And what God is saying in this text is: if God can use a pagan king in such a miraculous way to judge the ungodly and to save God's people, imagine what he can do with a divine king yet to come in the future. The judgment will be all the greater. And the salvation will be all the greater, as much greater as Christ is than Alexander. Welcome to Grace to You, the Bible teaching ministry of John MacArthur. I'm your host, Phil Johnson.
300 years before Christ, Alexander the Great became king of Macedonia. The remarkable thing, he was only 20 years old. Yet the most significant aspect of his reign was not his age, it was his military success. He conquered vast regions spanning the Middle East and Egypt. But there's something even more astounding about Alexander's reign that is not so well known.
His military success actually proves that Jesus is coming back. You'll see the connection between this ancient conqueror and the second coming of Christ, as John MacArthur continues his study here on Grace to You, called The Return and Reign of Jesus Christ. And now here's John. Take your Bible, if you will, and look with me at the book of Zechariah. Zechariah chapter 9, a great, great prophetic word comes to us in this chapter.
Now Zachariah in the ninth chapter writes about the overthrow of world power and the establishment of Jesus Christ as the king. In fact, from chapter 9 through 14, which is the end of the book. From 9 to 14, that whole section is prophecy related to what I call the downfall of the nations and the salvation of Israel. The whole end of the book, the downfall of the nations and the salvation of Israel.
Now you'll notice at the end of verse 1, It says, when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the Lord.
Now he says, This judgment is going to come, and when it comes, the eyes of mankind in Hebrew, in other words, humankind, people. The eyes of people The eyes of mankind, this is a collective thing, as well as the eyes of the tribes of Israel shall be toward the Lord. And you say, well, what does that mean? Just this, that when Alexander began to sweep to the east, The whole world. in fear.
began to fix their gaze on him. The Gentile countries, Syria. Phoenicia, the great sailors of the world, the merchants of the world, Philistia, the great army. Those nations began to look at Alexander with fear and trembling, and even Egypt and Pharaoh was shaking in his boots. And the tribes of Israel were looking, you say, but John, it says here, they were looking toward the Lord, and that's the whole point here.
The point is that in looking at Alexander, they were seeing the instrument of God, you see. They were seeing the Lord coming in judgment through this man. God throughout history has used ungodly men to act in judgment. Read the book of Abakot. God uses the Chaldeans, the ungodly Chaldeans, as his instruments.
And you remember how Cyrus. Cyrus, who was an ungodly pagan, was used by God to open the door to lead Israel back to its land. God again and again has used the ungodly. Do you know that even Herod became a servant of the Lord, didn't he? In his own unwitting, foolish rebellion against God, God used him to bring about what ultimately amounted as the death of Jesus Christ.
The act that redeemed all the redeemed of all the ages. God has always used the wrath of men to praise Him. God has often used pagan people to bring about His judgment. And He uses Alexander the Great. Alexander the Great, before you want to give Him all the credit, was a tool of God to accomplish God's judgment against pagan nations.
After He's done with Syria, it says at the end of verse 2: He comes to Tyre and Sidon. Tyre and Sidon, though it be very wise.
Now, Tyre and Sidon, Sidon, incidentally, was a small city, its only significance being in its proximity and attachment to Tyre, which was the great city. And Tyre and Sidon were the capital cities of the country of Phoenicia. Phoenicia was the land of the great maritime Accomplishments, great ships and shipbuilding and merchantry went on in Phoenicia. This was a great empire. Tyre was the main city, and Sidon was seen only as it accommodated itself to Tyre.
But even though it was exceedingly wise, And even though verse 3 says, Tyre did build herself a stronghold, and heaped up silver like the dust, and fine gold like the mire of the streets, behold, the Lord will cast her out, and he will smite her power in the sea, and she shall be devoured with fire.
Now you see, this is a marvelous and amazing, incredible statement. And we'll see how it comes to pass in a minute. But even though Tyre and Sidon were, first of all, very wise, they had all worldly wisdom, they really felt themselves invincible, incidentally. They felt nobody could conquer them. You see, years before Alexander ever got there.
They had been conquered. And when they were conquered, by the Babylonians. They proceeded to move their city from the mainland to an island a half mile offshore. And they had set up housekeeping on that island, and it was a very small island, and it was a fortress. It was literally a rock.
And when it says there in verse 3, Tyre did build herself a stronghold, that's a pun in the Hebrew. It would literally be A Tor did build herself a matior. In other words, it's the same word. Stronghold build herself a stronghold. The city was built on a fortified rock.
And then in addition to that, they built a wall around the entire island 150 feet high. 150 feet high. That was the wall around Tyre, to say nothing of the fact that it was a half mile offshore, and nothing to the fact that the Phoenicians were the greatest sailors with the greatest navies in the world to defend it. They felt they were invincible, but they were evil. It was a vile, evil city.
To show that to you, look at Ezekiel 28. And I want to show you how bad this place was. Ezekiel 28. Verse 1: The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying, Son of man, say to the Prince of Tyre, Thus saith the Lord God, because thine heart is lifted up and thou hast said, I am a God. I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas.
Yet thou art a man and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God. Listen, the human prince really had an ego problem, didn't he? I am a God, he says. I am invincible. I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the sea.
Nobody can do anything with me. And he attacks this. Proud king. But I want you to notice something in verse 11. All of a sudden there's a dramatic change.
And the Spirit of God goes behind the human prince to the real power. Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus saith the Lord God, Thou sealest up the sum full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden, the garden of God. Who was the most beautiful angel, the one that appeared in Eden? Satan, every precious stone was thy covering, and he lists them.
Verse 14, Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth, and I have set thee so. Thou wast on the holy mountain of God, thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. He was in heaven. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day thou wast created till iniquity was found in thee. You see?
This is Satan. You want to know something? Satan is not omnipresent. He can only be at one place at one time, and he chose to set up his kingdom entirely. That'll give you some idea of how rotten it is.
And before you judge God for judging these nations, you have to realize what they had stooped to. Satan was the king. of Tyre. The man who was the human instrument was a possessed man, possessed by the devil himself.
So corrupted, so God-opposing, so dishonoring, so debauched. that God used Alexander the Great to judge.
So, though they were smart, and by the way, they were fortified, and by the way, they were loaded with money. They piled up silver and gold like the dust.
Now that's a lot. There was as much silver and gold in there as there was dirt. Incredibly wealthy place. In fact, Isaiah 23:4 calls it the stronghold of the sea. They were proud, they were invincible, they were wealthy.
But worldly wisdom? And natural strength and fortification and material resources are absolutely useless when God comes in judgment, right? No defense. Verse 4. Behold, the Lord will cast her out.
And he will smite her power in the sea. and she shall be devoured with fire. Want to know something? Every single detail in that verse was accomplished by Alexander the Great. He came there.
And he got very upset. He sent a boat out and said, I want supplies from you. And they said, forget it, Alexander. Who are you?
So he took all the rubble that was left from the city. The ancient city threw it in the sea and he built a causeway. One half mile, he built a causeway. That's how serious he was about this. He got real irritated.
He did it in seven months. And he marched his army out there and defeated the city. He also got all of the surrounding nations, which he had conquered, to get all of their navies together and use them to help. In the effort. In seven months, listen.
Shalmaneser couldn't do it in five years. He did it in seven months. Nebuchadnezzar couldn't do it in 13 years. He did it in seven months. Because it was time for God's judgment, see?
The city came crashing down. It was the end. Today there is absolutely nothing there of any significance whatsoever. You see what God is saying here? He's saying, look, people.
I am going to judge the nations in the end. I'm going to come in judgment with my Messiah, and just to show you that I can do it with the Messiah, look what I could do with a pagan. I could knock off the most fortified, impregnable, invincible city in the world.
Now when my Messiah comes, there will be no escaping. You see the point? And so, when this came to pass with Alexander the Great, it was like a great big signpost saying you're on the right track. God will keep his promise. He kept it here at part one of the prophecy, you can be sure for part two.
Now he's done with Syria, wipe them out. He's done with Phoenicia, wipe them out, moving south. The next place he comes. Mr. Philistia.
Verse 5. Ashkelon shall see it and fear. Geza shall see it and be very sorrowful. Ekron? For her expectation shall be ashamed, and the king shall perish from Geza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.
And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod? and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
Now stop there for a second. By now the Philistines are shaking in their proverbial sandals. They have watched Alexander wipe out the Medo-Persian power in the battle of Isis. They have seen him sweep with lightning swiftness to the east. They have seen him do in Syria.
and in seven months wipe out an impregnable fortress And take for all intents and purposes the whole nation of Phoenicia, and now they see him coming south and they panic, and they have well right to panic because he comes right to Philistia and. accomplishes the same thing. He conquered them. In fact, it's most interesting that history records something of Alexander's defeat of Giza. In detail.
It says in this verse: the king shall perish from Geza. And do you know that in the annals of Alexander, which we have, that is exactly what happened? You see, all the other cities kind of went down easy. They didn't want to get too involved in fighting Alexander. They did the best they could for a little while, they gave up.
But Geza tried to resist, and it took him five months to get to Geza, and by the end of the five months, he was very angry. And sort of show his anger. He gave them no semi-independence, which he did for nations that knuckled under. And he took their king. took great spikes.
and drilled holes through the feet of the king. wrapped farms through the holes and dragged him through the streets of the city till he was dead. The annals of Alexander even give his name. His name is Betas, B-E-T-I-S, or B-A-T-I-S. Either one, we see it in both ways.
Exactly what verse five said. Hundreds of years before Alexander. was ever born. You understand the meaning of that? And it says in verse 6: And a bastard, a mamzer in Hebrew, a foreigner, a mongrel people, shall dwell in Ashdod.
In other words, the Philistines would lose their country to some kind of scavengers.
Some mongrel people. Why? Because they were proud, and God broke their pride with Alexander. They've never been anything since. Their name doesn't even exist.
But you know something? There's a little bit of grace in verse 7. Because even in the terrible destruction of the Philistines, there was something good. Verse 7 says: And the purging that occurs of the Philistines will cause this: I'll take away his blood out of his mouth. and his abominations from between his teeth.
But he that remaineth, even he shall be for our God. He shall be like a governor in Judah, and Ekron like a Jebusite. And I want you to get the idea here. The Philistine nation in verse 7 is pictured like a man.
Okay? Like a man.
Now, this man has blood in his mouth and abominations between his teeth. Say what's that? Philistines and their pagan worship. Used to make Blasphemous sacrifices. And they would drink the blood.
And eat. The sacrificial meat. You don't like in 1 Corinthians 8, meat offered to idols? and drinking blood. Acts 15 talks about the pagans did that.
And so they were doing that, literally drinking blood and eating abominating sacrifices. And he says here that this purging by God, this use of Alexander to wipe out their country, will cause them to spit out their idolatry. To take the blood out of their mouths and the abominations from between their teeth, and he that remains, those who remain after this. Shall be for our God. You know what it had?
It had actually a redeeming effect on the remnant of the Philistines.
So that at the time of Alexander, some of the Philistines turned to God. You know, in any time of God's judgment, there's always a place for the repentant remnant, isn't there? Yes? Remember in Malachi when God says, I'm going to come in judgment, and some gathered together and began to pray, and He said, Oh, I haven't forgotten you. I have a book of remembrance for you, and you shall be mine in the day that I make up my jewels.
God always remembers the repentant, no matter what the circumstance of judgment. And so he says that this is going to have a good effect. They'll spit out their idols. They'll be taken out of their mouths. And the remaining ones shall be for our God.
And they'll become like a, literally a kiliarch, like a thousand. Ruler, or like a commander, a man who has authority over a thousand in Judah. They'll become like a ruler in Judah. They'll become really what he's saying important. They'll become like a big shot.
They'll move into Judah. You say, well, were proselytes in those days looked down on? No, no. Don't you see what he's saying here? These Philistines, as pagan as they were, once they spit out their idols and come to God, they will be in Israel like a ruler.
See? God exalts that. God didn't just say, Well, I know you're a pagan, you can come in, you're not an Israelite, you can find a place in the back there. No. He made him a ruler over thousands, as it were.
And he says they'll Make Ekron, which is the symbol of the people of Philistia, from the city of Ekron, like Jebusites. You say, What is that? You remember who dwelt in the city of Jerusalem when David took it? Jebusides? And when David took the city and made it the city of God, many of the Jebusites believed in the true God, and they remained in that city.
And he's saying the same thing here. They're going to be accepted just like the Jebusites.
So, literally, there would be a revival there, and there would be those who would be a part of Israel's life because they worshiped Israel's God, and it would be not unlike 2 Samuel 24, where you have Aruana, who was the Jebusite who became a respected and beloved friend of David.
So judgment is coming, says Zachariah, and it's going to come in a marvelous way. It's going to come sweeping to the east through Syria, Phoenicia, Philistia, and south to Israel. And nobody in history can fulfill that except Alexander the Great, and he did. It's one of the greatest signposts of prophecy in the Bible. You say, well, I got a little hunch in my mind that I know who's next in line.
See if you go right south, Phoenicia, Philistia.
Next stop, Jerusalem. You're right. You're right. And I will encamp about mine house because of the army. Because of him that passeth by.
and because of him that returneth. and no oppressor shall pass through them any more. For now I have seen. With mine eyes. This is God talking.
Now, let me take you to the first part of the verse. The first part of the verse is amazing in that it precisely describes the exact advance against Palestine. If you want to check it, volume 11 of Josephus. Section 8-3 Jewish historian. Watch this.
Notice it says God will encamp about mine house. What would that be? Where was God's dwelling place? Jerusalem. And God would encamp, and the army would pass by, and then it would do what?
Return. Most interesting. Alexander. And you notice this, that they would never conquer Jerusalem. God would encamp it and protect it.
Says nothing about a conquering of Jerusalem. Minehouse, God will encamp. Here's what happened. Alexander. Sent word.
To the Jewish high priest at that time, whose name was Jadua, J-A-D-D-U-A. And he said, you must pay tribute to me.
Well, Jadawa was caught between a rock and a hard place because he had his allegiance to Persia, because Persia had ruling the world at that time and it was just in the middle of the conquering there, and so he refused. to do that.
Well, Alexander went in a rage. And he said, I'm coming and I'm going to destroy Jerusalem to its foundations. as soon as I'm finished with the rest of these cities. on the way.
So after taking Geza and dragging King Betas clear through town, Wiping out that. He planned to go to Jerusalem. And the high priest called all the people of Israel together. According to Josephus, And he demanded that they all sacrifice to God and fall on their knees and pray. for deliverance.
And one night God gave the high priest a dream. And he told him in the dream to go out and meet Alexander on the road. and welcome him to the city. Which would have been a little strange.
So he did.
So Alexander and his army were marching along to the city, and the high priest went out to meet him, and he led a procession. The high priest put on his purple robes and his scarlet robes and his mitre with its gold and the inscription. The name of God engraved. He had all the attendant priests, and you know, there were priests, and priests, and priests, and priests, and priests all over the place in Israel.
So many priests that you could only serve if you're lucky once a year because you had to wait your turn. How many of them? They were all there marching in white. And when he saw this, he was literally bowled over by it. And he saluted with respect to God.
And he bent down and bowed. And he said that he had recently had a dream while he was in Macedonia. And in that dream, he had seen this very priest and this procession. And as a result, he said, I'll treat Jerusalem with kindness. He passed by to Egypt.
He returned right back by again and never touched the hair of a head of anybody in Jerusalem. Isn't that what it says in verse 8? What happened? I'll encamp about my house because of the army. because of him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth, and no oppressor shall pass through them any more.
For now I have seen with mine eyes. Isn't it interesting? Alexander, watch this one, judged the nations. But he also was used to save the city of Jerusalem. And what God is saying in this text is: if God can use a pagan king in such a miraculous way to judge the ungodly and to save God's people, imagine what he can do with a divine king yet to come in the future.
The judgment will be all the greater. As much greater as Christ is than Alexander. and the salvation will be all the greater. as much greater as Christ is than Alexander. It was really the Lord.
The I will hear. refers to the Lord.
Now, in the middle of verse 8, and I have to note this, we bridge the centuries. We literally bridge the centuries. Because when it says, and no oppressor shall pass through them anymore. That can only refer to the second coming. And there is the transition in the chapter.
All of a sudden, the Holy Spirit takes us in a huge leap from Alexander to Jesus Christ. And when Jesus comes. And destroys the nations. And saves his people, then no oppressor will ever pass through them anymore. For God has seen with his eyes.
In other words, the sight of God toward Israel, that all of the affliction has been enough. And God says, I've seen all I'm going to see. It's all over. It's all peace. From here on out.
It's all the Messiah. Prince of Peace, the kingdom, the glory. From here on. And so We see the human conqueror. And he's just A signpost.
to keep our eyes on the fact That if that part of the prophecy was fulfilled, Believe me, the second part will be also. Jesus will come. And he will judge the nations in a judgment infinitely beyond anything Alexander ever dreamed. with a might and a power beyond the conception of man.
So that the whole earth will literally fall in judgment. And Alexander is a signpost of salvation as we see him. Save and spare the people of Israel.
So shall we see in the day that Jesus comes. that he'll spare his people. Israel. The Bible says he'll redeem Israel. And give them their kingdom.
You're listening to Grace to You, the Bible teaching ministry of John MacArthur. John's current series is titled The Return and Reign of Jesus Christ.
Now, when you're interpreting prophetic books like Zechariah, perhaps the most important question you can ask is this one: How do I know whether a certain passage should be interpreted literally or not? John considered that question with me a while back. I think you'll find his comments helpful. Let's hear them now. The simple answer is that everything in the Bible has a literal interpretation.
That is, everything is precise in terms of actual history, actual divine truth. Nothing is ultimately symbolic. Not allegorical. Or allegorical. But you'd allow for normal figures of speech.
Well, within any literal interpretation, of course, you have figures of speech. You know, when God is spoken of as holding us in His everlasting arms, it doesn't mean He has arms or covering us with His wings. It doesn't mean He's a bird. You have figures of speech, you have parables, you have analogies.
So, is that what people mean when they say you should interpret the Bible? Literally, but not woodenly literal. Yeah, I think the way you would interpret. Any normal conversation. If I say, you know, that building is as high as the sky, well, we know what you mean.
So, yeah, there are normal Figures of speech used, but the intent of Scripture is that its accurate interpretation is literal in the sense that it is revealing truth. Yeah, now you say. It's revealed truth and the emphasis on revealed. It's not giving us a coded message. No, and to go one step further, Phil.
You don't have figures of speech that can be interpreted any way you want, as if everybody can make his own interpretation of these things. Because they are figures of speech, everybody might have his own spin. They are figures of speech. that are part of a precise Revelation of God that has to be accurately interpreted. That's right, friend.
And if you want to dig even deeper into the book of Zechariah and sort through even the more difficult portions, let me recommend a helpful resource by John. It's his commentary on Zechariah. This commentary is a great help for any student of God's Word, whether you're putting together a Sunday sermon or a lesson for your small group, or if you're simply studying the Word in your personal devotions. Order the Zechariah commentary when you contact us today. You can call us at 800-55 GRACE.
or place your order at our website, gty.org. The Zechariah commentary costs $25 in hardcover and shipping is free. Again, to order, call 855 GRACE or visit our website gty.org. And to download the messages in John's current series for free, you can do that as well at gty.org. Just look for the title The Return and Reign of Jesus Christ.
You can also find dozens of other topical studies as well as hundreds of sermons that have never aired on radio. All of John's sermons, that's 56 years' worth, are free to download in audio and transcript format at gty.org. At the website, you'll also find John's New Testament commentaries, the MacArthur Daily Bible, the systematic theology book called Biblical Doctrine, and much more. Our website, again, gty.org.
Now for the entire Grace TU staff, I'm Phil Johnson. Thanks for making time for today's broadcast. And join us again tomorrow as John MacArthur looks at Christ's second coming and how different it will be from his first appearance. Don't miss the next half hour of Unleashing God's Truth. one verse at a time on grace to you.
