17 And it will be that if any one of all the families of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to give worship to the King, the Lord of armies, on them there will be no rain.
Those who do work on the land are in fear, for there has been no rain on the land, and the farmers are shamed, covering their heads.
For the nation or kingdom which will not be your servant will come to destruction; such nations will be completely waste.
Let your wrath be let loose on the nations which have no knowledge of you, and on the families who give no worship to your name: for they have made a meal of Jacob, truly they have made a meal of him and put an end to him and made his fields a waste.
These have the power to keep the heaven shut, so that there may be no rain in the days when they are prophets: and they have power over the waters to make them into blood, and to send every sort of disease on the earth as their pleasure is.
But you, why do you make yourself your brother's judge? or again, why have you no respect for your brother? because we will all have to take our place before God as our judge. For it is said in the holy Writings, By my life, says the Lord, to me every knee will be bent, and every tongue will give worship to God.
And he has made of one blood all the nations of men living on all the face of the earth, ordering their times and the limits of their lands, So that they might make search for God, in order, if possible, to get knowledge of him and make discovery of him, though he is not far from every one of us:
And I have kept back the rain from you, when it was still three months before the grain-cutting: I sent rain on one town and kept it back from another: one part was rained on, and the part where there was no rain became a waste. So two or three towns went wandering to one town looking for water, and did not get enough: and still you have not come back to me, says the Lord.
You only of all the families of the earth have I taken care of: for this reason I will send punishment on you for all your sins.
These are the families of the sons of Noah, in the order of their generations and their nations: from these came all the nations of the earth after the great flow of waters.
By myself have I taken an oath, a true word has gone from my mouth, and will not be changed, that to me every knee will be bent, and every tongue will give honour.
In the day of his wrath kings will be wounded by the Lord at your right hand. He will be judge among the nations, the valleys will be full of dead bodies; the head over a great country will be wounded by him.
Make your request to me, and I will give you the nations for your heritage, and the farthest limits of the earth will be under your hand. They will be ruled by you with a rod of iron; they will be broken like a potter's vessel. So now be wise, you kings: take his teaching, you judges of the earth. Give worship to the Lord with fear, kissing his feet and giving him honour, For fear that he may be angry, causing destruction to come on you, because he is quickly moved to wrath. Happy are all those who put their faith in him.
When heaven is shut up and there is no rain, because of their sin against you: if they make prayers with their faces turned to this place, honouring your name and turning away from their sin when you send trouble on them:
When heaven is shut up and there is no rain, because of their sin against you; if they make prayers with their faces turned to this place, honouring your name and turning away from their sin when you send trouble on them:
For if you do so, the wrath of the Lord will be burning against you, and the heaven will be shut up so that there is no rain and the land will give no fruit; and in a very little time you will be cut off from the good land which the Lord is giving you.
Your seed will be like the dust of the earth, covering all the land to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south: you and your seed will be a name of blessing to all the families of the earth.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Zechariah 14
Commentary on Zechariah 14 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 14
Divers things were foretold, in the two foregoing chapters, which should come to pass "in that day;' this chapter speaks of a "day of the Lord that cometh,' a day of his judgment, and ten times in the foregoing chapters, and seven times in this, it is repeated, "in that day;' but what that day is that is here meant is uncertain, and perhaps will be so (as the Jews speak) till Elias comes; whether it refer to the whole period of time from the prophet's days to the days of the Messiah, or to some particular events in that time, or to Christ's coming, and the setting up of his kingdom upon the ruins of the Jewish polity, we cannot determine, but divers passages here seem to look as far forward as gospel-times. Now the "day of the Lord' brings with it both judgment and mercy, mercy to his church, judgment to her enemies and persecutors.
Zec 14:1-7
God's providences concerning his church are here represented as strangely changing and strangely mixed.
Zec 14:8-15
Here are,
Zec 14:16-21
Three things are here foretold:-