The Coming of the King
Zechariah 9:9–17
📖 Scripture
9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
10 I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.
11 As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit.
12 Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.
13 I will bend Judah as I bend my bow and fill it with Ephraim. I will rouse your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece, and make you like a warrior’s sword.
14 Then the Lord will appear over them; his arrow will flash like lightning. The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet; he will march in the storms of the south,
15 and the Lord Almighty will shield them. They will destroy and overcome with slingstones. They will drink and roar as with wine; they will be full like a bowl used for sprinkling the corners of the altar.
16 The Lord their God will save his people on that day as a shepherd saves his flock. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown.
17 How attractive and beautiful they will be! Grain will make the young men thrive, and new wine the young women.
💡 Scripture Summary
The Lord announces the coming of a king, righteous and victorious, yet lowly and riding on a donkey. He will proclaim peace to the nations. The Lord will save His people as a shepherd saves his flock, and they will shine like jewels in a crown. Grain and new wine will make them flourish.
📜 Memory Verse
“Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey.”
– Zechariah 9:9a
🔎 Reflection
Righteous, Victorious, and Lowly (9:9–13)
God promises Israel a king who will be righteous and victorious but also lowly, entering Jerusalem on a donkey. The common image of a king in Zechariah’s time was that of a mighty conqueror who leads his people to victory on a warhorse or a chariot. This prophecy’s portrayal is radically different. The promised king achieves victory not through violence, but by bringing peace. Yet He is no pushover. He wields the nations of Israel, Judah, and Ephraim like instruments of His power. We now know this promised king is Jesus, who entered Jerusalem on a donkey and secured the greatest victory by laying down His life. His power was displayed through peace, reshaping nations and empires with the good news of His kingdom.
Meditate on Jesus’ humble character and how He achieved victory by humbling Himself. How does His rule over our lives also bear testimony to His humility?
The Lord Saves (9:14–17)
After the image of the peaceful king, the prophecy moves on to images of battle on the day the Lord saves His people. The ultimate battle will be won by the Lord Himself who will advance, fire the artillery, and even play the marching music. The outcome will be the honor and the flourishing of His people. They will feast and thrive and have more than enough. At this time in history, we experience wars, conflicts, and all kinds of suffering. This does not escape God’s notice. He is already leading all of history to its completion, when God Himself will go to battle on behalf of His people, to put an end to hunger and oppression and replace it with glory and abundance.
Re-read verses 16–17 and meditate on the future God wants for His people. Ask for endurance as you wait for God to right all wrongs.
💬 Today’s Inspiration
“The Heavenly City outshines Rome, beyond comparison. There, instead of victory, is truth; instead of high rank, holiness; instead of peace, felicity; instead of life, eternity.”
– Augustine of Hippo
🙏 Prayer
Dear Father, I pray for Your peace to fill Your people during these times of conflict and uncertainty. Help us to find hope in You and live in light of Your guaranteed victory and ours, whatever our circumstances. In Jesus’ name, amen.
🖋 Essay
Two Cities
Recent headlines have been filled with news of war and conflict. But even when we don’t hear about them, violence and persecution have always been constant around the world. It is no surprise, then, that the Israelites in Jesus’ time expected the Messiah to be a conqueror who would liberate them from the tyranny of the Roman Empire. Yet Jesus did something even more revolutionary: He claimed victory by dying on a cross. In doing so, He began a movement that would not only transform individual lives but eventually reshape empires and cultures into a kingdom of peace.
The Roman Empire itself wouldn’t fall for another four hundred years. Augustine, bishop of Hippo, lived through its decline, witnessing the collapse of what was considered the greatest empire of its time. In response, he wrote The City of God, a book describing two cities: the earthly city and the heavenly city. Augustine argued that Christians live in both cities and are called to work for the good of their earthly communities while always remembering that their true citizenship is in heaven.
This remains a wise and timely reminder. As we live in both cities, our loyalty to the heavenly city should shape how we engage with the earthly one. As Christians, we must remain sensitive to issues of justice, recognizing that true transformation often takes time. But we do not lose heart because Christ is the victor, no matter the age or era. We pursue the kingdom of heaven with hope, trusting that Jesus Himself will bring about the fulfillment of the true and eternal city of God.
Written by John Bak