal empire and also, as we have seen, a spiritual symbol. In Revelation, it represents the anti-Christian world system that will be destroyed: a network of idolatry, corrupt trade, and rebellion. Its fall will mark the end of the hegemony of the Antichrist's system. Hegemony is the predominant influence, authority, or dominance of one group over others, often through consent rather than Mere coercion.
Definitions of this 2 words
"Mere coercion “describes the act of forcing or intimidating someone into a decision or action, “Hegemony is the political, economic, or military predominance or control of one state over others. Basically it's the power or control that one state holds over others, usually others in the same region.”
The true struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual structures. Today, Babylon may cloak itself in modernity, progress, or tolerance, but if its core is contrary to God, it is destined to fall. We must remain firm in the Kingdom that will not be shaken.
What Israel did was understand that it needs God, as stated in Zechariah 12:10: "I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication; and they will look on me, whom they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only son, and they will lament for him as one mourns for a firstborn."
Meaning of the Prophecy:
1. A "Cup of Trembling" (v. 2): Jerusalem will become an object that causes panic and confusion among all the surrounding peoples. Nations will gather against it, but they will not be able to overcome it.
2. A "Heavy Stone" (v. 3): The city will become an unbearable burden for those who try to move or attack it. Those who try to hold it or carry it will be "cut to pieces."
3. God's Protection and Victory: In verse 6, the leaders of Judah are described as acting as a "fire pit" and a "torch," consuming the surrounding peoples. In verse 8, the Lord promises that the weakest of Jerusalem's inhabitants will be like David, and the house of David like God.
Context and Application:
1. End-Time: The prophecy relates to the siege of Jerusalem in the last days, prior to the second coming of Jesus Christ.
A siege is a strategic action in which a strategically important place is blockaded to wear down its occupants and force their surrender, while hostile forces are used to prevent the entry or exit of supplies from the city, with the goal of forcing its surrender.
2. Confusion and Defeat of the Enemies: It describes how God will strike the horses and their riders with madness, while keeping His eyes open on Judah.
3. Strength of Jerusalem: Despite the attack of all nations, God will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, ensuring that the city remains inhabited.
4. Recognition of Jesus: This prophecy anticipates the time when the nations (and the people of Israel) will recognize Jesus as the Messiah, whom they pierced, and will mourn for Him.
