Elihu continues

37:1-13 Elihu observes that God works through nature
37:14 So Job, Elihu says, do you understand these things?

Vs.11-13 show how He can display His love or His anger through using the same natural phenomenon.  He can bring the rain to grow the crops we need for sustenance.  He can also use the same medium for destruction. 

37:5  On the one hand Elihu says that it is not possible to comprehend the words of God yet on the other hand he is telling Job what his problem is – presumably because he understands God’s words!

37:14  Having spoken about the inability to understand God’s involvement in the way that things work in the natural world Elihu now suggests to Job that he ought to reflect on that, implying that Job cannot understand the way that God works in the lives of men – but then claims that he knows how He works!

37:8  It seems that Elihu is referring to animals which hibernate in winter so we have to conclude that Job was living in a less hospitable climate than that in Israel especially as there are many references to snow and frost in the book of Job.

Elihu invites job to consider the majesty of Yahweh.  He asks Job whether he had been a participant in creation with Yahweh (v.18).  This question is a precursor to the questions that Yahweh, Himself, will shortly ask Job. 

37:15-16 Now Elihu stands in God’s position, so to speak, asking Job whether he knows what God does.

12:6 Governors ... in a sheaf Obadiah 18
12:9 destroy all the nations Haggai 2:22
12:10 they shall look ... pierced John 19:37
12:11 -mageddon Revelation 16:16
12:10 they shall look ... and mourn Revelation 1:7
12:12 the land shall mourn Matthew 24:30

12:2 Jerusalem being a cup of trembling was a stark contrast to how she had been in the past and during the rebuilding of the walls and the temple. The adversaries of Judah and Benjamin were able to cause the inhabitants of Jerusalem to tremble. This message therefore, must have encouraged the inhabitants of the city.

ZECH. 12. As we come to the final section of Zechariah’s prophesy we see three themes being continually repeated.
Jerusalem.
That day.
All nations.

Zech 12:11. A special day was set aside for the mourning of Josiah. (2Chron 24:26) This suggests there will be a specific ceremony of mourning when Israel humbles itself before Christ and seeks divine help. (Eze 16:60-61) 

When Jesus returns, He will save His people from those who have invaded Israel and Jerusalem (vs.8,9; see also Eze 38,39).  The Jews will recognize Jesus as the Messiah (v.10).  Before Jesus destroys the invading enemy, many Jews will have be killed and much destruction will have occurred.  When relief is finally realized, there will be a great mourning for the loss (vs.11-14).  This will be reminiscent of the mourning given to Josiah (Hadad-Rimmon is a place in the Valley of Megiddo where the people mourned the death of Josiah) (2Chron 35:22-25).

Jerusalem will be “a burdensome stone for all people”, (Zech 12:3).  This has happened. Now their position is decided politically as to whether they have many Jewish people in their country, such as America which needs the Jewish vote. Jerusalem is of-course to be the centre of the new world government. The new world order will require the complete acceptance of King Jesus, which will mean that the Jews mourn at first, but rejoice later.

12:4 We are reading about God saving Israel and putting her enemies to flight. Israel had been told – Num 28:28 – that they would be smitten with madness if they were faithless. Now we see their enemies being struck I the same way. Israel, by now, have turned to God.

12:2 Having spoken about a regathering the prophet now speaks of yet another time of tribulation for Jerusalem. The people might have thought that was going to be just another accident of history. However the repeated use of ‘I’ in the rest of the chapters forces the recognition that the events that are to happen are at God’s instigation.

V.1 Zechariah confirms the creative power of the LORD as Elihu had in the Job reading.

12:6    The governors of Judah’  devouring ‘all the people’ is a fulfillment of what God promised through Obadiah - 1:18

Vs.12-14 The mourning for the Jesus will be shown by every faction of Jewish society.  Three comprehensive classes are described.  First the kingly class: from David to Nathan implies from the king down to his younger son (2Sam 5:14).  Then, there is the priestly class: from Levi to Shimei implies from the highest priestly order to the lowest (Num 3:18). Then, all families that remain.  They shall all mourn for the Lord, both male and female.

Messianic prophesy of Christ being pierced but with no bones broken; the scars of his crucifixion will be visible when he returns erasing any question that Jesus is the messiah - Zech 12:10;13:6;Psa 22:16-18;34:20;John 19:31-34,37.

And so once again we learn that Babylon - the arch enemy of Israel - is destroyed.

So here we are yet again back with Nebuchadnezzar's image.

10:1-10 The sweet book which became bitter in the belly catches the circumstances of Ezekiel 3:1-14. The word of God is sweet as honey Psalm 119:103. However the message which it delivers to those who are rebellious is bitter.

11:2 The treading under foot of the court by the gentiles draws on Luke 21:24. It is a period of the desolation of the things of God. However just as Jerusalem will be restored so will be the fortunes of the nation of Israel for 'all Israel shall be saved ' Romans 11:26. This will happen when 'the fullness of the gentiles is come in'. Romans 11:15.

14:9  There are many suggestions as to what the ‘mark of the beast’ actually is. There is no doubt it is the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church.

14:3 The ‘new song’ echoes what the redeemed sang in Rev 5:9

14:19  The treading of God’s enemies as in a winepress contrasts with Israel’s fortunes at the hand of the Babylonians – Lam 1:15

V.4 The true followers of Christ are called virgins, those not having defiled themselves with women.  This is a reference to following the Truth and not the spirit of error.  The Roman church is the apostate system which is characterized as the latter-day Babylon.  Amongst other things, she is called the MOTHER OF HARLOTS (Rev 17:5).  She carries the spirit of error and, anyone acceding to her ways, has committed spiritual harlotry with her.

V.8 Babylon will, of course, be destroyed by the Lord Jesus when he returns to earth.  What is of startling interest is the degree of destruction He will render.  In v.20 His destructive rage will extend to 1600 stadia.  This measurement approximates to 200 miles.  The patrimony of St. Peter, as claimed by the Catholic Church, extends 200 miles from Rome. 

14:11 the ascending smoke echoes what Abraham saw when Sodom was destroyed – Gen 19:28

14:11 When the ‘recompense’ of ‘Zion’ is seen – Isa 34:8 the ‘smoke’ of her enemies will ‘go up for ever’ which is echoed here in Revelation.