Dec 1

Zechariah 8:21-23
Memorise Zechariah 9:9
“Thus saith the LORD of hosts”

The root problem with the anti-Israel millennialists is in their method of interpreting Scripture. How do the anti-Israel millennialists interpret the prophecies in the Bible that have to do with Israel? Well, they explain these prophecies away by saying that these prophecies are not to be taken literally but spiritually. They spiritualise away all the prophecies which deal with the nation of Israel and the second coming of Christ.

How do they do it? For an example, let us turn to Zechariah 8:21-23. Zechariah 8:21-23 is a prophecy that will be fulfilled in the millennium, but the anti-Israel millennialists say, “No, it is fulfilled by Christians and by the church.” Zechariah 8:21-23 reads, “Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem (read “Church”), and to pray before the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew (read “Christian”), saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you”. The anti-Israel millennialists say “Jerusalem” means “Church,” and “Jew” means “Christian.” Is this how we should understand this passage? If this is how we should spiritualise the Scriptures, then how about Zechariah 9:9 which says, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter  of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.” This prophecy—was it not fulfilled literally by the Lord Jesus Christ  in His triumphal entry into Jerusalem (cf Luke 19:38)? The fallacy of the anti-Israel interpretation of prophecy is obvious. If Zechariah 9 is literal, why should Zechariah 8 be spiritual?

How many verses will we misunderstand if we adopt this anti-Israel millennial method of interpreting prophecy? Not one or two, but 4,200!

Thought:“When the plain sense makes good sense, seek no other sense.”
Prayer: Lord, I thank Thee that Thy Word is plain and clear