Israel's Final Deliverance

We believe that the Bible teaches that there is coming a great day for the nation Israel, a day of deliverance and a day of salvation, a day of tremendous political victory and a day of even more tremendous spiritual victory. It's going to be a day when what has been a very tragic history will be reversed and be a history of great joy for Israel. Welcome to Grace to You, the Bible teaching ministry of John MacArthur. I'm your host, Phil Johnson. The great preacher Charles Spurgeon once said, God writes with a pen that never blots, speaks with a tongue that never slips, and acts with a hand that never fails.

Well, indeed, God is faithful, and always will be. Question is: What about all the promises that He made to Israel in the Old Testament? Can God really keep His word to them? And why should you, a Christian in 2026, care about whether God is faithful to Israel or not? There are more reasons than you might think, as John will show you right now in his lesson from Zechariah chapter 12.

John's current study is called The Return and Reign of Jesus Christ. If you're able, turn to Zechariah in your Bible and follow along with John MacArthur. We come to the 12th chapter, and the subject is a subject that's not new to us in the book of Zechariah. It's a rather familiar theme, and yet Zachariah comes at it in a very, very different way. It's the theme of Israel's final deliverance and salvation.

All the way through the book of Zachariah, this has been predicted, this has been prophesied, this has been anticipated and hoped for, and now we find a description of its coming to pass.

Now, this is not something that's really in the abstract for us who live today in this particular age because we can really see all around us. The coming together of the fulfillment of prophecy as it relates to Israel. I imagine if we'd been living 100 years ago, this would seem somewhat obscure. But in our lifetime, since 1948, the eyes of the world have focused on that little plot of ground that is known as Israel. It has drawn the attention of the world because of its amazing existence and because of its amazing sanctification, as it were, and I mean that in the sense of being set apart.

It seems to be undefeatable or indomitable. It exists as an island in a sea all around it that is endeavoring to rage and swallow it up. And since it became a nation again in 1948, this little nation that you might call the mystery of history has caused the world to focus its attention right there.

Now there's a reason for this. There's a reason that Israel is the focus of history again, and that is I believe that God has not yet finished with his purposes for them. A major part of the end of the redemptive plan of history finds its way coursing through the land of Israel. We believe that the Bible teaches that there is coming a great day for the nation Israel. A day of deliverance.

and a day of salvation. A day of tremendous political victory and a day of even more tremendous spiritual victory. God has planned it, God has predicted it repeatedly in the Old and the New Testament, and most particularly for our interest, God details it right here in the 12th chapter of Zachariah. It's going to be a day when what has been a very tragic history will be reversed and be a history of great joy for Israel. Now, you'll remember chapter 11 for just a moment.

We looked at chapter 11. Then we noted that that chapter deals with the coming of Jesus Christ. And he is pictured here as a shepherd. And you remember that we saw in the first part of the chapter through verse 14. The story of Jesus' first coming.

He came as the true shepherd and he was rejected. And then we saw in verses 15 to 17 that after Israel rejected the true shepherd, they would accept the false shepherd. that in the end time would come the one called the foolish shepherd who was antichrist. and Israel would accept him.

So basically, what we want to remind ourselves of in chapter 11 is that Israel refused Christ at his first coming.

Now, as you move into chapter 12, We find that at the second coming of Jesus Christ, the very opposite happens, and Israel receives the true shepherd.

Now, let's look at chapter 12. As we look at this, There are four features of Israel's coming deliverance and conversion. Four features, four major events: the siege of Israel, the shielding of Israel, the sorrow of Israel, and the salvation of Israel. These are dealt with in the 12th chapter. Beloved, this is exciting material.

This is not only exciting. To the Jew to hear, and there certainly ought to be some of us pronouncing this and proclaiming it. To Jews around the world, so that they will know what God has planned for them. But it is exciting to me to know that God is in control of history. Let's look first of all at the siege of Israel in the first three verses.

The burden of the word of the Lord for Israel, saith the Lord, who stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him. Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the peoples round about, when they shall be in the siege, both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all peoples. All that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the nations of the earth be gathered together against it. And we'll stop there.

Now, those three verses very obviously tell us about some kind of a siege against Israel. In fact, the word siege is used in the authorized in verse 2. The word simply means attack. The first element that the Holy Spirit wants us to focus on. Is that there will be a great attack by the Gentile nations coming against Israel?

It's obvious at the end of verse 3 that all the nations of the earth will be gathered against Israel. in the siege.

So there is coming a day when a tremendous world war is going to happen.

Some have called it the Battle of the Ages, the Battle of the Centuries, the greatest war of history. The ultimate war.

Now we know it as the Gentile invasion of Israel in the tribulation, commonly called the Battle of Armageddon. This is a worldwide battle. where all of the nations of the world converge on the nation Israel in an effort to wipe it out. and to wipe out the potential of The Messiah's return to establish the kingdom. It focuses on Israel.

You'll notice, verse 1: the burden of the word of the Lord for Israel. For Israel. This is all about Israel. They are the subject. Further on, you note that it mentions all through this chapter In addition to just Israel, Jerusalem in verse 2, Judah again, Jerusalem.

And further down in verse 5, the governors of Judah, verse 6, the governors of Judah. The tents of Judah, verse seven, Jerusalem, the house of David, Jerusalem. and so forth. It's very obvious this whole prophecy is directed at Israel.

Now you notice there there's the term burden. The burden of the word of the Lord. This Hebrew term is used frequently in prophetic literature. In fact, it's used in chapter 9, verse 1 for a particular burden of prophecy against the Gentiles. It is used to signify, now watch it, a prophecy of grief.

A prophecy of grief, something that really burdens down the prophet.

Something that creates anxiety and grief. And before there can ever be conversion in Israel, and before there can ever be repentance in Israel, and before there will ever be salvation in Israel, and before God will ever set up his kingdom, there's going to be grief. There's grief.

Now I want you to notice another thing about this thing. It is directed to Israel. It is a word of grief to begin with about an attack and a siege against them. But I want you to notice that it is from God. It is God Himself who brings this to pass.

The burden, for example, of the word of the Lord. This is the word of the Lord.

Now, notice verse 2. Behold, I will make. God is In mind here, he is the I. Verse 3: In that day I will make. Verse 4: In that day, I will smite, and I will open mine eyes.

Verse 6, in that day I will make.

Now repeatedly you get the idea that God is acting here. And beloved, I want you just to remember that all of the history of the world is really the enacting of the sovereignty of God. to one direct degree or another. God is involved in the flowing of history. And if this attack is to come on Israel, then it is God who makes it happen.

We saw the same thing similarly with the idea that there would come a false shepherd. And we saw how that it literally is God who allows him to come, even the Antichrist.

Now God is making a promise here. God is directing a prophecy. It's a prophecy of siege, but it's also a prophecy of salvation. And God is behind the whole thing. And the reason this is emphasized so greatly is so that the people who hear this prophecy will have the confidence to believe that it'll come to pass.

It doesn't depend on men, it depends upon an unchanging, immutable God. A God who doesn't make plans and scuttle them. A God who isn't thwarted by some other power. When God says it, and God plans to do it, it'll be done. And this is why the emphasis here on God.

And just in case somebody might wonder whether this God can handle it, you'll note in verse 1 that it says this. The Lord says this, and if you've forgotten who he is, he's the Lord who stretcheth forth the heavens and lays the foundation of the earth and forms the spirit of man within him.

Now, the point here is beautifully made. What he's really saying is this, it is the God who made it all who will end it all. And with the same power that God could make it begin, God will draw it to an end. He is the alpha and the omega in terms of history. This is a solid basis for faith in the ultimate destiny of history because you go back to the one who made it to start with.

Who created?

So you can see the divine element. Let me summarize for a minute. The divine element here, then, in many ways. First of all, the word burden. is a message of grief.

And it always indicates a divine message attached with judgment.

So, this very word burden indicates that it comes from God. Thus, it is called the burden of the word of the Lord. Secondly, you'll notice that it says, Seth the Lord. And again, it re-emphasizes that it's from God, that God is the one who is sovereign in authoring this. And thirdly, as I mentioned, it describes God as the omnipotent creator of the world.

He is the beginning, he will be the end. He made it in the beginning, he will make it. in the end, to fit his plan. It's as if It all began from him under his control, and that's the way it'll all end.

So the prophecy is toward Israel. And it is from God. And first of all, The prophet says it'll begin. With a siege. Verse 2.

And three. Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the peoples round about, when they shall be in the siege, both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all peoples. All that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the nations of the earth be gathered together against it. These two verses are what is simply called parallels.

They both begin the same way, really. I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling. And verse 3 says, I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone. Two and three say, all unto all the peoples and for all the peoples.

So here you have a description of a coming siege.

Now let's look at it for a minute. God says The siege is going to come. And this is what's going to take place. First of all, I'll make Jerusalem a cup of trembling. The normal word in Hebrew is kos, k-os.

The word here is sof, S-A-P-H. Want to get that right. But the word sof means a basin rather than a cup. Kos or kos means a cup.

Soft means a basin.

So what you really have here is a very large basin. And it needs to be very large because it's a cup of trembling for all the peoples. And if you look at the end of verse 3, all the peoples on the earth are going to have to drink out of it.

So the picture here that the prophet has in mind is this huge basin. Everybody's going to drink of it.

Now you say, well, what is the point of this? What does he mean?

Well, there are certain cups. From which if you drink you will find yourself staggering around. True? True. That's what it's saying.

A cup of trembling, not the idea that you're nervous. But the idea that you're sort of reeling around a little bit, you know, you can't walk the straight line, you fail the test. I will make literally, if you want to know the interpretive way to render it, I will make Jerusalem a basin of intoxication. to all people.

Now let me describe what he's saying. The nations are going to attack Jerusalem.

Now we know this because it's detailed for us, as I'll show you in a minute, in many places in the Bible. There's going to be a great world war, the battle of the centuries. They're going to converge on Israel. They're going to attack Israel. They're going to attack Judah, the surrounding countryside, and they're going to have their sights set on Jerusalem, although they never really are able to pull off much of an attack on Jerusalem, as this prophecy points out.

But they really begin to go after the land of Israel. And he says they're going to be like men greedily draining a wine goblet. They're going to come in and they're just going to drink it up. But in the end They're going to find themselves reeling and staggering around like helpless drunks, unable to claim the coveted prize. And in fact, they're going to be so disorganized and so drunk and so staggering around that they're going to be easy prey for divine judgment.

That's the idea. In Revelation 17:6, you remember that the final evil world system of Satan is said to be drunk with all the blood of the martyrs.

Well, in a similar sense, that's what's going to happen. The nations come in and they get drunk with the idea of conquest. And they think they're going to conquer Israel, and they drink deeply of the goblet of victory, deeply of the goblet of war, and they find that instead of them having the sanity to make. The victory they have in mind, they wind up as stupefied, reeling, staggering drunks who are easy prey for the judgment of God. None of them.

Metaphor that he uses to speak of them. He says, I'll make them a burdensome stone, literally, a stone of burden. A heavy stone hard to lift. Evidently, there's interesting in the Hebrew, I did a little research on it, and this very word referred to a stone that was used in weightlifting contests. A stone used in weightlifting contests.

Apparently, In those days, they had weightlifting contests, and they just got bigger and bigger and bigger stones until people got eliminated. And the guy who could lift the biggest stone ultimately was the winner.

Now the figure here is very simple. He's saying, I'm going to make Jerusalem a burdensome stone. And literally, what it's saying is: anybody that tries to lift it is going to get a hernia. That's what it says. Say it does.

Trust me. See the phrase cut in pieces? All that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces. Literally, it says, shall grievously injure themselves. And the simple meaning in the Hebrew is to rupture.

to tear oneself. An injury perhaps sustained from lifting something too heavy.

So, what's going to happen? Here come these nations to siege against Israel, and instead of being able to lift Israel, The picture of conquering Israel. They're simply going to tear themselves to pieces in the effort. The proud Gentile nations who think they're going to take Jerusalem. Think they're going to destroy God's people?

Who think they're going to remove any possibility of the Messiah having anybody left to set up his kingdom with? All these nations of the world, it says at the end of verse 3, they're all going to be gathered there. They're all going to be in the siege, verse 2, against Judah and Jerusalem. And in that day, it says, in that day, Verse 3: In that day, that great eschatological day of the Lord, they're going to find themselves reeling around in a drunken stupor and they're going to find themselves torn up inside because they've tried to do something that's impossible. Why?

Because God is on the side of his people. And what is absolutely incredible, people, and this is not, you know, this isn't pie in the sky or wistful thinking or something down the road that's some kind of a modified fairy tale. There is coming a day, literally, when the entire world attacks that little nation and that little nation wins.

Now that's a staggering reality. But after all, if the same people could walk around the walls of Jericho blowing horns and have all the walls fall down, don't discount what could happen in the future. It's describing for us our Mageddon.

Now that isn't the only book that describes it. Go back to the third chapter of Joel. If you're wondering where it is, it's right after Hosea.

Now, Joel is an interesting little book, but one of the parts that I want to point to you is the part that's about the Battle of Armageddon, the Battle of the Ages, the War of the Century that's going to happen. Verse 9 of chapter 3. Joel chapter 3, verse 9. Two books right of Daniel. It says this.

Prepare this among the nations. Prepare war. Wake up the mighty men. Let all the men of war draw near. Let them come up.

Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. And that's a reverse of what happens in the kingdom. And let the weak say, I'm strong. Assemble yourselves and come, all you nations, and gather yourselves together round about. And there cause the mighty ones to come down, O Lord.

Let the nations be weakened and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge the nations round about. Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, get down, for the press is full. The vats overflow. Their wickedness is great.

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision, for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon shall be darkened, the stars shall withdraw their shining, the Lord shall roar out of Zion, utter his voice from Jerusalem, the heavens and the earth will shake, the Lord will be the hope of his people and the strength of the children of Israel.

So shall you know that I am the Lord your God, dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain. Then shall Jerusalem be holy. We'll stop there. Coming a day of salvation, Jerusalem will be holy. Backing up before that, there's going to be a time when Jesus Christ comes and judges the nations.

Backing up from that, Joel says there's going to be a time when the nations come against Israel with a great war. It's really a war that's begun by Satan, generated by Satan, enticed by Satan, motivated by Satan, innovated by Satan, all in direct accord with the plan of God. All the nations of the world come there, convening with all their armies. They're defeated by Jesus Christ, brought into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and there they are judged for their evil. And so Joel speaks of the very same event.

Now, as we look at prophecy, we find, interestingly enough, there are four armies going to be at Armageddon. And I'll just remind you of them. The army from the west is signified in Daniel chapter 2 and Daniel chapter 7. The army from the west is in Daniel 2 and Daniel 7, and also in Revelation 17. It talks about this.

This is what Daniel would call the revived Roman Empire. Those nations that once made up a part of the Roman Empire regrouped, reunited, ten nations making up one confederacy, those nations constitute the army of the West led by the Antichrist, the emperor of that particular dominion. They march against Israel. Then there is the Army of the North. And in Ezekiel 38, you read Ezekiel 38 and 39, and you'll find the army from the north.

Gog and Magog, the land of Meshech and Tubal. And they ally with Cush and Put and so forth, those other names, which are ancient names of modern Arab states. And then there is in Daniel 11 the southern army. Coming up from the south. Daniel 11:40 to 44 talks about it.

So you've got the west, the north, the south, and then, of course, you're well aware that in Revelation 9 and in Revelation 16, there's a great army of the east. with 200 million soldiers. It comes moving toward Israel. The Euphrates River is dried up, and they march toward Israel.

So you've got the west, the north, the south, and the east converging. And when they all arrive, folks, there's going to be some kind of battle. Just imagine the Army of the East alone has 200 million soldiers. In Revelation 14 verse 20, It says, And the wine press was trodden outside the city. Apparently, they don't really get into the city of Jerusalem.

They begin to tear up the countryside all around. And blood came out of the wine press. even to the horses' bridles by the space of 1,600 furlongs. Literally what it says is there was blood as deep as horses' bridles for a 200 mile area.

Now, that may not be specifically literal, it may be somewhat figurative, but the point is there is going to be unprecedented bloodshed all over the face of that land. It's only 200 miles long, so what it means is the whole land is going to be in the midst of a drowning bloodbath. as the battle rages. The War of the World. The Battle of the Centuries.

In the midst of it all, The world is going to find out that all they get out of it is a drunken stupor, and they're unable to claim their prize, and all they get out of it is a sort of a political, spiritual. Rupture. in trying to lift a stone that's far too heavy because God happens to be sitting on it. Hope for that day is, I think, expressed in one of the Psalms. In Psalm 118, verse 6: The Lord is on my side, I will not fear.

What can man do unto me? The Lord takes my part with those who help me, therefore shall I see my desire upon those who hate me. Verse 10: All nations compass me about, but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them. They compass me about, yea, they compass me about, but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. They compass me about like bees.

They are quenched like the fire of thorns. For in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. That's a psalm that sings of the victory that God brings over the armies of Armageddon. You're listening to Grace to You, the Bible teaching ministry of John MacArthur. John's current study is called The Return and Reign of Jesus Christ.

Now, today, John made the point that learning about the end times reminds us that God is in control of history, that everything is going according to His plan. That is comforting. But it's also motivating because we can know exactly what God has in store for the world and what it all means for our lives today. I talked about that with John a few years back. Here's what he said.

Yeah, if you really think about it, Phil, the world is full of prognosticators trying to predict the future. who haven't got a clue. If you have a Bible in your hand and you're a believer, You know the future. You know exactly the way the world is going to go. You you know the broad realities that evil men will grow worse and worse deceiving and being deceived.

You know, there will be many antichrists. There will be a multiplication of antichrists. There will be an anti-Christian escalating force that develops toward the end of human history. We're seeing that now. There will be people defecting from the faith.

There will be the rise of apostasy. There will even be an Antichrist, a false prophet. There will be a compact they make with the nation Israel. There will be horrendous events that are detailed in the book of Daniel, in particular, as well as in the book of Revelation. And in our Lord's Olivet discourse, he lays out very specific events that are going to happen related to the city of Jerusalem, including an event called the abomination of desolation that Daniel talks about and our Lord talks about.

There is just a very clear indication that history has already been written. It's already been written and all the way out to the end. And if you're a believer, how incredible is it for you to know that? Yeah, because all that stuff you named is mostly bad stuff. And yet we know as believers that in the end God will triumph over evil.

And the bad part is the imminent and real and eternal judgment. But at the same time, The glory of the exaltation of Christ and his redeemed people also runs alongside of that, and that's the great and glorious hope for the future. You know, as a Christian, you don't need to be threatened by the environmentalists. You don't need to be threatened by the doomsdayers. You don't need to be worried about some asteroid smashing in and disintegrating the earth.

You just need to know what the Bible says about the future. God is in control of everything, and every detail is in his hands. That's right, friend. And speaking of studying biblical prophecy, I want to remind you about John's commentary on the book of Zechariah. Verse by verse, it looks ahead to the second coming of Jesus Christ, spells out God's future plans for his people, Israel, and helps you see what all of that means for you.

If you find it hard to understand biblical prophecy, or if you have doubts about what you'll face in the future, this book can help answer your questions. To get a copy of John's Zechariah commentary, it's 400 pages, contact us today. The price for the Zachariah volume is $25 and shipping is free. To order call 855 GRACE or visit our website gty.org. Our website again, gty.org.

and our phone number 855 GRACE. And if you're looking for a particular resource that will deepen your study of all scripture, Let me suggest our flagship resource, the MacArthur Study Bible. The Study Bible has 25,000 detailed notes written by John. that help you understand and properly interpret what you read in God's Word. To order the MacArthur Study Bible available in the English Standard, New King James, New American Standard, and Legacy Standard versions, call us at 800-55 GRACE.

or shop online at gty.org. Our web address one more time, GTY. Dot or g Now for the entire Grace DU staff, I'm Phil Johnson. Thanks for joining us today. Be back next time when John MacArthur shows you why you need to care about the future events laid out in Scripture.

even if you may not be around to experience them. We're continuing John's study called The Return and Reign of Jesus Christ with another 30 minutes of Unleashing God's Truth. one verse at a time on grace to you.