Zechariah 10:1-12--The Restoration for Judah and Israel

Zechariah 10
English Standard Version

The Restoration for Judah and Israel
10 Ask rain from the LORD
    in the season of the spring rain,
from the LORD who makes the storm clouds,
    and he will give them showers of rain,
    to everyone the vegetation in the field.
2 For the household gods utter nonsense,
    and the diviners see lies;
they tell false dreams
    and give empty consolation.
Therefore the people wander like sheep;
    they are afflicted for lack of a shepherd.

3 “My anger is hot against the shepherds,
    and I will punish the leaders;
for the LORD of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah,
    and will make them like his majestic steed in battle.
4 From him shall come the cornerstone,
    from him the tent peg,
from him the battle bow,
    from him every ruler—all of them together.
5 They shall be like mighty men in battle,
    trampling the foe in the mud of the streets;
they shall fight because the LORD is with them,
    and they shall put to shame the riders on horses.

6 “I will strengthen the house of Judah,
    and I will save the house of Joseph.
I will bring them back because I have compassion on them,
    and they shall be as though I had not rejected them,
    for I am the LORD their God and I will answer them.
7 Then Ephraim shall become like a mighty warrior,
    and their hearts shall be glad as with wine.
Their children shall see it and be glad;
    their hearts shall rejoice in the LORD.

8 “I will whistle for them and gather them in,
    for I have redeemed them,
    and they shall be as many as they were before.
9 Though I scattered them among the nations,
    yet in far countries they shall remember me,
    and with their children they shall live and return.
10 I will bring them home from the land of Egypt,
    and gather them from Assyria,
and I will bring them to the land of Gilead and to Lebanon,
    till there is no room for them.
11 He shall pass through the sea of troubles
    and strike down the waves of the sea,
    and all the depths of the Nile shall be dried up.
The pride of Assyria shall be laid low,
    and the scepter of Egypt shall depart.
12 I will make them strong in the LORD,
    and they shall walk in his name,”
declares the LORD.

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The Land was in a time of drought and infertile to reflect the hearts of the people before and during the time of Exile, but the LORD promises to send the rain again to give water to all the people and animals and vegetation.  No longer will the people attribute control of the weather to false gods who have life, no ability to speak, and no power to save or help--they were useless idols of wood, stone, or metal.

The people were given false prophets and false dreams and sent strong delusions so that they might believe the lies that were spoken by these false priests and prophets and that their hearts may be hardened and they would not repent before the time of judgment that they deserved.  Now is the time for restoration and the LORD will once again be understood to be their Good Shepherd.

The LORD is still angry with the leaders who lead the people astray and take what was meant for the sheep (the people) and consume it themselves.  We still see that issue during the time of Jesus, so they didn't learn their lesson--they magnified the issue of the people breaking the Sabbath, because that helped them gain more political control.  The Good Shepherd cares about His sheep being mistreated and He is going to one day make them like His majestic war horse that He rides into battle.

The LORD will be their sure and steady foundation and the means by which they are defended.  They have no need to fear anyone or anything because the LORD is on their side and will protect and defend them.  Just like in the times of the Conquest, the LORD will go in front of them in battle and their enemies will flee before them and they will mop up the enemies that run in fear.  No one will be able to stop them because the LORD has declared them to be victorious.

The LORD will save the house of Judah (the southern tribes) and the house of Joseph (the northern tribes) and restore them as if He had never rejected them and sent them away into Exile.  Though the northern tribes rebelled against the LORD's anointed leader (the sons of David of the tribe of Judah), they will be made strong again.

They will listen to the voice of the LORD and will gather together from the four corners of the earth when He whistles for them.  They will be His redeemed people and they will be as many as before (maybe more--remember the Abrahamic Covenant that promised an uncountable multitude of descendants).  Those who have been dispersed from the Land will return to it once again.  The entirety of the Promised Land will be filled until there is no more room for them.

He will strike down the Gentile nations pictured here as the waves of the troubled sea.   He will dry up the Nile River which the Egyptians worshiped.  He will humble the proud Assyrians and remove the scepter of power from Egypt.  The LORD will make both Egypt and Assyria to be worshipers of the LORD and they will seek the welfare of the LORD's people.  Together Egypt, Assyria and Israel will places where the people of the LORD worship Him in reverence and in gladness and they will walk in His Name (obey Him).